How To Become A Runner When You Hate Running?

Although running is one of the most convenient sports, many people struggle with motivation and injury. This makes it hard for most people to become a runner and enjoy the benefits of this wonderful sport.

The key to enjoying running or to becoming a runner when you hate running is to stay healthy. That means avoiding discomfort, pain, and injury while keeping yourself motivated along the way.

Whatever your goals are this article will help you to become a runner but teaching you how to stay motivated, injury-free, and pain-free so you enjoy running. Some of the things you will learning reading this article are:

– How to become a runner the pain free way
– What you should do to motivate yourself
– If it’s ok to hate running
– Learn how to enjoy running

So lets get right into it!

How to Become a Runner the Pain Free Way

For many people starting, injuries, pain, and discomfort are one of the major causes of giving up running. Knowing this, it is important to follow the 10 percent rule.

Most injuries caused by running in beginners are from increasing the training too quickly. Most people when starting get excited about running, thus start too hard and end up throwing in the towel after 4 weeks. This is usually to do with injuries that cause a lack of motivation.

So increasing your mileage by no more than 10% each week will help prevent overuse early on. While the 10 percent rule in running is a guide, for most beginners they should keep it closer to 5 percent.

Since your body needs time to adapt to the rigors of running, you must ease yourself into running. Training plans like the couch to 5k and couch to 10k are training plans that follow this protocol.

These types of training programs combine walking and running together. Giving the body time to adapt without pushing it too hard too early.

For most people when they can reach 20-30 minutes of nonstop running, their hatred towards running usually subsides. For most people, this takes around 6 weeks, and by this time, you can relax and breathe much more comfortable when you run. Making the running much more enjoyable.

Just like anything consistency is the key. The more consistent you are in your training, the more you are likely to enjoy it down the road.

How To Start Running When You Hate Running

Starting running when you hate running can be a struggle. You may not struggle with injuries as we discussed, but you might struggle with motivation.

Getting out the door isn’t easy, even experienced runners struggle sometimes to do their training. Things like motivation, stress, lifestyle, and other things can affect your motivation. However, there are some tips you can follow to help you enjoy running a little more.

– Start slow – Focus on duration rather than speed or distance.
– Start with walking and running – This will be easier on your heart, lungs, and body.
– Focus on deep controlled breathing – This will help lower your heart rate.
– Run with friends or join a running club.
– Listen to music
– Change scenery – Change up where you run.
– Mix your runs between on-road and off-road.

When you’re new to running, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Forget about setting goals in the beginning, especially goals like distance. Instead, focus on the feeling and getting consistent running each week.

To help with motivation try adding some music to your runs. The American College of Sports Medicine found that running with music may be beneficial in reducing boredom while running. That means listening to your favorite music while running can help you get through those tough periods during a run. It can also keep your mind off any discomfort you may have when running. Other things like the speed of the beat can also help with your cadence as you get more experienced in running. However, in the beginning, put on your favorite tunes, it will help motivate you to push through the run.

Is it OK to Hate Running?

For most people, it’s normal to hate running. More than 70% of runners hate running during the first 8 weeks. The first 8 weeks are generally the toughest when starting. Soreness, lack of motivation, and consistency is usually the reason many people hate running and give up.

However, if you can get through that first 8 weeks injury-free and consistent, you will find running becomes more enjoyable.

Running generally takes time for the body and lungs to adjust and if you are patient during that first few months, you will find running will become much more enjoyable.

How to Learn to Enjoy Running

Luckily if you hate running there are some ways to learn to enjoy running. Following some of these simple tips can help turn running into a more enjoyable fitness activity.

Walk before you run – Walking 5-10 minutes before you run helps warm up the body and prepares you to run.
Run slower than you think you should – This prevents you from overdoing it and feeling like you have to stop.
Take short strides – Short strides will reduce the impact on your legs and help you become more efficient.
Sign up for a running event.

Generally for most people signing up for a running event should only be done once you can run 20 minutes. For most people signing up to a running event when you are struggling to run often places stress on the mind, rather than helping with motivation.

So to enjoy running follow some of the tips above and after a few months of running look to enter your first event. Try to start with a 5km event. These events are usually stacked with people who can help motivate you both before and during the event.

Alternatively if entering a running race is not something you will enjoy, try joining a running club. This way you can experience the enjoyment of running with other like-minded people. It will also help to motivate you to get out and run.