Runners.... when does it start to get fun???

dsak

Back in March... when I began this journey.... I bought a treadmill. My goal was to walk on it every day to get me started on exercising. Back then, I started with a 21 minute mile (and it was hard to do). I have slowly progressed.... my distance, time and speed. When walking, I can easily walk at a 4mph pace (15 minute mile), and... I have started running (or jogging). I can now jog at a 5.3mph pace for 25 minutes!!! I'm very proud of this accomplishment.... having come from a 21 minute mile walking.

But.... I gotta say... while I know that I NEED to run to help burn some calories and get in cardio, I don't really enjoy it. And... it takes me about 10 minutes into the run to actually not want to quit. Even after that 10 minute mark, I just try to keep on plugging away.... just one more minute.... just one more song.... etc.

I see all these people around me who go for a run multiple times a week, and each of those runs is between 3-5 miles, running 7-10 minute miles. I often wonder... will I ever get to that point? Do they enjoy it? Will it ever be fun for me?

Just wondering if there are others out there like me... who were in my position at one point and then it just kicked in... the love for running.

tonilizzy88

hey there for me its the same situation just one more song... i can do another 2 minutes. however i have found that walking on an incline of around 13 and watching the tv helps a lot. you burn more calories and walk heck of a distence.
now for the running as i know this is important i find it fun when i have music pumping. i also enter little event like local 5k races and the achivment and buzz of doing this is enjoyable.

it will get there xx

TCASMEY

What do you do on the treadmill? I know you run but do you have a radio or a tv going? I don't mind the treadmill but my husband calls it the dreadmill. He will only use it when the weather forces him inside. I usually make sure there is something interesting on tv before I plan to use it. Take it outside. A change of scenery may be what you need.

Gwendalyne

Running became fun, when I started running outdoors. I found a beautiful trail and I love running it. Try getting off the treadmill. You will see faster results with outdoors running

DontThinkJustRun

First of all congrats on your journey and second of all get outside! That's when it got fun for me, I HATE the treadmill. Honestly thought I think it got fun when I was able to run one mile without it being torcher.

morganhccstudent724

Bump....I have tried running over and over....I hate it. My mom started running in college and said she eventually started enjoying it....I can never get to that point....

Qarol

For me, it would never get fun.

RedHotRunner

Do you run outside? I find absolutely zero joy from using the treadmill. It's boring and laborious.

Outside however? I enjoyed it from the start, but really started loving it after completing my first organized race.

Grimmerick

Do you run outside? Treadmills bore me to tears so I usually stick to running outside. I didn't start enjoying and needing to run until I was a little over a year into it. Having run off and on for that year, we had a hard winter and I hate the gym. So I got back outside in spring and I just slowly started having this voice in the back of my head saying man I really wanna go for a run today, or I would find myself looking forward to it at work, especially if someone told me it was a nice day outside. When you do get that little voice telling you to run for no reason, listen to it it will get louder and louder and then you'll realize that voice is the part of you that likes running. Oh and one more thing, get some songs pumping that really get you going!

katekrise

I started running this year. I did the couch to 5K plan... I know how you feel. I HATED it! I felt like if I kept pushing myself...it'd start to get fun.... It gets easier and more fun. After a certain point...~ 4-5 miles in...you get an AMAZING feeling. It's like you can see better, you feel great, you have a second wind and you're just very happy. I think that's why so many people are addicted to running. It's that "runners high".

Keep it up!!! You will start to love it!

foxxybrown

Running became fun, when I started running outdoors. I found a beautiful trail and I love running it. Try getting off the treadmill. You will see faster results with outdoors running

Exactly what she said!! Running on a treadmill sucks!! Running outside will be harder at first but the outside scenery will make the time go by faster.

ambercole

I have a love/hate relationship with my treadmill. I hate it most of the time but I love that I have it when the weather is bad. I always struggle to get my miles in on the treadmill but I could easily run a 10k outside everyday.

cookie241

I'm not a fast runner and don't go great distances but I have to say I do enjoy it. I've just been fir a 30 min run for the first time since early June and had forgotten how good it feels. I got back and said to my hubby I really enjoyed that, he thinks I'm mad lol.

Rebeccasluckyduck

I've been running for about six years and it does get easier. When I first started someone told me that the first three miles is the hardest. I didn't know they meant EVERY time. :noway: Now, once I make it past that three mile mark, it's much easier. I won't say I've ever developed a love for running, but I do enjoy it more than I used to. I've learned to use the time to work out any problems or stress I might have going on in my life. I'll get into a "zone" and don't even feel the miles slipping away.

