How to make WALKING or RUNNING enjoyable?
endlessfall16
Posts: 932 Member
So far I just know that
-- 30 minutes beforehand I need to eat something like a bowl of breakfast cereal or drink 8 oz of gatorade. Looking for that upbeat feeling.
-- Start my treadmill slow, 2.5 mph for 5 minutes. Looking for body heat and the loose limb feeling.
Please share your strategies, routines that make walking, running ultimately enjoyable.
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Replies
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I listen to books on tape when I walk and/or working around the house. You can down load them free on your iphone. It makes the time go fast and you can kill two birds with one stone.4
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I walk (and sometimes run) outside and look at things and enjoy the weather, even if it's a sleety drizzle.1
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For me:
1. Being outside. Treadmills get the job done but my goodness, even 10 mins feels like a lifetime. Not sure how that's gonna work with a jogging stroller in winter, but we'll see lol.
2. No food inside my stomach. I get side cramps if I have breakfast before I go out, so I wait 'til after.
3. No stopping, no walking - I will run, however slowly, the WHOLE time. This pushes me harder and the feeling of victory at the end is incredible.
4. Figuring out my breathing. If I feel like I am struggling, I take deep breaths and try to swallow after each big intake of air. It releases the tightness in my chest so I can keep going without gasping. Once I get into a breathing rhythm that works I feel like I can run forever.
5. When people or cars pass I picture them all silently congratulating me, and cheering me on, for being out running
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endlessfall16 wrote: »
-- Start my treadmill slow, 2.5 mph for 5 minutes. Looking for body heat and the loose limb feeling.
Please share your strategies, routines that make walking, running ultimately enjoyable.
Well what I personally do is....I don't run on a hamster wheel. The thing is, on a treadmill the view never changes. You are almost never...probably never ever....going to enjoy running on a treadmill. I mean, if you need a reference point on this go down to the pet store and check out a hamster. Does he look happy? Probably not. Because he's on a treadmill.
Also, at most gyms the canned air (air filtration system) is the same as the one hospitals use. Because of the halogen lighting, air filtration unit, and abundant screens, your body and mind become depressed. Television is a depressant, halogen lighting ensures that your body doesn't react normally to input like sunlight or darkness, so that it becomes nervous or depressive, never quite knowing what time it is.
In short, when you work out in a gym, your body thinks you must be sick. We're not made to stay inside. My advice is of course, to run outside and especially on hiking trails. If you have a pet, run with your pet to recapture the simple joy of running for no reason. If you find a special landmark, stop. On our favorite trail, there is a tree with great branches for hanging out over the water, and a swinging rope where you can drop yourself in and swim.
In fact, i'm pretty sure my running clothes are only so short and quick to dry because there might be a sprinkler, swimming pool, or lake somewhere on my route.
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For me, enjoyable means not going too fast if I am not feeling it (and going fast if I am), and possibly someone to talk to (or music to listen to or people to watch or a problem to ponder), to make the time pass by.3
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music or tv that's it.1
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I put my headphones on and listen to fun music - usually something quick. Alternatively, I walk with someone who I can keep pace with. I have never walked on a treadmill. I either walk outside (if the weather is decent) or inside during the rain or bitter cold (like in a mall).
The closest I come to walking on a treadmill is walking in place (there's no room in my little apartment for a treadmill). When I do that, I either have music playing or the television or else, I'm talking with whomever is in the room with me.1 -
Get outside, get out often!! Do you have hiking trails near you or have tried this website? http://www.meetup.com/topics/hiking/1
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Netflix on my tablet if I'm on a machine...podcasts if I'm not. It's all about distraction for me!2
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I walk outside at a park with my dogs. And I listen to really upbeat music while I'm walking. I don't think I could do a treadmill. Too boring.1
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Run up mtns instead of TM. Or hike if ya want.
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I'm on the "go outside" team. Step away from the dreadmill.
