The KYDRA Club

How to Run When You Hate Running

Run.

Unless you’re fortunate enough to have fallen in love with the sport, there are few words in the world that evoke greater feelings of dread. Is it any coincidence that this same word is used to describe the state of your nasal passages being congested, leaving you feeling lethargic and irritable?

But amidst the new normal, where we cannot take indoor exercises and classes for granted, there is no better time to add running into your fitness regime and reap the benefits of better cardiovascular health and even enjoy the elusive ‘Runner’s High’.

1: Start Small, But Do it Often

If we haven’t been running much, it will help to ease into things and avoid biting off more than we can chew.

From a psychological, physical and time perspective, it is easier to add a 15-minute run to your schedule each day, compared to doing one massive hour-long run, followed by being sore and unable to keep active for the next few days.

Gradually ramping up the intensity and distance of your runs will allow you to give your body sufficient stimulus to improve, while not causing the kind of suffering that would make you more likely to ditch your runs.

2: Combine Runs With Something You Enjoy

There are many ways to make your runs more pleasurable. You could jam to a specially curated playlist of upbeat tunes as you run – have you checked us out on Spotify?!

Or perhaps save your riveting audiobooks or podcasts for your runs. This way, you would look forward to your running sessions, if only because you get to enjoy auditory bliss as you pound the pavement.

Those who run on treadmills have an additional option of watching videos while they run, though we recommend you keep an eye on your pace and heart rate to ensure you are adequately challenged and get the most out of your workout.

3: Change Things Up to Keep Things Interesting

Adding variety is a great way to make your runs less monotonous. How can you get bored if every run is a new experience? If you usually use the treadmill, head outside for fresh air and get some Vitamin D sometimes!

Instead of always using the running track to clock your distances, you could try park connectors for a traffic-free run surrounded by natural greenery. For those who are already running around their neighbourhoods, trying out new routes would add inexhaustible variety to your workouts.

4: Bring A Friend for Company & Accountability

For many, running is usually a solitary affair, which adds to the dread. One reason why fitness programmes like spin cycling, group high-intensity interval training classes, and dance fitness lessons have grown in popularity is the community component.

Surround yourself with company you enjoy as you take to the streets, subject to prevailing safe management guidelines. Running together can serve as a source of inspiration and helps you overcome the temporary discomfort during your workout.

As the saying goes, misery loves company, even if it’s just to relish in the feeling of schadenfreude at the shared suffering.

5: Use A Tool to Measure Your Progress

There is nothing more harmful to motivation than thinking we are exerting ourselves, but not seeing any progress.

Whether it is our maximum repetitions of a certain exercise, lifting our personal best in weights, or jotting down our golf handicaps – keeping track of how we are doing helps keep us motivated on the lifelong journey of self-improvement and living out a healthy lifestyle.

Runners can make use of a fitness tracker or their apps on their mobile phones to record their runs, and be heartened to know how much distance they clocked in a particular week, how fast they ran, and a whole host of other in-depth statistics.

6: Gear Up!

Finally, having gear that look great, feel fantastic, and function well during runs can actually make you look forward them – whether you’re running a long distance, attempting a shorter one at higher intensity, or simply going for a leisurely recovery jog.

Whatever you choose to do, Kydra’s line of stylish, performance-oriented activewear is your perfect companion.

In particular, our sweat-wicking fabrics rapidly draws moisture away from your body and onto the large external surface area for quick evaporation, which helps keep you dry and cool, allowing you to perform at your best for longer.

Lace Up & Head Out

Running is one of the very few workouts that do not require any equipment or specialised locations to perform, and can be done any time of the day. With all its variations, it provides cardiovascular benefits to people of a wide range of fitness levels, from couch potatoes to professional athletes.

Learning to hate running less would help unlock this world of possibilities and health benefits, and we believe these tips would give you a solid run for your money. Mind over matter!

General Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of KYDRA. Any content provided by our writers are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any organization, company, individual and more.