How Running Can Help You Get Through This Pandemic
Tips on how to start running so that you actually enjoy it.
If there is one thing that has helped me stay sane during this pandemic and the range of life changes accompanying it, the answer is running. In the past few months, I had to quickly evacuate my college campus, experienced a breakup and other strained relationships, had my summer internship cancelled, graduated from undergrad, and faced a lot of uncertainty (as we all are) about the future. However, through it all, I have experienced so much joy from a hobby I never thought I was capable of.
A long time ago, as a middle school student, I remember barely being able to run a mile in the 10 minutes required to pass P.E. I remember the teacher shouting that we were slower than her grandma, and the crippling self-consciousness that tends to accompany being a 7th grader. I thought back then that I wasn’t athletic enough to run. However, that has completely changed since March.
Today, I run 20+ miles a week and look forward to getting outside almost every day. It has become my new self-care focus since gym closures. You too can start running! Back in March, I couldn’t even run a mile without stopping, and never expected that I would grow to enjoy it so much. The key here is to approach running as a source of joy, rather than a chore that you feel you have to do for fitness. Here is a set of tips for how to make running work for you.
Start slow. Stay slow, most of the time.
One of the number one beginner mistakes is trying to run too fast or too far at first. When I first started running, what worked best was just running relatively slowly in small bursts and walking the rest of the time. This is how most beginner programs, such as Couch to 5K, recommend that you start out. It is generally better for your everyday training to run and walk for 30 minutes rather than sprint for 5.
When you first start running, you should start slowly and walk when you feel like it. Ideally, your running pace should make it so you could still hold a light conversation. This will enable you to build up your aerobic base, and one day you will start to surprise yourself with how far you can run without needing a break. You can start off trying to run a half-mile or other short distance at first without walking, and then see if you can improve on that the next time you go out. Celebrate these small victories — you are making a significant investment in your mental and physical health!
Focus on the mental benefits of running.
Running has a variety of well-researched mental health benefits. The practice of running may help manage symptoms of depression and even protect brain function. Running helps the brain produce more brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which assists in learning, cognitive function, and memory formation. Neural imaging studies have also confirmed that the runner’s high is a very real phenomenon. So, running will help clear your mind and improve learning!
When I am stressed, I sometimes try to reframe the issue in my mind during the run. It helps me to gain more perspective and accept the issue as it is. Sometimes my stress melts away in the miles, other times I might have a small insight into how to proceed. Sometimes I just focus on the music or the scenery and try not to think at all. In any case, the mental health benefits of running are what really motivates me to get outside.
Celebrate each of your milestones and every run you accomplish.
At first, you might be tempted to compare your times or distances with someone you know. What is most important though, is celebrating your own milestones. For me, my first milestone was running a mile without stopping. Then, two miles. Then, running and walking for three miles. And so on. My most recent milestone was a half-marathon (13.1 mile) run. Celebrating incremental improvements in running can also give you energy and motivation to tackle other areas of life. Even if you only run a half mile when you meant to run 3, just remember that this distance is still an accomplishment and an investment in yourself — way better than not running at all. It can also be nice to use an application to track how many miles you have run; you may be amazed to see how far you’ve run over a month.
Look to communities of runners for inspiration.
I have personally learned a lot from the reddit running community. I also enjoy using Strava to keep track of miles and get inspiration from friends — you might enjoy joining a virtual run club or other group to keep you motivated. There are also virtual races that you can compete in, as well as programs that donate to charities based on the miles you log. Or, you might prefer to keep your running private and/or to not keep track of pace and miles, which is also perfectly fine.
You may also want to take inspiration from books and media about running. I personally enjoyed Chris McDougall’s Born to Run as well as the short Netflix documentary Lorena Light Footed Women. Both of these describe ultramarathon runners from the Tarahumara tribe, and really capture the sense of camaraderie and joy that running can bring.
Run where you want to run (but be safe!)
You can run anywhere! I would recommend exploring new routes as much as possible. You can also make running part of your routine — maybe run to the grocery store, for example. It can be really neat (and cost-saving) to discover how far you can get just using your feet, walking or running. Please do comply with health and safety laws in your area though, and wear a mask if required. You can always take a mask along just in case as well.
Recently, I have discovered that I absolutely love to run on trails. I usually take long runs on trails partially to satisfy my curiosity about where a new trail leads, and to see what kind of viewpoints and plants I might find. Sometimes I pause in the middle of nature trails just to take in the stillness. You can experiment to find which areas you are most excited to run through.
Listen to your body and do what works for you
Ultimately, your running routine should be what works best for you, your lifestyle, and your schedule. You should try your routine for a few weeks and see what works best for you. After about 2 weeks of running a switch went off for me, when I went from feeling ambivalent about running to really loving it. I experimented with different distances, times of day, routes, and paces, and would recommend you try the same. And if even after trying running for a few weeks, you feel you are still not enjoying it, that is ok. There are many other ways to reap the benefits of physical exercise — yoga, HIIT, walking, and strength training, to name a few. The best type of exercise is the one you enjoy and look forward to incorporating into your lifestyle.
When you first start running, you might experience shin splints or general sore legs. This is usually normal though, and there are a variety of stretches and ways to massage the calf muscles that can help. I would also recommend taking rest days when you feel too sore, and perhaps cross-training with other types of exercises.
I sincerely hope that running can bring you joy during this pandemic! Running is for everyone. Go forth and conquer those miles!
