What to Do If You Hate Running (Narrative)
Personally, I love to run. I crave it when the weather turns cold and I’m forced onto a treadmill at the gym. But I haven’t always loved it so much. As a child, I was a part of the running club all throughout elementary school. When we did our standard exercise tests, I was always in the top three out of the girls in my class during the PACER test (a running test that tested ones endurance). But come sixth grade, my asthma developed badly and I stopped running. I quit cross country and thus began my hatred towards running. I was always in the back of the group when we ran in PE, and I got one of the worst mile times, at just under 15 minutes. All of my friends were in track, but I was too embarrassed to join, afraid I’d embarrass myself.
This continued for a good two to three years, until about halfway through my eighth grade year. I had gained a bit of weight, and was tired of being slow and embarrassed. I began to eat healthier and do sit-ups. Then I began to do jumping jacks and I went cycling. I even rode my bike to school when it was nice outside instead of having my parents drive me. One day, I was late for an event at school. I lived a mile from the school, and I was supposed to walk because my bike tires needed air. I ran the whole way there in 10 minutes, faster than I ever thought I could run a mile. Admittedly, that’s not the best time, but it was amazing for me at the time. I began to run more, just a mile or so at a time, and slowly I got better. I became one of the best runners in my PE class, and I decided to join track in the spring. I was by no means the best on the girls team, or even in the top ten, but I wasn’t the worst by any means at all. Every race I ran that season was a personal best, even if I didn’t win.
So if you hate running, my advice to you is to start slow. Go for a jog and go around the block a few times. Build yourself up to half a mile, then a mile, then a mile and a half, and so forth. If you find yourself getting bored on a run, listen to some music with a fun new playlist. Or you treat yourself to some new shoes or if you’re on a budget, than a new hairband or water bottle. If you find yourself going easy on yourself, then find a running buddy who will keep you accountable and who will challenge you to push yourself.
When you start running, don’t expect to become Usain Bolt within a month, or even a year. Give yourself time and patience. Find out what works for you. If you can’t stand the outdoors, use a treadmill. If you despise a gym but grow bored of your normal running route, drive to a nearby park or change up your route. You can even use an elliptical to build up your cardiac endurance before you start running.
There is many ways to make running tolerable, and even enjoyable. You just have to see what works for you and stay patient. Running also has many health benefits, and it’ll give you great legs, if that’s the kind of motivation you need to start running ;)
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