#263 How To Learn To Love Running
At college, I used to HATE running. I could only run for about 2 minutes before I had to stop and walk. I was such a beginner. I realize now that this is totally normal! All beginner runners start like this. Now I really do enjoy running (most of the time). I still need to push myself to get out of the door occasionally. But I know that after my run, I will be feeling amazing and it always encourages me to go out and do it.
I wasn’t always like this, so I just wanted to share some tips with you on how to learn to love running, and how you can get from a beginner who hates running, to someone who enjoys it!
1. Don’t Run Too Fast
This was my mistake at the start. I was running so fast that I could only keep it up for a really short time before I had to stop. Slow your pace down to a jog and you will be able to hold it for longer. If you need to stop and walk, that’s totally fine! Walk for a minute or two and then jog again, then keep repeating.
2. Run With A Friend
I don’t really like running with anyone else to be honest. I prefer just running to music and going at my own pace. But it can have its benefits.
When I was a beginner, I used to run with my sister. She was better than me and I always used to slow her down so I would tell her to just run ahead and leave me behind, and she did. But I always pushed myself a little bit harder to try and keep up with her and not let her get too far ahead.
Now I usually run with my fiancé who is a much better runner than me and I’m still the same – I try to keep up with him as best as I can, and I always run much harder when I’m running with him.
3. Accept That You Are A Beginner
Don’t try to go for a 10km run or an hour run. Just 15 minutes is enough to get your heart rate up and get the benefits. Walk for 5 minutes, jog / walk for 15 minutes, then walk for 5 minutes. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but that is a great start! Don’t get discouraged. Everyone started like this too :)
4. Track Your Progress
It’s great to know how far you run and how fast you are running, so that you can slowly improve. If you’re running on a treadmill, these things are easy to track. But if you are running outside, you can track your distance using a free app such as RunKeeper. Or you could just time your runs, and try to improve your time each time you go for a run. Just remember that small improvements are great, and increasing your time by just 1 minute each time, is a great achievement!
5. Listen To Music
This ALWAYS helps distract me from how out of breath I am and how unfit I feel! It makes the time go quicker and when the music is upbeat, I think it actually helps me run a bit faster. Running can sometimes be boring, but if you run outside with some music, it can be it a bit more fun :)
Just remember that it’s going to take time to increase your cardiovascular fitness and become a good runner. Don’t worry if you’re still feeling like a beginner after a month or two. Keep up with your running 2-3 times per week, try to improve each week, and you’ll be a good runner in no time! Good luck xx
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Rachael is an Australian born certified personal trainer and nutritionist who holds a Bachelor degree in Science.
After struggling for years to find an exercise and diet program that is tailored to women striving for lean and toned body with no bulk she designed her Lean Legs Program. This program is tailored to each body type and focused on helping women get toned but feminine bodies, without getting bulky.
Her mission is to empower women and help them stay in shape in a healthy and balanced way.