Edited to agree with most of the people above. Get off the treadmill and get outside!! It's so much better.

ilookthetype

I love my runs...when I don't hate them. A lot of runners (at least those that I know) own up to being a little twisted, the pain, the push, knowing you are pushing yourself is enjoyable for myself and quite a few others.

I think once you have a runner's high it gets easier. I hate running on a treadmill. I run to get somewhere, I would not be successful on a treadmill. That might be part of it.

netsirk419

This topic name made me literally laugh out loud. I have been for months and am still waiting for it.

DowntimeDesigns

I also started out like you, HATING the treadmill, but yes eventually it does get fun!!!! I went from walking a 15 minute mile to running 7 straight without stopping in under 60 minutes.

NOW I have a blown out knee and haven't been able to run further then 3 miles in 4 months and I feel like I'm gaining my lost weight back. =( Elliptical doesn't do it for me like the treadmill does.

TinaDay1114

I was where you are about 12 years ago, and I also had an "ugh, GOD" relationship with it at first. I started doing it just because it pissed me off so much that I COULDN'T run like those other folks I saw in the gym and on the road.

I slowly worked my way up, just like you (and when I say S L O W, I mean that I just broke through my 4 mile barrier last MONTH), and it's only recently that I really started to LOVE it.

That's not to say that I've HATED it all the years before this. But running on the treadmill gets mind-numbingly boring. When I started running outside more, I liked it better. It's still not a "YIPPEEE YAY WHOOOPPEEE" event every time, but as your body can do more, you'll enjoy it more. Find a road outside, and just explore.

I also signed up for a couple 5K races early on to keep me motivated. Now i'm signed up for my first 1/2 marathon -- that is, if I heal from an injury in time!

Hang in there! I think every runner has a love/hate thing going, especially when you first step out there. Some other MFP person said to me "Always remember -- the first 2.5 miles SUCK" -- and that's no matter how long you've been doing it, or how far you're running. It's so so true.

jayruth

Gotta add my voice to everyone else here... Running for me is only ever fun outdoors, on a trail, through woods and hills. It doesn't matter if it's cold and wet or hot and sunny, so long as there's fresh air and good scenery. The constant change in difficulty (up hill, down hill, over fallen branches, round tree trunks) is what makes the time pass by so quickly. On a treadmill I can manage 30 mins at a very slow pace and it's like torture waiting for the time to be up, on the road I only seem to do 20 mins before home is calling to me, but across fields I can run for 40 mins or more and still feel inspired to keep going - if only my legs would let me!!

cavaaller_85

When I was a teenager I was an outdoor only runner--hated treadmills! I don't know what changed for me, but this time around I actually prefer the treadmill. I think just because it seemed easier to track my progress--the numbers were right there in front of me!

I would say that once I hit my first goal of 3 miles and had run it a few times, I was able to enjoy running. When it got to the point that I could think about things or lose myself in a song, I really began enjoying it. And as a previous poster mentioned, you just get this amazing high and then this little voice that says, "I think I'd really like to go for a run today." Good luck!

grahamckas88

You just said everything that I've been wondering too!!! I just completed the c25k running program and did my first 5K over the weekend. That was a HUGE accomplishment for me. When I started training 10 weeks ago I could barely run for 1 min. at a time. Now I can run a 5K! The whole thing was a struggle though. I keep thinking this has got to get easier at some point, but it hasn't so far. I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment after a run, but I definitely don't enjoy it during! I think some people (me) just aren't made to be runners. I know that's not much help for you...sorry. I'm going to keep my eyes on this post. Maybe I'll get some pointers to help me out too.

SueInAz

I run outside not on a treadmill (I don't have access to one) and I still sometimes find the run being all about the run. I don't get a ton of enjoyment out of it, but I still look forward to getting out there and doing it, mostly because I'm trying to go that much faster or that much further. I still run/walk and plan to do so for the foreseeable future. I find it best if I can run some place new and not just the same one mile loop through my neighborhood. In fact, I did 4 miles this weekend in the mountains, and while the run itself was tough and NOT fun, I'm still pretty thrilled that I did it.

