It’s been almost a month since I ran the New York marathon. I knew that after such an emotional experience, the longer it took me to retie my shoes, the harder it was going to be. I’ve missed writing my weekly posts on all things marathon training, and now that I’m finally back pounding the pavement, I thought I’d throw a running hack at you.
For me, the hardest part of returning to running after a break is establishing a new routine. When you’re not following a strict (well, semi-strict) training plan, what do you do? Especially for people who don’t consider themselves runners in the first place…what are you doing ? There are many reasons why someone might struggle to get started with running, but I find one of the biggest causes is lack of planning. You need to balance ambition and flexibility, and then hold yourself truly accountable to your plan. Let’s look at why the secret to becoming a runner lies in the strength of your routine and how you can establish a running routine yourself.
How to establish a running routine
Time and again, my friends will tell me that they started running, only to lose interest (or quit) after a few weeks. The numbers vary, but study suggests that it usually takes about two months of doing something to make it a habit – and many of us don’t do it for that long. Then again, as Lifehacker’s health editor Beth Skwarecki has explained beforeMuch of our talk about “habits” isn’t actually about forming habits, but Changing behaviour. She gives this example: “You might consider “going for a run every morning” as just a habit. But there’s a lot you can do to become the kind of person who finds it easy to go for a run every morning.“.
Your routine – and how you stick to it – is what makes the difference between whether or not running fits into your life in the long run. Here are some tips for becoming the kind of person who finds it easy to go for a run every morning.
Set realistic goals
You’re more likely to stick with a running habit if you start with small goals. This can mean hold back a little, both in terms of pace and distance. (This topic means a lot to me; one of my first articles on Lifehacker was about how to run slower to run faster.)
Don’t expect to finish your first marathon next week if you’re just starting out. Set mini, incremental goals to achieve, like running a mile without walking, being able to jog for 30 minutes continuously, or taking 5 to 10 minutes off your 5K time. This will help you track your progress and stay motivated.
Create calendar events yourself
In fact, plan your errands as you would other important commitments. It’s easy to make excuses if your running is random or sporadic. Make sure it fits into your calendar like clockwork; mornings are perfect for avoiding fatigue and life getting in the way later.
Gradually increase and slow down
I believe the reason so many people claim to hate running is because what they’re really doing is sprinting. This causes them to tire sooner than they would like, which convinces them that they cannot run long distances and confirms their hypothesis that “running is not for them.”
Respect that your cardiovascular fitness and musculoskeletal system need time to adapt. Start with short runs mixed with walking once or twice a week and increase the duration, distance and frequency by up to 10% each week to avoid overuse injuries.
Prepare your equipment
Preparing your gear, like your running watch, shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, water bottle, and headphones in advance, avoids rushing or rescheduling if you can’t find an item. Being ready to go makes sticking to your routine much smoother.
Skip the numbers (for now)
Runners are obsessed with wearable devices or apps that monitor metrics like distance, pace, heart rate, and split times. I get it: reviewing patterns provides valuable feedback, exposes strengths and weaknesses, and lets you strive for new grades like an upcoming 5K PR.
But if your main goal right now is simply to establish a routine, I suggest you ditch the measurements. Your priority right now is consistency. To try intuitive operation And go slowlyand maybe you even will I’m starting to like running. Personally, I think there’s nothing more promising for your routine than actually enjoying it.
