Enjoy Running More

It’s no secret that I love to run, but I know it isn’t for everyone (and I’m not here to convince you to try it). Rather, I have put together some tips for runners at any level to remind them why they run, help them enjoy running more, and keep them running long into the future. 

Why Do You Run? 

There are so many great reasons to run, and we all have our own unique motives for doing it. I took a poll a few months back, asking why those of you who are runners, run. The most common answers were: 

• Clear my mind
• Time to think
• Relieve stress
• To get through a difficult time in life
• For fresh air/nature
• The social aspect
• The challenge
• Achieve a goal

I love all of these answers, and they are all great reasons to run. It’s so therapeutic in so many ways. For me, I really like to get outside and be social. I’m also pretty competitive, so the challenge and achieving goals motivate me a lot. Over the past few years, my competitive streak has “settled down” a bit, but it’s always a thrill to hit my goals. 

Running is Customizable to You

Just as there are a myriad of reasons to run, there are just as many ways to customize it for yourself. That’s probably why so many people do it! What do I mean by customizable? 

You can: 

• Be a fast runner or a slow runner
• Run just because, or aim to run a certain distance
• Listen to music or run in silence
• Run alone, with a partner, or a running group
• Have an end goal of a certain time or distance, or simply run until you are done
• Run for fitness or for fun

What is your favourite way to run? I like to switch it up to keep things new and interesting, but I know that I want to keep running for a long time. It makes me feel amazing! But in order to keep on running, it’s important to stay strong. 

Get Strong to Run

Yes, you read that right. You should get strong to run, rather than run to get stronger. From my own experiences I know that when I’m feeling strong, I enjoy running more. The more consistent I am with strength training, the better I feel during and after a run, particularly when it comes to long-distance runs. 

I’ve talked about my good ol’ left foot in a past blog, and how it tells me when something is wrong in my body. It’s not my foot at all that’s the problem, but the lack of glute strength on that side. It runs down the chain of my body, and can cause pain in my IT band and knee. I can feel this as I run, and try to correct my foot strike to be more neutral – but during a long run it’s difficult to keep trying. When I strength train on a regular basis, I don’t need to focus on this! Being stronger makes running easier and more enjoyable for me. 

Yes, strength workouts can be hard! But with two or three workouts a week, just forty to sixty minutes long, you’ll see a huge improvement in how you feel during and after your runs. It’s well worth the time for the sake of longevity; because if you are running for stress relief, to clear your mind, or just for fun, you likely want to keep doing it far into the future. 

Avoid Running Injuries

All runners have experienced injuries, but not all of them are caused by the running itself. Many are a result of other things going on in your body, such as imbalances in strength, limited mobility, or lack of joint stability. The tightness that occurs from running can also lead to running-related injuries if you aren’t taking the time for flexibility and mobility training.

When I work with runners in the studio, most of them cannot straighten their legs in certain positions. I’ve been there, and know that tight feeling. I’d actually be surprised if you are a frequent runner and can do it. You likely will also tell me that your hips and low back are tight. Have you ever wondered how that tightness is affecting your running? 

Pilates to the Rescue! Pilates will get you moving again, and work on your mobility. You might be surprised to learn that it will make you stronger as well. Pilates is HARD, and gets harder the longer you do it.

Now that I’ve convinced you to take care of your whole body so that you can enjoy running more (and for longer), stay tuned! Next week I’ll share three strength and three Pilates exercises for runners.