Buzz·Posted on 12 Aug 2013The 26 Stages Of Taking Up RunningWhat's your P.B.?by Ailbhe MaloneBuzzFeed Staff, UK LinkFacebookPinterestTwitterMail 1. Your first reaction to running? No thanks. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 2. When colleagues tell you abut their next charity 5K you're like: Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 3. That's not to say you haven't tried. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 4. Besides, you've got your Zumba class. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 5. But there's a feeling niggling away at you. What harm could it do to give it one last shot? 6. You pull together what seems like a good outfit and head for the park. 7. As you take your first steps, this is how you imagine yourself. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 8. But actually, you look like this. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 9. When you finish your first lap. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 10. You colllapse onto a park bench. Pinterest lied! 11. Cramps. Oh lord. The cramps. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 12. But you pick yourself up again. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 13. You next run is slightly less painful. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 14. You invest in better gear. 15. And you begin to track your progress. 16. You soon believe all the mottos that you have seen on the internet. 17. You start to take pleasure in the smallest things. 18. You suddenly know everything about carb loading. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 19. And this is bookmarked in your browser. 20. You get a little TMI with non-runners. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 21. And you know more about the anatomy of the foot that you thought possible. 22. You flip if you can't find this. 23. And you fear hitting the wall on a race day. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 24. It's hard to explain the happiness that a new P.B. gives you. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF 25. But you know that you don't need to be fast to be a runner. 26. You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF