Running is Life: Why and How to Start Running

It was couple of years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. One of the stupidest mistakes of my life:

I thought Running was Boring!

Here’s the story: There we were, the three of us sitting in a bar after a longish day on the slopes (skiing rules), drinking beer and discussing important stuff nobody else but us cares about. The dinner was just excellent and the beer we had afterwards was even better. After we finally went out of topics regarding politics, bad ski injuries and either too big or too small boobs (even the girls chipped in with their take on the subject) it all went down to the fact that one of our friends was so exhausted that day, that he fell asleep before dinner.

Naturally, the conversation went down the stamina and endurance road, and one thing led to another we were discussing running. Some people said they run but not regularly, but two of my colleagues (it was a company trip) including one in higher management said:

He runs daily if the time allows him, because it keeps him more relaxed, helps him gather his thoughts and he feels better ever since he took up on this kind of exercise. I mean, as opposed to some ruthless sports where injuries were more common than commercials on TV during Breaking Bad.

And me, what did I say?

I said I don’t run, because it is boring.

Oh boy, was I young and stupid, or what? You bet your buttocks I was stupid. Check this out:

Fast forward couple of years, and here I am in slight ecstasy when it comes to running outdoor or indoor, running shoes and gear and all those insanely cool gadgets that I keep piling up in my apartment and using from time to time. Even as a beginner runner I started to realize how right my colleagues were. It became a passion, a routine and also a very good excuse why I could drink 3 pints of beer afterwards.

See it’s math, really: You go exercise, lose weight, burn fat like crazy, get stronger and happier … so even if you do take an occasional beer afterwards it will keep you fit. This was the coolest thing in the world.

And this is where you are now, on my blog for rookie runners, hikers, backpackers, and people who just love outdoors. Blog where you’ll find answers why outdoor sports are awesome, and how to do them properly. Without the fear of knee injures or feet pain. Where you can easily find out is it better to jog outdoor or indoor, and also how to pick the best shoes for trail, road, treadmill and where to do so.

Actually we could talk hours about the shoes, oh boy the shoes. It was not until I started looking into this a bit deeper, that I fully understood women and their obsession with shoes. Not the same, I know, but still good enough for me. So among other you will find stories about running shoes for beginners, trail running shoes, also normal ones and minimalistic shoes too. They all have their purpose and their hidden beauty.

I still consider myself  a beginner, this is why if you are a pro marathon runner you might not be interested in what I have to say. But if you are a novice like I once was, this might help you get into this beautiful world of jogging. Let’s see all the beauty this can bring you:

Why is Running good For You?

There are numerous benefits of running, many of them are already placed in books you can find out there. And the truth is, you most probably know some of these benefits already, but let’s just go over couple of them right here:

Exercise

People change, time change, and what worked for us 5 years ago might not make the cut these days. For example, in your twenties you can go out 4 nights a week, work from 8-18 straight, then hit the gym to do some weightlifting like a boss. Go out, have dozen of drinks, sleep 4 hours if that much and in the morning you do it all over again.

Well, later down the line other priorities pick up too. Kids, hobbies, social obligations and you don’t have so much time anymore. But what about finding only one hour of your time each day? That certainly you can do. And in that one hour, running is something you can do.

Exercise for the day? Check!

Running will prep you for hard-core hiking

And that’s a whole new breed of animal if you ask me. Once you become a hiker, you open a door to places so cool, people so funny, and experiences so awesome, you will wish you started hiking before you went to kindergarten. Well, with parents, I know, but still…

Weight Loss and Fat Burning

One of the greatest things about cardio (any kind, not just running) is that it doesn’t stop once you stop. Wait, what? How do you mean that?

Well, it is a fact that exercise is good for weight loss, and is used by many to keep their pounds in the acceptable area. Some people go to gym and lift them tons and tons of weights, but that is only good for your muscles. When you run, on the other hand, a mechanism starts working in your own body and after the first 25 minutes, it continues for some time after you even stop.

You must find it delightful that an hour of run a day could be worth like 1,5 or 2 hours of “normal” exercise. You have just been given the benefit of time.

