"I Hate Running"

I didn't really become a runner until almost five years ago. I had tried running a little bit back in my 20s before I was married but didn't get into the sport until after I turned 50. Inspired my students in my youth group and equipped with the latest technology (a cell phone and ear buds to start) I started my journey to becoming a runner.

I remember coming back from a run one summer day shortly after I had begun running regularly. A friend of Rosalie's asked me if I loved running. "No. I prefer breathing!" I quipped. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was falling in love with the sport. When asked a little later about running by someone else, I told hem, "We're dating right now and it's becoming more serious, so we'll see where it goes."

It took a while, but I finally did fall in love with running. I'll often become an evangelist for the sport, asking friends to join me running or encouraging students to join the Cross Country team. On occasion they'll respond, "I hate running." I've learned to dig a little deeper. "What is it you hate about running?" I find they often have a very narrow definition of running that involves running really fast or very far until they are gasping for breath and feeling exhausted. Well, no wonder they hate 'running'. I hate that kind of running, too!

One of the things that really turned the sport from something I was just learning to like into something I really loved was what I learned from an interview with Jeff Galloway. He developed a method of running called "Run Walk Run" and wrote several books on the subject (like The Run Walk Run Method). It's become an internationally beloved method of approaching the sport. (In fact, in the UK the method is referred to as "Jeffing".) Simply put, it involves taking periodic walk breaks (up to 30 seconds) throughout your run. The intervals change depending on the runner and your relative fitness. Jeff often says that when running, "You're captain of your own ship." In other words, for recreational running there's no one "right" way to run. 

After beginning to use what I learned from Jeff I extended my runs, ran my first half marathon and eventually ran two marathons using the Run Walk Run Method.

My advice for beginning runners: When you get tired, take a short walk break. Have fun with your run. Run in new places. Listen to some fun music or podcasts. Don't run too fast, especially when you're starting out! I guarantee you could learn to love running, too. (Money back if not completely satisfied!)