To me, I have to have the perfect soundtrack on my ipod to run. Without music, running is boring to me. What I did learn from my best friends who run marathons, is to always stay hydrated and always have perfect form.
I picked up running last January and completed a half marathon in April. Easily one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life. I have always HATED running, but the simple answer is that I just started doing it. Set a goal (e.g. sign up for a 5k in a month or so) and then set your training schedule to that event. Knowing that you have a date set makes it easier to get motivated and stick with it (at least it did for me). Also, if you have a friend that is into running, ask him/her to help you stay motivated and give pointers from time to time. I signed up for the half marathon in January, and with the deadline set in stone and my friend's support, I was able to keep with it. As for technical details- -stretch before you run -drink lots of water, -get some good shoes (NOT Nikes- I wear new balance with really nice gel soles, but to each his own). -Do not push yourself insanely hard right off the bat, if you get injured then you will lose motivation and get out of the rhythm. - Run everyday or every other day, no matter how far or short it is. Try to set a mark that you get to run farther and farther every day. - Run outdoors whenever possible. Treadmills suck, so if the weather is bad, try to find an indoor track. I used to run on an indoor track only at the beginning. The first time I ran outside I was winded right away- its a completely different experience and better training. - Get some music (make sure the headphones stay on your ears while you run- I use the wrap around the ear variety). Above all- STAY MOTIVATED! Don't get discouraged and try to stick with it. You can do it! I tell people all the time- if I can do it, anyone can.
So now that i've been doing HIIT, rather than running longer distances, I need new music...any recommendations?
Been running since grade school and can still run sub-6 min mile. Lots of good advice here but l can clarify some things. Shoes: Personal preference but DO buy good shoes and DO NOT buy them at Academy or some big box. Since you are a big guy, even more important. Go to a real running store with knowledgable staff. Fleet Feet in Rice Villiage has good staff for example. There are others. Pace: If you are serious, buy a heart monitor. Keep your heart rate between 130-170. Too low and there's no benefit. Too high and it's dangerous esp in this heat. Stop/Start all you want but don't let you heart rate get too low/high. Diet: If most Americans cut out all/most white starchy things at dinner and eliminate soda then we'd all lose an avg ~30 pounds in a year. Pasta, rice, bread, tortilla chips, etc for dinner is mostly bad. Eat more meat and less bread. Do that and I promise you'll drop 10 pounds rather quickly. Motivation: Different for everyone. For me, I don't use headphones but I run on populated routes where I can always "chase" people down. Not ever getting passed is motivation enough for me but to each his own. Good luck.
i like the typical progessive hardcore for working out. Right now the new glassjaw ep allows me to punish myself.
If running is not for you, you should look into Tabata (HIIT) program. 8 min work out to achieve same result as 60min running.
This. There's no better cardio than pickup basketball in terms of calories burnt and entertainment value. Also, during the spring and summer time if you can round up like 8-10 other buddies you can go find a field and play Flag football.
After 40 or so years since I last enjoyed running as a kid, I have finally come to LOVE running. When I was a younger adult I would run to train but I absolutely hated it. I would focus on the pounding of my legs, the heat and humidity, and getting out of breath; I was obviously doomed to fail. Last year I added in a light morning run that I just decided to take easy with no expectations. I slowly built it up to 1.5 miles, mostly a light jog with a little walking and some sprinting. Then I hit my goal weight and 'took a break' in November and December (bad idea). In January I got back on the horse and was getting close to 2 miles when I suffered a mysterious upper GI bleed at the end of the month and spent 3 days in the hospital. I lost 1/4-1/3 of my blood. That **** is no joke, It took me 3+ months to recover because my body had to remake the blood, which lead to anemia, which I also had to overcome. In April I started light jogging again, but I was still recovering and would get fatigued pretty quickly. I kept at it and about a week ago I broke through some sort of wall, and I absolutely crave my morning run, which is now up to 3 miles with mostly fast jogging and some sprinting with grandpa jogging for a couple of minutes to catch my breath. I run until I don't have time to run any more then walk/sprint home. I find that it's really my Zen time more than anything else. I put on music and just go on autopilot and just think about things. I run before the sun is blazing and the park I go to may have one or two other people walking their dogs (and pink running ninja, who somehow teleports around me). All I can say is just do it for just a little bit daily, have no expectations, track what you do, and you'll get better. Don't put any pressure on yourself, just try to get better every week.
