If you told me four months ago that I would be obsessed with running and I ran two miles a day, I would have busted out laughing and called you a liar. I found no enjoyment in running and cringed at just the idea of going for a run. Today, running is the main outlet for me to release anxiety, anger, and any other emotion I'm feeling.
When I started running every day, I thought I was going to die. I was convinced that I wouldn't learn to love running until one run a week and a half into my routine. My lungs felt like they were on fire and my legs burned so badly, but I loved the feeling of it. It made me push through it and run faster, which made my run feel better overall. If I run and I don't feel the burn in my lungs or my legs, I feel as though that run wasn't as good as it could've been.
Starting to run was terrible and it took a few days to start liking it, but I definitely needed some things to begin to love running:
1. Really good running shoes.
I didn't realize how big of an impact shoes made, but bless the person who realized that you need special shoes just for running. Running shoes aren't cheap by any means, but they are the best thing I've invested in yet. Running equipment stores often have running shoes and they'll analyze how you walk/run to decide which type of shoes will be best for you.
2. A really good playlist.
Everyone listens to different music when they workout or run, but it's good to try to find similarities in the songs you like to run to. For me, I have to run to songs that have a very heavy bass line and heavy drums. These types of songs make it a lot easier for me to run to the beat of the song, which helps keep a consistent pace.
3. A run routine/schedule.
I didn't know where to start when it comes to running, so I looked at all the running apps Apple has and went with the Couch to 5K app. This app is a program that has you run three days a week and has different intervals. It trains you to run for a 5K at the end of the app, and is a great tool to use for beginners.
4. Motivation and dedication.
Running requires a lot of motivation and dedication, which was hard at first. I wanted to quit immediately, but I kept pushing through hoping for something to make me love running. I loved the way my body felt while running and it helped me run faster. Since I started running, I've noticed so many changes in my body. I'm able to run longer and faster, my leg muscles have become more defined, I'm more energetic, and my anxiety levels haven't risen.
Running has helped me in more ways than one, and it's hard to believe that I love something that I once hated so much.
