I grew up in the Hampshire countryside, on the outskirts of a small town. You could walk out the front door and be in the rolling hills or woodlands within minutes. No particular destination in mind, it was just fun to head out on foot or on my bike for a tear up around the woods. Looking back, I realise how much that shaped my interests. How lucky I was to be able to touch grass whenever I wanted. Growing up without my mum around meant I often had to find comfort elsewhere and for me, that space was out there.
As I got older life changed a lot and filled up with other things, friends, going out, all the usual stuff. Running just slipped down the list without much thought. I stayed active but I’d be at the gym or cable park instead, always active, always solo sports.
It wasn’t until after uni that running found its way back into my life and this time it stuck. It became part of my routine, my work, my social life, even my therapy.
@grovelane_ and
@circus_running are testament to this.
But when I really think about it, it’s never been about running for time or pace goals, although I do love to race time to time. For me it’s about that feeling I had as a kid. Being outside, moving, not thinking too much. That’s what getting out into the woods feels like. That kind of freedom is hard to come by in adult life.
Because life can easily fall into a loop if you let it. Work, responsibilities, the same patterns every day. That suits some people, but it’s never really suited me. I’ve come to realise I need to feel a sense of freedom to be happy.
Running is my solace, the part of the day where things feel natural, a space to work through my thoughts, or switch off entirely and go wherever I feel.
And I think that’s what I’ve been trying to build into Circus. Something that brings people back to that feeling. Because life moves fast, and it’s easy to forget what used to make us happy.
