Whether you’ve been hitting the trails or pounding the pavement, it’s gotten plenty warm enough that you’ve probably noticed the uptick in the number of runners out and about – perhaps you’re one of them yourself! I’m a bit of an unlikely candidate to be writing this post; personally, running has never been my sport of choice (give me a pool or a clean lake any day of the week!) but 2020 made me turn to it more as basically my only consistent option for cardio that also allowed me to not feel guilty about being physically outside of the house. So for all the rest of you who also either 1) do what is known as running, but kind of hate it and don’t really think of yourself as part of the group that would call themselves “runners” per se; or 2) find the very thought of running intimidating and why would anyone do that to themselves – you’re in good company! Which means, if I could learn to not hate my runs – sometimes even enjoy them and think of them as fun (and I’m not even dripping with sarcasm here) – I’m going to go ahead and make this irresponsible claim: you can too. Thank you for coming to my TED talk*. Don’t hold me to it and don’t hold me responsible for whatever happens.

Now that we’ve established running’s wonderful and all, let’s take a look at how you can get started, run faster or for longer distances, or otherwise get inspired to think of running from a different perspective. I’ve also got some alternative titles for those of us who might have tender knees and joints, or just might otherwise not be up for running but would still love to hit up the trails and go for a hike!

*This is hopefully my first and last stint as a motivational speaker.

Alright, so I know probably a lot of us think about running as a competitive sport (whether that’s just in our heads competing with the other runner on the road, with ourselves, or actual competition in a race), where the goal is just to get faster, run longer distances, run better in a way that’s quantifiably measurable. And of course that’s part of it, for many runners: we want to run faster, or run farther, and it’s not especially difficult to track your progress in those ways. But personally, I’ve found the greatest challenge has actually just been getting my butt out the door to begin with, along with sticking with the run I set out to do once I’ve taken the first step. All of which fits into the constant negotiation with yourself that Bédard talks about in Running Into Yourself:

This subtle negotiation, this dance with discomfort, is the birthplace of an inner fortitude, and it demands we keep moving when everything inside us is screaming for us to quit. (Bédard)

If you, like me, find yourself huffing and puffing 10 steps into a run and starting to panic a bit because you just can’t seem to get enough air into your lungs while continuing to run – first off: you might want to check how you breathe during your run (I know, I thought I knew how to breathe too but we learn something new every day right?) – then this “dance with discomfort” might feel more like each step of the dance takes you closer to your grave, but when you finish your run and your lungs are still working, your heart not yet burst through your chest… I know it sounds cheesy, but I feel like at that point you do realize you’re capable of a lot more than you thought you were, and it’s precisely in pushing those limits (safely of course, keeping in mind your physical condition, building up to longer distances and faster runs if that’s what you want to do instead of just jumping right into them) that you build your inner fortitude. Because when you break it down, it’s just one foot in front of the other, again and again and again.

So I say, but obviously a lot more goes into bringing that foot in front of the other than is expressed or even implied by that statement! One of the most frustrating things I’ve encountered since starting to run is discovering that good running form isn’t actually instinctive to everyone, especially if you’ve been pretty sedentary on land for a number of years (last time I remember running for any amount of time is probably back in gym class, grade 9, many years ago). Injuries and sneaky pain that comes around the day after are things to look out for and prevent, and some things that can help include focusing on your running form, adding in strength and cross training, and stretching. The Beginning Runner’s Handbook is a good place to start to ease into running, and talks about how running-specific injuries happen when you do too much too soon without letting your body adjust. Another good resource is Under Armour’s training schedule is linked at the bottom of this post on Running Magazine, and while it’s targeted at beginner and intermediate runners who wanted to train up for their Spring Run-Off 8k earlier this year, it’s a nice compact pdf with lots of pictures that show you how to do the exercises. But if you’d like a running form & injury-specific guide, there’s Run Better, written by a kinesiologist and featuring practical advice with plenty of illustrations to help you run better, with fewer injuries. You can also check out Running Free of Injuries, along with Runner’s World’s Your Best Stride, and many more.

Apart from running form though, there’s also the tantalizing option of going trail running instead, giving you better scenery & possibly lower impact for your joints with the more cushioned ground. In addition to which, we’ve got lots of resources in our catalogue including magazines and books to help you with whatever you’re training for! While we’re here, did you know our e-magazine collection moved over to Overdrive? We have so many titles available, and you can access them all using the same Overdrive account you use for your e-books and e-audiobooks. A few of the many magazine titles for your selection include the Running for Beginners magazine, Canadian Running magazine, and Runner’s World (including different versions: UK, Deutschland, España, and more!) And if you’re still not convinced you should start running, take a look at #22 on this list of the benefits of running 😉

If you’re not quite ready to start running, or perhaps running isn’t the best fit for you, a lower intensity activity that comes with just as many benefits is walking/hiking. You don’t have to go fast. In fact, one of the ways to engage in walking within nature, forest bathing,  requires that you slow yourself down in order to reap its many health benefits! One of the parallels between hiking/walking and running is that they are both an activity not just for the body but also for the mind. In In Praise of Paths, Ekelund talks about his journey from driving to becoming a walker everywhere due to epilepsy. For more about walking and hiking, the history of walking and what it says about you, and some inspiration to encourage you to go outside! The Lost Art of Walking by Geoff Nicholson covers the history, literature, and philosophy of walking. And if you need a bit of inspiration to go out, you can check out 100 Hikes of a Lifetime by National Geographic. (Alright, that one’s a bit tricky since travel’s still some time off into the future, but the views in here will get you wanting to explore all the nature you have around you, wherever you are!)

Are you a dedicated road or trail runner? Where are some of your favourite trails to run? Any virtual races to look out for? Or if you’ve had any character-building moments while out on a jog, come to any epiphanies during a long run, or burst out crying on a long run, feel free to share below in the comments!