How to Enjoy Running
- Beau B.
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
I know how you’re feeling. You see your friends posting about going on runs and how much they love it. Then, you watch them stay leaner than you, even though they eat whatever the heck they want, and in the meantime, you’re having to count your calories. So, you try it, thinking, “Alright alright, running’s good for you. Maybe it’s fun?", and then when you run, in the first 3 minutes of your new, healthy running phase, you’re thinking, “Wait... this sucks! I hate this.”
Believe me, I was you! I was surrounded by friends and family who were part of the running community, but whenever I tried to join them, I just couldn’t get into it. But, over time, I studied the hobby and, after some effort, found ways to enjoy it. Now, I run 3-4 miles at least once a week. In this blog, I’ll tell you how you, too, can learn to enjoy running. Running is such a great form of exercise with numerous physical and mental benefits, and I think that anyone who can should certainly pick up running.
Alright, here’s how to enjoy it…
Find Your Path
One of the biggest reasons running probably feels miserable is because of where you’re running. People have different preferences on where they run; you just need to find what yours is. Some options include running on the treadmill, indoor track, outdoor track, nature trails, downtown sidewalks, or even a path through your neighborhood. What I recommend you do is think about what motivates you, and what things encourage you when you're battling some resistance. Then, once you have some ideas, I want you to try running in a setting that can offer that.
For example, I didn’t enjoy running on the track or the treadmill for many reasons. The main reason is that I didn’t feel like I was going anywhere. What motivates me is feeling like I’ve run far to a new destination, and then getting to enjoy that destination because I worked hard to get there! I like having checkpoints or landmarks (if you will) that I can set in my mind while I run. So, I found that I really enjoy running outdoors and creating my own unique path. My paths usually include a mix of going through downtown and going on nature trails that pass through woods and ponds. I love this because I get to travel on my run, but I also enjoy it because I get to go outdoors. For me, part of the run is getting outdoors and taking in the beautiful weather. This makes such a big difference in the enjoyment of my run that I often won’t go on a run unless the weather is nice.
If you’re interested in making your own path, one resource I recommend you try is called Footpath. Footpath is an app that lets you make your own running paths on Google Maps and tells you the distance of each path. I used this when I first moved to Auburn and needed to find new running paths, and it works great for making new routes!
Alright, so find your setting. Next tip is…
Take Your Shirt Off
You laugh, but listen to me when I tell you. There is something special about taking your shirt off when running that just feels natural. Now, this tip only applies when it’s warm outside; you don’t wanna be the person who runs shirtless when it’s 30 degrees outside. However, running shirtless when it’s hot is so great for several reasons. For one, you get way less hot during your run, and this makes for a much more enjoyable workout. Secondly, you don’t have to worry about getting your shirt all sweaty and gross. When your body sweats, the sweat simply rolls down and falls off. Your body breathes way better without the unnecessary shirt covering, and who cares if just your body gets sweaty?
Lastly, you get to show off your good-lookin’ bod! I’m serious! Look, you’ve worked hard every week to stay in shape and look the way you do, so you have every right to show it off, if you so desire! Now, it's very possible you may not be quite where you want to be to feel confident enough to take your shirt off. What's great about feeling this way when you're a runner is that you can let that be fuel, not shame! Then, once you get to where you want to be, you get to take the shirt off, and it feels super rewarding.
When I first started running, I didn't feel confident enough in my physique to take my shirt off and run in public. But, after working hard, running, and getting in the gym, I got to a figure I could be confident in, and it was an amazing feeling. Now, sometimes I’ll even add Toomer’s Corner as a destination on my run, so I can show off my muscles to the crowd downtown. Okay, this may seem cocky, but hey, I've worked hard enough to show my figure off, just a tad!
If you're finding these are helpful, here’s another good one…
Find Good Shoes
You are not going to enjoy running if you are running in shoes that aren’t built for running. For example, when I started getting into running, I decided to run in my On Cloud 6’s because they were the best all-purpose sneaker I had at the time. Well, as it turns out, those shoes are not great to run in, and they did not make my feet & ankles feel great after runs. But once I decided to upgrade to good running shoes, I enjoyed running much more because the shoes helped support my feet and make for easier and more comfortable runs.
