HELP!! How long did it take you to like running?

13

Replies

  • Anomalia
    Anomalia Posts: 506 Member
    Once I was able to run 5 miles without stopping I started to love running. That being said, the first 3 miles always sucks.
  • Glasspack
    Glasspack Posts: 105 Member
    I love running.
    I hate running.
    I love running.
    I hate running.
    I love running.
    I hate running.
    I love running.

    :happy:


    Yep this, I like how I feel when I'm done, but necessarily always like every mile I run.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    No-one loves every single run. I swear I give it up about once a month! But as I've been at it 15 years now, something draws me back. For me it's those runs where you leave your watch, GPS, bottle and MP3 player at home and just go out to stretch your legs, see the seasons turn and hear the birds singing. Lovely!
  • SandiBren
    SandiBren Posts: 33 Member
    I ran almost daily for 7 1/2 months.....hated it as much the last day as I did the first day! I'll find something else to do with my time.
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    i still don't like running. i run because it burns stress, mainly.

    it takes me just doing it to get into the run, and once I'm 'in it' then it's fairly enjoyable
  • maryduggins
    maryduggins Posts: 219 Member
    I hated, no LOATHED running for the longest time. It hurt my legs, it was hard to breathe, it was boring, I couldn't do it. I just all around hated everything about running.

    For Christmas my parents bought my little sisters a trampoline and I started jumping on it every day and - I guess - built up enough leg muscle. I went to my friend's (who is a big runner) house and I went with her on a run and (because I now had the muscle) it wasn't so bad! Even still I got major cramps and I couldn't even run a whole half mile... but that's a heck of a lot more than I was ever able to do before!

    So I stuck with it. I would walk/run a mile. And eventually - after 3-4 weeks - I could run a whole mile! It's almost April and I can run 3 miles now(: I'm hoping to do 4 miles without stopping in the next two weeks.

    Oh, and one other thing that helped me BIG TIME was I thought when you say you're going 'running' you actually run. Not true. When people say they're going for a 'run' they're going for a jog. I needed to get that into my head, because another reason why I had hated it before was because I thought I had to *sprint* because - after all - it was 'running'. -.-

    If people say they're going for a run, they're going to go jogging. Yes, people run at different paces and some are *really* running, but that's just their pace. Figure out yours - what feels best on your legs and your lungs(:

    Hope this helped!!!
  • jenn26point2
    jenn26point2 Posts: 429 Member
    I enjoyed it from the first step.

    If you don't like it, don't do it. If you don't like it and you force yourself to do it, you'll be miserable. ENJOY the journey by doing things you ENJOY doing!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I enjoy running when it's over. Seriously. I really don't like running at all, but the feeling you get at the end of a run is pretty hard to beat.
  • madamepsychosis
    madamepsychosis Posts: 472 Member
    I'm on week 6 of C25K having previously been the kind of person who always insisted they hated running. I'm starting to really look forward to each week and to being able to go running with my boyfriend (who is training for a half marathon and thus way better than me haha). I love how much better I can feel myself getting and I really think building up gradually with the walking/running intervals C25K offers helped. I've just signed up for my first 5k in July and hope to be much better by then. Find a good route to run outside, make a playlist of good tunes and you'll be loving it in no time.
  • TiffanyKinner
    TiffanyKinner Posts: 21 Member
    What I do when I am running is set a goal.. Like, I will run to that sign and stop. By the time I get to that sign I feel OK still and the next sight I see I think that isn't too much further, I will run to there and then stop. Before I know it I hit the mark where I stop/turn around.
    It is for sure a mind game.

    Best of luck!
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  • cpldjski
    cpldjski Posts: 64 Member
    I am on Week 6 of the couch to 5k. I hate running. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I am finished though. I don't think I will ever like it, but when I finish that 5k I will be very proud of myself. Good luck to you.
  • nubeing
    nubeing Posts: 23
    I am almost 6 weeks into C25K and I love it mostly because of the absolute amazement that my body could do any of this at all. I used to walk for hours though, and running was a half-decent transition because music is my method. As long as I have the right music, I can do anything.
  • runnermel
    runnermel Posts: 278
    for me, it was miserable at first, not gonna lie. but, I started liking, heck loving running when I started making it part of my social life. get signed up for a 5K. worked toward that goal, and then have fun. pick a good race!! that is so important. find one that has a great after party if you know what I mean!!
  • VAgal123
    VAgal123 Posts: 35
    I've found if I have a really good playlist that gets me through the first mile I can make it for another two! I'm just getting back into it..treadmill here....but working myself mentally for Race for the Cure 5k in May. Having accountability to others on team is key for me.
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    For me, it was when 30 minutes non-stop easy running was actually easy and I could basically ramp it up time-wise for as long as I wanted - then like VAgal123 it was all about the tunes!
  • sailorsiren13
    sailorsiren13 Posts: 460
    I hate it when i'm doing it but i love it when i see the changes in my body and the times in the 5 k's i do with my friend go down and the feeling i get crossing the finish line. It's really hard to explain i guess for me it's a love/hate thing.
  • just4peachy
    just4peachy Posts: 594 Member
    I love running.
    I hate running.
    I love running.
    I hate running.
    I love running.
    I hate running.
    I love running.

