Running Not Your Thing? Here are Five Tips that Helped Me Make Running Easy, Smooth and Enjoyable!
Growing up I was never one to enjoy cardiovascular sports or activities. My friends were always participating in cross country or track and field, and I never understood how they saw running as something enjoyable because personally, it felt like a chore. When I turned twenty, I wanted to change the way I viewed cardio, running specifically, and transform my predetermined thoughts into a mindset that helped me push my body to new limits and run those miles smoothly. Now, at twenty-one, I have run two half marathons, multiple charity races and have found a new form of love for running. Listed below are some of the changes I made to help me achieve my running goals, and I hope they can help you too!
1. YOUR BODY CAN DO IT; YOUR MIND IS THE ONE HOLDING YOU BACK!
When you ask someone to go on a run, most of the time, they will answer right away something along the lines of “Oh no way I don’t do cardio!”. This is because most people have the idea in their head that running or even working out, in general, is hard, therefore it is not worth doing. Yet we must remind ourselves that our bodies are very capable of physical work, and the more consistent that we become, the easier it will be to push those thoughts away and let our bodies do the work!
2. THINK TIME AND ENDURANCE, NOT SPEED AND PACE
One of the greatest tips I have received from a friend was to think about the time I was running for and not how fast. Instead of running at a fast pace for a short time and burning out quickly, try starting slow and running for a longer period of time. This way your endurance will build and your pace, time and strength will follow!
3. EAT, EAT, EAT!
The food you put into your body is the energy that you will output when going for a run or any workout for that matter, so this tip is simply to eat! Carbohydrates, healthy fats, sugars and protein will all aid in your physical activity and keep you feeling healthy and nourished afterwards!
4. THE BEGINNING IS THE HARDEST PART
This may be a more personal take, yet I always find that the first half of my run is much harder than the second half. Once you conquer the hump of the first half and your body is moving at a steady pace, you may find it much easier to finish. Just stay in a good groove!
5. KEEP YOUR BODY STRONG WITH WEIGHT TRAINING
Cardio is an important aspect of fitness and health yet staying strong with weight training is just as important and can help keep your body powerful for when the cardio comes in! Mixing up your routine and adding in components of aerobic, anaerobic and weight training exercises will ensure your body is staying strong, athletic and most importantly healthy!
Article by: Aubrey Sanham