We’re all guilty of avoiding things that we aren’t good at or things we don’t enjoy. This has always been the case for me and running. I never felt that I was good at it; in hindsight, I had unrealistic expectations of how far and how fast I should be able to run. This time though, I’ve decided to take the pressure off. I’m running as part of my rehab rather than to be ‘good’ at it.

At the start of lockdown, I downloaded the couch-to-5K app and followed it to the letter. It might be boringly obvious but it really helped me start slow and recognise my progress. Each week, as I advanced through the stages, I was working towards an end goal. Once I completed the app, I just kept going.

In a period of life where a lot of ambitions have been postponed (travel goals, career goals…), feeling that sense of achievement has become all the more valuable. It’s improved my confidence too. By persisting at something I’m not good at, I’m continually going outside my comfort zone, which has made me more open to trying new things I wouldn’t consider before.

Running benefits: “I run even though I don’t like running – and here’s why I’ll keep on doing it”