Making running fun

If you’re new to running and not enjoying it then don’t worry - you’re not alone. For many people running isn’t something they immediately fall in love with, but with the right arsenal of tools most people are able to find the joy of running with a little time and patience. 

No one tactic will make everyone love running, and no one way of running is ‘right’. Experienced runners train in a huge variety of ways; alone or socially, in cities or nature, fast or slow. The name of the game is trying out some different thing until you find what works for you. 

With that in mind, here are some tips that might help you enjoy your running.

Slow down 

Many new runners start their runs at a pace which is unsustainable, leading to the run becoming unenjoyable pretty quickly. It’s absolutely fine to start with a walk and slowly progress into a run at the start of your run. 

Measure progress

We all love improving at something, but it can sometimes be hard to see this improvement with running as it takes some time for the fitness gains to kick in. A tool (such as Kaizen) which helps you track your progress can be really rewarding and help keep you motivated.

Run somewhere nice 

Getting out into nature is one of the wonderful aspects of running, so if you’re finding that your environment is not motivating you might just need to get out into the parks, trails or nature to love running.

Run with a (preferably slower) friend

Having a chat with a friend while you’re running can bring a real sense of connection. Just remember to keep the pace nice and steady so both of you can chat comfortably. 

Take the pressure off

While running can be an awesome tool to improve your health and fitness it is not critically important that you make great progress right from the start. There’s no pressure to be a ‘good’ runner because at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter. You’re your harshest (and almost always) only critic.

Keep at it

Sometimes all it takes is time to start to enjoy running, particularly if you are trying out new ways of running every so often to see what you enjoy e.g. running with friends or running at different times of day and in different locations.