All of us were born to run, but not all pick up this sport at an early age or even had the intention to do so before. Running has been a life-changing sport for many, with improved lifestyle habits, better weight management, improved cardiovascular health and more! Do you still remember the life you had as a non-runner?
1. “Always feeling lethargic”
Before you picked up running, you tend to feel tired and groggy in the mornings as you drag yourself to work. And by the end of the day, you simply head home with zero body battery left and the cycle repeats again the next day. With a sedentary lifestyle, you remain in a sitting position for long hours each day, which causes parts of your body to become rigid and sometimes even in pain. These physical exhaustion eventually takes a toil on your mental health and stamina, hence losing focus and getting distracted easily.
2. “I will run. Another day.”
Procrastination is the word to describe your running motto. You know you want to or have to head for a run but you simply postpone it week after week, using work or other activities of yours as reasons (perhaps excuses) to skip the run. Many people do not realise that a single running session does not take up the entire day! Depending on the intensity of your workout, a 30 minutes run would be good enough to get started in your running regime! Dedicating that 30 minutes from your lunch breaks, pre or post-working hours for a relaxing run is not that difficult at all isn’t it?
3. “Why is the last 1km never-ending!”
Yes, we all have experienced this seemingly never-ending lap before and our stamina used to be much weaker. The key to overcome this hurdle is all in the mind; set running goals and things to look forward to after that run and go for it! Everyone’s running journey is unique but none comes easy. So do not get disappointed by your timing or mileage but give yourself some motivational boost for taking the first step into becoming a runner!
4. “Wake up at 4am to run? Nah, back to sleep!”
Some of your running buddies start their day as early as 4am in the morning so that they get to run in the optimum weather conditions in Singapore when it is not too glaring, humid or crowded to run. You think they might be out of their minds to sacrifice their precious sleep time and wonder how they get their boost of energy to complete a 10km run as your sleep through the sunrise. As a first timer in morning runs or running in the dark, ensure that you get ample rest the night before and join your fellow running buddies with proper illuminating running gear for safety purposes. It is definitely not easy to keep up with this early morning run routine given everyone’s different work schedules and lifestyle habits. However, with a committed mind and heart to improve your fitness and witness significant lifestyle changes, it is possible and definitely a rewarding experience.
5. “Why start running now?”
You might not be at the optimum age, health condition or fitness to be the best runner ever but all these physical qualities should not be barriers to start running – something which us, humans were born to do. Everyday, people from all backgrounds and demographics all over the world take the first plunge into becoming part of the running community. It does not matter why, when or where you start. So runners, give yourselves a pat on the back for coming this far in your running journey.
Non-runners or runners who have stopped running, it is never too late to pick up that pair of running shoes and head out for a run towards a healthier, happier and heartier lifestyle!