My husband and I walk our dog every night, and we have been going on hikes on Saturdays (soon to be Sundays too) at a state forest near us. You walk for over an hour, but it feels like 15 minutes.2 -
Go outside. Walking/Running on a treadmill is boring as it can get. Take the dogs for a walk, take the kids for a walk. Walk to the local grocery store for small trips....1
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One word: Geocaching!1
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I find the treadmill deadly boring and I'll find something else at all costs. My gym has a track. I'll walk or run on that. Or better yet, walk and run outdoors. Yesterday the strawberry moon was spectacular.1
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To enjoy walking and running get off the treadmill, what are you, a hamster?
Go around the block, go to a local park, head for the woods, find some companions.
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You don't need to eat anything before, especially for such a short distance. You can, if you want to, but it's not necessary. I never eat breakfast, with or without a workout in the morning.
If you want to go outside, make yourself a playlist of music that you really, really love - upbeat, dancy, peppy music. I have a specific running playlist - I choose songs that encourage the tempo I need. It also works for keeping me at a brisk pace if I'm walking. Alternately, you can find an audiobook that you'd like to listen to. Idk what kind of phone you have, but I swear by Zombies Run.
If, like me, you're in a REALLLLLLY hot, humid climate right now, perhaps a treadmill is the way to go. It's super boring, yes... if you have nothing else to capture your attention. I like watching anime or TV on my phone while walking and running. Music is also great! If staring at a timer and numbers is intimidating, cover it with a towel and just focus on your tunes or the TV show 3 -
I have tried to like running for years and years. I hate it! So I found that other exercises were enjoyable instead.2
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If I'm at home working out I'll put on a movie or TV show. I go to the library to pick DVD's up. If I'm outside, I'll bring my MP3 player with some of my favourite music. Or I'll have a destination in mind, run an errand on foot.0
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For me making a walk enoyable is being outside. If I walk (or cycle) I want to know that I am going somewhere.
I will only use the stationary machines if there is no avoiding it. They offer no view, no reference point and to me they are just plain boring.2 -
I will run both indoors and outside. When the weather is nice, I'm outside. when it's too cold or too hot, I go to the gym.
I recently started listening to audiobooks while I run, and it helps pass the time. I get lost in the story, or push myself to keep going...just one more chapter!1 -
It took me about a year to enjoy it!1
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I take a walk in my neighborhood. I take my little Bichon with me! She loves it! I live in a rural area so there are lots of trees, cornfields and so many pretty birds, horses and other various animals! It's very enjoyable. I usually throw some running sprints into my walk, but I don't think I'll ever be a full-fledged runner. I like to enjoy the scenery along the way, even stop and take pictures with my phone, and I definitely need to give my little dog a rest and a drink here and there. I typically walk about 3 miles. Sometimes I'll listen to music or a book, sometimes I just listen to nature! It's all good!!0
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As many others have stated, take it outside! Huge difference breathing in fresh air and listening to nature or good tunes. I take my dog and he is full of character so I have that as an added bonus of fun 0
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Get off the treadmill & get outside.
Personally I'm insanely lucky to have recreational paths a few hundred metres from my front door. Running along the river is my bliss, no cell phone, no music, just my breathing, the river and the local wildlife.
If you approach it with the attitude that it's going to be miserable it will be, even if you're on the TM think for a moment of the people who would love to be able to do what you do.........1 -
Find a nice path outside and load your iPod with good music!0
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A dog. Definitely a dog! When I had my own and when I fostered dogs, I loved loved loved to take long walks. Really the only thing that made walking enjoyable. Forget running, nothing has ever made that even the least bit pleasurable.0
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When I walk outside it's always enjoyable. If I have to walk on the treadmill then I play numbers games with the machine. I put in my stats and decide if I'm either going to do speed intervals or high incline intervals and make my warm-up as short as possible.
First goal is to break a sweat as quickly as possible. If I'm on this boring machine I better make the best use of my time.
Second goal is to keep track of the calorie burned number. NOT for tracking actual calories, as the machines are wildly off, but to know that I have to surpass that number the next session, even if it's by 5 calories. I try to go faster and harder each and every time. A challenge keeps me going.1
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