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New to running...again!
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How did you take that first step out on your first run? I love the running, being outside and feeling the effort. I just don't like those first steps out. Weird eh? It's all about not wanting to be seen as a puffing lump, don't know what to wear and definitely not being seen by anyone who knows me. It's all why I never kept it up. Now I have no weight loss goal or desire to do a 10k or further. I only want to run to get my fitness back. I've been the same weight for 10 years whether I exercise or not. I used to walk a lot including long routes over 20 or 30 miles. That kept my fitness up but I'm not able to do that now. I need something instead like a 30-60 minute run grabbed between family stuff and work. If anyone has advice on clothing, motivation or anything that would help me to get out and keep going out.... It would be much appreciated.
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Hi LL,
Not really a "serious" suggestion but I read somewhere when I started (might have been this website) that you should change into your kit when you start procrastinating about going out. It works ... I always feel like a right spanner sitting on the sofa wearing running tights and it gets me out the door!
Right ... will let the grown ups step in now
I always have a target, so I've got something to aim at. That keeps me motivated.
If you don't want to far maybe the weekly Saturday am park runs? Motivate yourself to get good at that and go each Saturday am if you can fit it in?
As Booktrunk says, target setting works in all forms of life, including running. Sign up for a local 10k, set yourself a time target and set out to beat it. I've found it to be quite a rush when you set a PR on your training run and makes me want to keep going out to improve it.
I'm probably unusual here that I have no interest in most if not all of the common goals or targets. I have no weight loss to achieve, no 10k or half marathon that I want to do.
TBH I could say why bother but the answer is I do no exercise now since becoming a father other than occasional pram walks with my kid. I used to be a person who could walk ALL DAY without any issue such as tiring. I regularly walked 25 mile challenge walks at a fast pace and my current 40 mile walking time is sub 9 hour (a feat really if you do that without running 4.5mph walking speed??).
Now I know that later on when I can get out more I will have no fitness for walking my main hobby. In fact its backpacking. Anyway my solution is running since it is probably the fastest way to get back into fitness. I'm impatient but lazy hence the need for motivation ideas.
Anyway, tonight is the night. I will get out on a run along the canal near me. In the dark (don't want to be seen) and in the direction of the countryside and away from houses and roads. used to do that and it is surprising how far you can go in the dark without a head torch.
I just need to know what to wear. I look a sight in a baggy pair of ron hill trek tracksters and windproof montane top. At least with the dark and my cap pulled down low I might not be seen or recognised.
Hi.
Hope you got out for your run
Like you, I was very conscious of running, what to wear, worrying what I look like. It was only when someone pointed out on here what do I think when I see other runners. I usually just wonder how far they've gone, how far they have to go, what route are they doing, does it have any hills, could I do it, think 'good on you'. That stopped me feeling self conscious. Now when I'm out running, I look people in the eye and smile, and they usually smile back, say hello, a few encouraging words. I find that the negatives I thought about me running were just my own thoughts.
The other thing I did was pick places I wanted to explore and using running as the excuse to go. Ive had some lovely days out - packed a flask and something to eat, made a day or a morning / afternoon of it. Or just treating the run as a break from everything, your time away from work / home / people.
Hope it helps x