How to Like, Love, or Just Not Hate Running

Since I'm an expert runner (ha), I thought it would be a great idea to post my amazing running secrets.

In reality, I have a love-hate relationship with running and I'm kind of slow. But I thought it might be helpful to share a few things I've learned along the way.

1. Start off easy!
Ryan's dad, Kent, likes to tell the story of the first time he ever went running. He was wearing "Court Classics" (a cheap tennis shoe at Costco)--not a great shoe to run in. He ran as hard as he could, as far as he could; stopped to walk, heaving breaths, mad at himself for being so out of shape; ran again, as hard as he could, as far as he could; stopped again; and repeated this process for about a mile. The next day, his entire body was screaming at him. Janelle asked him if he were trying to kill himself. What he learned? It's not a good idea to start as hard as you can, as fast as you can.

The program I've used twice (after each baby)--and that Kent and Janelle and Kayla and Tayler all used, too--is the Couch-to-5K running program. For the first week, you only run 60 seconds at a time. You can do anything for a minute, right? At the end of nine weeks, you can run a 5K--3.2 miles. And how cool is that?

2. Stick to it!
If you're like me, you won't like running until you stop feeling like you're dying and wanting to collapse each time you run. You won't get to this point unless you keep with your program. Kayla and I made a calendar that had each day's workout listed on it, which made it easier to stick to our program. It also helps to have a running buddy--either someone who goes with you or someone who is doing the same program as you (but not necessarily with you--you'll keep each other on track.

3. Buy real running shoes!
I didn't get my first real pair of running shoes until June 2009. I went to a running store where they actually watched me run a short distance then helped me choose shoes that were right for my stride. (And Kent bought them for me--thanks!!) The difference was amazing. Do it. It's worth it!


4. Sign up for a race!
Signing up for a race--a real race--will keep you on track because, if you're like me, you're not going to pay money and then just not run it. It's one thing to have a vague goal of eventually wanting to "be a runner" and it's another thing altogether to need to be able to run 3 miles by a certain date. Do it, it's worth it!

5. Run a race!
I started running the summer after high school (2005) and didn't run my first 5K until July 2009. I didn't run my first real, paid for, and timed race until January 2011. Running a real race is so cool. You get such a sense of accomplishment that you just don't feel on an average day of running--even if you run further in training than you do in the race. And when you pay for and run a real race, you get to cross a finish line with a clock counting your time and with people cheering for you as you run in! Seriously, you feel like you've just finished a marathon even though all you've really run is a few miles. Running a real race and crossing a real finish line with a real cheering crowd is what got me hooked on running. If you run a real race and still hate running, I give you permission to tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about (because I really don't, anyway)!

Kayla and I after our first real 5K

And that is all I have to say. Hopefully you will soon not hate running, like me!

-Meg