The unexpected journey that made me a runner at 50

The purpose of this blog is to record my running journey over the years so that my family, especially my daughter and son, can understand what their father went through to achieve his goals. Maybe, just maybe, some of these stories will inspire them one day.

I’m not a writer, and never aspired to be one, but I felt like this blog could be a good way to capture my memories in a structured, meaningful way.

👋 Who I am

My name is Miguel, and I’m the proud father of two wonderful children.

As I write this first post, I’m 50 years old and have been running for the past six years. So no, running hasn’t been part of my life forever. In fact, I discovered it later than most.

💪 From the gym to the road

Before running, the gym was my world. I was lifting weights almost every day, seriously, maybe a bit too seriously. Eventually, it led to a herniated disc and two surgeries. But that’s a story for another post, especially how it affected my running later on.

I guess you could say I’m a runner who started late in life. I first saw running as an alternative to the gym, which I returned to after surgery, this time with more care and a touch of fear. But after a while, the routine felt stale. I needed something new, something more fun.

🏃‍♂️ The 10K that started it all

That’s when I decided to give running a try. I knew I needed a short-term goal to stay motivated. So, I challenged my youngest son to train with me for a 10K race in Lisbon: the São Silvestre. It takes place at night in December, with Christmas lights illuminating the main avenues. It’s beautiful.

We picked a simple, random goal: finish the 10K in under an hour. We had no idea what that actually meant in terms of training but we gave it a shot. We started with 1 km runs, then 2, and eventually made it up to 8. No structured plan. Just two people running whenever we could.

😅 A slight bump in the plan

Then came the hiccup. I found out my son couldn’t race. He was only 14, and the São Silvestre has a minimum age requirement of 18. So much for our big team debut. Naturally, he lost interest and dropped out.

I kept training anyway. The race stayed in the back of my mind. I honestly thought it would be a one-time thing, just something to try and move on from. Around that time, I was also losing a lot of weight, which began to concern me.

✨ A turning point

But then something unexpected happened. I ran the race, finished under an hour and it changed everything.

I felt joy. I felt proud. And I haven’t stopped running since.