A group of willing participants were asked to try running for 2 weeks - something they were not used to doing.
Participants would take videos and record how they feel before and after their runs. Here is what they had to say.




In all of Juliana’s videos, she runs outside and often in more scenic locations like a nature preserve or with a mountain range on the horizon. Where you are running can impact how you feel about wanting to run again.

“I feel good about what I did, I was surprised…”
“I do feel better, I feel more energized...and I feel a little
bit calmer, like I feel like running really is a good outlet for
anxious energy so I’m glad that I forced myself outside
this morning.”

“Again, hardest part of the day - always like just getting
outside, like making myself put my shoes on and go, but
I did it…”

It’s interesting that we know we will feel good after our runs,
(from having done it before) yet it is so hard for us to start.

“I feel a little bit anxious this morning, like I woke up with a lot on my mind and running might help”

Running gives you time to think and can take your mind off what you are physically doing, making running easier.
“Runners find that their exercise time is when they do their most creative, productive thinking”
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“I feel ok, legs are pretty tired, I’m also, I’ve been working out on top of running, so my body is confused and in pain. But yeah, I’d say I feel good, I probably ran a little bit more than I ran yesterday only because I got so turned around.”

Working out on top of running is great because it is a form of cross-training - an exercise other than running. The pain associated with this can be minimized once her body gets more used to exercising. Sarah Bowen Shea - one of the authors of Run Like a Mother suggests to “Reward yourself after a...run with an ice bath, which simultaneously builds character and minimizes soreness. My weekly ice bath kept me injury-free – and nearly devoid of any post run soreness…(pg 20).”

“It was good...I ran the whole time, which is a win and it was really nice, it wasn’t painful I didn’t feel like I was suffering at any point I just listened to a podcast which was very
enjoyable and kind of took my mind off what my body was doing...I feel good.”

Juliana demonstrates a great example of how “You don't have to beat anyone to win. You don't have to reach any arbitrary standards of perfection, like finishing a marathon or breaking the 5 minute mile. You win simply by improving your own standards, however humble those might seem at first. And never are your opportunities for improvement greater than at the start. Never will you gain so much, so quickly, from so little work.”
                                              87

A podcast is also a great alternative to music and allows you to multitask by learning something, staying updated, or following a story as you run.




I’m done with my run, yeah it was alright, the food really sat in my stomach and I felt that the whole time and cramped
a little bit” “I was surprised that I took no breaks on the
three miles.”

“We run best on an empty or nearly empty stomach... Eat lightly, if at all, and the last hours before running. Your body holds abundant stored energy to carry you through.” Eating afterwards feels like more of a reward too! “A side stitch isn't technically an injury, but this nagging ache does cause runners to slow down or stop. Side stitches and usually caused by a cramp in the diaphragm or too much food in the stomach.”

“I feel relaxed, calm, and I haven’t ran in three days so I’m thinking it’s probably going to be a little difficult today, not difficult but I’ll breathe harder.” “The cold air might slow me down, just a little.”

“If I believe I am tired, then I will notice how tired I am.”
                                                     82

Since Henry thinks he will breathe heavy on his run, odds are he will. He’ll notice the cold air more too since he’s thinking about it before he has started.

“Feeling good, just felt nice because I felt like I got
something done today, that’s why I like running, getting the runners high - also I get to see some of my neighbors when I’m running feels nice that they honk or just wave at me back...overall run felt really good, body is just
feeling a little tight right now but...worth it.”

After his run, you can tell how much more positive he is feeling, he chose to highlight positive aspects of the run unlike when he first started.




“Today I did a half mile, with a little sprint at the end and I had to take a big break in between the last time I went
running and this time because I hurt my knee and I couldn’t really bend it but it’s all better... So yeah, I only got 2 runs in in 2 weeks but that’s still more than I was doing before
because I wasn’t running at all before and I feel great this time, I didn’t eat anything beforehand - like at all today, but I was well rested...yeah I feel great, I feel pumped up, I’m
motivated and it’s good!”’

It’s inspiring that Jenn continued to run after her injury. A lot of times it’s hard for runners to be motivated to “start over” again. It’s good that she took a break to prevent
further injury as well. Run the mile - “...if the pain gets
increasingly worse or feels sharp as you run, then it’s best not to run through it.”
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One of the best ways to treat any injury is rest, along with ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).

“I wanted to go out on a run today because I haven't done any physical activity or exercise in so long and my brother's wedding is coming up in the Spring - April and I want to get toned, I wanna to get fit for it. “Cramped up a little bit but it was very good.”

The best feeling from a run can foster after taking a long break. Her motivation to run emphasizes what can be
considered as the most common or well-known reason for running - changing physique or for weight loss, which is
something diet alone can’t always do. It’s important to know of other physical rewards as well as mental rewards like those mentioned on the health benefits page.

“I just did a run around the neighborhood - hate it because there’s no real goal for me to run, it’s not really fun for me…”

Setting goals can be the primary motivator when it comes to running for some, but maybe finding a different
motivator like health benefits, community/friends, exploring new places, or signing up for a race is more motivating to you and may incorporate a more enjoyable, worthwhile aspect to your running experience.

“I made it a little bit more past where I usually stop and then I took a walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the nice weather”

It's okay to split... runs into short segments with walks
between. This isn't cheating, but rather a time-honored
approach called interval training... In the early months (they'll) make their greatest strides in the shortest time.
Because of this, their first steps are not only the hardest but the most gratifying.”
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For someone like Jake who hates running, it’s an
accomplishment to have just gotten out of the door,
let alone run farther than he had before. Run club
members advised in the survey to “just keep going, no matter how slow, just show up” and to “take it slow and use small increments to increase distance. (The) walk/run method is ok.”

“Still don’t like running but it’s not as bad as the
punishment we used to do in high school baseball”

This is a valid point. Running is used as punishment which gives it a negative connotation. However it is used in
practices “because running is the most basic form of
exercise. Because this is the fundamental route to fitness; to improve endurance...Runners tend to have greater
stamina for other sports and for everything else in life.”
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Running on your own terms allows you to be in control of what you do, and how you perform. You don’t have to run for anyone else but you.




“It’s really nice out...feelin great, took a nice walk back,
running’s feeling good!

A cool down is a great way to lower your heart rate after doing a long run. It’s important to keep moving in order
“to prevent the blood from pooling in the legs and keep it
circulating back through the heart and into the brain...Blood flow...can help minimize soreness...as a result of running.”
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“I actually went 2.28 miles which is so much more than I said I would which was awesome and then the sun came out and it got pretty hot...I did a 11:42 pace which is pretty average for me and I feel so much better and I just need to switch up my playlist because I’ve been listening to the same songs all summer”

Knowing you can go a certain distance will convince yourself that you can do it again, and the distance becomes easier to you over time.
“...sometimes (especially during the long runs) you feel as though you can’t go on, but every time you do, you increase the chances that will do so again the next week.”
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Creating new playlists or sharing songs between friends can change up what you’re listening to in order to make runs seem less repetitive and boring. It’s fun to find songs that match your pace.

“My legs feel like jello from yesterday because I didn’t stretch.”

A simple stretch to do after a run is to have your legs up (vertically) against a wall, with your back on the ground to lessen lactic acid (which causes soreness) build up.




“Just finished a half mile walk and half mile run...Last time I ran was about a week ago and I think I ran about a quarter  mile or half mile, so I think I did better this time.”

When asking runners to think of something they wish they had known when first starting out, a respondent answered with “How addictive it would be!” In Ange’s perspective,
distance seems to be more of a focus, goal, or something she is proud of. It can be addicting to see how far you can go each time and challenge yourself.