Fitness Friday – Three Ways to Make Running Easy
by Jill Angie
Running is hard, right? It’s hard to breathe, everything hurts, you’re jiggling all over the place, and running a mile feels like it takes forever. Why bother when you can hit up a Zumba class at the gym instead?
Because running is actually fun, that’s why.
I know you’re rolling your eyes right now. But hear me out – running isn’t just for people with 10% body fat. Anyone can run, you just need to know the secrets to making it easy.
#1 – Warm up!
Going from a dead stop to a full-on run is a stress to your muscles, heart, and lungs. When you’re at rest, your heart rate and respiration are low, and it takes a bit of time for them to get up to speed to support the activity of running.
Spend 5 minutes walking before you start running. Start slowly and gradually increase your walking pace over that time, until it’s time to run.
#2 – Use run/walk intervals
Most newbies run as far and hard as they can, then walk to catch their breath. This feels hard! Instead, try the run/walk interval method, which incorporates planned walk breaks throughout your run.
Intervals allow you to go for longer distances with a lower chance of injury, and they also help your mindset. Breaking your run down into manageable chunks, anywhere from 15 seconds to 5 minutes at a time, means you only need to think about the interval you’re running that very moment.
Try it out! After your warmup, jog for 30 seconds and walk for a minute. Repeat 10 times.
#3 – Get a killer playlist
Music is a great motivator, and rocking out to your favorite tunes can help keep you going. Pick something with a driving beat that makes you feel energetic and excited. I save my favorite songs just for running, which is an extra incentive to put my shoes on and get out the door.