Getting started with Running in 2019

Where and how to begin

The most difficult part of running, or any workout routine, is getting started. It’s easy mistake the weekly high mileage of an established runner as normal. The thing to remember is they aren’t starting anymore. They’ve already passed into the next part of the routine and are working on consistency.

I love telling the story of the first time I had a 22-mile run on my schedule. It was a Saturday morning and the previous weekend I did a 20-mile run on Saturday and a 16-mile run on Sunday. This measly 2-mile increase was nothing compared to the 20-miles I needed to do before I even reached it.

Yet Saturday morning I woke up and dressed for the run. Ate my pre-run breakfast. Packed my running pack with water and snacks. Then sat down on the couch and didn’t move. I was in tears. A silent cry.

For some reason I truly believed I could not run 22 miles. There’s no good explanation for it, and even reading this now you’re likely thinking it’s a dumb reason to cry knowing I clearly could have finished just fine.

The reason I bring this story up is to remind myself that I too had to start somewhere. It wasn’t easy. Most days are still difficult for me to find reason to leave the comfort of home behind and set out on a run.

So what’s the trick? How do we break free of this impossible fear and mentally crippling anxiety? Focus on the finish.
The sooner you get this workout done, the sooner you can be proud of it. Knowing you have the rest of the day to do anything you want feels amazing.

Your goal right now, it to pick a distance, a time, or landmark. Set the limits of this run now in advanced and stick to it. I believe in you, and I know you will finish it. The endorphins will kick in just as you finish and you’ll possibly even find you had more in you. However, don’t go any further. Just because you feel great today after knocking out that first run doesn’t mean you need to overdo it.

My tip is that anytime you do a workout and at the end you decide you didn’t push hard enough is to immediately write down your workout for tomorrow. Make tomorrow’s a little harder and document it today.

If you finish tomorrow’s and again you feel energized, keep doing it.

I’ve had a few times I wrote down my goal then the next day I feel too tired and weak. Suddenly this new goal that was slightly bigger seemed impossible. So I went weak and came up shorter during the workout. A few hours later I regretted it knowing I could have done it.

With this regret in mind I wrote out the next days workout. I bumped it back up knowing with a full days worth of guilt I was going to have plenty of energy to do it.

And you know what? I was excited to start that run and forgot it used to give me anxiety.