The story goes like this: You are at a party or social gathering. While mingling from group to group and making small talk, the topic of hobbies and pastimes comes up. Someone mentions that they enjoy running and the floodgates open.
“I hate running.”
“I only run when chased.”
“I only run to the fridge.”
We have heard them all over the years. Many people seem to hate running with as much passion as others love it. The question is: “Why?” Why do millions of people enjoy running so much they will schedule their vacations around road races, while others dislike it so much that they refuse to entertain the idea of even trying?
There is little we can say in this article that will sway the opinions of the most passionate supporters or detractors of running. But if you are one of those people in the middle, who wants desperately to enjoy running but can’t find the love, maybe we can help. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix that will have you going from, “I only run when chased,” to signing up for a marathon overnight. The love for running builds slowly over time. Like an acquired taste on your palate, running becomes something you savor, cherish, and even yearn for between workouts.
So while we admit that we can’t help you fall in love with running before you reach the bottom of this article and hit the share button, the following 5 tips can give you a jump start and put you on the fast track to a new romance with a healthy activity that will add life to your days and possibly days to your life.
- Set small goals: When you first start running, give yourself small achievable goals you can accomplish. For example, maybe the first day you go out for 15 minutes and try to run 3 – 5 of those minutes while walking the rest. Start there and gradually build up by increasing your goals slightly. Achieving these small goals will give you a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
- Find a partner in crime: Talk a friend into embarking on this journey with you. Make it your joint mission to discover what all those crazy runners like so much about this sport. Every experience is better when shared.
- Make a running playlist: If you are a music lover, get a good pair of running headphones and program your player with 3 – 5 of your favorite songs. Time your playlist so that, by the time your songs are finished, so is your workout!
- Get some fresh gear: This one might depend on your pocketbook, but if you can get a new pair of shoes or even a hat or pair of gloves to be worn only when you run, it can be super motivating. Remember that this gear is for running only so don’t allow yourself to wear it unless you are out the door.
- Tell people you are a runner: You don’t need to wait a month or a week or even three days to start telling people you run. As soon as you make the decision to lace up your shoes and get out the door, you are a runner. By telling people you are a runner it will become a part of your identity. Being a runner is not only something you do—it is something you are!
Give these five tip a try and one day soon you might just find yourself at a party defending a sport you never knew you could love so much.
