How to Love Running, Trust Me!
Running is my happy place.
I love nothing more than putting on my runners first thing in the morning or after a big day and setting off on my run.
The feeling I get when I run is something I have always loved, I love feeling my legs stride out under my body, feeling my breath and pushing through those tough sessions.
My favourite part?
The feeling after!
I know that not everyone has the same feeling towards running and that is okay.
We all have a different relationship with it and if you are someone who doesn’t have the motivation to run but really want to, I’ve got you.
I hear the words “..but I’m not a runner” all of the time and I always reply, if you want to run and you can, you are a runner!
We all have a different perspective of what we want to look like when we run and I know a lot of people can get caught up in the idea that they simply, just can’t run.
I am here to tell you that you can!
1. Just start
The first step to beginning your running journey is to START.
If you are thinking about it, put on your runners and active wear, chuck your hair up and get going. As soon as I sit and think for too long about my run club session and try to find the motivation to get it done, I keep putting it off until it’s last minute and I then tell myself I will get it done tomorrow.
This is the first step, as soon as you start thinking about it and you know you want to do it, just get going! It honestly just takes putting one foot in front of the other to get the good endorphins flowing through your body and spark up your mood. Before you know it, you have moved your body for at least 15 minutes and remember it does not matter how fast or slow you are going.
It’s about moving your body and simply just starting.
2. Flip your mindset
If you have been part of our NETFIT community for a while, you would have heard the saying “FLIP IT” which is all about flipping any negative thoughts or situations to a positive. This is exactly what we need to do with our mindset towards running. If you keep telling yourself “I’m just not a runner”, “I can’t do this”
We need to STOP those thoughts straight away and flip them.
Before any run or during my session there are a lot of thoughts that can pop into my head and I have learnt to flip them.
I flip them straight away and tell myself, “I’ve got this”, “One foot in front of the other”, “Just keep going, imagine the feeling at the end”.
Some days it is easier than others to flip the thoughts and keep going but no matter what, I know I just need to give it my best on the day, even if that means I need to walk parts of my session to get it done.
Remind yourself that it is okay, you are strong and you can run.
2. Practise good form
Having good form when running is so important, this can help improve your running speed, prevent injuries and also help you become more confident hitting the track! I grew up doing little athletics, cross country and beach sprinting so I have been coached for years through good running form.
I share some of these in our run club activation tips so make sure you practice them to help improve your form. One of the biggest tips I can give is to run tall, relax your shoulders down and away from your ears and rest your face. This sounds easier than it actually is but when I’m really struggling through my session or running under fatigue I bring myself back to those three points and this helps maintain really good form and keep my technique.
My first running coach, Ron Thompson taught me all the basics to good form, and to this day I never forget him telling me “The faster your arms go, the faster your legs go.” So don’t forget to pump your arms fast in our run club sessions!
3. Find the fun!
As soon as you begin to enjoy something, you are more likely to stick at it for longer and achieve your goals. This is exactly the same mindset for running!
A few tips to bring the fun into running:
- Create a fun playlist for your run club session and don’t forget to check out our Simmer playlist each week, pump those tunes during your session and feel the music take over your body and keep the positive energy going!
- Grab a running partner! There is nothing better than catching up with a friend and moving your body at the same time! It can be a lot of fun smashing out a run together.
- Find different running tracks! I love exploring new places to smash out my running session, I love mixing it up from the track to running on the beach and even finding a cool running trail to get my intervals done.
This keeps it fun and exciting.
4. Keep track of your progress
I love going back and looking at my progress, this always helps me keep motivated and on track to achieve goals! When I was younger I kept a running diary and wrote down every session I did, I wrote how I felt, the conditions on the day, my times and who I did it with! Now we have the beauty of Strava! If you are yet to join our Simmer run club on Strava, make sure you download it (FREE) and join the run club! This is such a great way to track your progress (no matter how big or small it might be) and keep yourself on track!
5. Your why
One of the biggest reasons I love to run is because it brings back memories of when I was little and used to race and compete. It reminds me of my pop who was my biggest supporter, he would come to every one of my races. He would always tell me before my race “show them your back” and I can still hear him telling me that to this day.
I love how it sparks so many special memories and I also know that each run is helping me get closer to my goals.
Everyone’s why is going to be different, so if you want to run and you can run, find your why and remind yourself of it every time you run.
It will spark passion, excitement and keep you motivated and committed.
I hope this helps spark your love for running!
Remember to never compare yourself to others and if you want to run and you can, just start!
Happy running.
Tay X