I started running consistently about a year ago and it has completely changed my life.
I’ve run on and off since the eighth grade, but it wasn’t something I picked up as a hobby until my senior year of high school. Plagued by the stress of college applications and waiting on my admissions decision, working out was an accessible outlet to manage stress. 12-3-30 in the fall turned into a one-mile run on the treadmill during the winter, and by summer before college, I could do six miles outside, albeit very slowly. However, I wasn’t ever really consistent. Some weeks, I ran daily; others, I only got a single run.
When I got to New York City for college, I ran to explore Manhattan. I made my way down streets and avenues, through Central Park, and alongside the Hudson River Parkway, taking in the sights of the city with sweat running down my forehead. Although running became a part of my weekly routine and my mileage increased, I still wasn’t entirely consistent.
Something vital to understand about my running journey is that I tend to trap myself into doing things. A “trap,” in my terms, refers to a set of circumstances that I manufacture to force a future version of myself to initiate or complete a task. I was improving my running but knew I wouldn’t achieve consistency without external motivation. So, the trap I came up with was to register in January for a half marathon four months later in April.
Fortunately for my pride, the 13.1-mile goal looming over my head successfully compelled me to work out four days a week every week, and I crossed the finish line in 2 hours and 14 minutes. As of writing this, I’ve run two half marathons, with my third coming up this March. My workout schedule has increased from four days a week to six, and I get up at 5 am to work out before class.
Having exercised consistently for about a year and a half, I’ve noticed significant changes in nearly every aspect of my life. Running has transformed my relationship with exercise, food, body, and mind一sometimes in unexpected ways.
Since running consistently, I’ve noticed improvement in my overall mental health. I feel less anxiety and handle stress better after a run, and I see it easier to pay attention for the whole duration of my classes (thank you, FIT, for the 3-hour lectures). These observations have a factual basis in science. I have ADHD, and there is a growing wealth of research to support that physical exercise plays a role in managing symptoms and improving executive function. Various studies of children with ADHD reflect that a minimum of 20 minutes of aerobic exercise improves response inhibition, impulsivity, attention, and overall executive function.
Like my struggle with exercising consistently, I thrive with a routine but historically fail to implement one. Exercising every morning is the first “routine” I’ve executed successfully without any external influences. For example, in high school, I woke up every morning at 7:30 am for school, but I never would’ve done that without the external pressure of getting to school on time. I’ve implemented exercise as a non-negotiable out of an intrinsic desire, making it easier to practice discipline and routine in other areas of my life.
Not to mention that running in the morning is a huge victory that puts the rest of the day on the right track. Exercise, while beneficial, can be highly challenging. When I finish my workout, I leave knowing that it will likely be the hardest thing I do that day.
As aforementioned, exercise is intrinsically related to my mental health. Even though I’ve known this since my early teens, I haven’t always found it easy to work out consistently, whether from a lack of motivation or general laziness. Running is the first form of fitness I’ve maintained consistently for an extended period, mainly because I view it more like a challenge than a necessary evil. If you tell me I can’t do something, I will find a way not only to do it but also to do it well. Running presents a satisfying opportunity to defy my expectations because there isn’t a more incredible feeling than thinking you can’t get through a certain number of miles and doing it anyway.
Running has helped to transform my relationship with exercise overall
My love for running has encouraged me to explore other types of fitness, specifically weight lifting. Since strength helps to improve overall running performance, lifting is a way to enhance my running ability and keep beating personal records. Viewing strength training as a functional prerequisite for good running encourages me to maintain my consistency with lifting. I now lift equally as much as I run, and I love them both.
This functional point of view has also extended into my eating habits. Like many young women, I have struggled with my body image and, subsequently, the food I consume. Since running and exercising consistently, I see food as a friend, not an enemy. Working out six days a week requires I eat the proper nutrients, and while it’s cliche, I’ve genuinely come to see food as fuel. Ironically, I eat more now than ever before, and I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in.
While aesthetics don’t motivate my fitness habits, they are an added bonus. I hate to say that the “diet and exercise” people are correct, and I’ve seen noticeable changes in my figure and my body confidence since running. Something I wasn’t expecting to happen, however, is a newfound conviction toward modesty.
You would assume that as I’ve become happier with how my body looks, I’d want to show it off to other people, but quite the opposite is true. Knowing how much hard work I put into exercising, eating right, and staying consistent has made me more selective about how I want to display my body. It’s like if a classmate asked to copy a homework assignment you worked exceptionally hard on, you’d probably feel less inclined to share it with them. It’s not to say that I’ve started dressing like a nun一I’ll still take a cute bikini picture occasionally. However, I am more aware of how I share my figure.
Having remained consistent with my running and exercise for around a year, I’ve noticed many benefits in my daily life. I’ve achieved a discipline I never thought possible; my relationship with exercise, food, and body has improved, and I’ve fostered an enduring love for fitness. Looking back on my progress, I’m incredibly grateful to a version of myself who thought 3 miles was an accomplishment, and I look forward to the me who sees 13.1 miles as light work.