How do I get to ‘love’ running

[MagpiePi]

I’ve done running on and off for nearly 30 years, but have never loved it the way some people do.
I do it because it is a cheap and convenient way of staying fit and I’ve mostly done it alongside other sports (rugby, swimming, rowing, weightlifting) with other people doing the sport, but have also entered and trained for events by myself - 5 and 10ks, a couple of half marathons. I know that I either need to run with team mates or have a goal race in order to give me the motivation to go out. I’ve tried running clubs but could never find a group that was the right pace and distance for me.

I get satisfaction from completing a run, and I appreciate being out in the fresh air, I don’t run too fast and all that, but I don’t love it while I’m doing it.

How do I get to be someone who can’t wait to pull on their trainers and head out? I’m not going to stop doing it, I just wish I could be a bit more enthusiastic about it!

Does anyone else feel like this?

Are we biologically wired to ever 'love' running?
I mean, we are preprogrammed to save our energy, consume high energy things and laze about because only a few hundred years ago food/warmth were hard earned!

People love the feeling afterwards, love being alone, love being in nature, love the sense of fulfilment, love the mental health benefits... but I cannot believe ANYONE including the amazing Eluid Kipchoge and Mo Farah actually love the burning lungs/legs running bit.

This is a hill I will die on! 🤣

I run 3/4 times a week. About 25 in total.

Some runs I enjoy, where I’m going really slowly! But if I push it like I did yesterday and run a 26.30 5k I mostly hated every second after the first 1k!

however the sense of achievement is enough to keep me doing it.

Burning lungs and legs aren't fun but I don't get those at a comfortable pace!

I think I'd like it much better if I loved somewhere flat

I’ve never really found a comfortable pace. Perhaps I’ve never done it enough but it always hurts!

It really isn't. Everyone is really encouraging I promise, and the really fast, serious runners are all done by about 25 mins and have probably left! It's highly unlikely you'd be anywhere near the end but people always cheer each other on when you're nearing the finish line wherever you are. Nobody cares where abouts you finish. Would you look down on someone behind you? Of course you wouldn't. All that matters is you've turned up and given it a go

I guess parkrun isn’t for everyone. It’s been a life saver for me though, I’ve done over 300 now - whilst on mat leave it kept that bit of structure in my life and now it’s a bit of me time and a way to see some different places.

@NewBinBag Homo sapiens are supposed to have evolved as ‘running apes’ as it’s a method of hunting where you keep jogging along, forcing an antelope or whatever to keep moving. They eventually die of heat exhaustion as they can’t sweat. We have foot arches that act as springs and some mechanism in our necks that mean we can keep our heads still while we run, plus the ability to sweat.
But yes, we are also designed to conserve energy. The ‘natural’ thing to do is use an escalator instead of the stairs, or drive to the supermarket instead of spending all day hoofing across the African savannah.

I do sometimes think about this and wonder why running is so hard then!

I’ve just been for a run in the heat. I am currently shaking and wondering if I’ve pulled my hamstring. WHAT JOY RUNNING BRINGS!

Running in the heat is so hard I agree 🥵

I much prefer running in the cold. Really low temps. In answer to op music is what makes it possible for me to run for longer periods.

I had very bad experiences of doing PE at school which put me off exercise for ages. However, in my 20s I started running. I'd be lying if I said it was enjoyable at first - I'd go beetroot red in the face, felt very self conscious and felt like my lungs were going to explode. It was just an all round horrible experience.

I wanted to love it though so I set my mind to love it. Instead of telling myself oh gosh, this is going to be bloody awful, I'd put on some inspiring music, and run round the fields near our house with the dog at either sunrise or sunset. I would purposefully look for things to enjoy about it and I found many. Running round an empty field awash with gorgeous wild flowers as the sun is rising overhead with my dog has now become almost like a meditation to me and I always feel amazing afterwards.

I honestly think sometimes you have to determine to find the good in something before you do it, rather than waiting for it to descend upon you. The first option puts you in control, the second option is completely down to the hands of fate.

I hate running in the cold, as it really hurts my chest and makes me wheeze for hours afterwards.

I also can't hold a conversation while running - I can barely sustain life - making the idea of doing it with someone else even more horrific.

I may take it up again, if only for the excuse of buying some new trainers.

At first I didn’t love running. I did it because I wanted to get fit and loose weight and wanted to be able to complete 5k/10k whatever in a reasonable time.

now, there are genuinely times when I feel I love it. I did a race today which was really tough, but I loved it. Flying over that done hill finish line was amazing! So I would say that now, I do love running. Even the hard part as I know they do me good!

Have a look at low heart rate running as well or Maffetone running. Loads of videos about it on you tube but that often gives me a renewed enthusiasm for running

@Fraudornot If I try and run at a low heart rate, or a calculated easy pace, I have to be shuffling along with tiny steps and it is even more dull, and perversely, more hard work than just jogging at a natural pace.

I think I am one of the many who would gladly pay the exercise equivalent of a cleaner to do my running, while I go for a nice walk and enjoy the birds and saying hello to dogs and all those things that others say makes them love running. But sadly, you can’t pay to avoid the hard yards, so I will carry on, silently cursing and grumbling to myself, with every bastard step.

😁

Perversely spurred on by this thread, I ventured out for a run/walk this morning. Well, it was 90% walk and 10% sclerotic shuffle. It was partly to see whether even low-heart-rate running was a goer, but it would seem not, as even at a snail's pace one-min jog, downhill, my heartrate got up to 140. It's supposed to be 180 minus your age. And I'm 59!

Before you get too disheartened it’s 220 minus your age so 140 suggests high effort but not ridiculous. I’m a bit younger than you but just calculated that 154, which is where I usually am, is about the same amount of effort as you when I run.

Note the afterwards! 😉 I agree with you about the look for the nice things. And obviously it helps if you can run somewhere with pretty flowers. But I don't think you will necessarily ever love the actual running part, OP, and I think that's fine. I like the satisfaction of finishing, getting my time, seeing my friends, knowing I can vaguely run, keeping healthier etc. occasionally I think oh, I needed to move like I am doing, but I never enjoy the whole run. I aim to settle into a comfortable plod that I don't notice too much.

220- age is the maximum heart rate. 180- age is the pace you should be running at for most of your runs (easy running) and you don’t get it down right away you need to practice to run at low heart rate. The idea is you are building a strong aerobic base.

@passmeaglasssounds like you are doing too much hard running

If "easy" running really isn't easy, "Jeffing" short run/ walk intervals is a lot more accessible. The run intervals should be short enough so that you're not worn out before the 30s walk break. Running bursts can be as short as 15s.
It's a great approach for injury-prone runners too. I used run 90 or 60s/ walk 30s to train for and complete my marathon and managed not to aggravate an old injury from a year earlier.

There's no red-faced PE teacher bellowing to stop walking and speed up.
Seriously, old school PE teachers did so much harm in creating life-long fitness habits.

Indeed. It's 180-age for the LHR system. Which seems an impossibility. Or I'm in for a few weeks of walking...

https://www.runandbecome.com/running-training-advice/low-heart-rate-training?srsltid=AfmBOopW7ifiUao3ap-gnXFgD0J8m8mB04B7pphmc2L1qgwm54HNSFox

Another problem is I've got an arthritic hip. Last time I did running, it was the only thing to actually help it. Today it seems to have made it worse.