How to not hate running 🏃🏼‍♀️

I used to really hate running.

But I used to run a lot.

That was before I discovered how resistance training could actually change the shape of your body.

So I stopped running and made it my mission to preach that you didn’t have to do cardio to lose weight!!

I thought that was the only reason anyone would do cardio - because all I cared about at the time was looking lean...

I used to see people out running in the cold and want to pull over to tell them that they didn’t have to do it. “Jump in and I’ll bring you to the gym!“

Anyway, safe to say, I’ve started considering my health and found other benefits to running so now I like to preach about those.

The pandemic forced me into running because if there was anything I disliked more than running, it was home workouts!

During the summer in 2020, I found myself doing 10k runs around Dublin several times a week. And actually enjoying them!

So I have some tips, if you’re a person who hates running but would like the physical and mental benefits of cardiovascular activity:

• Go slow. I used to go out for a run at a pace that would have me feeling like death at about 500 metres. I would probably quit at 1.5km. But what worked for me was telling myself that I could slow down to almost a walking pace, but I wasn’t allowed stop. If I felt my heart rate getting too high, I would bring it right back down and continue on.

• Following on from that, I had distance targets for the week. It started with 10km a week, which meant I could break it up whatever way I wanted. Some weeks I would do 2x5km but even the times I didn’t want to run - I would go out and do “only” 3km but I knew I was still contributing to my weekly target.

• Listen to something entertaining. Don’t try to listen to an educational book, but listen to a funny podcast or gripping novel. I find that I run slower when I’m not listening to music but I was much more likely to want to start and continue a run, when I was distracted by a good story-line.

• Run with a friend with a similar ability. This is a new addition for me. I always say no to running with friends because I like to go at my own pace (slow!) but recently I’ve done some runs with friends where we don’t chat but just stay alongside each other, which helps motivate you to keep a pace and keep going. Plus you can hang out before or after!

• Make it a habit. I could talk for ages about building a habit but I know that if I tell myself that I will go for a run “at some stage today”, it probably won’t happen. I need to be on autopilot, with my running gear and runners ready to go after I do my yoga.

Once you start doing it regularly, with no serious goals in mind, you might start to enjoy it, or at least you will feel the benefits of it.

I remember when I ran 12km in Portugal because I just wanted to finish my monthly kilometre target before I went drinking, and I started crying at the end. I thought I had lost the plot but then somebody told me that it was the “runner’s high”.

Now I find it easy to pop out for 5k when I have a spare 30-40 mins. I’ve actually started running with only breathing through my nose, but that’s for another email.

If you hate running, try a few of the tips above and let me know how you get on!

Thanks for reading,

Siobhan “Kinda likes running now” O’Hagan