To run or not to run?

Warning - the following post is link heavy, because I didn't want to load the post down with seemingly irrelevant links. Well, I think they're relevant, but it's all subjective :)

A mistake was made and now the ball is speeding back through the air towards you. 


Towards the area you're guarding. 


You're tired but t's not about you right now though - it's about your team, who have been working seamlessly together like some living, feeling, panting, screaming organism for the last 45 minutes; about the girls who can't come into your space, praying that you do your job properly so that they can do theirs.  


Your feet are like lead and seem to be stuck to the ground but somehow you'e got to make them move and you've got to do it really fast. 


But the world seems to have slowed down to an unbearable pace and  you're not sure you'll be fast enough.


Your player has disappeared from your peripheral and something tells you that she's looming directly behind you, waiting for the chance to spring out and sprint. To the left or the right? You don't know - gotta stay on your toes. 


What's the score? Don't know, can't see through the sweat and to be honest, it doesn't matter because your moment is coming, and your chest is starting to tighten painfully, right now, of all times, such a bother! What's gone before doesn't really matter now - it's a new moment, a new chance, a new opportunity to prove your worth.


Left, she's gone left, your weaker side, but no matter, your reflexes have already taken over and you're not quite sure if you're sprinting of flying and as you leap - into the void? Into glory? - you experience the thrill of the speed of the ball on your finger tips...


Well, netball feels that intense for me any ways. To be honest, I love playing sports in general but netball is a sport I can actually compete in.

But lord, does it require a lot of stamina. And that leads me onto the topic of this post - Should I take up running or not?

Don't get me wrong, I love being active and I adore sprinting - just going full pelt, as fast as I can for a short amount of time. But I'm not sure about the actual act of running/jogging.
I've read people's experiences, about the bad memories they have with running, how they used to hate running but now they can't be without it or various answers to any excuses one may have; I love the blogs and the motivational speak that goes along with encouraging people to keep running.
Despite all that. Despite knowing all the health benefits and positives and good things about running and/or jogging, I still kinda feel like this:

And thus, as I do in every moral quandry I experience, I wrote a sort of brain ramble.

I hate running.

Well, I don't think I hate running, but I don't know if I'd be passionate and motivated enough to keep it up. 

Then again, my main motivation is that it would build up my stamina, making me a netballing BEAST!

 But a lot of the girls on the netball team who run are really slim and I really don't want to lose weight or change my physique in any way. I don't want abs, I don't want to be slimmer, I just want to do a Kanye and get better, faster, stronger. Plus, is running going to be able to help me do leg splits as easily as Jordan Casanova?

But it's free!

Well, almost. It can actually be quite expensive. You need to get trainers for one and those set you back at least £40 on sale. And I can't run if I don't have music, and putting your mp3 player in your pocket or down your bra is not a good enough way to keep it secure and maintain momentum. And if you want to go running in the winter, you need thermals, or to join a gym. Both of which cost moola.

But I would be able to go running with The Wonder Thing and that is (nearly) enough to get me strapping on some trainers right now.

Except he used to be in the top 1 percentile for his age range for long distance running and that's incredibly off putting for a novice like me. I can't even run a mile and for him 3 miles is just a little bit of a warm up or something stupid. Also, I know he has a fondness for hills. Um. No thank you.

Running with someone else would be a great way of motivating two people, getting some comraderie and bonding with another human being (I may have some problems with that).

I know that running is safer with a partner, but I don't know anyone at my (non) level who'd be willing to do it. I've tried it with someone fitter than me - the Little Bro. To say he left me behind in his dirt is an understatement. I felt like the Fenton dog guy must've felt.

I want the endorphin rush that people always talk about getting after a great run. Heck, I just want to be able to say "a great run" without being incredibly sarcastic.

On the other hand, I'm not a complete couch potato (despite what my television habits may imply) - I dance and I do yoga occasionally. 

However, I'll be honest, I need a proper timetable or class to go to in order to remember to do them consistently and to up my game instead of doing the same old same old. Running, I could do anywhere and it's easy to challenge yourself - adding hills, carving out new routes, trying to beat your personal best time. 

But I've also got to consider my fear of injury  -I got shin splints once after not warming up before a netball match and apparently they come with the running territory for some people. Uh. No thanks.

Then again, with the proper precautions, injury can easily be avoided.

If I run, I'll have to do it early in the morning (at least at first - to get over the idea people are staring at me). Which is fantastic in the summer. But just plain ridiculous in the winter.

Oh, I don't know. At least this post looks seasonal!

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