I’m glad that you’ve landed on this page, stay on, even if running isn’t your thing or you hate it with a passion. Just read through this article to find how it can benefit you in so many ways, trust me you’ll be very surprised!
Here’s a tip to make you love it – follow your own speed, run for time (not for distance)
Are you one of those that can’t run fast? I can’t either. Running is not about speed, but all about being content with yourself. Especially when you’re not an athlete and there is no competition chasing behind you. First rule is to run at your own speed that you feel comfortable with.
You might even start walking at a moderate pace for 30 minutes on your first day, and hey, that’s okay. You’ve got the freedom to walk, jog or run. What you should be aiming for is not a distance but the running time because it’s easy to adjust and also less stressful.
Eliminating the things that you hate about running will change your mind and feeling into loving it. Add things that you like to running, such as listening to your favourite music. Music can have a huge impact on how we perform and sometimes can even push us to limits we never thought possible.
Benefits to get – both physically and mentally
Running is good for your heart, it enhances your metabolic rate to help you stay energetic and young. It strengthens your joints too and you will thank it in the long run. Surprised? You might’ve heard that running is bad for our knees, but study has shown runners were half as likely to suffer from knee osteoarthritis. These are just few examples, running is more than we think.
In terms of mental aspect, there are two powerful feel-good chemicals named endorphins and endocannabinoids generated when you run, making you feel positive and happy. Next time, when you’re down or feeling depressed, go for a run for positive energy for free! When you run, you become in your own world where nobody can actually disturb you. It is the best moment to meditate and destress yourself to solve your worries about work or life.
Make a change that is good for you in 2018
Let’s stick to something this year and complete 1 resolution! Going for runs is usually the answer to many people’s happiness and also to keep healthy. Running might be tiring and it might hurt sometimes but the “happy” reward feeling will payoff afterwards and it makes it worth the perseverance. Prefer to go on night runs? Make sure you stay safe on the roads when you go for a night run!
Before running
- Fuel your body with sufficient carbs and give yourself 1 hour before to digest
- Wear a pair of proper running shoes and breathable clothes
- Practice 5 minutes of stretching to warm up your body
After running
- Do 5 minutes of stretching to release pressure off your muscles
- Hydrate your body with water / vitamin water
- Eat high carbs, low fat food within 2 hours (You should consume at least 1.2 grams of carbs per kg of body weight and 1 gram of protein per 4 grams of carbs)
- Take a warm relaxing bath
Get into this routine about 1 or 2 times a week and you’ll notice a difference. You will start feeling great, becoming more active as well as feel more productive with a clearer mind and of course have a better attitude to life.