How do people enjoy running?

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  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I got to like it by doing a lot of it. It took about 6 months before I didn't hate it.
  • ReverendJim
    ReverendJim Posts: 260 Member
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    I never enjoyed running, but I love long, brisk walks - three to five miles at a time ... problem is, in my area of the country, you only have a few short months that are good for that.
  • papa3x
    papa3x Posts: 286
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    OK, I can't really "run" at 279ish pounds. It kills my shins.... but 15 years ago, I went from 275 pounds down to 217 pounds.... And I started to run. I got up to 2 miles. I can't say that I ever grew to love it, but I can say that I grew to appreciate the feeling of accomplishment for getting better / faster / able to run further.

    Maybe approach it from that direction?
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Try running slower - that made it possible for me to start running.
    Audio books or music while you're training might help too
  • FabMrFox
    FabMrFox Posts: 259 Member
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    Ipod is a must after 6 years of forced running in the Army w/o music what a difference the ipod makes(bose ie2 earbuds)stay in your ears much better than the stock ones apples throws at you btw.

    Still dislike running but it is tolerable with music. Read Born To Run also if you want a motivating run book(I now run in vibrams due to some logical stuff they wrote in the book)
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    Smile. Of course you hate it you are sayingnitnout loud and tell yourself the whole time you hate it. I tell my kids. Fake it. Smile sing to yourself play games like trying not to hear your feet land. Try to picture people in passing cars naked. Wave at people that pass you. Simply have more fun. And smile.
  • CourteneyLove
    CourteneyLove Posts: 246 Member
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    I once thought this too. how can people actually enjoy running?!

    buttttttttttttt


    one day, i wanted to mix up my gym routine, so I tried to see if I could just run for an hour straight. I kept telling myself that I could do it. I ran very VERY slow. needless to say, i ran 24+ miles that week - I fell in love.

    the thing is, I just recently switched from my running routine to interval training.. which I find to be much more of an effective cardio workout. but that's just my opinion :)
  • dancingincircles84
    dancingincircles84 Posts: 53
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    Yeah, I live in Canada so it's been too cold and icy to go outside and run so I've been stuck inside on a treadmill.

    I will try slowing it down to 7mph for a while and go for longer distances than 5K to see if it gets better after a longer amount of time too.
    Smile. Of course you hate it you are sayingnitnout loud and tell yourself the whole time you hate it. I tell my kids. Fake it. Smile sing to yourself play games like trying not to hear your feet land. Try to picture people in passing cars naked. Wave at people that pass you. Simply have more fun. And smile.

    That's a great idea! I'm going to try that the next time I go run. That's actually really smart, and that's how I trick myself into liking all my classes in college. If I find a class challenging I just decide it's my favourite class and I usually do better in it. Since I find running the hardest of all 3 exercises I'm going to make it my favourite and focus on enjoying it more when I do it. =]
  • econut2000
    econut2000 Posts: 395 Member
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    There are 2 groups: those who LOVE to run and those who HATE it! Luckily I fall into the love category. I have become very sick in the last few years and I'm no longer able to run and I long for the days when I can (hopefully) do it again! I'm not sure how to make yourself love it, but I do know when I first started out it was great and then started to become a bit of a chore. I found challenging myself made it easier. I know you're planning a tri, but how about just signing up for 5Ks or 5 milers along the way? Doing some short races may help. You can use them as training runs (I find even a 5K can be equal to a much longer run if you're racing). Also, don't forget, even walking your mileage helps (may not help so much with speed, but certainly endurance) so takiing a long hike or even a long walk around the neighborhood instead of going on a long run can be just as productive. I always thought of my running time as my "me" time, which has been the hardest thing about not being able to run. I could think about everything or think about nothing. I enjoyed looking around me and seeing those things that you aren't going to see when zooming by in a car. I hope you are able to either find yourself loving it or at least, being able to tolerate it through the tri! Good luck :-)
  • 30yearssincebikini
    30yearssincebikini Posts: 261
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    I'm curious, why do people have to run? You say you have to prepare for a big race or something, and others have said that they hate it but still do it. Someone even said they did it for seven years and still does, but hated it. So I'm just wondering what is the pull that running has on people that makes them feel like they HAVE to run?

    I have never ran. SInce I was young, I took gymnastics, dance, worked out at the gym, and other things. I liked those things so much more than running. Why not do something you like?
  • cherrytulips
    cherrytulips Posts: 109
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    I've just started C25k and I definitely don't love it, but I think I'll enjoy it more when I hit more milestones like being able to run for 4 minutes straight without absolutely dying. Maybe you could ease yourself into it with the C25k program?
    Hey I'm doing that too! I'm just starting week 4 of C25K and I still am quite out of shape! I think I'm going to repeat week 3 until I can run for more than 3 minutes without basically dying :p
  • L00py_T0ucan
    L00py_T0ucan Posts: 1,378 Member
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    I'm curious, why do people have to run?
    Try running slower - that made it possible for me to start running.
    Audio books or music while you're training might help too

    I love running, but I totally agree that people that don't like running can find other activities that they prefer to do if running makes them miserable. I recently took a running 'class' w/ a local running store and I was surprised that 60% of my classmates hated running and were willing to PAY to make themselves take a running class. I don't know that their misery factor decreased as the class went on. Running is great, but definitely, definitely NOT the only way to get exercise.

    OP - if you decided to make yourself stick with it, try running slower. You sound like a very experienced runner, but my impression (not experience, defintely not experience) is that speed and distance running are actually quite different.
  • dancingincircles84
    dancingincircles84 Posts: 53
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    I have to stick with it so I can do this triathlon.
    But I found myself a running buddy today so hopefully I get motivated and enjoy it!
  • Rebeccasluckyduck
    Rebeccasluckyduck Posts: 168 Member
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    There is a book called Slow Fat Triathlete by Jane Williams. I read it when I first started doing triathlons. Pretty funny and still very informative.
  • gdunn55
    gdunn55 Posts: 363
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    I hated it too, but I find myself zoning out in a sense, getting lost in what's around me and in my music and before you know it I've knocked about 2 miles out.
  • artcaro1972
    artcaro1972 Posts: 42
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    I'm curious, why do people have to run? You say you have to prepare for a big race or something, and others have said that they hate it but still do it. Someone even said they did it for seven years and still does, but hated it. So I'm just wondering what is the pull that running has on people that makes them feel like they HAVE to run?

    I have never ran. SInce I was young, I took gymnastics, dance, worked out at the gym, and other things. I liked those things so much more than running. Why not do something you like?

    I think there's a perception that running is very purist or something. Just you and the road. Plus, for men, it's highly accepted. Men don't do Zumba or Stepclass or Spinning Class as readily as women. I love it when men do these things and welcome them regardless but I think there is a societal stigma. I'm trying to speak to societal standards not my own.

    Also you can run outside! Alone! So much better than a hot sweaty gym no matter how good the ventilation.

    I discovered running two years ago, at 38. I do not have a "runner's body" (I have big boobs and carry too much weight in the middle) but I kind of fell in love with it. The first mile is tough but then I enter the Zone. It was like my church. I always ran alone and loved it. Ahhh. Sadly, my knee started bothering me and I don't want to be in a wheel chair at 60 so I stopped. I go to the gym regularly now but have yet to find anything I enjoy nearly as much as running.
  • meghan_cr
    meghan_cr Posts: 29
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    I used to hate running too and one day it just clicked (I think previously I was pushing myself too hard and thinking I had to run a 10 minute mile, now I don't care that I'm slow I just put in the miles).

    My advice -- put on your iPod, run outside and just go!

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