to think outside the box , and use the world as my gym . Then by chance one autumn night , unable to sleep , I dug out my trainers and headed out on the streets . No watch , phone , GPS ; I just shut the door and went for it . It turned out darkness and concrete were the perfect combination to , literally , keep me on my toes .
Everything was different in the dark . I ’ d ran at night before , but not in an urban setting and the palpable calmness only on offer after nightfall suited me . For once it wasn ’ t about finding a pace I could manage and then maintaining it . It was about going as fast I could in the space dictated by the landscape and then adjusting to whatever was around the corner . When you can ’ t see too far ahead , things appear to fly by at a remarkable pace . You have no choice but to be in the moment , and it was this that set me free . Obstacles are a-plenty and can be swerved or embraced . Jumping over benches , climbing railings and running along walls all add to the fun and intensify demands on the body . felt more akin to a hamster wheel than a liberating , stress-relieving antidote to modern-day living . And I felt like I ’ d fall off if I looked to either side . Back in the fresh air , Parkruns offered me the chance to be a runner without taking things too seriously , but I wasn ’ t often free on a Saturday morning , and when I was the lie-in was far more appealing . Adventure races caught my eye , offering a dynamic distraction to the fact I was running , but after careful consideration I decided a hundred pounds to experience what was essentially a cross between a kid ’ s soft-play and a wet Glastonbury Festival wasn ’ t for me .
I started performing calisthenic workouts mid-run , in a local skate park and kids playground . It broke up the monotony and inspired me
I wouldn ’ t go so far to label it Parkour or Freerunning . There are no back-flips or acrobatics , but it does share the ethos of overcoming obstacles in an urban setting without restraint .
Why not encourage yourself and your clients to change it up ? A fresh environment can breathe life into a stagnant mindset and offer a new perspective on things now customary . You don ’ t need to be a slave to the stopwatch or have a master plan . Just run .
Ronny Terry is a personal trainer and fitness writer based in South West England www . switchfituk . co . uk
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