Lifestyle Change 🏃♂️
I never really did much sport. The most activity I had was in my late twenties with cycling 🚴♂️, riding a few thousand kilometers per year, but over time it dwindled for various reasons. Later came the usual family activities like hiking 🥾, ice skating ⛸️, skiing 🎿, swimming 🏊♂️, cycling… Once, maybe twice a week. In short, I moved a bit, but nothing intense — my heart rate probably rarely hit the red zone.
Everything changed on January 1, 2022, when my then 10-year-old son and I, mostly as a joke 😄, decided to “go for a little run.”
We ran about a kilometer when it hit me like Halley’s Comet…… ☄️ My heart was pounding ❤️🔥, I was gasping for air, a burning sensation in my lungs… I couldn’t go on…. Grega, you’re over 40, a 10-year-old is outrunning you, you can barely run a kilometer… thoughts racing through my head… Damn!!! 😬 This can’t go on…
There was no need to overthink or make New Year’s resolutions. Something just “clicked” 💡 and I decided to make a lifestyle change and get in shape. I started slowly, primarily making a promise to myself. At first, a half-hour walk every day 🚶♂️, pushing my heart to the red zone for short bursts, and shedding a few extra kilos ⚖️.
From One Kilometer to Determination 🔥
At the beginning, it was tough at times. Coming home from work in the dark 🌙, finishing family responsibilities, and instead of sitting in front of the TV 📺, putting a headlamp on 🔦 and going out to move. My motivation came from tracking progress… If at first it took me 10 minutes to reach a certain tree along the path, next time I tried to be a few seconds faster ⏱️. And it worked — progress was quickly visible. After about 4 weeks, even on a rainy day 🌧️ I had to convince myself, “Come on, let’s go,” and eventually it became a habit.
The kilos melted away 📉 and my fitness improved 💪. The first goal — running a full Cooper test — was quickly achieved, followed by 5 km, then 10 km. Soon my wife ❤️ joined me on runs, adding extra motivation. Everything came together; the kids were old enough to enjoy having a little freedom 😎 and be home alone. My wife and I found time just for ourselves, extending our distances.
This led to completing a half marathon 🏁 and, after about two years, a full marathon 🏆. A distance that once seemed impossible now feels almost “small potatoes.”
When Movement Becomes a Way of Life 🌄
Interestingly, it was only at this milestone that I realized how much my life had changed… Three years ago, a 2–3 hour family hike of 12–13 km required preparation 🎒. We would take a backpack, at least a sandwich 🥪 or some cookies 🍪, and after the hike spend the rest of the day resting 😴. Now, the same route with my wife can be run spontaneously in an hour, without any special preparation or affecting other activities that day.
Now I mostly just enjoy running 😊. There’s nothing like the feeling of filling your lungs 🌬️, stretching your legs 🦵, and knowing you’ve done something good for yourself that day 🌱. If you see or experience something new along the way, even better. I’m still not a super-fast runner, and improving times drastically is no longer my goal. Next season, I plan to participate in a few local races, all four Slovenian marathons 🇸🇮, and for the first time some trail runs 🏔️ for socializing 🤝. After that, I’ll see what’s next — the main goal is always to enjoy it.
My guiding motto now is:
👉 “If something happens to you once, it’s chance or a mistake; if it happens twice, it’s a conscious decision.”