The Secret Behind My Running Insta Stories

You know all those running insta stories I post? There’s a bit more there than meets the eye…

This may come as a shock to some of you, but sometimes, I’m an incredibly shy person. In an environment where I know absolutely no one, I’m that gal casually hanging out in the corner pretending to be fascinated with a generic IKEA painting, or taking constant sips of a glass that, seemingly, never empties.

This is why I bow down to the people who confidently move to a new place without knowing a soul. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an expert friend-maker, but I find that first step to be the most difficult. Once my feet are wet, I’m unstoppable. But man-oh-man, I find that first little movement to be the most difficult.

Luckily, there’s one thing that makes me feel slightly more confident in a new environment: exercise. 

(And in all honesty, it’s because this is a thing I’m good at.)

I like to run, do HIIT workouts, play team sports. You name an activity and I probably like it (besides baseball because… it’s not a sport in my book). So whenever I’m in a new place, I know I can at least show up to a gym or sports class and be ok, because I have the required skills. I never understood the jokes and small talk in my Portuguese spin class, but I showed up every week and enjoyed a fabulous workout while also learning what the word “fica” meant! So this is exactly what I did when I moved to Hamburg (after the quarantine regulations eased). 

I joined a gym. 

And not just any gym. I opted for the fancier option here and joined Kaifu Lodge, an independent gym with an incredible course schedule, gorgeous pool facilities, and a too-cool-for-school atmosphere. 

I began by attending the outdoor workouts on the lawn (broadcast through silent disco-like headphones) and found it to be the perfect after-work activity. But the headphones kind of killed the social aspect of things, so I decided to be adventurous and sign up for the outdoor running training on a Wednesday night, a few weeks ago.

This was when shy Emily came back into the picture. “Outdoor Lauftraining” (Outdoor Running Training) is all the schedule said and I had absolutely no idea if I was about to show up and make a fool of myself in front of marathoners or attend a workshop on the anatomy of a runner. I was clueless and a lil’ scared. But I like running, I like being outdoors. And I wanted to push myself to try something new. So I laced up my Asics (these running shoes are incredible, by the way), snapped on my Garmin running watch, and put on my best “I’m not a foreigner” fake smile and went to the course meeting point. I was immediately met with a quick question “auf Deutsch” (in German) from the super-fit, petite, tanned instructor Eva, and the jig was up. I had to respond in English because yes, I understood her question, but I couldn’t put my words together in German. Needless to say at this point, I ruled out the possibility of this German running squad wanting to be BFFs because not many people want to work their brains in overdrive while also sweating, panting, and barely being able to utter words in their native tongue. 

Strike 1. 

Luckily, the class turned out to be a great mix of both beginner and seasoned runners and Eva took us on a scenic run through Hamburg, giving the more advanced runners extra laps and assignments, while the beginners worked on their endurance. As we entered one of Hamburg’s lovely parks, with a pretty epic hill, we stopped for an enjoyable form of torture: Sprints and Hills. 

It was here that I was paired up for a relay with a gal who made it clear she would not be speaking English, to which I replied “Kein Problem.” (No problem)

I knew she wasn’t thrilled to be paired up with the foreigner who had no idea whether to run up or down, because the instructions came quickly, and my brain was tired, but I was determined to make the best of it. I blubbered a few German words to her, we established I would start with sprints and she would do hills, and off we went. 

And you know what? I killed it. Both with physical skill and emotional enthusiasm. I gave this girl and our little relay team everything I had, and we came in first place by a landslide. And as our group jogged our way back through the city, I was suddenly hit with a quiet German question by a certain familiar Deutscher who appeared at my side. It was my relay partner. And she wanted to chat. She explained (in German) that English isn’t very comfortable for her, but she wanted to know where I was from. Could I reply in German? 

Ja. I can :)

And with that, I pretended to not be doing little victory jumps on the inside, and calmly continued a very broken German conversation with my new friend (lol- it’s a loose term), Vanessa, as we made our way back to Kaifu Lodge. 

As I nonchalantly returned to the locker room, and gathered my stuff to go stretch, I heard “bis nächste Woche!” (see you next week!) tossed my way by a smiling Vanessa as she made her way out the door. Yeah, sure, cool, no big deal Vanessa. (*Cue the foreigner happy dance*)

As the weeks have gone by, Vanessa has given me apartment advice, taught me a few German phrases, and asked several questions about a few jobs I’ve been in talks for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not living my life seeking the approval of Vanessas. But having been a foreigner in many places, I’ve found that it’s the Vanessas that make a difference: The open door into a group of locals, who will welcome you with their native tongue and challenge you to test your language skills. I found this door almost impossible to find in Portugal, and it struck me as a bit sad that the expats seemed to only hang out in their foreigner bubbles. 

I moved to Germany to test my adaptability and become a part of a country that, for some weird reason, I really love. I want to establish a life here that’s full of inspiring friends, cozy winter nights at cafes, and conversations with locals. That life will only happen if I push myself, and force shy Emily into those situations where she doesn’t know a soul and doesn’t have the option of standing in the corner engrossed in an IKEA poster. And as uncomfortable as those first moments are, when being asked questions that you don’t understand, not having the words to properly respond, or showing up to class without the necessary equipment because you don’t understand technical German words (also happened a few times), it’s when you find the Vanessas that it’s all worth it. 

So as our weekly running class came to a close this week, and I looked at my watch, realizing that I had the time (and energy) to go a bit further, I polled the four experienced running gals to see if anyone fancied joging a bit more along the canal.

Guess who the first yes came from?

Cheers to growing at your own speed and recognizing that the biggest achievements require a few brave sprints. 

Do you waltz confidently into new situations?

Or are you also the shy girl or guy sipping their drink in the corner?

Let me know in the comments below…