
I’ve been a runner for around 4 years now but very much on and off and there’s things I probably would have wanted to have known before I got into the sport. I haven’t ran a marathon, not even a half because of never ending injures and something called a global pandemic got in the way.
It’s hard not to compare myself to others who’ve been running for less time but have achieved a lot more than I have and that’s just one thing I’ve had a learn to live with as a runner. Sometimes you just have to accept what life throws at you.
You’ll feel hungry 24/7 | Wether you’re running 4 or 60 miles a week your body will be starving and always wanting food because you’re burning more calories than normal. I am constantly grabbing snacks throughout the day after a run and pasta will always be your best friend for carb loading.
You will plan your days and weeks around running | I always have planned running days every week, it’s good to keep to a schedule but you’ll find yourself cancelling or changing plans because you have a long run planned in. Staying out until 11 when you have a long run the next morning? no thank you.
You may feel like you hate running in the beginning | Confession I absoluelty hated running at the start and you will too. You may imagine it will feel nice and smooth like the way those runners look when they run in a good rhythm but I can tell you that’s definitely not the case. You will probably feel out of breath in the first five minutes which is completely normal by the way but you may feel well why did I even start this? until you convince yourself to go out again and again and It starts getting easier. It does get better and you’ll constantly get stronger and fitter each time.
The first mile is always the hardest | You’re going to want to quit and turn back around before you’ve even finished your first mile. Your breathing will be all over the place until you find your pace. I always think of the first mile as a warm up because your body needs time to adjust to the fact that you’re running. I normally give myself 10 minutes and if I’m not feeling the run I’ll just turn back but 99% of the time I will keep going.
You’ll get hooked | You’ll do a few runs and decide that you actually like running and then get accidentally addicted. It’ll happen gradually and you probably won’t notice it until you start to talk about it constantly. You will plan your weekends around when you’re going to do your long run and start buying a lot more running gear, maybe a new pair of trainers after a gait analysis you never knew you needed. Before long, you’ll be logging all the miles for that race you booked.
Running can be boring | If you’re doing the same runs each week, the same distance and keeping the same pace then you’re going to get bored very quickly. Mix it up with interval and tempo runs, get some different scenery with a cross country run with friends. This is something I need to remind myself of regularly because you will get stuck in a rut and become comfortable, push yourself out of your comfort zone.
Running is expensive | Running can be a cheap sport if you want it to be but it can get expensive the longer and more obsessed you get with it. New trainers, running watch, fuel, hydration, strength and recovery tools, running clothes and the race entry fees which all add up to be quite the expense. You’ll constantly be wanting to upgrade (based on personal experience).
You don’t always have to be training for a big races | Once you become a runner, people will often ask what you’re training for. It’s something that I got sucked into and kind of wish I hadn’t. Don’t get me wrong it’s good to have a race booked for motivation but give yourself some time in-between if you need it. Give your body some rest and recovery, concentre on strength or getting your 5K time down, work on you.

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I’m not a runner but these are things that I’m glad to know of if I ever decide to take it up! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
It’s a great little hobby and perfect to keep fit. Thanks for commenting, Lucy! x
Loved reading this post! I’m finally in my running era and totally loving it. What’s shocked me the most is that I’ve relented and taken one of my gym sessions out from my weekly routine. I’m just not able to keep up with the hair wash timetable, or get enough food in 😂 I’m mostly just loving another excuse to be outdoors, and that runners’ high is truly like nothing else. Hoping to run my first race later this year!
Oh I love that you’re in your running era, Mish! Trying to find time for hair wash day is the absolute worst, mine changes constantly depending on my mileage that week. You can’t compare the runners high to anything else can you? It gives me so much motivation for the rest of the day if I run in the morning. Oh that’s so exciting, have you got your eye on one or just hoping to sign up to one later in the year?
Running, like any other sport, has many advantages and disadvantages. I think the most important thing about running is that you go for a run when you have time. You don’t have to adjust to any schedule of classes or other things. You just get up and go for a run. I appreciate this freedom of choice in this sport.