As a young kid I was always super active and loved every sport. My first encounter with running was in primary school running a 2km cross country race. I remember struggling so much during that race and being a little jealous of my friends who were absolute natural runners and could run the distance much faster than me without any training. However, I didn’t let this stop me, I kept going and learnt that for me, the more runs I did, the easier it got.

I competed a few more times throughout high school and uni and although I was not born a natural ‘runner’ with training and persistence I was able to get faster and run further. However, I was completely put off competitive running after I got so nervous before a race that I had to dash to the bathroom and on my way I ended up tripping on a chain fence in the car park and went head first into a wooden beam resulting in 10 stitches… I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t pretty scarred from that event. So from then on I simply decided to run for fun and because it makes me feel amazing!

When it comes to my running nowadays, I’ll usually run 3-4 times a week and if I’m not feeling 100% on a particular day, I’ll always listen to my body and do what I can manage. Some days I feel like I could run for hours without needing to stop or feeling tired and on other days, 1km feels like a huge challenge, and that is okay.

Regardless of the run I’m planning to do, I’ll always warm up by completing a series of warm up exercises including elbow to knee taps, calf raises and dynamic hip flexor stretches. These activating movements seriously make all the difference so be sure to complete them before you run too!

I also ensure that I give my body adequate recovery and rest time between those longer and more challenging runs and that I’m supporting my running by keeping up with the KIC pilates and strength workouts. By completing these additional workouts I’m able to strengthen my entire body, in particular my legs and core which in turn allows me to power through my runs, push through my legs more and keep my trunk strong and sturdy.

In terms of my running fuel, 30 minutes before I run I’ll always have a coffee with oat milk and if it is a longer run, I’ll have a banana on toast for an extra boost. When it comes to re-fuelling post run, as I am a morning runner I always like to make myself avocado on toast with eggs and one of our KIC smoothies. I love this meal as it is packed full of carbs, healthy fats and protein which helps to promote my muscle recovery and ensure that my body is fuelled for the remainder of the morning.

Running has and continues to play such a pivotal role in my physical and mental wellbeing and indeed when I first started running it wasn’t easy as I was building up fitness. It was tough but like everything, practice, persistence and training helped me to push through that hard feeling and make running more comfortable and enjoyable. My running journey continues and I am so excited for you to be able to start your running journey with us at KIC! I am thrilled to be able to offer the KICRUN program that acts as your own personal running coach in your pocket. It will have you feeling amazing and you’ll be joining me in reaping all the benefits of running.

So what are you waiting for? Grab those runners, chuck on a killer playlist and go. You’ve got this!