Five reasons you hate running & how to change this!
Are you one of those people that hate running? Do you see people waking up at sunrise or running on holidays and think ‘that will NEVER be me’? Well we are here to change this and discuss five things you may be doing that contribute to your hatred of running! We will even give you a free six week 0-5km Running Program that will help you start, whilst minimising the risk of injuries.
Keep reading below, you’ve already made the first step to loving runining!
1. You're running too fast
Have you tried running, but end up coughing up a lung? Legs feeling heavy, you’re exhausted and regretting every part of the last 20minutes?! We hear you.
Sadly, you can’t expect to run as fast as you may have in high-school cross country. Instead, try running suuuuuper slow! So slow that it’s almost a walk.
This will keep your heart rate down and your muscles and cardiovascular system will gradually get used to this new form of exercise with each run. The idea here is that you will feel good afterwards and start to actually enjoy it!
2. You're not doing it somewhere motivating!
Are you just running around the boring footpaths around home? Nothing to look at but traffic and concrete? Try running somewhere pretty and motivating, such as along the beach, the linear park trail or along the trails in a national park.
There will be lots more to look at, which will distract your from your heavy breathing!
And there are often lots of people exercising in these spots too, which makes it so much more motivating. Remember to still run slow no matter where you’re running!
See below for some of our favourite running views!
3. You're doing it by yourself
Running by yourself is hard! Try running with a friend of similar fitness level or with a run club.
Whilst run clubs seem intimidating, everyone is super friendly and accomodating for new members! All they want to do is share the love of running with you. You can go at your own pace (even walk some of it) and then meet for coffee afterwards.
A few of our fave local Adelaide based run clubs are:
Running with a group just hits different, you may not want to go back to running by yourself afterwards!
pic: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/561613016046342047/
4. You're over-striding (which makes it hard)
New runners are known to have a larger stride, this means you take BIG steps. As a result, you use a lot more energy and fatigue quicker (sound familiar!?).
Try taking smaller steps, and think of keeping your legs under your body when you run, rather than out in front of you. You may find you can run a little further or faster using this method!
5. You're not tracking your progress and celebrating the small wins
Half the fun of running is tracking your progress and seeing your personal improvements. Try apps like strava (which can be done from your phone) or use your smart watch to track your runs. Remember not to compare to anyone but yourself!
Celebrating those small increases in average pace or your 1km or 5km time is one of the biggest motivators to keep going!
However, be mindful not to put too much pressure on yourself. Remember to take the time to enjoy those long, slow and easy runs too!
Remember: Rome wasn't built in a day!
Running is such a process, and can sometimes be a rollercoaster. Not every run will be a good one, but we also promise you’ll never regret a run! Bask in the flood of natural endorphins, enjoy your time in the sunshine and be proud of yourself for getting out in nature. You may even find yourself part of running community and making new friends.
Ok I'm convinced... but where do I start?
If we’ve managed to convince you to try running again (or maybe for the first time) we have the perfect resource for you to start.
We have written a free six-week 0-5km Running Program, suitable for those who have done some running or none at all.
This gradual program may feel easy to start with, but trust the process and it will gradually get harder – reducing your risk of overload and injuries popping up!
Feel free to screenshot the program, and cross off the runs you do! There is nothing more motivating than crossing them off and it helps to keep you accountable.
If you start to love running (just a little) feel free to let us know!
If this blog or our running program has helped you, we would love to hear all about it! Feel free to send us an email or message us on instagram @sunnyside.physio
We look forward to hearing about your running ventures! If you have any niggles that pop up, check out our other blogs or feel free to book an appointment with us online here!
We look forward to seeing you out on the pavement soon!