It’s just advice in general to anyone to hates running….good advice is timeless. Plus use the search function, you lazy bastards.
In 2017 I went from 333 to 211 doing yoga and changing my diet. in 2020 I let COVID wreck my good habits. In 2023 I had let myself eat my way back to 320 lbs. I'm a food addict and I too hate running. At the beginning of April I dedicated myself to getting my ass back in shape. I tried getting on the treadmill at the gym and hated it. I tried a light jog outside and hated it. While at the gym I decided to try swimming laps and discovered I love it. I'm about to leave for my 51st straight day of swimming laps. I found swimming to be much easier on my body since I'm carrying so much weight. Combined with mindful eating (mainly counting calories) I'm down 28lbs from 320 to 292 and feeling better everyday. I also practice yoga everyday and teach yoga 2-4 times a week. I'm on a mission to be in the best shape I can be in by age 55 next St. Patrick's Day. I can tell you losing weight at 48 was much easier than it is at 54 but if you make small consistent changes you can have a big impact on your health. It doesn't have to be running as long as you find something that you enjoy and can do it consistently.
It's kind of funny, I watched a guy running yesterday and thought about starting or bumping a thread on it. I got busy with work and moved to an area that lacked decent/safe roads to run or bike along, but man did I love running for a while there. I know it got me in somewhat better physical shape, but the mental...being able to clear my head and just hear myself breathe... and being in the moment... god I miss that.
This what makes yoga so great for me. I get a lot of the same focused meditative benefit from swimming and maybe that's why I like it so much. Mind clear, deep breaths and being in the moment, magic can happen in that space when you find it consistently.
It's hard to put into words right now but that sense of calm and objectiveness is very much like magic. I've let problems at home, the virus, politics, all that stuff get the better of me these last few years. I've kept afloat by focusing on my physical health. But the mental part.. that's really the special sauce.
I ran the 2010 Houston half marathon. Trained for like 3-4 months for it. Hard to believe I used to bust out 10 miles once or twice a week like it was nothing. The high afterwards always felt pretty great, and running in the Houston heat felt like doing it on hard mode, so when it came time to run in nice weather I felt invincible. And yeah, there's something about endurance training that just feeds the brain and soul. You find your zen spot and just zone out and think about random **** and before you know it you're almost done. Plus pushing through walls and hitting new personal bests is therapeutic. I hate to sweat and I'm trying to save what is left of my knees so my running days are done, but it was fun while it lasted. Chasing my kids around is enough exercise for me these days.
Thats the truth. When I let all those things get the better of me, I always stayed with my yoga practice even thought it became much more meditative and not as strenuous. I let the physical go but maintained the mental and if I hadn't I would have been screwed. Keep on finding that magic place!
To those that hate running, and in alignment with #VooDooPope, I suggest you do a search of Zone 2 exercise. Get a heart rate monitor or watch and keep your bpm ~150. For most, that means you'll be walking a lot. You get all the benefits of running but severely decrease the injury risk. It's much more sustainable. So instead of running/cycling/swimming for pace or distance, you exercise based on sustaining your heart rate for 30-60 minutes. Zone 2 is a very comfortable pace. Unscientific tell tale is you can comfortably talk while in Zone 2. Anyway, go look it up. For me, I tend to run way too fast and then I'm exhausted. This frees me up to run slower and still get all the benefits without getting hurt and burned out.
