When does running become "fun"?

Cpsnisi
Cpsnisi Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just started running and I gotta say, I don't enjoy it. I've only been at it for a few weeks now, but it's a struggle to get myself out the door to start and when I'm done, I don't feel energized, I don't have a huge sense of accomplishment, I'm just glad to be done. But SO many people say to give it time, it gets better, they grew to enjoy it, it becomes fun, addictive, etc. I know there are so many benefits, so I do want to stick with it long enough to give it a fair chance, but I have no sense of how long that is.

So my question is, when did it start to turn around? How long before you really started to *enjoy* running? Weeks? Months? Years? Obviously it will vary for each individual. I'm just wondering what other reluctant runners' experiences have been like. Any input is appreciated.

Thanks!
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Replies

  • StarIsMoving
    StarIsMoving Posts: 437
    Mine was a two month-ish mark. Until then it just hurt and I seemed to lack motivation. I stayed with it by finding stuff I loved to do in between days, made it seem like less of a chore.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    When you can do a recovery run.

    That is when you can set a nice easy pace and run for a long time without working hard at all. Where the perceived level of exertion is less than it would be for an out of shape person to simply walk the dog for a mile.

    Took me about 5 months after starting C25K from square one to get to that point.
  • JPenny12
    JPenny12 Posts: 47 Member
    I don't think every person is going to love running no matter how long they do it. If you find yourself constantly battrling yourself to do it then maybe its not for you. There are other ways to get cardio and stay fit aside from running. Exercise is no different than anything else in this world, we all have our own personal tastes. If you force yourself into an activity you hate you're more likely to give up than if you find something you truly like to do.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    I started to enjoy it when I got off the treadmill and started trail running with a couple guys at work. That was about 8 years ago.

    Now, I start to love it after about 3 or 4 miles when everything starts to get loosened up. :happy:
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    In all honesty if you don't like it then don't do it. There's no reason why you have to run. There's a lot of other good cardio exercise that you can do. Walking is awesome. The only difference between walking and running is that with running you do the distance faster. The calorie burn is the same for the amount of miles you put in you're just getting it over with faster with running.

    My husband HATES running and runs only once a year which is the race that we do in June. That's it.

    Me? I like it. I run on the TM or outside if it's not too hot. I like to compete with myself on my times and speed so that makes it "fun" for me. If I didn't like it then I wouldn't do it. I have to like the exercise I'm doing otherwise I'll avoid it like the plague.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,976 Member
    Only when I play sports. Other than that I do it for cardiovascular health.


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  • Carlyannabelle
    Carlyannabelle Posts: 621 Member
    It took me a couple months to actually start enjoying it. I find it is easier if you listen to good music. Music keeps me motivated.
  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
    For me, I don't necessarily love the actual run itself. I'm constantly talking myself out of walking, telling myself how awesome I'm doing, etc. But when I'm done....I LOVE That feeling! I love knowing I just had a great workout and the feeling of accomplishment. On my cool down walk, I know I look like a red sweaty mess, but I love it. I don't care WHO sees me because I worked for it!

    I'm 6 weeks into running and I love it. So maybe once you can start getting the longer distances and/or times, you'll start to feel that sense of accomplishment.
  • RedWeb
    RedWeb Posts: 108 Member
    The calorie burn is the same for the amount of miles you put in you're just getting it over with faster with running.

    No it isn't.

    If you walk 2 miles you will burn less calories than running. Your heart rate will be more elevated running and as a result you will burn more calories. If I walk 5K I will burn 300 or so calories. If I run it's nearly 600.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    When you stop doing it because "I need to workout today"
  • MrsFolk
    MrsFolk Posts: 205
    Even when it hurts, it's fun for me because I'm pushing myself. I have Fibromyalgia and RA and believe me, they can become excruciating. Running gives me energy and strength I didn't know I had. Now, instead of 6 days of Fibro or Arthritis pain, I'm down to 2 or 3 - it's worth it :)
  • lorielovehailey
    lorielovehailey Posts: 64 Member
    I ran for awhile and almost never enjoyed it. I did like knowing that I could do it, but it never became therapeutic or meditative, like so many people told me it would. However, it does work for staying in shape, so I am about to ramp up again. But, I don't think it will ever be my main exercise because I don't enjoy it.
  • mrsher2
    mrsher2 Posts: 14 Member
    It took me years to get to the point where I enjoy running more than I don't enjoy it. I always loved the feeling after it was done. But now I often enjoy it while I am doing it and often want to go (not always, of course). I even honestly enjoyed running most of my first marathon a few months ago. Other than the last 5 or so miles, I was truly having a good time. Try to find running buddies- that is a way to make it better. It's tough to talk while you run so you may have to go slower than if you'd go alone. But it's a great way to spend time with people and you'll definitely be motivated to be a better runner if your friends are getting better/faster. :)
  • SGT_Reg
    SGT_Reg Posts: 186 Member
    Running became fun when I started doing it and having fun. I set goals that I can reach, reach them, then set new goals.
  • 76tech
    76tech Posts: 1,455 Member
    I run. We all lie. It never gets to be fun, we just say that so we can get other people doing it. Who all think there's something wrong with *them* for not liking it, so they lie as well.

