Your pace or mine?

Hello, my name is Serena, and I have an obsession with Nike. Just look at it. How could you not? I also have a bit of an obsession with running. Again, how could you not? (I know a lot of people would disagree with me on that one.) If someone could send me all of this then that would be lovely thank you.

Your pace or mine? by serenarudge featuring nike

The thing is, when I run I do like to look good. People stare at me as if I'm crazy when I say this: do I not go red faced and sweaty and look as though I'm in the middle of giving birth when I run like everybody else? (I've never actually seen anyone running whose face looked like they were in the agony of labour, but I know I've definitely grimaced in that fashion before, so I'm hoping other people have...) Of course I do. Apparently if your face is going to look like a sweaty strawberry/raspberry/beetroot then there's no point in wearing nice workout clothes.

Excuse me, but I beg to differ. There's nothing better than the feeling of looking like you effortlessly knock out a 10k every day, rain or shine, followed by some weights, yoga, and a bit of stretching. Obviously my body doesn't look like it does this, and if I get an effort-full 10k in once a week I'm very pleased, but it makes me feel like I'm a runner. It's the same principle as dressing up to make yourself feel more productive, less lazy and slob-like.

This does, of course, go against everything I argue to people: to be a runner you don't need to be a good runner, you don't need to look good, wear the right shoes, or even run for more than half of your workout. Generally, if you can run then you're a runner. I would never say anything else. But for me, good workout gear is essential.

I'm currently running in these bad boys from H&M:

I saw them before Christmas and fell in love, so got them with some Christmas money. Only £14.99! I've just seen these on their website, which are the current version of mine. I wouldn't mind them as well... H&M might not be Nike, but it does do some decent gym clothes... 

This slogan is from my first and favourite Nike top. They don't seem to sell their slogan tees in the UK as much as they do in America (why not, Nike? Why not?) so I'm holding onto this one.

And, just to round this off, my running shoes.

Although this was when they were new which was nine months ago, so they're definitely more battered now! I tried on my old shoes the other day and they were so uncomfortable. I didn't realise it at the time of course, but I'd had them since sixth form.

I'm by no means a 'good' runner, but I've done it sporadically since I was nine and I do love it. There was no cross country team at my secondary school, although since I left one was set up and both my sisters ran at national championships. I ran when I felt like it during sixth form, started doing it quite a lot in second year of uni, and just carried on. It's something I definitely see progress in: between last Christmas and August I was tracking my runs using Nike+, and my pace fluctuated between 5:25min/km and 6:00min/km, usually falling around 5:35. Last term I stopped running and went to the gym a lot, decided I hated running on the treadmill so did 30 minutes of sprint intervals instead. When I started running outside again I was down to 5:10min/km, and on my last run I did 6.5km at 4:43.

I'm intent on getting faster, doing sprints and tempo running as well as some longer distances and normal 5-6k runs. I'm not always going to run as fast as I want to, but I'm going to try really, really hard to stick to this one, because the more progress I make the more I enjoy it. I just wish I had someone to run with! Any takers...?