"And it's not about you joggers

Who go round and round and round"

When you're new to running - or new to jogging... same difference.... I think joggers are runners without the self-confidence, but that's by-the by - it can feel like everything in your head is screaming at once.

Have you seen the original Star Trek series? When they're under attack? Alarms, flashing red lights, people being thrown across the bridge, everything shaking? It's a bit like that. Your mind wants to know why you're running, what's going on, what the emergency is, and most of all, when you can stop. The bridge officers who live in your head are reporting increasing shortness of breath, soaring heartbeat, body temperature rising, legs demanding more fuel to burn and the disposal of the remains of the last lot. Everything jangles. It's unfamiliar, and your brain doesn't like it, and it wants it to stop.

Eventually it gets used to it. Sort of. Though it never quite goes away, at least not for me. Though the jangling and blaring and sound and alarums have been replaced by a more measured note of concern at a drop in energy, a demand for more of everything, and damage control reporting a few aches and twinges. It's fine, though. I've taken to calling them the first kilometre yips. I wonder if elite runners get them too.