Hey Team,
Listen, I get that running isn’t everyone’s thing. I’m not delusional enough to think that nearly each of you will find the glorified feeling of euphoria when setting out on the first half mile of a run. I’m sure for some, the mere thought of running is enough to make you exhausted. I know, because I used to be part of that population, too.
In high school the most “distance” running I did was the mile run test in gym class. I somehow pulled out a 5:58 best time but I mostly credit the deer-like frame I wore, weighing 110-pounds at 5’ 8”. Granted, I was still an athlete. I could move nonstop for four quarters of my basketball game and sprint the bases on a softball diamond, but when it came to running longer distances, it wasn’t even on my horizon. The closest I got was seeing the cross country team weave in and out of the wooded trails behind our practice fields.
As a collegiate athlete you’d think you’d be in the best shape of your life. In a way, I was. I was stronger, faster and all around the fittest I had been thus far. Prior to stepping on campus I could barely lift the weightless 45-pound bar. By sophomore year I was benching 155, squatting 185, and deadlift 250lbs. Being introduced to strength training made me a more explosive and powerful athlete to become more durable and athletic on the field. Here’s the thing about college athletics- they train you to be fit for the sport you’re there to perform in, not for the sport of life. While I was becoming a better athlete in softball, I wasn’t training with longevity at the forefront. We break this down in a recent episode with University of Texas Strength and Conditioning Coach, Zack Zillner.
After college I shopped for the best new sport to fit my fancy. I took a stab at Olympic Weightlifting and competed in a few local meets. CrossFit had reached its pinnacle so I joined a local box and found new ways to injure myself. Then, with no prior running experience, I decided to sign up for the New York City Marathon, and my love affair with running began. Let me be clear- this doesn’t mean that I was particularly good at running, or that I had this harmonious first training run that made me feel as if I had missed my calling in athletic pursuit. It was hard, it still is hard, and it will continue to be hard, and that is why I love it.
As humans we’ve become conditioned to stray away from hard things, programmed to run the other way when adversity introduces itself. Though also as humans, we are wired to do hard things, and unlike our ancestral predecessors, we sometimes have to go out and choose our hard. Cue running, a highly effective and often therapeutic way to connect and meet versions of yourself that you didn’t know existed.
Today I’ve run three half Ironmans, one marathon, 15 half marathons, and countless other races from 1-mile sprints to 15k jaunts. I’ve participated in 100-mile months and raised awareness for mental health. What I see as the greater accomplishment is the personal log book of miles I’ve chosen to run alone, in solitude, chasing down demons that otherwise would eat me alive.
Now if you drop the phone, lace up your shoes and head outside for your first attempt at running in ten years or, ever, you’re going to be two minutes in and mumbling under your breath about how full of crap I am. There’s a method to the madness of finding stride. Here’s the best way to start:
- Start Slow: When I say slow, I mean slow enough to hold a casual conversation with a controlled breath. Building your body up to maintain an increased heart rate takes time and patience. If you truly are a running rookie, start adding zone 2 steady state cardio into your programming as a low impact way to condition your heart for running.
- Ditch The Watch: We’ve become a data reliant society with the rise in wearable tech. As a new runner you’re only concern should be time on feet and extending the time in which you’re able to expand your runs. Forget about pace, cadence, steps and whatever other metrics you’d measure. Over time you’ll learn additional ways to improve your form and efficiency.
- Stay Relaxed: Body language, posture, breath- staying loose and laxed is key to allow your muscles to focus on the job at hand. Unclench your jaw, relax your face, ungrip your hands, and swing one leg in front of the others while landing softly on the forefront of your feet. Float like a butterfly.
- Listen to Something Fun: Disclaimer! Avoid noise canceling headphones while road running. Whether you’re in a bustling city or out on rural roads, running safety is all about being aware of your surroundings. I generally like to keep an open ear to the side next to traffic. What’s playing? A lighthearted podcast, positive or uplifting beats that’ll keep me in a quicker cadence, or a favorite comedian’s latest standup. Because nothing wards off stranger danger than hysterically laughing during a run.
Thanks for sticking with me today. I hope you give running another try before writing it off for life. It not only has the ability to do wonders for your physical strength, heart health and longevity, but has the potential to help you work through mental and emotional barriers you’ve been faced with for years.
Until next time. 👋
