Will I ever *love* running?

25C is too hot?
Wow. I'd love to have 25C to run in. Running midday at 35C+ here, and that's Florida with equally high humidity.

"Temperature: 93, feels like 103" Ah thank you lovely Florida humidity.

I have a love/hate relationship with running. Sometimes it takes a little nudging to get me out the door, but I feel so good when I get to that halfway point or when I run a little further or a little faster than I did the last time. I never in my life dreamed that I would be running 4miles without stopping when just last summer I was trying to make myself run from one telephone pole to the next on my walks...it makes me feel good. Music deffinately helps...I need to just run without looking for the finish line and music gives me something different to focus on. The hardest thing for me is telling myself that just because I know I CAN run 4miles...doesn't mean I have to run 4 or push for 4 1/2 EVERY TIME I RUN! There are good days and bad days and sometimes it is just so hot or humid or windy that I have to really push myself and a shorter run is fine...And there are mornings that it is cool with a nice little breeze and I feel like going on and on. Stick with it and you are sure to find something you love about running. BTW-Great job on the 25min!

hi
Congratulations on your first 25 min.

Question, do you know if you are running correctly? Everyone runs different, and if you have not had training or some good advice you may doing certain things improperly. That could include 1) breathing-- If you are not breathing right while running, it could really be an unpleasant task to unertake. I believe breathing is the most important one. 2) your posture, when you get tired people tend to slump forward 3) Is your body lose? May seem strange but sometimes people get really tight when runnung to try and compensate for the pain. 4) Stride, how are you landing on your feet? some people drag there feet, some people stomp, and it could cause discomfort if not done correctlty.
I do not want to sound like its mechanical, because its not, but just like any other exercise you have to have good form to do it correctly and to enjoy it.

I was in cross country and did lots of running while in the military, I admit I love running. BUT that does NOTmean that its EASY by any means. Just like a previoud post stated it can be euphoric, and its my meditation.

And also some people mentioned they do not like running. I say do not give up and try and finish the training. But you may enjoy walking more. And I have tried speed walking and it is as hard as running. :indifferent: I worked up a sweat and lost weight. It hurts in different areas. BUT I love running. Always have.Its peaceful, I love the sense of accomplishment.
I hope things workout, its good that you are trying. MFP is great cause you have so many people that can give you some good advice, or at least their perspective.

I spent 8 years trying to love running. I played soccer in HS and college and through my entire career I tried to love running. I'd go for morning runs and tell myself I loved it. I'd go running in the afternoon and tell myself that I was going "just cuz I loved to run." After 8 years of "fake it 'till you make it" I still didn't love running. I hate to run just for the sake of running. Put a ball in front of me, someone chasing me (or as my coach did in college once) put a keg at the end and then I see a point to it.

Right!!

I have had an up and down relationship with running. I was in track in high school, but I was a sprinter and long jumper. I only ran distances when I was forced to. I hated distance running and couldn't understand why anyone would want to purposely torture themselves like that. In college I started running simply because it was a cheap way to exercise and I needed to get out of my dorm room. I had a "just do it" attitude and after a while I started to hate running a little less and started enjoying the scenery and the rhythm. I especially loved watching the seasons change and feeling like I was a part of nature, not just an observer. Several weeks ago I started the C25K program to get back into running. I still don't love running some days, but I DO love the feeling that I get BECAUSE I run. I love feeling strong and capable. I love the endorphine rush. I love it when my mind goes all "zen" while my body falls into a rhythm. I love reaching milestones and knowing that it was MY effort that got me there and nothing else. It may sound corny, but running is less of a physical activity and more of a mental and spiritual experience for me now and that has made it much more rewarding and enjoyable. I wish I had been able to see it that way when I was younger! Anyway, I guess my point is that not all runners love the act of running. Some of us have learned to love some of the "side effects" of running, even when we don't necessarily love the running itself.

Running is hard. BUT...I LOVE how I feel at the end of my run...all hot and panting and sweaty. Like I've really done something. I LOVE where I run. In a great park with huge trees, dirt paths...other runners, walkers, etc. It's such a beautiful place. It is better than therapy to run there. I LOVE how I can accomplish so much in a short run. And sometimes, rarely but it does happen, I'll have a run where everything clicks...nothing hurts, I don't feel winded, I feel strong and I can just keep going. I keep running to have another one of those runs.

On the days that it is so hard, I keep telling myself to keep going, I can do anything for 30 minutes, or one hour or 2 hours or however long I'm trying to go. I am strong. I am an athlete. I am a runner.

It can and most likely will happen. I have NEVER liked to run, I was in sports my whole school life (not at star or anything just loved to compete) I always hated to run. My sister on the other hand has always been a runner, cross county, track, etc. She talked me in to trying running back in April I also used C25K. I did it because I promised her I would at least try to do a 5K. Well it was a struggle to get myself motivated to run but I also signed up for a 5K so I would have some motivation to get up and run. I figured if I managed to complete the 5K run I could honestly say I tried it and then stop. Well on June 4 I did my first 5K (it was really hot and I had to walk a few times) but that day was I think the first time I could really say I liked running. I had set a goal time for myself I managed to make it by 5 seconds. On June 25 I did my second 5K and I'm scheduled to do another one in October. Now I have to say I actually enjoy running and if I don't get to run I miss it . I look at is a competition against myself I know I can now run 3.1 miles the entire way and I working on trying to do it faster by my run in October. I know one of my hardest times with the C25K program was getting over the mental hurdle of running the entire workout and not doing the walk/run thing anymore but don't beat yourself up if you have to walk at bit here and there. Listen to you body learn what it's telling you. I can now tell the difference between days I just feel lazy and days my body is telling me NO I need to rest today. Stick with it find a race if you can it's what made the difference between me having to run and wanting to run.

Just something else I thought of my sister gave me a Nike SportBand and it allows me to get all the info on my run: Time, Pace, Calories Burned, etc. One of the things I like about it is the fact that I can post my runs to Nikerunning.com and my Facebook page. It allows me to have Virtual Running Buddies, my sister and another friend that runs can comment on my runs or say hey it's been a few day with no runs what's up. Just something else that helps keep me going.

http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeos/p/nikeplus/en_US/products/sportband

I don't think you can make yourself love it. I used to run regularly, 3 miles a day every day that I could for about 2 years. I never loved it. I loved the health benefits and I loved the sense of occomplishment (especially when I first started). But I pretty much loathed the running itself 90% of the time.

I recently wrote a whole blog about this. I hated running. If a murderer was coming after me, I'd rather let him kill me than run away. So naturally I started c25k. HATED the first day. I could barely make it through the first minute. Day 2 was easier and day 3 was even easier than that. Time has gone on and I don't LOVE running yet, but I like it. It makes me feel accomplished. It's still really hard for me on the longer runs (20 minutes was the devil), but I feel good when I finish. I'd say give it more time and see if you start to like it. If you don't, no one's forcing you. Find something you like. All I know is that I'm no longer willing to let a murderer get me if I can outrun him :laugh: