13 Reasons You Are Not Running... and What To Do About Them!
1. You think you don't have the body for it, or feel self-conscious
Lack of fitness and physical appearance are very common reasons for not exercising. You may be dreading to go to the gym, or even the thought of working out outside and be seen by others terrifies you. Although understandable (but not justified) these feelings keep you in a catch-22 situation, and mean you will not be able to get fitter. So first you need to park these thoughts, forget that sport and running is only for fit people, and most importantly look for role models in people just like you. As it happens I know just the guy. Meet my friend Roger Wright, from Needham, Massachusetts. Roger was 47 and weighing 276.7 pounds when he decided enough was enough and he would start exercising and train for the Boston Marathon. So ok. that's a bit extreme, some of you may say. It's perfectly acceptable to start with a ParkRun. The reason why Roger's story is interesting is that he was a regular guy who had never exercised in his life. Now, Roger can be regularly seen on the marathon scene across the US as he's running a few marathons a year. Roger's become a friend and I'll always be in awe at what he has achieved. But there are other similar examples out there. Personally I don't have the ectomorph body type that would be ideal for an endurance runner. So yes, it's unlikely I'll ever win a big race. But that won't stop me from trying to get faster!
2. You don't have the time
Ok, I get it. you have a busy job, or a busy family life, or worse: both!! I hear that all the time. Yes, it's hard to find time to exercise. But exercising is good for your body and for your mental health also. Is your current lifestyle a healthy lifestyle? If not, it may be time to try and carve out some time to exercise. It doesn't have to be drastic. Any time you can find will do. Running is easier as it only requires a pair of shorts and shoes. If you don't have time during the day, why not try a run commute, or if it's too far what about getting off the train one stop earlier and run the rest? If you don't have time outside of work, can you try escaping at lunch time for a quick run? That may require you blocking out 30min or 1 hour in your calendar, but you will sure be more productive in the afternoon. And you may even find some colleagues willing to join you, making it a networking opportunity!
3. You Keep Getting Injured Every Time you Try
I have heard that excuse also. Very frequently I see people stopping exercise because they got injured and just assume that exercise 'must be bad for them'. I stop you there: this is what it is, an assumption. If you suffer from knee pain in particular, refer to my past blog post on the topic. If things get painful I'm not saying you should push through, but definitely that you should see a specialist, such as a sports physio. Only a specialist will be able to tell you why you are injured, and what to do about it. Most importantly they will likely tell you that with a little bit of support from them you will be able to resume physical activity including running. Just don't give it up: exercise is good for you, and can even be beneficial for arthritis!
4. You Don't Know where to Start
As I said above, no need to go straight from zero to hero with a marathon target. Ease yourself in by following the NHS Couch to 5k and then try a ParkRun near where you live. It's guaranteed to be full of people just like you!!
5. You Think You Will Come Last
Ok, I get it, you don't want to be THAT person that finishes last. But so what? What exactly will happen if you come last? Well, guess what, your name will still appear in the list of finishers. So unless your race has a cut off time, you WILL finish. After all, what's worse that training for months for a race and then being picked up by the tail wagon (nothing to be ashamed of by the way if you are one of those, I just completely empathise with your disappointment). Chances are, your race doesn't have a cut off and you will finish. So all that training will have been worth it after all ;-) !! And then if at the next race you are not last and bump into the last person, feel free to give them a cheer for a job nicely completed.
6. You Think it's Not Fun
Hmm, I have heard that before. Running a regular race is not for just anyone, especially if you are new to running (once you get the bug, you may want to revise that view!!). SO why not make it a fun one? There are tons of fun runs around, look at the Colour Run, the Santa Run, and a few more examples. Alternatively find virtual races and race your friends online (this will keep you motived if you are competitive!).
7. You Think You Have to Run Fast all the Time
A common misconception and mistake (that I made myself) was that you have to push the pace for every single run and exhaust yourself. Wrong. I touched on this in my previous blog post, but most of your training should be performed at Easy Pace. Chances are, at that pace, you will find running much more enjoyable (but don't forget to fit in the tougher speed and hill sessions in your weekly training though!).
8. You are Competitive but Keep on Getting Passed by People during Race or Training Runs
Ah! I know that feeling! Just back during my recent Mad'Trail event, whilst I seemed to have done ok on the uphill bit, I got passed by what seemed like at least 50 people on the way down. I just couldn't get faster as my legs had turned to jelly. So I just had to swallow my pride and try to turn this into a more positive view: it was my first mountain race, those people passing me were probably regulars (even if they were not, this is the kind of positive thinking that worked at that moment and afterwards), and most importantly I knew I was giving everything I had and it had to be enough. So there you go: give it all during your run, and if it's not enough and you're still getting passed, no big deal. Just put it down to experience, learn from it and try to figure out how to beat yourself next time (yes, the real competition in running should be with yourself, not with other runners).
9. You Don't Like Exercising On Your Own
... then don't!! There are plenty of running clubs around, super-inclusive events such as ParkRun, UK Athletics initiatives like Run Together. You don't have to do it alone!! Or alternatively why not listen to an audio book or a podcast to keep you company?
10. You Don't Like Cold/Rain/Heat/the Outdoor
I definitely used to belong to the 'fair weather runner' category. But the truth is, my real bug bear was about getting wet. At the same time I hated running in my rain jacket, as I was steaming within seconds. I have since discovered rain-proof running jackets and it's changed my attitude to running in the rain. Mine is the Asics Accelerate jacket and I absolutely love it but there are plenty of similar ones out there. I also run on snow when required with my studded Icebugs. As the saying goes, 'there is no such thing as bad weather, such bad equipment'. Ultimately though, if you dislike the outdoor or the weather is really too much to bear, you can always run on a treadmill at the gym.
11. You Don't Like the Gym
Hopefully you're not also someone who dislike the outdoor, in which case maybe running truly isn't for you :-). I'm personally not a fan of the treadmill so the gym is not my favourite place to exercise. I still have a membership for the tornado-weather-kind-of-day (not that we have many of those in the UK!) or the injury-rehab-kind-of-time should it be required, but I haven't set foot in the gym for a little while. So if you don't like the gym, just get out and remember to take the right gear with you so the weather doesn't put you off!
12. You Don't Like Laps
Me neither. Actually this is probably the first thing I check when signing up for a race. When I see events requiring to run an endless number of laps around an athletic track, I wonder how people find the mental strength. I think I got scarred by my school's PE sessions! In any case, there are tons of races that are either point-to-point (i.e. start and finish at different locations) or do a single loop. Just check before you sign up!
13. You Have a Cold
That one is a bit of a tricky one and I recommend you consult your GP, especially if you have a race coming up. Personally, my cut off is at chest level: if it's chesty, it's a no go. If it's not, it's a go go (albeit possibly at slower pace).
So, what's stopping you?