I do, however, own a stationary bike. I cannot just sit there and ride that thing. I have it in my computer room and I watch TV shows or movies while I'm riding it. I've gotten myself to the point where I really don't watch TV on the sofa any longer. I watch and ride and the 45 minutes to an hour go by very quickly. Rather than listening to the radio, if you can put a small TV, or laptop, in front of your treadmill, you may find that to be a good solution for you, too. If that's not an option, try to get some podcasts of old radio shows, or audio books, instead of just music. Something which more fully engages your brain and distracts you from the boredom of running.

amysj303

To be honest, I tried running-Couch to 5k, then Gateway to 8k and then I started a half-marathon training plan and I realized, after almost a year, I don't like running! It's boring and there's no good reason to be able to run for an hour.
If your goal is calorie burn, you should try interval running and not for more than 20 minutes.
There is some evidence that steady state cardio isn't great for fat loss:
http://figureathlete.t-nation.com/free_online_article/training/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin
I think some people really enjoy it, they get a runner's high or they like the quiet time to themselves.
I liked the challenge, to some extent, but I never liked running and couldn't get enough music on my ipod to train for a half marathon!

alyssamiller77

This is another big belief I have, if you want your exercise program to be successful in the long term, you have to find something you enjoy. If you don't like running on a treadmill and can't find a way to make it enjoyable, try something else. Running outside on a good trail might be a good choice to try. For me, I hate running for no reason. I'm a soccer referee and I don't mind running in games and I really enjoy that. But just running a trail with no place really to go is just boring and annoying to me. So I started biking instead.

We've got a great trail by our house that was built on an old railroad right of way. It's pretty scenic and also relatively flat. It spans over 50 miles and connects to 5 different towns along the way. I've found I enjoy riding along there for the scenery and to go to places I don't normally visit. Right now my goals for my riding are to keep pushing a little farther each time and see new scenery and towns. I got a GPS tracking app for my phone from another site and use that to track my rides and estimate my calories burned. That makes it a lot more fun for me.

Try different things until you find the one you enjoy the most and then make some games out of it. Challenge yourself. Explore new areas you've never been to before. Do your activity at diffferent times of the day and see if the scenery changes. Things like that.

Persipan

I wouldn't run on a treadmill if you paid me! Outside is far more fun! Although probably the honest answer is that the run's most fun when it's over and you get that buzz...

Starkle09

U have to get outside and experience running that way...it started to be fun for me once i completed my first 5k. I was hooked after that

27strange

The first 5-10 minutes of running is always tough. It takes me a 1/2 a mile to a full mile to find my legs and rhythm and start to enjoy the run.

Running on the treadmill requires a distraction: TV or music or something. I have always found the treadmill to be more difficult than running outdoors. Its just more boring and repetitive. But I do it just the same in the winter months.

The more you run the more you should enjoy it. Set goals for yourself: time, distance, pace, etc and work towards those goals so it feels as though you are accomplishing something every time you get on the treadmill.

Also, I saw someone mention that walking inclines briskly is about the same calorie burn as running at 0 incline. This is fairly accurate. So if you ever get burnt out on running for the day, try walking inclines and you will get near the same heart rate and calorie burn.

mags2504

bump, want to finish reading later as I'm in the same boat.

Jenscan

Who said you HAVE to run to get sufficient exercise? There are a lot of other effective workouts out there -- if you don't enjoy running, then maybe there are options for you. Exercise is crappy enough; why not find something that isn't torture? :flowerforyou:

ennaejay

Who said you HAVE to run to get sufficient exercise? There are a lot of other effective workouts out there -- if you don't enjoy running, then maybe there are options for you. Exercise is crappy enough; why not find something that isn't torture? :flowerforyou:

agreed. Kudos for sticking with it. And stick with it. But additionally - find something that IS fun. Lots of other cardio options out there.

Try podcasts if you're sick of music (or buy new music). Or go without music and listen to what's around you, outside.

I say give it a few more years and then see if you love it yet. If you don't love it, you'll love the results, and that's reason enough to keep doing it :happy:

iplayoutside19

The only time I have touched a treadmill is when I was testing HRM....they make me feel queasy and icky.

I encourage you to try running outside before you totally give it up. Sure the weather will be challenging at times. But to me, that's part of the allure of running. I've ran outside when it was 5*, and when it was 105* just to see the effect on my breathing and pace. (not well in either case, but those are extremes). Mot to mention the change in scenery and elevation.

If you don't find anything appealing about running after running outside. Find some thing else to do. I'll be the first to admit running isn't for everyone.