How You Can Enjoy Running
January 4, 2022
According to a 2020 report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, about 50 million Americans participate in running and jogging, which is only 15 percent of the population. Running is one of the simplest forms of exercise with ample health benefits. A study out of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology finds that even 5 to 10 minutes of easy running a day can extend your lifespan by several years compared with not running at all.
I was never a fan of running growing up and only ran when I needed to for the upcoming football and basketball seasons. I only started running daily this year because I am preparing for the military lifestyle. Next year, I will be in college doing ROTC and will have to run almost every day. I want to make a career out of the military, so I need to get my body adapted to running every day. Running has become my new passion in only three months, and I run four miles every other day. I was able to enjoy running by focusing on the following strategies.
Start slow
Most people think they can go out and run for 30 minutes with no training. Speaking from prior experience, this is an easy way to hate running, and dragging your body with sloppy form and wanting to stop after every step is not enjoyable. Ethan Saville, a 20-year-old from Perkasie, runs 60 miles a week and recommends running just 5 to 8 minutes when you first start, then steadily increasing the minutes when it gets too easy. Also, don’t feel like you have to run every day when you first start; running every other day will get your body adapted to running and prevent common injuries like shin splints or runner’s knee.
Distract yourself
Listening to music, a podcast, or a book is a great way to take your mind off running. I love listening to podcasts when I run because it makes time go by so much faster than running without entertainment. I would highly recommend listening to something while running if you find running too dull. This is a personal preference. When Saville runs, it’s just him and the road. He states, “running is the one thing that makes me feel free and disconnected from society.” Terry Permar, 67, Pennridge’s cross country coach for 26 years and daily runner, warns of having earbuds in a while running. “I’ve seen people almost get hit or run into so many times because they were distracted and unaware of their surroundings.” So, if you want to have earbuds in while running, try only having one earbud in to make sure you are entirely aware of your surroundings. When Permar runs, he takes his mind off running by engaging his senses: sight, sound, and smell. “When you get done, you feel alive,” says Permar.
Treat yourself
Buying a new running outfit is an excellent way to stay interested because it motivates you to go out and run. The saying “look good feel good” applies to running because I always feel better in new running clothes. Also, a good pair of running shoes is something you should invest in. Don’t just go online and find the best-looking shoe; do research on the shoes and go to a running store to get an expert’s opinion. You also want to try on the shoe before you buy it, and most stores will allow you to test them out by doing a short run outside to see how they feel.
Switch up your running route
Running the same route every day can be incredibly dull. Coach Permar highly recommends switching up your running routes because it brings a sense of safety and adventure. Running the same course every day presents the danger of being followed and stalked. Running new places every now and then allows you to explore your surroundings and run on different terrains such as streets, hills, trails, etc.
Run with friends
Running with friends will help you stay motivated because it brings a sense of competition. The right running partner allows you to improve by pushing you to levels you never thought you could achieve running alone. Every time I tried to run six miles by myself, I would always stop at four, but the first time I tried it with a friend, I ended up running seven miles because we kept pushing each other to go one more. Running for an extended time can also be lonely, so running with a close friend or family member will boost your performance and happiness.
Track your progress
Ethan Saville and I both use fitness watches when we run. This allows us to keep track of our miles and our heart rates as we run. Saville finds that keeping a log of your runs will increase motivation, “I am more consistent with my runs, and I get to see improvements firsthand,” he says. Permar is old school when it comes to running; he doesn’t worry about heart rate or the miles. He runs with a simple digital watch that tells him the time. He logs the amount of time he ran and how he felt during the run in a notebook.
Running isn’t for everyone and, if you hate it with a passion, there are so many other forms of exercise out there to do instead. But, coming from someone that never liked running, I feel like anyone can love it. It is such a simple form of exercise; it doesn’t require any equipment, and it is just putting one foot in front of the other. Running goes back to our early ancestors, and it’s in our DNA. However, running is just buried deep down for some of us, and it takes a lot of effort to dig it back up.
Sources:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/13730338-running-statistics/
