Running Free
4 November 2018
Professional triathlete Sam Betten explains why we should embrace the unknown.
If you are a runner, then I would imagine that you will have your fair share of running technology which monitors what you do and WHERE you do it. On a recent trip away, I found myself without a watch and running on trails which I had no idea of where they led. The trails I ran on were all new to me and I wasn’t at all concerned about where I was heading during my run. The experience is something that I really enjoyed and is something that I don’t think (as a person who runs 60-120kms a week) I do enough of.
Running free and exploring a new and exciting environment is for me when I enjoy my running the most.
Running, as we all know, gives you an amazing opportunity to explore new locations where only running can take you. It is so easy to get stuck into the trap of running on trails or paths, which you run on week after week. While there is nothing wrong with this, I would highly recommend that this coming weekend you mix it up a little. Set yourself the goal of trying to find somewhere new to run at least once a week.
Since coming back from the aforementioned trip away, I have tried to set this goal myself and it has really given me a new sense of enjoyment on my Sunday morning runs. After a big week of training, doing up my running shoes and running somewhere new to me takes the pain out of the legs and I have often found myself running for longer than expected and enjoying each and every step along the way.
So set yourself the challenge. Go exploring and run somewhere new this weekend, and enjoy the journey along the way.
By Sam Betten
Professional Triathlete