I’ve always hated running. Ever since I was young, I have carried a stigma of disgust with the notion of moving in a way in which I would gasp for air. When I was six years old, I would play soccer almost every weekend. And, by play, I mean I ran for five minutes until I decided that I had had enough. At that point, I would begin to exaggerate my breathing so I could be taken off the field. Of course, that was thirteen years ago, and I have learned to endure running for long durations for the sake of my sport. Still, I have never found running to be pleasurable. So, the irony of this article doesn’t come from the fact that I’m writing about it, but rather from the fact that I’m promoting it.
So, when did I stop having this absolute hatred of running? Well, truth is… I didn’t. Instead I had a mini-epiphany, in which I understood that my hatred of running and the actual physicality of running could, in fact, coincide. My journey towards toleration began in the start of this year, when I became overwhelmed by the transition back to college and working life. I had taken on a larger work load than I had been accustomed too, and felt a need for relaxation. I tried meditation, but I’m not very good at the whole “sit-still-and-don’t-speak” thing. In addition, I was accustomed to using art as an outlet, but I had limited access to my normal supplies. I felt that I needed something active that could take my mind off the stressors that sullied my mentality. It was recommended to me by a friend that I should pick up running, as she thought it would help reduce my worries for a while. Initially, my reaction was hysterical laughter at the thought of me doing any sort of running exercise. However, the more I thought of it, the more the idea stuck. If I could take something I truly didn’t like and find a way to use it as enjoyment, I would feel a sense of order in a time of complete distress. Therefore, I began to figure out ways to use running to my advantage.
I looked at running through the eyes of a scientist. I was going to be both the researcher and participant in my own study to prove my hypothesis of running for stress relief. My argument was that if I could figure out what aspects of running made me uncomfortable, I could alter them to create enjoyment. Thus, the first thing I did was think about why I didn’t like running. For starters, I didn’t like the presence of people. I always was forced to run for someone else and never for myself. I decided to solve that by going on solo runs, in which I had no access to people anywhere. In addition, I was going to set my own running time, and if I needed to stop, I would stop. After all, I was running because I wanted to “enjoy” it. Furthermore, I would go into the workout without the knowledge of my final destination. I predicted this would allow me to stay active and engaged with running, as it gave me a purpose. With my methods set in place, I decided to run my first experiment using my techniques. I had a rush of excitement but also nervousness. If I couldn’t even control my running habits, how was I to control the chaotic semester? The run began slow and awkward, almost as if my body had been woken up from a long hiatus nap and was trying to remember the motions again. As it progressed, I felt a sense of easing into my stride, like a rhythmic pounding of my feet on the pavement. One…Two…One…Two. My breath was becoming short, yet, I didn’t even notice until I was ten minutes into the jog. In addition, I was also following my running protocol. I stopped when I needed to, ran where I wanted to, and felt no need to be engrossed with the world around me. For the first time ever, I was running for me.
Source: Gifbin
Running isn’t something that can be miraculously loved by all. There is no magic potion that makes it any less painful or hard and nothing that changes its core. It is still, in essence, a sweaty workout in which your body will be sore after. But, running offers us a release from the world. My goal is not to convince you that going for a run will suddenly solve your problems, or that it is the best fit. I am offering you proof that when you make something your own, you can take control of it. My experiment proved that my ability to turn running into a personal need made it more relatable and useful to me. Do not be confused, I still hate running, but it serves as my greatest lesson: you appreciate things more when you are doing them for yourself.