Runners...I need your help

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  • willhare
    willhare Posts: 44 Member
    As someone who always abhorred running until the last few years when I learned to actually enjoy it, my best advice is this:

    A) Ditch the treadmill and get outside. Once you're outside, you can vary your runs and take in the scenery. Plus, then you're not staring at the numbers. Hide the watch, and just run at your natural pace and let your body tell you when enough is enough. Variety is seriously the key. I rarely do the same run twice. Of course, I live in the city and have seemingly endless route options, but if you're not in a city, try to do whatever you can to keep your runs from becoming stale. Of course, to vary your runs, you might need to…

    B) GPS your runs. Whether you use an iPhone/Android/NIke+/Garmin/etc. track your run and use a website like mapmyfitness or adidas micoach or nike+ to visualize everything and encourage your progress. Adidas and NIke both have free training plans, too, and their apps are great. Seeing your "trophies" and accomplishments as you earn them adds extra motivation. Plus, you can friend people and push each other.

    C) Sign up for something. Start with a 5k and go from there. I was a little nervous when I committed to my first 5k, but it's that commitment to something that pushes you. You need to convince yourself that there's no backing out and train for it. After that, do another. For me now, I consistently run 4-5 miles a few times a week to stay in shape for my soccer team, but this past year I signed up for a half marathon. That forced me to push myself even further, and after completing the half, I had never felt so accomplished. That's how it'll feel after your first 5k, 10k, etc.

    But first, ditch the treadmill. I swear that's the source of the world's hatred for running. I know it was for me! Haha.
  • Maree44
    Maree44 Posts: 12 Member
    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! You guys have motivated me so much! I know that my legs and my lungs can totally do this run and I am thinking your all right about the treadmill thing, doing 15-20 minutes doesn't seem so bad but 23 minutes of the same spot and same surroundings is just BORING and not motivating at all! I need to get myself outside!

    I love you guys!

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