"Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running."

- Julie Isphording

In all honesty, I was never particularly natural at sports. I just liked to be mobile growing up. I was in constant movement, forever restless. I was never really ever “game,” so to speak. There was always fear in my heart whenever our gym teacher introduced a new sport or game. But I just liked to move. Does that make any sense? I hope so.

I played a few sports growing up, but I was never the “star” player of my many teams. I was the girl you let practise with the ones with potential, but was always benched when there were matches that counted. I think I sat more on my arse whilst being in a team than, say, if I just played sports for fun. I do not blame any of my coaches, to be honest. I was quick. I ran a lot. I dodged. But, problem is, I was not coordinated at all. I broke a finger whilst playing basketball for God’s sake. I also did not care much for tactics. We lost a volleyball game once because instead of assisting one of my teammates, my head was in the clouds and I ignored her pass.

I was an all right tennis player. The kind of basketball player you would depend on to pass the ball, but not to shoot it. The most unrelaxed rower the world ever did see. The football player who just wanted to run across the field (without the ball). The lacrosse player who could catch, but that was it. I was even thrown into rugby for a short while and that was a painful, painful experience. I suppose the common variable to all these examples is the fact that I was never particularly proficient with sport props. The less equipment, the better, I suppose.

So, you see, as I got older, I decided it might be best to avoid any kind of team sport. I have had enough cut, scrapes and bruises to last me a lifetime. But I am a very good walker. I suppose had I lived in a Jane Austen novel, it would not matter in which -shire Mr. Darcy lived—I will walk it, flushed cheeks and muddy boots and all! This is where my running story begins.

One August afternoon, having grown tired of the scary looking gym equipment, I decided to lace my runners and go outside. It was the first time in a while that I ran outdoors. I used to run on a treadmill and on the track during my undergrad. But on that faithful, sunny August day, the outdoors were so inviting that I said “yes, let’s do this.” It felt weird, honestly, that run. The path felt too “real.” The stop lights gave me such anxiety. All the possibilities of where to run confused me. But I went on, anyway. Once I was done, there was a huge smile on my face. It was weird, but it was good. Great, even.

I got better very quickly. That is the beauty of running: Stay consistent and results are quick to turn up. As with anything, however, there are good days, bad days, terrible days, fantastic days and even meh days. I coped with them all. I would beat myself up over a bad run. It took a while for me to pat myself on the back after a run and tell myself, “Hey, aren’t you proud? It is not your best run, but you completed it.” That’s what matters most about running, if you ask me. You just have to finish that run until you have had enough. It could be for 30 minutes as you squeeze it in your busy schedule. It could be for two hours without you even realising. All that matters is that you get up and you go for that run.

I know, I know, I will shut up now. Here are some tips for anyone who is not particularly the sporty kind, but who still wants to run:

1. Do intervals. This is particularly important if you are not active or if this is your first time getting into running. I have heard so many people say they were discouraged because after running/jogging for 10 minutes, they felt completely exhausted and they never wanted to do it again. You can alternate walking and jogging every few minutes so you do not completely tire yourself out as you are building your endurance. Then, as you get more into running, you can decrease the time you allocate for walking until all you do is run.

2. Sprints or long runs. You can of course decide you want to do both. In my case (and for most runners I know), I am a long distance runner than a sprinter. It depends on various factors of course. Sprinting requires muscle training since you need your muscles to push you through the power of your sprints. Long distance running, on the other hand, requires a lot of endurance. You need to know how to save energy to last. So, one main difference here is the duration of your energy exertion. Do you prefer short intervals or a long one? Do you want to focus on muscle growth? Or do you perhaps want to run a half- or a full marathon?

3. Choose the right running shoes. Back in university, I wore my gym shoes to run both on the treadmill and on the trail outdoors. I hurt my knee, nothing too bad, but enough to make running outdoors unbearable. Thank heavens for my triathlete friend who advised me to head on to a specialty running store and have my feet checked. I jogged around the store wearing different shoes, my feet and arches were checked and I felt the difference. I know it is easy to fall into the “cuteness” factor of shoes, but honestly, save your knees.

4. Snack or don’t snack. Again, I think this decision depends on various factors. If you tend to get dizzy when you workout, I suggest you eat a little snack before you go for a run, specially if you are running more than 10km at a time. I usually run right after waking up and if this is the case, I drink a glass of water and off I go. I prefer to have an empty stomach when I run because I throw up quite easily. (Excuse the mental picture.) But, if I am not running right after I wake up or if I am running in the afternoon, I eat a little something (like a banana or an apple) so have enough energy. My suggestion is to let your food digest first. But at the end of the day, what matters is that you properly nourish your body.

5. Slow down or run fast. I call some days my “lazy” run days. These are days meant for slow long runs, which means, I can still have a proper conversation whilst running. My pace is comfortable and I am not out of breath. I think these days are equally important when you are building endurance. On other days, I may run a shorter distance, but I give it my all. I pick up my pace to build up speed. You can alternate your type of runs if you like, I definitely do.

6. Warm up, stretch after. If your muscles are still cold, please avoid stretching. I prefer an active warm up before my run. This could be a walk, power walk, some knees, butt kicks, etc. Then, when I know my legs are feeling ready, I go on my run. Stretching should come after the run. Please do not skip this step. Best to avoid overtired muscles that get no lovin’.

7. Remember to recover. There is nothing wrong with taking a day off. If anything, your body will love you for it. Back in my crazy days, I ran seven days a week, but my mental state was just completely off. I also had to ice my knee every single day and I was an inch off an actual injury. I knew I had to relax my body and to let it have my much needed rest. I also like baths with Epsom salt for my muscles, some light yoga and a cold shower.

8. Find your playlist. I can’t really give you advice on this. Even on my fast-paced runs or long-distance runs, I listen to the same kind of music I listen to daily. Some Ben Howard, some Daughter, some Bon Iver. On one epic run, I listened to Adele’s 21 album on repeat. But that is just me. If you know your motivation can be helped by some gangsta rap, go for that. But, please, try out different tunes. Your body is going to tell you what it likes.

9. Mix it up. Broad tip right here. What I mean is, run on the treadmill, run on the road, try a trail, go uphill, run by the river, run past tall buildings, run near monuments, run around your neighbourhood. Change up your scene. I urge you to try hill runs—very difficult, but help so much to improve and to get stronger. Run alone or go with a group. Run with a close friend or someone who is more advanced. Try different types of runs.

10. Do not overthink it. I used to be so focused on the numbers. If one of my long runs was slower than one I did a few days before, I beat myself over that. If my legs felt sore, but I “had” to run, I pushed myself to run anyway. I always checked my pace. All this drove me insane. I compared my progress to those of others. This is a big no-no. You have to own up to your own running experience. Everybody else is going through their own. But, best to remember that there will be good runs, bad runs, okay runs, runs that never should have been to begin with. You must free your mind of your own competitiveness to enjoy your runs. Have an idea of your progress and switch up your routine, but for Christ’s sake, do not take away the beauty of a run just because you do not feel at par with your capabilities.

There is no magical mathematical equation for the perfect run. You need to listen to your body. A lot. You must learn when you say no and when you push yourself. Eat, you will need it, but eat well. Never think of running as a chore. It should be, as what it really is, a source of joy, a way to meditate. Do not be impatient with yourself. Progress, no matter how small or slow, is still progress. 

Happy running!