Less Stress

We don’t anticipate that it will come to this. We are young and cool and nothing bothers us ever and people who make us angry are just those who won’t sleep with us on the first date or something. But then we hit 40 or 50 and we realize a lot of daily stuff is just purely annoying. The work is overwhelming. Home needs improvement. Kids demand more from us. Our friends demand more from us. The negativity we accumulate over the years bursts out in form of stress and it has to be addressed.

I never thought I will say this, but both running and hiking helped me pretty much not losing my mind. Even as a rookie runner I knew this was good for the body and mind. The main goal was more of a preparation for a hiking trip that we did, but later I realized something really happens when you do this kind of exercise right.

It always relaxes the body, it releases serotonin (also called the happiness hormone) and it surely helps you look better and happier once you do look yourself in the mirror.

Education

Finally, this is something that is most probably overlooked by many people. If you are struggling with time, why not combine more things together? I know entrepreneurs (such as myself, I run an offline company) have the constant urge to educate themselves. To read more. To find out more. And then to try that stuff out. You might need some cool gadgets for that kind of exercise, though:

You can easily do this once you fill your mp3 player with good books, podcasts, webinar recordings or other material.

It is measured in thousands, how many podcasts or audio books you can listen to while running either outside or on a treadmill.

While we are at it:

Outdoor vs. Indoor Running

Some people prefer trail running on a mountain where the wind is kickin’ their lungs and the air is pure and divine. Some like the pungent smell of an old gym and running on a loud machine that measures steps wrongly.

Those are extremes, of course… sometimes even outside is not so fun: it rains, there is mud, the wind is too strong and the air is polluted especially if you live in a big city. And on the other side, there are new gyms being opened every day, or even some really good exercise equipments for home that you can use.

So whichever you prefer, … actually why would you have to prefer one over the other? Running is about making it happen, and not about whining about what went wrong. If it’s what you like and prefer, run outside. If it’s too cold, do it inside.

Treadmills

For some reason many people find it out that running on treadmills is easier than doing it on concrete. They are probably right. Those who are standing by their belief that you dan only jog outdoor would say that treadmills never give back the same experience as nature. And this is also true.

But sometimes we are forced to make compromises and use the equipment we have with the possibilities we are presented with.

If you feel the treadmill run is too easy, increase the incline by couple of percent and it will be as hard as it is on a rainy night on a mountain.

You will find a lot of treadmill reviews (here’s one) and even better, some comparison charts of best treadmills, all of which can help you check for those which are cool to have and forget about those which are bad.

Finally, it is best if one understands

The Importance of Good Running Shoes

Wether you are a rookie runner or an old pro, we can agree that shoes play a somewhat important part. The feet are your guns in the battlefield of cardio running, so you have to keep them in good shape. Chose a bad one, and it will haunt you through life. You can even end up hurting your legs, your knees.

If you know about your feet having trouble already, like for example flat feet or mild overpronation, it’s much better if you buy a specialized shoe. Failure to do so might backfire on you, especially if you go for some cheap runner shoes which is never a good idea.

You will find the latest list of best running shoes for beginners here. But if you just browse through running shoes section you will find a lot of reviews for the latest shoes that are out there.

 Yes, but how to start running?

For beginners, running might sound like some science-fiction movie especially when they hear about someone who just ran a marathon. But this is not how it all starts, clearly. We’ll get into this a little bit later, but for now here are some inspirational thoughts:

I personally know at least dozens of people who started to run and within a year they did at least half marathon. And this is not the type of run where you push yourself to limits and beyond. It is a result of a program that you follow, you train for it and do it just like anything else in the world. You do it in your own pace and never feel like you need to beat someone to it.

Running is not about competition. It is a lifestyle, a way to keep your body and your mind at the highest levels. Reduce stress and have other health benefits. Never think of it like you need to be the fastest out there. Running is about the feeling of freedom. So the best way to begin running, is to: (drumrolls) start running.

Even if you only can walk in the beginning. Keep on going forward. You will eventually get better. Get faster. Get more stamina and endurance and before you know it, you are an experience runner who can run 5k or run 10k in one set and people who asked you how did you do it, you might get funny and say “it’s a piece of cake”

Enjoy the run. Enjoy the ride. Keep on running.