Why Aren not You Running Yet
Overcoming Obstacles and Becoming a Runner
Why Aren not You Running Yet , Okay, so that’s a MASSIVE number of reasons to start running. Right now, you’re probably ready to get up and run out the door!
But before you do that, stop and think for a minute.
Because if you’re like most people, you may well have tried this before. Almost all of us have at some point given running a try. The problem is that most of us never stick with it and most of us quickly get bored of it.
So what’s going wrong?
Where Most New Runners Go Wrong – Why Aren not You Running Yet
So where do most new runners go wrong?
There are a number of places but the biggest issue by far is just the scale of their ambition.
Right now, you are probably tired and out of shape. That might sound rude but the fact of the matter is that most people are.
Most people are so badly out of shape, that once you start running, you will practically be a different species.
Why Aren not You Running Yet
Most people spend 8 hours+ in an office every single day and they probably commute for 1–2 hours. That’s ten hours of stress each day and ten hours of breathing in toxic fumes, being shouted at, and being crowded.
So it’s no wonder that when they get home, they can’t muster the strength to do anything active. Most of us have admin and correspondence we need to sort out (file expenses, answer the letter, phone Mum), and then we need to play with the kids, make the dinner and get an early night so we can start it all again tomorrow.
It’s no wonder that the small amount of time we do have is spent watching repeats on TV or just staring into the distance.
And it’s no wonder that so many of us will order fast food for dinner tonight.
Why Aren not You Running Yet
We barely ever use our bodies. We spend hours at a time locked into a hunched over, seated position and staring at a bright screen. We don’t sleep well. And we don’t eat right.
Our resting heart rate is somewhere in the 80s and we’re carrying a huge amount of excess fat and flab.
Eventually, we get sick of this. So what do we do? We write a training program.
That training program might involve running, or it might be based around lifting weights. Either way though, we set ourselves the task of working out 4–5 nights a week for an hour at a time. Maybe at a gym.
And while we’re at it, we tell ourselves, we’re also going to start eating more healthily. That means no carbs!
And only 2,000 calories!
We’ll track those calories and we’ll cook right.
But wait, wait, wait!
A moment ago, you were saying you have zero energy and you’re really out of shape.
And now you intend to add hours of intensive exertion to your routine?
While also not really eating enough to sustain yourself??
And you’re surprised it doesn’t work!
You can’t just go from nothing to something so incredibly intensive – it’s just not going to work.
And time isn’t really the issue here. You probably have just about enough time.
The issue is energy. Energy is not an infinite resource. Just because you can’t see it, that doesn’t mean it’s not there and it doesn’t mean it’s not important!
If you don’t have the energy to train, then you’re not going to train. It’s that simple. So if you try and introduce a MASSIVE training program, you’re going to fail. And then you’re going to be disheartened. And then you’re going to decide that running doesn’t work, or it’s not for you…
Your First Run And Your New Program – Why Aren not You Running Yet
So with all that in mind, what can you do to start running if your plan is to stick with it?
The first tip is to change the way you approach your first run. A lot of people approach their first run thinking they’re going to burn a ton of calories so that they can quickly see some results. But I want you to put that thought right out of your mind and completely change your approach.
If you start running fast, with the wrong form, and when you’re this tired, you’re just going to hate it. You’ll feel sick, your shins and knees will hurt when your feet hit the pavement and you’ll sweat a bucket.
So instead, your aim with your first run is to go slow and just enjoy. Your first goal is to learn to run, not to lose any weight. So the first few times you do it, you’ll go really gentle and if that means running with a 13 minute/mile pace… so be it!
Focus on letting your feet land softly and just taking in the environment around you. You can keep it short too – try two miles.
And at the same time, give yourself plenty of rest in between sessions. For the first two months, running once a week is going to be more than sufficient.
Worried that you’re not ‘doing anything? Think again! You’re still changing the way your body works and believe it or not, you’re still going to burn a ton of calories. Run slowly for 30 minutes and you can expect to burn 400 at least. That’s permission to eat dessert (and then some) with no negative consequences calorie–wise (which isn’t the right attitude, just a demonstration).
What you’re also going to do, is to find ways to improve your energy levels and to start prioritizing your health. Remember: energy is a finite quantity and it’s something you need to cultivate if you want to get into shape.
So you’re going to start looking at eating just that little bit healthier (getting more nutrients in your diet will make a massive difference – try a smoothie),
sleeping a little bit more (just make it a priority to go to bed on time) and avoiding stress where possible.
And look, if your job is leaving you with absolutely no energy and it is filling you with stress, then you should look at getting another job.
What could possibly be more important than your health? At the end of the day, it’s just not a sacrifice that’s worth making. So if you can’t make it work – then this is what you need to change.
Correct Goal Setting – Why Aren not You Running Yet
Something else to change if you’ve been able to identify with any of this is the way you set goals.
Too many of us make the goal about weight loss. Too many people say they want to ‘lose 10lbs in 2 months for example. But this is the wrong approach to goal setting.
Why? Because when you make this the goal, you make a goal that is much too detached from your day–to–day reality. When the goal is two months away, it’s easy to skip a day of running and tell yourself you’ll make up for it later. Plus, it makes it all too easy to fail your goal for reasons that genuinely aren’t your fault and then get very disheartened.
And on top of all that, this comes back to what we said earlier – improving your health is more important than just losing weight. If you’re only focussing on weight loss, then you’re missing the point of training.
So instead, you should make weight loss your vision. Your vision is what you picture for yourself and what’s going to motivate you. It doesn’t have to be something you can put into words – it can be an abstract idea. You might just picture yourself looking and feeling healthier than ever. Being confident. Spending time in the sun with your top off. Having incredible six-pack abs.
Becoming an Instagram sensation..
Those emotions will help you to push through when you can’t face training anymore, so you need to really conceptualize your goal and learn to bring it to mind as needed.
But then you’re going to think about the steps you need to take to make that vision a reality. In our case, to begin with, at least, the first step is to run once a week.
So that is your goal. That is all you’re going to focus on. And in your mind, you’re going to link that idea of running with the vision you’ve created for yourself.
Run every week, get the body you want.
The reason this works is that it is a goal that is entirely within your control and it is a goal that you can’t ‘miss’ one week and still accomplish. There are no smaller steps. That said, when you do miss it (by accident), you can just pick it up again next week with no harm done.
Why Aren not You Running Yet
