A path to your addiction for running

Being born and raised in Russia, I grew up with a strong belief that a girl should always look like a bombshell and wear high heels everywhere she goes. I tried my Mom’s stilettos on for my 4th birthday. I stuffed them with toilet paper to fit my little feet and proudly walked back and forth in our apartment. That was my first runway walk. After those first steps, I eventually became very comfortable walking in heels, even on the beach, or in the house while cleaning or packing boxes while moving.

That habit, of course, did some damage to my body and I developed a painful bunion. It was painful, and I ended up having foot surgery that put me out of commission for two weeks, right around Thanksgiving. I could not walk and had to jump on one leg to get around the house. During that time, I missed walking my dog and felt absolutely disconnected from the outside world. Nothing lasts forever and of course, I healed and started to use my foot more and more.

All of this made me realize how fragile we are and how wonderful it is to be able to walk and feel no pain. So, I started walking longer distances to enjoy the scenery, smells and listen to more good music. But of course, who has time to walk for hours? Soon I tried to walk faster and run downhill. My first 3 miles of walk/run were intense but very memorable. I felt energized, happy, and wanted to do more. I started running every day, at a comfortable pace, figuring out my route. In a few months, I got better, a little faster, and found beautiful running trails in a local forest preserve.

I learned how to prepare for a run properly — buying better shoes at the runner’s store. That it is also best to have warm clothes specifically for running outdoors. My gear soon consisted of pepper spray and an MP3 player full of my favorite songs. My love for running was born. I was addicted to the feeling of accomplishment after finishing my run, the feeling of being ready for the day and having me time. I decided to sign up for my first 5K race!

It was so exciting, I was nervous and started to mentally prepare myself by journaling about my runs — mileage, weather conditions, and how I felt during and after the run. My first race was very memorable — It was St. Patrick’s Day; everyone was wearing green. Moms running with strollers with kids dressed up as Shamrocks and green beer for runners at the end. It was fun and I felt great! I immediately signed up for more races, 5K and then 10K, and kept running daily.

Spring brought flowers and muddy trails, so I had to look for asphalt. My neighborhood was too small to run my daily 5 miles, so I googled running trails around me and came across a local running club that had organized runs four times a week with different routes and speeds. I joined the club and started running with them weekly.

The running club offered not just runs but also a social life — we were going out for Mexican food after our Tuesday night runs, volunteered for street cleaning after Saturday long runs, and got together to celebrate holidays. So, not only did I meet many great people, but I also started running faster and learned more running tips — run towards traffic on the roads, wear reflective gear, be alert to hear emergency vehicle siren.

Don’t run races in brand-new shoes, recover with icing and snacking on a banana, stretch and have fun! I signed up for my first marathon in October and started training with my group and kept running daily. I continued journaling about my runs, setting goals, and preparing the night before. I created a running album with all of my race bibs and pictures of the run. My running life was booming, I made time and found ways to squeeze in my morning run despite my work schedule.

Soon I had run 5 marathons and more than a dozen of half-marathons in different states, volunteered for races if I didn’t qualify. Running has allowed me to meet many new friends who have the same mindset and an addiction to running.

Running for me is a form of meditation, it’s a time when I sort things out, prepare for the day, or think about something that bothers me and I can’t figure out how to deal with it. I love running on sand or fresh snow the feeling of seeing my footprints on my way back and knowing, I made those! Running when on vacation allows me to explore new places I would not see just walking around.

Running has become a passion for me whether on a treadmill or outside, with good friends or by myself — I just love running. This is probably the best addiction that has so many benefits, and I am not giving it up. As well my high heels!

Personal Wellness Coach Nika Helge

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