AS SOmeone who used to hate it
It seems like we all know someone who is actively training for a race, whether it be a half-marathon, a marathon, an ironman or some other incredible challenge. I feel like there’s a phenomenon, especially towards the end of college and in the early stages of adulthood, where everybody is on their “running journey.” It’s all over social media, and one can’t help but feel both inspired but also discouraged for not having the time or energy to take on such a task.
I have always been someone who thought of running as one of the least enjoyable ways to exercise; I have much preferred some type of workout class. Whenever I went running in high school, it was not to enjoy the activity but to change my body, which was certainly not the healthiest reason for someone to exercise. I would run as hard as I could, get tired very quickly and sometimes even feel sick or lightheaded. Hence, my hate for the sport.
But when I studied abroad last semester and didn’t have access to any type of gym or workout class, I started to feel sluggish and bored. One day, I was feeling inspired and decided I’d try running in a different way than I had before. I went for a short jog, and luckily, I was running in a beautiful area on a beautiful day. I was surprised to find I didn’t hate it that much. I didn’t push myself to beat a certain mile time or run a certain distance. I just put my tennis shoes on and told myself to jog at an easy pace for as long as I wanted to, allowing myself to take walking breaks whenever I felt the need to. And after that run went well, I decided to go for another one and another one after that. Now, I can say that I actually like running more than I ever have in my life. So, as someone who is very much still a beginner, here are my takes on how to actually enjoy the sport.
Firstly, as I briefly alluded to before, if you want to get into running and enjoy it while doing it, you have to take it really, really easy. I still feel like an extremely slow runner (probably because I am), but that means I can run for longer and not feel like I’m completely out of breath while doing so. Once I took away the pressure to run as fast I did when I was 15, the whole experience became so much easier and enjoyable.
If there’s one running app I’d recommend to anyone, it’s the Nike Run Club app. It is deserving of its popularity. It offers training plans for so many different skill levels, from a complete beginner to a marathoner. I used a beginner plan when I started and found it to be so helpful as someone who had no clue what an “interval run” or “long run” meant. The coaching is lighthearted and encouraging, and I found it really motivating to have someone guide me through the run.
The only thing you really need to buy if you want to get into running and stick with it is a good pair of shoes. Everyone tells you this, but it is honestly the most important thing. When I was getting into it this year, I was wearing a pair of sneakers that were probably three years old. That worked fine for the short runs I was going on when I started, but I later noticed pain in my calves and ankles and realized it was probably due to my old shoes. Things like fancy running vests, shorts, watches, and other clothes and accessories are certainly fun and exciting, but if you’re on a budget, I think the most important thing to invest in is good shoes. Going to a store and seeing what feels the most comfortable will be so worth it.
My next take is that you don’t have to run races to be a runner. It’s inspiring that so many people are completing races of various distances, but I don’t think that you have to even run a 5K race to consider yourself a runner. If you go for runs, of any distance, you are a runner. When I started running a couple of times a week and noticed myself improving, my first thought was that I should start training for a 10K or a half-marathon. But then I thought about the huge time commitment that would be, the fact that I would be comparing myself to others throughout the process and the fact that I am still a beginner. I realized that being super disciplined with a training plan might not be the best thing for my relationship to running, and that I’m young and have plenty of adulthood left to dedicate time to a race if I decide I want to.
Maybe I’m making excuses, maybe not, but I know that at this point in my life, I am really enjoying this laid-back approach to running. After every run, I find myself running for farther and longer distances, and that progress keeps me motivated. That’s not to say every run feels great; some are terrible, and I still feel like a complete newcomer most of the time. But I’ve shown myself that I can do something hard and get better at it, even by taking an easier, more forgiving approach. My overall takeaway from this very short running journey I’ve been on is that running can be fun if you let go of the pressure– when you’re not trying to change your body, burn a certain number of calories or compete with someone else or an idealized version of yourself. If you focus on enjoying the outdoors and the feeling of moving your body, running can actually become fun. That’s my take on it.