As someone who’s always struggled to stay active, I’ve long been on the lookout for a way to exercise that is easy. Furthermore, as someone with a remarkably low attention span, the need for such activities to be fun and engaging has always complicated things.
When I was little, my preferred method of movement was biking. Nothing compares to the feeling of putting in earbuds and blasting your favorite music as you ride through your neighborhood with the wind in your face—or at least so I thought.
Living in a busy area has made biking more difficult, so one day, while sitting at the gym waiting for the next machine to free up, I decided to hop on a treadmill.
After stepping on, I pulled up YouTube to find an entertaining video essay to listen to as I ran, the same thing I do when I’m running deliveries at work or driving out of town.
Over the next few weeks, I began running regularly, usually every two days, and I’d always run a mile at least, while always aiming to do two. In describing my process, I’ve covered several things that make running an accessible and simple way to stay active, along with several tips that can help beginners—all from a fellow beginner!
The first thing I learned was to find something that you can look forward to as you run, something that can keep your mind engaged. For me, this came in the form of video essays about topics such as history, true crime, and mythology.
Not only does this keep you occupied as you run, but it also keeps your mind off the inherent physical discomfort that comes when you first start out running. Ensuring you have a video, audiobook, or some other form of entertainment that you can look forward to listening to as you run can give you a great incentive to keep going.
The second tip that I’ve learned is to minimize in your mind how big a commitment running is. It’s easy to get intimidated when you are going to run a mile, but according to healthline.com, “If you’re new to running, you might run one mile in closer to 12 to 15 minutes.”
I was shocked by how little time commitment running was. I had always believed that running a mile takes at least 30 minutes or more, so I was shocked when I finished one in 17—and found out others can complete one faster!
The hardest part of exercising is always getting up and starting, and reminding myself that running doesn’t take long helps me stay motivated and encouraged.
The third piece of advice I would give to someone who’s just starting out running is to not overdo it. Although it can be tempting to see how fast you can run or how long you can sprint for, it’s important to take it easy when you start out since your body hasn’t had time to build up endurance. If every time you run you wind up extremely achy and sore, it will be that much harder to motivate yourself to run.
The last piece of advice I have is to take pride in what you’re doing! As someone who’s never been particularly physically fit or active, the first time I realized I had run a mile in only 17 minutes, I couldn’t believe it! While 17 minutes certainly is no world record, it’s certainly better than I thought I’d ever be able to do!
Whenever I’m struggling to motivate myself for a run, I remind myself of the pride I feel once I finish.
Running is a fantastic way to stay healthy and active, as well as a safe and effective way to relax. While it can be intimidating at first, it’s deceptively simple. Time is going to pass anyways, so why not do something that is good for you?