Why did I start 
running?

I've always liked the idea of being a runner...

I’ve always liked the idea of being a runner. You know, running through the streets early in the morning, feeling like one of those people who "just pops out for a 5k before breakfast." But the reality was... different. Every time I tried Couch to 5k, I’d smash the first week, wobble through the second, then quietly sack it off around week three when breathing became a full-time job.

I wasn’t giving up because I didn’t care. I was giving up because I felt like if I wasn’t instantly good at it, maybe I wasn’t meant to be a runner at all. (Turns out, that's just a lie your brain tells you when you’re sweaty, out of breath, and mildly regretting your life choices.)

What finally changed for me was seeing my husband. Back in 2020, he completed Couch to 5k while undergoing Proton Beam Therapy - proper cancer treatment - and he didn't just stop when it ended. In fact, he's recently been on a challenge of his own - running and walking 5k every other day, and he’s been doing it for the last 160 days. So what the hell was my excuse?

That’s why I finally decided to commit properly. I set up a TikTok page to document it all - the good runs, the bad runs, the sweaty messes, and the days where my legs feel like concrete. I didn’t start it to "go viral" or anything like that. I started it to hold myself accountable, to have a place to track the messiness, not just the highlights.

Running still isn’t easy for me. Some days I feel like an athlete. Some days I feel like a broken shopping trolley. But it’s not about being brilliant. It’s about showing up. About finishing something I start. About not quitting on the hard days.

That’s why I started running. And that’s why this time, I’m not stopping.

Follow me on my TikTok for all of my updates on how things are going! - https://www.tiktok.com/@chloejadebrain

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