Running to victory and a healthy life…

This blog post is a collaboration between Kay and myself. Recently, I have connected on Instagram with the lovely Kay who is a Vegan Runner. She has a lovely social media platform that helps engage and inspire runners through her running journey – she is soon to be a marathoner! Pretty cool I’d say! 😊

We are here to talk about not only running but the diet that goes along side to help you with your running journey, whether you are completely new to the running scene or you are a seasoned racer. We hope this gives you a new take on running and Kay’s top tips! 

Please feel free to share with all your friends and family! Here we go…

So Kay, what was it that kickstarted your running journey?

Originally, I started running because my friend was running a half-marathon and I wanted to cheer her along and show my support by running the 10k for the same race. I didn’t train very much at all for that first race, but I enjoyed it so much and kept running after the race. I then got the opportunity to take a module in uni called ‘Born to Run’ which is all about the positive psychology applications to running and the end goal for this module is to run the Liverpool Marathon. Due to Covid, I haven’t run this marathon yet, but I will be running a marathon as soon as races begin again (I am signed up for Brighton 2021 and Liverpool 2021. 

Are you able to highlight to us how veganism has impacted your running or your lifestyle at all?

By being vegan I think I do struggle to get the right nutrients in if I don’t put time into planning what I am eating each week but overall, I think being vegan has positively impacted my running. I have been vegan for 3 years now and I think it has positively impacted my lifestyle and my food choices. I eat a lot healthier now than I did when I ate meat because I tend not to choose the ‘easier’ options anymore. I was already vegan when I began running so I can’t compare my performance before and after. However, I think as long as you make sure you’re getting the right nutrients in, you can lead a healthy lifestyle on a vegan diet. 

How does running make you feel (before and after)?

The rush of endorphins you get after running is my absolute favourite part about running. I have to admit that occasionally I just do not want to go for a run and my motivation is basically non-existent. However, the feeling you get when you finish a run gives me the motivation to run when I am lacking it from elsewhere. 

In your opinion, how can we aim to have a better relationship with food and fitness?

I think just finding a balance between ‘eating healthy’ and eating what you fancy is so important! If I want to eat a piece of cake, I will. I try and maintain a healthy-ish diet and eat ‘treats’ or ‘sweets’ when I want to as well. I am also trying to achieve a better relationship with food and it’s something that is so personal to everyone. 

I think the same can also be applied to fitness. If I don’t want to run some days, I won’t push myself. It’s important to just always listen to your body and don’t push it too much. Respect and love your body for everything it can do!

What do you feel is the best advice for people who have never run before?

Just start off slow and small. I tried to run way too quickly when I first started and I would get so annoyed that I could only run for like 30secs but it was because I started off too quickly. 

How are you finding training for a marathon?

Marathon training has been great. I’ve now started training for Liverpool marathon twice and I think it’s hard to keep motivation when there’s a possibility of races being cancelled. When I restart marathon training in January I think it will be a great experience and I’m excited to begin again!

What would be your 3 top tips to help with a running journey?

1 – Track your runs and celebrate the little achievements

2 – Find some running buddies for your long runs

3 – Enjoy the process! 

Kay thank you so much for your words of wisdom and inspiring us all to get involved in running! I can’t wait to see you smash the Liverpool and Brighton Marathon when it finally goes ahead! 🙂 Love the top tips too. You need to celebrate the little achievement, even knocking a few seconds off times feels so good! We got this! 

Love, 

Becca x

Don’t dream of winning, train for it! — Mo Farah

Want to know more about Kay?

Hi, I am Kayleigh. I am 21 years old and I started running in Jan 2019. I am not a fast runner, but I love the training and the races make everything worth it. I am @kayskilometers on Instagram and would love for you to follow me! I post stories and updates every day and love sharing my running journey!