A few months ago, my wife and I got back to the United States after spending nine months overseas. When we got home, my family and friends were surprised at how much leaner I was. (In truth, I’d lost much of my “pudge” after I started running before leaving the country.) Friends and family wondered if I was eating less, but considering that I’d spent the previous two months eating more than my fair share of all-you-can-eat Italian food at the school where I worked in Switzerland, I doubted that my diet was the cause. Most likely, it was that I was running more regularly: at least forty minutes, at least every other day.
Many people who want to start running as a habit, but just can’t seem to get into it, find such a commitment intimidating. I felt that way for years. For some, the mindset seems to be that running is something we should do to atone for our dietary sins (like “indulging” in that second slice of pumpkin pie). With this frame of mind, it’s no wonder that trying to begin running consistently is a losing battle. Who wouldn’t want to avoid being punished? Better to just plan on avoiding (and sometimes fail in avoiding) that delicious dessert, no?
The key, if you want to start running, is to flip this perspective on its head. This isn’t about tricking yourself into liking running. It’s about actually liking running. It’s about running the way kids do: for the fun of it. It’s about your frame of mind. (Then, as a pleasing side effect, you get fitter, more energetic, more confident, etc.)
Skeptical? As an experiment, think of a place you’d like to see about one mile away, and start walking there. After a minute or two, pick up your pace to a light jog. When you feel like stopping, don’t “push through the pain.” Just walk. If you feel like running again, start, but when you want to walk, just walk. See the place you want to see, and repeat your routine on the way back. Then take stock. You may find yourself feeling surprisingly energetic. But even if you’re mostly just glad it’s over, you’ve already begun to unravel the “knot” of how to get started.
The first step is to start small. Going from zero miles of running to five right off the bat could be a recipe for an injury. And there’s a good chance that running will seem like a punishment if you dive straight into the deep end.
The goal is to get to a place where running is a challenge, but one you’re excited about—so it can become a normal part of your life and, in the process, make your body and your whole perspective more like you want them to be.
More on this whole process (details, fascinating implications, etc.) to come…
Many people who want to start running as a habit, but just can’t seem to get into it, find such a commitment intimidating. I felt that way for years. For some, the mindset seems to be that running is something we should do to atone for our dietary sins (like “indulging” in that second slice of pumpkin pie). With this frame of mind, it’s no wonder that trying to begin running consistently is a losing battle. Who wouldn’t want to avoid being punished? Better to just plan on avoiding (and sometimes fail in avoiding) that delicious dessert, no?
The key, if you want to start running, is to flip this perspective on its head. This isn’t about tricking yourself into liking running. It’s about actually liking running. It’s about running the way kids do: for the fun of it. It’s about your frame of mind. (Then, as a pleasing side effect, you get fitter, more energetic, more confident, etc.)
Skeptical? As an experiment, think of a place you’d like to see about one mile away, and start walking there. After a minute or two, pick up your pace to a light jog. When you feel like stopping, don’t “push through the pain.” Just walk. If you feel like running again, start, but when you want to walk, just walk. See the place you want to see, and repeat your routine on the way back. Then take stock. You may find yourself feeling surprisingly energetic. But even if you’re mostly just glad it’s over, you’ve already begun to unravel the “knot” of how to get started.
The first step is to start small. Going from zero miles of running to five right off the bat could be a recipe for an injury. And there’s a good chance that running will seem like a punishment if you dive straight into the deep end.
The goal is to get to a place where running is a challenge, but one you’re excited about—so it can become a normal part of your life and, in the process, make your body and your whole perspective more like you want them to be.
More on this whole process (details, fascinating implications, etc.) to come…