So, here’s what I recommend for you. I think you should grab your go-to outdoor pair of shoes, do some quick research, and see if they would be okay to run in. If they work, those are your new running shoes. If you find that they may not be the best to run in, it may be beneficial to invest in a new pair for running. I know you probably don’t want to buy a new pair of shoes just to try and enjoy running, but I promise it makes a big difference, so consider it.
If you need some suggestions, I’ve got you covered. What I did was I bought a neutral daily trainer pair that I could wear as my everyday shoe, but it was also designed to support, breathe, and handle frequent runs (for me, these were Nike Pegasus 41’s). I also have several friends who enjoy running in Hokas, which are another great option that are a little more runner-focused.
Good shoes are great, but this next tip is huge...
Headphones–A Necessity
This one is a game-changer. If you aren’t listening to anything when you run, you must explore the opportunity here because what you choose to listen to could make for a way more enjoyable run.
People have lots of different preferences on what they listen to on their run. If you find yourself often getting bored when you run, you may want to throw in something entertaining to listen to, like a podcast you’re into lately (a lot of long-distance runners will do this). If you find that you can’t stay focused when you run, you may want to try listening to some new music or music that will help you stay in flow-state. And lastly, if you find yourself just not having enough motivation when you run, you may want to make a playlist of music that will help you stay motivated (this is what I did).
Unfortunately, I’m kind of a baby when I run and need a lot of motivation, so I have a playlist mix of heavy metal rock, the Rocky soundtrack, and stadium pulse music. I run way better when I have music playing that feels like I could run through a brick wall, or like I’m in a movie cutscene, training for the fight of my life. Sometimes I’ll even mix it up and play some church camp music because nothing gets me motivated like praising the Lord. But, no matter what, I always start every run with Money for Nothin’ by Dire Straits. When that song hits 01:36, and that guitar comes in, I actually think I briefly turn into an F-35 fighter jet.
If you feel called to make a playlist of your own and need some inspiration, I’ve got you covered. Click below to view my personalized running playlist, if you can handle it.
See, this is the freedom of running I’m trying to get across to y’all. It may feel like you have to do exactly what other runners do, but you don’t at all! Running gives you the freedom to do what you enjoy while exercising your beautiful body.
If you still aren’t convinced running can be enjoyable, I’ve got one more thing…
The Stats, The Community
Y’all, this is the best part. Here’s what you do. Every time you run, you start logging your workout on your phone or smart watch. Then, once your run is complete, you get to see your time, distance, and numerous other stats. Doing this over time, you get to track your progress and see how you’ve improved and gotten faster over time. This is the key to ultimate running motivation, and it’s not even the best part.
The best part is, you also get to become part of the running community! Most of the running community is on Strava, an app that lets you record your runs and share them with other people. You get to share your progress with your friends, and also see their progress as well. You even get to comment on people’s runs and tell them good job!
You see, running truly connects people because everyone in the running community is running (for the most part) for the same broad goal: to stay healthy! And, the process of staying healthy is uncomfortable because you have to work hard, but honestly, being part of a large community going through the same thing makes the hard work really enjoyable. It feels like I have people keeping me accountable for staying active and improving my time. It also just feels so good and motivating to see people comment on my run, or to comment on my other friends’ runs!
I'll End With This
Look, all these tips I've shared with y'all were things I found out while trying to pick up running that genuinely helped me enjoy it. Aside from a few, most of them I learned on my own, but they seriously helped running become something I look forward to rather than dread.
So, I hope these tips help you enjoy running, but also, there may be several other strategies that apply to you that you'll only discover if you start running. What I'm trying to say is, I encourage you to give running an honest try! Go on a couple runs, experiment with different routines/strategies, and use some of the tips I've shared with you today. Then, if you still don't enjoy running, it may just not be for you, and that's okay! But, I'm certain that if you give it a try, you will find those first 3 minutes of “Wait... this sucks! I hate this" turn into an all-new runner's high that you'll look forward to every week.
Be well, Auburn.
