Running for the First Time in your Life?
Here’s what no one told me when I began.
Until a few months ago, I’ve never attempted to run. Ever.
Sure, I’ve huffed away in physical education classes in school and sprinted a few meters to catch a bus, but I’ve never run for the sake of running.
My reaction to seeing joggers drenched in sweat and ambling along slower than I walked was always, “Psh, how hard can it be?” When people passed me by at full pelt, I thought, “Well, I don’t need to be that fit anyway. What am I going to do? Run a marathon?”
Everything was awesome. Everything was cool.
But then I did something — I went and signed up for a four-day trek. In the Himalayas. In the dead of winter. The welcome emails from IndiaHikes politely suggested that I start on a training regimen immediately or come to terms with being stranded in camp.
That didn’t scare me much.
They gave us a 9–week training program, by the end of which they said I should be able to run 4 kms in 25 minutes. I walked 3 kms on the first day. Nothing to it. This went on for two weeks.
But when I tried to really run after that, I realized that I couldn’t go more than 200 meters at a stretch without my lungs and my legs giving out.
Instant panic attack.
If you’ve never run before, you’re going to be shocked, frustrated, sore and pretty much terrified when you begin.
This is especially true if you have a tight deadline like a marathon date or a trekking expedition looming ominously on the horizon.
What followed were months of attempting to improve — minute by breathless minute.
And here’s what I learnt:
#1 Running 1 km at a stretch took 3 months
Doesn’t sound very impressive, does it?
But that’s lesson no.1: it’s really slow going and your body will improve at its own pace. A lot of training plans will make it sound like you can become a runner in 8 weeks. It doesn’t work that way. If you push yourself to do too much, too soon, you might end up getting injured.
#2 Avoiding injury is important
Do not injure yourself. Recovery will make you lose a lot of time and momentum. If you’re sore and can’t judge if you should continue running, you need to consult a doctor or a trainer.
If you’re just starting out, this article talks about a few things you can do to prevent injury and enjoy your run more.
#3 Overcoming pain is not as hard as it seems
That excruciating stitch in the side when you push yourself even a few meters more than you’re used to running? It goes away if you stretch properly and warm up before and after your run. It’s literally like magic.
Ever wondered why marathon routes have portable toilets? A lot of people have ‘the runs’ when they run. I don’t have the runs. I have gas. And shoulder pain. And sore calf muscles that hurt when I walk down stairs.
The bottom line is, running hurts.
But running also makes you feel really good.
For most runners, the harder the run, the better they feel when they stop.
#4 I still eat anything I want to
Eating is an important part of running.
Bananas and water are essential an hour or so before a run. And I’ve never understood why the local supermarket stocked workout bars and Gatorade until I attempted running a 5k.
Like Mathew Inman from the Oatmeal, I treat my body like a portable trash can. My diet hasn’t changed much, but I’ve dropped a few pounds, and I feel more active.
#5 You develop self-acceptance
Everyone will be better than you.
You’ll run a pathetic 15-minute mile while others effortlessly zip past you and declare that they’re really out of shape. You won’t run for as long or as fast as other runners you encounter. If there was a Worst Runner on the Planet award, you’d be a prime candidate for the win.
It will take time for you to accept this and not give a shit.
#6 Super lungs!
Your lungs will only feel like giving out for the first few weeks. You’ll still be out of breath when you push yourself later, but it won’t feel like your lungs are trying to come out through your burning throat and choke you to death.
The plus side of this is that you can run up flights of stairs feeling superhuman and leaving out-of-breath mortals in your dust.
#7 You learn to mentally push yourself
Your mind is harder to overcome than your body. Your muscles will ache and you will be out of breath, but you’ll stop when your brain tells you to.
Don’t listen to your brain.
Never stop when you first feel like stopping. Push yourself more. And then a little more. And then a tiny bit further until your body really needs to stop.
You’ll be surprised at yourself.
#8 I’m less embarrassed about how I look
Abandon all shame. Not everyone looks gorgeously sweaty at the end of a workout. A lot of us look like something wet that the cat dragged in.
And if you’re worried about form, never fear. There are hordes of us who can’t run and look like a graceful gazelle at the same time too.
(I belong in both categories.)
#9 I learnt to move forward when I’m stuck in a rut
I didn’t know what to expect when I started out. There were good days, bad days and beer days (which mostly coincided with rest days, but not always).
I was lazy plenty of times. I procrastinated.
When it inevitably happens though, forgive yourself and get back on the horse. Even if you think you can’t run at all, go for a short one. You’ll be in a better mood to get out there the next day.
I haven’t run at all for the past two weeks. I felt terribly out of shape when I ran today but because I did, I’ll be much better at it tomorrow.
#10 I found motivation in friendship
Find another beginner who’ll understand what you’re going through and celebrate small victories with them.
My husband is also a first-time runner and it’s very motivating to have someone know how hard you worked just to get where you are. It’s also great that this person will push you to do better and help you laugh off bad days.
And hey, give yourself a pat on the back. While it’s tough going in the beginning, you’re going to age slower, become stronger and look better than you have in years.
It’s totally worth it.
If you’d like a remote running partner who still eats cake, drinks beer and misses crucial running days once in a while because they overslept, say hi to me here or just leave a comment.
And if this article helped you put on your running shoes and hit the pavement, recommend it so more people can read it. You guys are awesome.
