This being the first post on this blog, it would be correct to introduce myself and start from the beginning. My name is Irea, I am 16 years old and I am an athlete. I love being outdoors in any way possible but, you could say that my thing is running. Please don't get me wrong, I don't have any Olympic aspirations or anything like that. I just really like what I do and, as my dad always says, "choose what makes you happy and try to be good at it".
I started this sporting adventure when I was 8 years old and since then athletics has become an inseparable part of my daily life. In fact, I now believe that sport is so ingrained in me that it is not possible to separate athlete Irea from the rest, they somehow complement each other. For me, going for a run is the best way to start or end the day, to release the stress of exams or simply to get away from everything that worries me. But it also taught me the culture of effort and sacrifice, healthy competition and never giving up. As Babe Ruth said, "It's hard to beat a person who never gives up.
From the beginning I started running middle distance and mainly distance events (because I'm a mediocre sprinter!). I went through different teams that started to open my eyes to all the options athletics had to offer. As I grew up, my passion for running increased, but so did my lack of time. School greatly limited my athletic life, depriving me at certain times of training and competition. But priorities are priorities. Today, with my eyes on my senior year of high school, I intend not to let that happen again.
When I was about 13, encouraged by my biology teacher's explanations, I decided to make a drastic change in my eating routine. Up until that time I had eaten a variety of healthy foods, but occasionally I would eat sweets or fast food. I made the decision to eliminate all eating habits I considered harmful and to start a healthier diet. Now, after three years, I am convinced that it was the right choice.
The idea for this blog came from a desire to share my experiences with all athletes like me and talk about what I like best. It's designed especially for runners my age, but I hope everyone finds something they like here. I still have to figure out how these things work, so any comments, opinions or suggestions are more than welcome.
See you soon!