From Reluctant Runner to Running Hack: My Journey to Embracing the Miles

CNN
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I discovered another individual who dislikes running, and I’m not surprised by that.

“I perceive it as monotonous and unexciting, and I feel as though I’m continually failing at it because I’m so sluggish and out of breath.” That’s how my associate Madeline Holcombe expressed her experience as she began to engage in running.

Madeline composes wellness articles for CNN and is well-informed about the numerous health advantages of running, along with the convenience (and cost-effectiveness) of not requiring specific gear (just shoes, maybe earphones, perhaps a device to monitor distance), or a designated place to perform it. She’s also a former competitive dancer. However, none of this necessarily implies that running is a straightforward or pleasurable habit to initiate.

Madeline’s perspective reflects how I felt when I commenced running 20 years ago, as well as how many others experience it, too. Now that I take pleasure in it — and even look forward to it — I can explain how I transitioned from point A to point B. For me, point A was an awkward jog with a new girlfriend in my late 20s, and point B was completing several marathons. Similar to my running journey, it was a gradual yet largely enjoyable experience.

Some individuals enjoy running by themselves, while others prefer to clock miles with a companion or a group. I appreciate all of the above, and you’ll discover which option is more enjoyable or engaging for you by experimenting with each.

Reconnecting with an old friend during a run is wonderful. Organized groups foster community and commitment, and they are available everywhere (just check your neighborhood running shoe store, gym, or internet platforms). They often socialize afterward, too. Meanwhile, races can generate a significant boost of energy and encouragement, and they can also serve as motivation for the training they necessitate.

Conversely, running solo entails no pressure to keep pace, along with the pleasure of listening to whatever you desire.

When I started running frequently, it was during my time residing in Bangkok, which is not a friendly city for runners, on a treadmill located in the basement of my residential building. Initially, the only aspect I enjoyed was the collection of music mixes I created to pass the time. They were brief and fun to assemble.

In subsequent periods, while living in Brooklyn, I began utilizing music applications that produced running mixes at different tempos and served as an efficient way to identify more songs for my personal running playlist. (Feel free to share your favorites in the comments section!) As my runs lengthened, my listening selection expanded to include some (not all) podcasts and audiobooks (especially my guilty pleasure of celebrity memoirs) that I found particularly captivating.

More recently, as I prepared for marathons, I began listening to the audio of favorite films — those I am familiar with so well that I can “visualize” the movie in my mind while I listen and run. What all of these have in common is that they serve to distract from the act of running itself.

I understand that running purists might argue that listening to nothing keeps them in sync with their bodies, or that it’s delightful to be alone with their thoughts while running. That’s perfectly fine for them. However, if tuning into your preferred mix, podcast, books, andeven films can become more enjoyable and thus diverting from the unenjoyable aspects of running, just go for it, as one athletic footwear brand might advise.

All admiration to treadmill joggers (who can actually enjoy their beloved films while running), yet another facet of running that frequently brings joy is getting outside. Trail running, or even a concrete path through woodlands connects to an alternative method of wellness. Want to rekindle your youth? Run (with caution) in heavy rainfall or across snow.

My initial genuine (and somewhat embarrassing) run was a casual jog through a stunning park in Madison, Wisconsin. I was there visiting my marathon-running, “Chariots of Fire”-enthusiast girlfriend at the time and struggled to keep pace even when she eased her speed for me. Later, we relocated to Bangkok, where I began logging treadmill hours, followed by a year of traveling globally. When you seldom remain in one location for more than a few days, as we did, our only option for exercise, apart from walking, was to run.

And those runs were extraordinary, brimming with joy. We discovered running as a novel means to navigate the streets of Beijing, the parks of London, and the Mongolian steppe.

I still make it a priority to plan runs for myself when I travel. An early morning 6-mile (10-kilometer) dash along deserted canals in Amsterdam, a quick run along the Black Sea in Sochi, Russia, and a cheerful jog through a snowy, festive Reykjavík neighborhood are treasured travel memories that transcend the monotony of running.

I once set a goal to run every pathway and unpaved trail in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, close to where we once resided. I marked them on a map and then combined sections to create the Ultimate Prospect Park Run of All Time. You can approach your neighborhood or a local park in a similar manner.

Nowadays, I primarily run to coffee shops. I enjoy a coffee and a treat while journaling (carried in a running backpack) before heading back, listening to my favorite music, a podcast, audiobook, or film. No one has more fun exercising than I do.

Finally, returning to Madeline’s novice runner complaint that feeling sluggish and out of breath is fueling her aversion to it.

First, the breathlessness will resolve itself. The more you run, the more you are able to run. The limit of exhaustion will extend longer and longer. There are methods like alternating between running and walking that can assist beginners. And don’t forget to recognize the early, although brief victories when running feels empowering or fluid, even if just for a few strides initially.

Regarding the feeling of slowness, my suggestion would be to embrace a relaxed mindset. If you run solo, there is absolutely no concern. If you’re running with others and feel you’re slowing them down, seek out different running companions, at least to start. In races, runners are categorized in corrals based on their speed, which alleviates the anxiety of being too slow. Identify your corral and understand that as you persist, your pace will accelerate, decelerate, and even fluctuate from day to day. There’s no rush for speed, unless that sounds enjoyable, naturally.

Inspired, but unsure where to begin? Here are suggestions from the creator of the Couch to 5K program. And it’s never a bad idea to inform your doctor, particularly if you have any health constraints. But I’ll also remind you of what every child knows instinctively: You can simply start running.

Ready to explore more? Sign up for our LBB Fitness newsletter for additional ideas to integrate more movement into 2025. If you require assistance in establishing and maintaining your fitness targets, explore these strategies for habit building.