Running is one of those things that people admire from afar. “Oh look, there goes ____ again.” Running is a continuous skill that requires aerobic endurance. So…. it’s more complicated than you think. I’ll break it down for you so you can get started this week.

The first step to running is getting cleared by a doctor and checking for muscle imbalances. If you KNOW you have issues, seek out a professional to get it sorted out. Some common issues are obesity, chest pain, joint pain, and basically any other major deviation from health. Look for a personal trainer who specializes in identifying and correcting posture. The reason why some people quit running immediately is because it hurts. Your muscles or joints shouldn’t be screaming if you’re going for a 10 minute run. Tight hips and weak glutes can develop from sitting jobs and should be corrected before running. (Also, it’s important to start running as a healthy individual.. and a lot of people are not healthy)

The second step is prioritizing running. If you’ve never ran as a health activity, it needs to be the first thing you do in the day. If it’s not realistic for you to run first, visualize yourself running after work or dinner or whatever situation you may find yourself in. Close your eyes. Visualize how difficult it will be to run because of low motivational levels. You’re drained, running doesn’t feel good, and it’s Monday. Now think of two ways to get yourself running whether it’s an alarm or putting running shoes and clothes by the front door. Now execute what you visualized. Pro tip: surround yourself with a social group or make plans with someone to run. Personally this has been the best way to get running because you can’t let the other person down by not showing up (but also they should be mentally strong because if not they may be flakey as well).

The third step is developing mental strength and goals. Since you’re reading this you may already realize the benefits of a runners high and pride in taking care of yourself. Ask yourself the big question: why is this important to you? It could be because of decreased risk of all-cause mortality or increased feelings of efficacy or simply being able to run. Now you must ask yourself: How will I do this? It’s not just putting one foot in front of the other. Putting one foot in front of the other the wrong way could lead to injury which is why fixing muscle imbalances is important (see step one). You will create goals that pertain to your “why”. If your “why” is to be healthy then your goal should be to increase frequency, time, duration, and intensity in a way that makes you healthier. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends a minimum of 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. Vigorous is defined as activity that does not allow you to speak in full sentences.

To put it all together, this is how I use this in my own personal life. First, I started running completely healthy in high school and have had chronic injuries on and off since then. Two reoccurring pains are from plantar fasciitis and hip flexor strain. They only happen when I increase my mileage significantly so they are mostly contained. Second, I prioritize running by setting aside an hour or two before mid-day to run. If I’m not training for a race and I want to just exercise for health reasons, I make sure I get in 10-20 minutes of slow running a day. I’ve developed a habit for running where I can will myself to do it even on my worse days. I tell myself it’s only 10 minutes of running instead of 10 minutes wasting my time on my phone. Lastly, I create short term and long term goals. My long term goals are race oriented meaning I sign up for a race (5k-marathon) as early as I can and train for it. I can typically sign up for a race that’s 6-9 months out. So an example for a long term goal is to run a marathon with an average pace of 7:50 minutes per mile in May. My short term goals would be to get out the door 6 out of the 7 days of the week and hit certain times in a workout at certain dates leading up to the main race. Hitting these goals (that are realistic to me) will increase my mental strength and boost motivation. I also develop my mental strength by visualizing the pain/fatigue associated with running hard and coming up with contingency plans to deal with it. For example, if I’m running a 5k and I hit a 5:40 first mile like I planned but I’m feeling very, very fatigued (but no bad ugly feeling) then I will maintain or slow down my pace and allow myself the opportunity to make it up in the third mile. Most of the time I end up walking at 1.6 miles at a water aid to splash some into my face.

Now the most important thing is to develop running into a lifestyle so you can consistently reap the benefits of it. Some benefits include increased efficacy, positive emotion, and improved cardiovascular health. In order to reap these benefits it’s very important to mold your environment (read this as friends and family) into your favor. Surround yourself with people who will encourage or at least respect your decision to run. People who drag you down will feel challenged because that’s not who you are to them. They see you as someone who isn’t a runner. Once they see you running they will feel pressured to change as well and it’s easier for them to stay the same rather than change. So if you’re someone who has tried to be healthy but find yourself reverting back to bad habits, it may be time to evaluate other habits you have and the environment that enables you to do unhealthy things.