Running with purpose

Something the Running Channel Podcast often mentions is that every run should have a purpose. That can be keeping fit, a specific distance/time goal, mental health benefits, getting time to oneself, anything that gives the run a “reason”.

This rings true for me. When I’m following a running plan (Couch to 5k, Nike Running Club 10k, Nike Running Club Half Marathon), there is a clear motivation as to why I am doing each run. Similarly, when I run in a new place (e.g. on holiday) the goal is to explore a new place and discover a little bit of the culture. Another reason I run is to be in a group with other people, spending time talking and meeting people.

In an idea stolen directly from Simon Wolf, I am putting some goals together for myself. They cover fitness, music and life.

These goals are there so that I can look back on what I’ve achieved, and also a reminder of what I’m aiming for.

Why?

As referenced in multiple posts already, my life is changing in ways I never expected at the beginning of 2025. This has led to reevaluating my life, what I want to achieve, and my approach to get there.

A run with a view

One of the things I really like about running is that it doesn’t take a huge amount of equipment to do it. Running shoes, appropriate clothes, and optionally some form of fitness tracking watch, and you are good to go.

The gear required for running can easily fit into a small bag, a corner of a suitcase, or a backpack. I really enjoy cycling, but the size of a bike and helmet isn’t exactly something you can fit under your seat in a plane!

Let’s all go for a run

As mentioned my previous post (My Fitness Journey), I have recently started running with other people.

For many runners, this isn’t that big of a deal. Most that I have met or talked to set a Parkrun as their goal, or a race, or some other form of event. However for me, that was never the case. Running with other people has been a massive change.

Fitness

I’m currently in the middle of a bit of a mid-life renaissance when it comes to fitness. Having spent most of my adult life (and a significant portion of my teenage years) either sedentary or with fleeting dips into something resembling exercise, I had always assumed that it just wasn’t for me.

However, it turns out that isn’t the case. This post is the story of how I got to where I am now, and why it took me so long to do so! I turned 40 at the end of 2024, and yet my fitness journey feels like it has only really just begun.

Introduction

For those who don’t know me (which is presumably most people who will read this), it is worth an introduction to myself.

I am a dad, I work in the technology industry (SRE/Software Engineer/Platform if you wanted to know), I play guitar, I listen to a variety of music (with a slight preference towards metal and EDM), and I am a little obsessed with Motorsport too.

For a few years I wrote blogs as YetiOps, mainly focussed on DevOps, Automation, Networking (TCP-style, rather than meeting people), but lost a little steam (partly life, partly time, partly jobs) and haven’t written anything in 3 years.