    OK, maybe not. Truth is, it's hard to say. Personally, I started enjoying it when I could run one full mile without stopping. I was hooked when I first did a 5k trail run. Some people never like it, and that's fine too. There are so many other things to choose from.
  • RAWBMEOW
    RAWBMEOW Posts: 64
    never!!!!!!!!!, but it becomes addicting because you release a ton of endorphin's. I'm sad when I cant run because of injury. But i'm never having fun when running until i'm done. so............................
  • cobaltis
    cobaltis Posts: 191 Member
    I always found it a chore until I had a better place to run. I run around my city block which usually has plenty to look at.. running with my dog keeps me more distracted from the running too :)
  • benich3043
    benich3043 Posts: 252 Member
    it took me 8 years to enjoy running. When you stop looking at something yuo have to do and look at as something you want to do it gets easier.
  • deepfuture
    deepfuture Posts: 35 Member
    As your fitness increases you'll begin to enjoy it more.. You'll go out one day and it will feel like this is no sweat and you've grown a new set of lungs and you'll enjoy it .. for me took 2- 3 months ..
  • kekl
    kekl Posts: 382 Member
    You probably don't want to hear this, but I'll be honest with you.

    It took me a year to 'not suck' at running.
    And it took me 6 months after that to actually enjoy it, I love it now.

    Running outside for me is what made me like it... I HATE the treadmill.

    Just hang in there - and just know... if you HATE it, why would you do it? There are so many other cardio activities you could do - don't force yourself to do something you hate.

    My disclaimer is that I joined the military and running is part of our PT test... so I had to run even though I didn't like it for a while :)
  • Navotc
    Navotc Posts: 97
    I've never ever ever been able to run to the point that it could be called anything other than torture. I've wondered how people could do it and how some people found it fun or exhilarating. Perhaps one day I will run enough that it becomes "fun." For me, I can walk 5,6,8 miles quite quickly at a time, so it isn't as if I'm sedentary. But running feels HORRIBLE to me. Every time.
  • jenniet04
    jenniet04 Posts: 1,054 Member
    Never - I'd rather lift weights and do HIIT on the elliptical.
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    it takes a while for it to be comfortable enough to be fun. give it time, a couple of weeks is just not enough.

    Most of the time when I talk to people who don't like it, they often are racing every single run. Racing is for races.

    and walking does not equal running, in distance, calories, anything.
  • rowdylibrarian
    rowdylibrarian Posts: 251 Member
    I'm also in the new, just starting to run a little bit, camp. I agree with the listening to music idea, and I've also been having a ton of fun with an app called "Zombies, run!" It's hilarious, and it intersperses the story with your own music. I've laughed so hard on the treadmill at the rec center that people start to look at me funny. :)
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    For me it was less time based and more accomplishment based. I ran for a couple weeks, dreading it, but every time I added 2 or 3 minutes to my longest time I felt good, so I kept going back. But the first time I ran a full 5k without stopping, I was absolutely hooked. It didn't matter that it took me 40 minutes; it just felt so amazing.
  • theresmynapkin
    theresmynapkin Posts: 183 Member
    About when I signed up for my first fun run/race type 5K. Then I knew I could reach goals if I set them, and my body was conditioned enough where I was comfortably chugging along :)

    It took probably 2-3 months? I started out simply because I impulsively bought a treadmill and vowed to actually use it. I hate wasting money :p
  • Sharonks
    Sharonks Posts: 884 Member
    I like burning a bunch of cals. I like how I feel when I'm done. I run on a TM because my knees don't like outside and I don't have a good place to run since I live on roads with no shoulder and a 55 mph speed limit that usually means 65. I don't always have a car to drive somewhere to run. I plug a movie in and run on my TM. I usually have to tell myself I only have to walk if that's all I want but I almost always end up running so I guess I must like it enough to do that. I don't know that I'll ever love it but right now in life it is convenient, gives me an excuse to watch tv, and gives me a good workout.
  • TurningBackTheHandsOfTime
    TurningBackTheHandsOfTime Posts: 47 Member
    I have the same problem running just gets boring, that's why running to cadence can be helpful. I also think the environment in which you run can motivate you as well, choose locations that offer either natural beauty or just personal interest....set way-points along the way to help conquer mini goals during your run, little rewards might lead to big gains in the end. Good luck!
  • mmarcy7
    mmarcy7 Posts: 227 Member
    I don't enjoy it. I do feel a sense of accomplishment when I beat my fastest time, etc. I enjoy walking/speed walking, but if I only have 30-45 mins to get some cardio in, I run. I don't think I'll ever really enjoy it, but I would rather be outside doing something than inside on some machine. I hate treadmills and don't use them at all.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I used to hate running until I started doing C25K outside.. now I can't get out the door fast enough.

    It's awesome to push myself and know that I am doing something I once despised doing... plus the calorie burn kicks butt!

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