“How running & fitness became my window to a better life” – Julie Eriksen.
I have been running since I turned 13 yrs old 😊 It was the last sport I thought I could be good at, because as a child, I always used to get stitches while running around outdoors with my brothers! But on a dare by my best friend, I tried out for the school’s track-&-field team! My motivation to run in those early years was purely a social thing!
When one is 13 years old, it is so important to fit in, and NOT so important, what one’s parents are recommending one to do! Since I was always seen as one of the nerdy girls in my school, running quickly became an outlet where I fit in better… and this, merely because I showed up every day and made an effort!
Why Julie enjoy running?
The list is truly lengthy!! And I don’t just enjoy it… it has become a part of WHO I AM. In short, I am at my BEST when running is included in the daily schedule! As a wife of a diplomat and a mom to two teenagers and a younger child, there are many demands and duties placed on me every single day. Additionally, I have no extended family in this country to lean on. I just MUST be strong, resilient & energetic as a role model & as a woman, in order to get by!
So running provides me the necessary “down time”, a time to be alone in my thoughts and to have the luxury of focusing inwards rather than outwards on others. It often feels like a form of meditation to me. After sweating it out on the track, an immediate effect is often this amazing calm that washes over my every body part. Running leaves me feeling like I can take on whatever happens to cross my path that day!
And then there’s running as a team! Such an efficient way to have a great social outlet, to laugh & de-stress with like-minded people, to discuss & sort through any issues one is currently working on. This sport also lets my body get out frustrations and anger, and come home relaxed and ready to give of myself generously! It makes me strong, and helps me think clearly. Running can only be positive, so long as one listens & respects one’s own body!
As to what Julie do NOT like about running
Honestly there is nothing substantial. So long as one is running from the heart, for the right reasons, and is setting clear-cut goals with a NORMAL progression in working towards those goals, there really shouldn’t be any negatives. It is ONLY when one becomes too concerned about what OTHERS are doing that unhealthy competition may come in.
Running is a quickly blossoming sport in this part of the world, so everyone seems quite eager & sometimes overly interested to keep track of everyone else’s progression and results. I work hard on keeping the focus on MY passion for running and MY reasons for running, and just brush away all the rest!
How does Julie Eriksen take care of the injuries
Although I have run for 30 years, I have only had a handful of smaller injuries. As SOON as those happened, I backed off of running and focused on rehabilitation right away. I enjoy many sports, and am not the type to sit much in my everyday… so this helps with prevention of injury. And since starting to train more competitively these last couple of years, I have added 3 days of strength training and calisthenics to my weekly regimen.
Additionally, when I am working up to a major competition, I focus more on nutrition, water intake, and keeping up with a decent amount of sleep. Sometimes I have to prioritize with social engagements, due to our job here in India… we get a lot of late-night invitations and receptions. This doesn’t compliment the typical early-running training sessions here due to temperature and climate! So I try to make smart choices about not burning the candle on both ends, so to speak!
About Julie Eriksen diet
I will not get into detail about my diet, but as a long-term passionate runner, and mom to 3 active kids, I can literally eat ANYTHING my body asks for!! And I truly make an effort to ASK my body what it wants to feel full and satisfied. I never deny my body treats (chocolate for example, a fav!!) but if one is exercising hard, it is often the protein-rich and good-fatty foods that the body wants!.
I try to have plenty of fruits and vegetables around our house too, at any given time. More of those get eaten, if they are right there on the kitchen counter! Eggs are a favorite too! Peanut butter is also a fav & awesome source of protein!
One difference I DO notice between MY eating habits and many of those around me here in India: I eat my meals much earlier, not eating after 6 pm. And I eat the biggest meal at lunch, and usually have 4 meals not 2 or 3. That seems to be a cultural difference. On occasion when I have a typical Indian meal at 8 or 9 pm, by body doesn’t respond so well to running at 6 am the next day!
Her best experience in running
Training for and completing my first full marathon… to run one’s first full marathon is a GIGANTIC and intimidating task! The hardest part is the first part, to commit to the long-term process of training for such! Then setting the requisite training plan, such that the body will not just MANAGE the marathon, but ENJOY the experience too! I did my first FM 11 years ago, and one’s first is something one NEVER forgets!! Outside of giving birth to my 3 daughters, and marrying my husband, my training up for and having the courage to complete my first FM was one of my proudest accomplishments!!
Tips for beginners by Julie Eriksen
Stop talking about getting more active, and just START!!! From whichever point you are at! If you will train in the morning, make sure everything you need is laid out before you go to bed. And if you will train right after work, make sure you have your training bag packed for the precise moment you step out of the office!! And then… turn your mind totally off, and just DO!! Because once you start, it is harder to stop than to just continue. You will start to be SO proud of yourself, you will start seeing and most of all FEELING positive changes in your body and mind.
You will progress to becoming a better and better version of you! And before you know it, it will just flow into being a part of your day that you just WON’T give up for “smaller things”… it will become a PRIORITY for you!! And always always be proud of your efforts. Do not compare to the others you see working out. Give yourself positive internal encouragement for every single little breakthrough! And most of all, ENJOY!
How does Julie Eriksen unwind
This is actually something I normally am not so good at! I am an anxious-type of person. There are very few things in this world that bring me inner-peace and tranquility the way that running does. Sure, the occasional glass of wine, or reading, or going on a hike in the forests with my husband, these are great ways for me to unwind too! But running can be done for any short or long amount of time, literally anywhere, forests or city… and it just ALWAYS makes me feel calmer by the end!
By Julie Eriksen
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