Boosting Health and Happiness with Running

D​ISCLAIMER: MOCK ARTICLE

I​t is common to say "I don't like running" or "running isn't for me" but neither of those have to be true necessarily. Running doesn't have to be as competitive or as perfect as you think. As long as you are running, you are doing great! Running is a great way to exercise and has such little start costs.

L​et's discuss the stigma with running. You're never going to start out with running a 5k straight through with ease. For some, even that first mile will be difficult but it's important to not be so hard on yourself in your running journey. The worst thing you can do when starting something new is keep an overly critical mindset of yourself when you perform at a beginner level. It's vital that you recognize this while also being aware of what can make you better. If you start running 1 min, congratulations you're a runner!

I'm sure you've heard why running is beneficial before but that's because it's true. Any form of exercise is great for your physical and mental well-being. Running can help resolve stress and mental tension. This happens by releasing more of norepinephrine into your brain and causing stress to be regulated. There's also plenty of physical benefits as well. Running will decrease the risk of any cardiovascular diseases or other common diseases. Exercising like this may be exceptionally important for those who have genetics with a higher risk to those diseases. As well as internal benefits, there are external benefits. After a period, runners may start to see changes in physique such as their stomach being more toned, dropping excess fat that is not needed, or even toning in arms and legs as well.

T​here is some caution on fixating on the physical external benefits of running. While wanting a better figure and to be toned is great you should be properly fueling your body to keep it going if you take running up as a hobby. Focusing on seeing physical changes can take away from the experience with exercise and can also lead to quitting. Often times, when people don't have that ideal body they want they can quit all together, because it won't seem worth it to them anyways. When starting any kind of fitness journey on looking better, you should compare your body to your body and not anyone else's. Comparing yourself to anyone creates an unachievable standard that will always leave you in a negative headspace.

N​ow that we've got that pep talk out of the way, how should you start? A lot of the time when running has left people out of breath and sore was often because they weren't doing it right or with the right equipment. Shoes can truly make or break how you feel at the end of the run. Doing your own research with which running shoe works best with you and your budget is first on the agenda. Next would be some tunes. While it's not necessary to listen to music while running, it makes it more enjoyable. Listening to songs with the pace you are looking for on a run can help you keep up the pace or slow it down. There's plenty of playlists out there for you so don't worry. If you don't have wireless headphones and armband is helpful to keep your phone and headphone string out of the way while you exercise. If you do have wireless headphones, I suggest keeping a small fanny pack on you while you run. You can keep your earbuds case, phone, and apartment/house keys with you without having to hold onto anything.

Getting geared up is great but you have to make sure you warm up before you jump into your run. Stretching is a must before you start running. Any runner will tell you shin splints are no joke and the best way to prevent them is stretching. Walking on your toes, high-knees, leg swings, and even skipping are great. After you've stretched, you can continue with a 5 minute walk before you start your jog.

There's a lot of different 'couch to 5k' programs out there, and they are all similar. Finding the best one for you to start with can be challenging if you're not sure what to look for. Experienced runners will recommend something that has a workout every other day and identical workouts through the week. Each week will increase the intensity of the workout but that's okay it will be gradual. Once you are more into the workout plan you can track your PR and distance of running to see if you are making progress. By the end of it, you'll be able to say you can run a 5k, which is way further than you were when you first started. And if not, that's okay too. Albert Einstein says that "Failure is success in progress."

You need to congratulate yourself more if you are going to start running. The only way you are going to stick with it's if it's making you happy. Going on a run for 5 or 10 minutes is still a run and you were able to brighten your mood and help your body out while doing it too. That's what running should be all about. If you want to stop hating running, you have to stop telling yourself it's a bad thing. Get out there and start running.