THE SPANISH STYLE: Running que te Running

Yes, I know, another running aficionado. What can I say, it has hit me hard. The thing is that I started to run before I was aware of this running craze. Most digital newspapers and magazines now have a running blog. Who would have thought? Cheap and easy to start I might add. No need of complicated gear, buddies, gym fees, just the outdoors, yourself, and some running shoes. I didn’t have ones until last Christmas and I did pretty well, so not even those fancy shoes are necessary (this summer running on the beach barefoot, I say).

Running in the city streets, parks, country roads or trails, there is nothing more liberating than putting in your earbuds and hitting the road. Just listening to your own breathing and footsteps, isolated from the daily routines and preoccupations... If done regularly you not only develop great endurance but get to know yourself a little better. Tons of thoughts or none at all, just your mind and your body.

While deeply immersed in this endorphin-releasing daily routine I decided that I wanted to set up some goals and hence have participated in some races, just to finish them up, competing against myself. It’s my pride-or as Haruki Murakami would say, I’ve never walked, always have run. His book “What I Talk When I Talk About Running” although dispersed and repetitive is somewhat inspiring, for me at least. Writing –or trying to-and achieving my next running goal makes me spend a lot of time in my own company.

There are all kinds of races: city races, popular and family races, good cause races, trail races, fun races, night clubbing races, etc. Women's-only races, yeap, another classic. I have done a few of those, and I have to say they are a lot more stylish. Last weekend I did the Mujeres que corren (running women) event in Bilbao. You know it's all about having a good time when you see a bunch of females wearing great running outfits, bright colors and lots of “matchy -pooh” (according to an English friend of mine, the Spanish style has to do with the superb ability of Spanish women in the realm of color matching, or the matchy-pooh, I call it). Everyone making an effort and decorating their exteriors despite going all red and sweaty. There were pirate tights, flaired shorts, running dresses, fluorescent tanks, bright caps, matching compression tights, “skorts" (a skirt-short deal), fantastic looking running shoes with all kinds of lace combinations, colorful ID rubber bracelets, pony tail elastics, and my favorite, the "Shwings"; two cloth wings that you tie to your shoes, one on each shoe, like Mercury (or Hermes in the Greek version), the messenger of the gods. They make my effort even more epic, I'm such a sucker for mythical stuff. The “Shwings” are cheap and cute but I feel that I will only deserve them when I achieve my next goal, the half marathon. I know how I want mine: golden.