With my half marathon to train for I managed to keep running regularly through winter this year. I would head out in the dark and snow often at below zero temperatures. While my weekend runs were often exhilarating, my weekday runs were much harder. I didn’t feel secure running in the dark before work so I would run in the evenings at the local athletics track which was flood-lit. Even though running around in circles got awfully monotonous at times, I knew I was lucky to have access to a safe place to run in the dark. For me it was a hundred times better than being stuck on an indoor treadmill.

As much as I was thankful to have access to the athletics track, I longed to run in daylight and kinder temperatures. I kept telling myself that this year I would truly appreciate the light mornings and long summer evenings when they finally arrived; days when I would have the luxury of choosing to run early in the morning or late into the evening. For months I checked the sunrise and sunset times eagerly witnessing the addition of extra daylight minutes each week.

And now these longed-for light filled days have finally arrived! Strangely, after months of waiting, it almost seems as if it has happened overnight. Our little garden is suddenly in full bloom and the trees seem to get leafier each day. Each time I lace up my running shoes this summer I will try to remember to appreciate these gloriously long, light, warm days. Long may they last.

*I recently discovered Susan Cain’s wonderful TED talk ‘The Power of Introverts’. If you haven’t already seen it I highly recommend it.