    :happy:
    This. I still hate the first mile of EVERY run, but I love the last mile. I love the feeling of running, I hate the actual running part.
    Yesterday I ended a long run a mile early because of my allergies (was pretty sure I was going to die) and then on the drive home saw someone running and immediately got jealous that I was in the car.
  • SVallatini
    SVallatini Posts: 49
    Never thought I would like running/speed walking on a treadmill, but after I took a tumble last fall running outside, decided that I would get a treadmill. I love it and have done more time on it than I thought I ever would. I can concentrate more on the exercise than taking a fall again. The mill may not be for everyone, but this girl sure likes it and have seen a difference in my lower body and abs.
  • k7n2w3
    k7n2w3 Posts: 241 Member
    It takes a bit to start loving it... i think once I could do it without stopping doing a full mile. It was like wow I can do this! I am a runner now and just completed my first half marathon. I can honestly say that most of my runs I do not tend to enjoy the first mile at all (two of my friends that are marathon runners also feel that way)...after that mile though and when I'm around mile 6 the runner's high kicks in and I feel like I could run for the entire day lol You'll get there... it's addicting! I couldn't run even a quarter mile before now I am not sure when I'll stop and would have never believed that I'd enjoy it this much. Keep with it and you'll fall in love with it eventually (but know that first mile might never be fun of each run... crazy that was what made me start enjoying running and yet now I hate that first mile!)
  • silverbullet07
    silverbullet07 Posts: 100 Member
    I started running when I joined the Army. I hated it when I started. 6 yrs later, I still hated. I was doing 5-7 miles. Never, ever like running.

    I wish I could like it.
  • hahahood
    hahahood Posts: 4
    I too highly recommend the Couch to 5K program. I was a 50 year old total 'non-runner' last June when I started the C25K program. Since then I have participated in 9 runs. Some 5K, one 8K and 2 10Ks. Running with a friend (or friends) makes it much more fun for me. I am now training for my first half-marathon on May 6, 2012. Yikes! Having a training partner has been vital-for both of us. I call them 'runs' not races becasue for me it's not about finishing first all of the time. It's about improving my personal time and feeling great about my accomplishment.
    Relax, find a training partner (or 2) and perhaps read up on Jeff Galloway's Run/Walk/Run program. It has made the longer distance runs possible for me.
  • SVallatini
    SVallatini Posts: 49
    I have always had a love/hate relationship with running.
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    I really started to enjoy running as soon as whatever run I was on was finished.

    Haha!

    Seriously though, I think the first time I really enjoyed it was when I realized I could run a full mile without stopping. I had been working on my cardio and strength for a long time but never really considered running.

    Once I realized that I could do a mile I stated working on getting a lower time. That is one of the aspects I enjoy most about it. My mile time went from 19 minutes, to 17, to 15, then to 12. Last weekend I ran my first 5K ever :)

    I think I'll still stick with my original answer though... my favorite part of running is when it is finished and I have accomplished my goal :bigsmile:
  • maryduggins
    maryduggins Posts: 219 Member
    I enjoy running when it's over. Seriously. I really don't like running at all, but the feeling you get at the end of a run is pretty hard to beat.

    amen.
  • riskiestlavonn
    riskiestlavonn Posts: 207 Member
    Thank you guys SO MUCH for responding. Now I know that not everyone falls in love with running after their first mile. I'm going to keep with it and maybe look at it again after the end of Couch 2 5K. :-)
  • Mimisam45
    Mimisam45 Posts: 132 Member
    :sick: I am still waiting for that promised "runners high", looks like I have to wait until I can run 6 miles to find it!!! UGH

    I do not enjoy running, I do it because I can't and am determined to beat it! I love when I am done!!! Maybe someday I will enjoy it but not yet!
  • fstfrd00
    fstfrd00 Posts: 33 Member
    For me, like most here, I hated the idea but while wanting to find a hobby for my wife and little girl I registered for a 5k and fell in love with crossing the finish line.
  • stamfordjules
    stamfordjules Posts: 26 Member
    When I realised that the first 10 minutes feels awful for most runners and that even seasoned runners say they hate the first 2-3 miles the worst!

    So I knew that until I got up to running past 2 miles it'd be rubbish. Now I'm running 2.6 miles and the last section is great. I've booked into a half marathon in October and will start upping my miles soon.

    x
  • mwownbey
    mwownbey Posts: 43
    I am not a runner and never will be but several of my friends and I have started signing up for 5Ks. Participated in my first one last Saturday and did it in 42:45. Scheduled to participated in my next one in two weeks. Hoping to beat my time by a minute or so. I was very impressed that I even finished!!!!!
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I still don't "like" it, but I prefer doing short HIIT sessions with running and sprinting than long runs. Ugh, I can't stomach more than 20 minutes, and that's pushing it.

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