Running and I have had quite the tumultuous relationship. I spent the majority of my young-adult life secretly desperate to be one of those people that goes out for a 5K jog in the mornings with a smile on their face and a spring in their step. I simultaneously refused to actually go running, however, and declared that I ‘just wasn’t a runner’, which seemed true at the time considering I couldn’t run for 3 minutes straight.
As I progressed through my fitness journey though, I started to become addicted to the thrill of doing something I never thought I’d be able to do. And running 5K was certainly one of those things, let alone the half marathon that I ended up running a few months later. And because I was so very bad at running, making progress was actually pretty easy. It’s all up from rock bottom, amirite?
What I’m trying to say is that you are capable of running. You are even capable of enjoying running. Yes – even as someone who struggles for breath when pegging it for the bus. If I can do it, anyone can – seriously.
There are definitely some things that would’ve been helpful to know before I’d embarked on my running adventure, however. So I’ve compiled a list of my top tips for how to run if you absolutely hate running:
Download the Couch to 5K App
The Couch to 5K app is super popular because it actually works. All of the running programmes I’d found online previously just seemed too difficult for me. I wasn’t just a beginner. I was a total and complete newbie. If you’re not already familiar, the Couch to 5K app is a 9 week programme that uses intervals of running and walking to build you up to running a full 5K. The first week requires you to run for just 60 seconds at a time and by the final week you’ll be able to run for a full 30 minutes! As someone who has always struggled to stick to a running routine before, this really helped me. It was amazing to see how much I progressed and this really spurred me on to continue.
Stretch Before & After
Much to my boyfriend’s horror, this is something I failed to take seriously for far too long. This resulted in quite a bit of pain and I soon learnt my lesson. Make sure to warm up and cool down correctly with some good stretches and you’ll be much less prone to injury. You’re also likely to hurt a lot less the next day, which will keep you much more motivated to run for the rest of the week!
Don’t Compare Yourself
As someone who’s never enjoyed running, it was easy for me to downplay my progress by comparing it to others’. My boyfriend is a great runner, so part of me felt a bit stupid whooping about being able to run for 5 minutes straight when he was smashing 26 miles. But after a while I realised that it didn’t matter what anyone else was doing. My progress was amazing for me and I had every right to be proud of it. Don’t worry too much about what other runners are able to do and just focus on your own progress.
Remember It’s a Mental Game
Before I started running, I was always sure that I was physically incapable. I’d say things like, ‘I’m just not a runner’. Little did I know that it was a mental game more than anything else. Some days, I’d run 6 miles and feel like I could keep going forever. Other days, I’d run 2 and my whole body would feel like lead. I noticed that my mental space had a massive impact on how far I was able to run. So if you’re having a down day and you’re struggling to run as far as you’d hoped – don’t sweat it! Just do your best with where you’re at right now and trust that you’ll be able to pick it up another day.
Schedule Your Runs
In my opinion, scheduling your runs is the key to making progress and not throwing in the towel a couple of weeks in. I found that if I didn’t schedule my runs for specific days or times, I’d bargain with myself and put it off until the next day/week/month. Physically write your runs into your calendar or diary and consider it an appointment that you can’t miss.
Have a Why
There’s a whole host of reasons why you might want to start running. Maybe you want to lose weight, be able to run around with your kids, or use it as a way to raise money for charity. It’s a good idea to have a clear reason that really sparks emotion when you think about it. That way when you’re not feeling like running, you have a solid reason as to why you should do it anyway.
Don’t Worry About Your Speed
As your runs get longer, you might find that your pace isn’t quite what it was for the shorter runs – at least I did. At first, I put a lot of pressure on myself to keep up the same pace but I quickly realised that I didn’t want running to be something that made me stressed. In fact, I wanted the opposite. I wanted to run to feel good! So I stopped beating myself up about my speed and just enjoyed the ride.
Invest in Good Shoes
I wore crappy running shoes for longer than I’d care to admit. Trainers can be expensive and I didn’t want to buy myself new ones in case I gave up on the whole running thing and they ended up gathering dust at the bottom of my wardrobe. When I signed up for a half marathon though and my running distance increased, it quickly became clear that I was going to need to invest in some new shoes. And man oh man, what an investment that was. I noticed the difference from my first run – I felt like a lighter, bouncier version of myself that also suffered from significantly less knee pain.
Change Up Your Route
When you first start running, it can be easy to stick to the same route. It becomes your little comfort zone and the thought of venturing outside of it can feel daunting. That comfort zone sure does get boring quickly though and running in new places is a simple and easy way to mix it up.
Make a Playlist
It might sound obvious but don’t skip this one! Sit down and make a playlist of the hypiest hype songs you can think of. What you’re listening to makes a real difference in both your mood and speed when running. Sometimes all you need is the right track in order to find a new lease of life. Personal favourites include: Sia – The Greatest, Lizzo – Juice, and Dua Lipa – Physical.
