👋 What can you learn from 100 days of running?
Welcome to the third edition of the Dancing Duck Chronicles. It’s a chilly Sunday afternoon, and I had some piping hot Gajar ka Halwa before lunchtime. Life is good.
Talking about all things good - running. Let me zoom back to 2020, the dreaded Covid era. I was a 20 year old almost-graduate. I didn’t know the ABC’s of exercising. In March of 2020, the year of lockdown, there was a lot of time at home, and no excuse to keep away from the taboo habit of exercising. So, something clicked and I got on the exercising bandwagon. Come 2022 - I had lost a bunch of kilos, gained some back, and was looking for some motivation beyond the monotonous Youtube workouts. Gym, you ask? I couldn’t see myself as a a gym going gal, and I knew I wouldn’t stick to it.
Next idea - any sport? Now I wasn’t exactly the athlete growing up, and I have been known to drop the literal ball due to the acute lack of eye/hand coordination. So I turned to the only sport that didn't need any preconditions - Running. This was November 2022.
Cut to December 2023, exactly a year later - I had clocked in 115 runs in the whole year, with one 10k marathon participation to my credit! So what happened?
Two things. First, I wasn’t a born runner, but I steadily upgraded from walking to jogging to running. Secondly, I found running as a byproduct of another lofty goal - being trek ready for a Himalayan climb. Somewhere between 1 & 2, I became someone who started enjoyed the process, and becoming a runner. So here is what I learnt in the process, and here’s how you can get started too.
🏃Want to start running? Make it as easy as you can.
The main reason I picked running as a sport is because there was a playground right below my house, which reduced the lethargy on lazy, unmotivated days. We all have those. In the beginning of my running journey, I started with a pair of walking shoes and a pair of headphones. I remember being shy of running in the beginning. But a baby crawls before it walks, and I walked before I could gather the courage to run.
Looking back, the reason I could manage to run a lofty amount is because I made it as easy as putting my shorts on, wearing my shoes and just starting. It didn’t matter if I ran, jogged or walked. Movement was my biggest win. The Nike Run Club app helped me pace my distances & duration, which brings me to the next learning.
⏲️Don’t overfixate over how much & how long
As a beginner, I started my journey by logging my progress on the Nike app - which helped me identify my pace & duration. But with time, I realized that my mood & feeling of winning would become dependent on the stats on the app screen. A 10 pace meant a bad run, a sub 30 minute means I failed. Moreover, I would get overly frustrated on days when the app would glitch out, failing to measure my runs, and quit midway. It took me some time to realize I was fixating on an app too much to give me the validation I needed, and feel good after my run. Looking back, I would just consider all days of movement in the beginning as my big wins, and measure progress by way of how I felt physically & mentally.
📈 Progress is not point A to Point B
In the beginning of the year, I had started running at a comfortable 5k, hoping to become an easy marathoner by the end of the year. The goal seemed straightforward in my mind - 5K Jan, 7K Feb & bam - 20k December. Easy! Or so I thought.
Reality was humbling. My running trajectory was jagged, like a volatile stock catapulting day in & day out. I would be able to clock in 7 kilometers easy for days and suddenly crash to struggling to run for 2. Here lied my biggest, and toughest lesson. Progress is not linear. Progress is struggling up on some days, mentally pushing yourself on others. On all days, progress is just about showing up.
➿Run Pause Run - it’s all about repetition
I was talking to a friend who spoke about another runner experiencing a runner’s high when they are on the road. I absolutely agree - the adrenaline rush from running feels great on most days. The mental health benefits are countless.
Here’s the flip side. As an activity, running can also feel monotonous, boring, and more importantly - unchallenging on other days. Think about it - an exercise that involves you putting one step over another for days at stretch loses charm after a while. All I can say is - embrace the bad days, and find joy in the good days. Mix it up with other activities so you don’t end up having too much of the running banana pudding. Throw in a Yoga Tres Leches, okay, I’m probably hungry. And every once in a while, you’ll find a good podcast, a great soundtrack and good train of thought to keep you company on your runs - and time will whoosh you by.
🧠 How well you run is a 70% mind game
If you have ever been on hikes, treks, walks or even up a flight of stairs - what pushes you to take every additional step? Sure, it’s stamina, practice & progress. But it is also a game of your mind, and how you can train yourself to push you beyond your own boundaries. There’s a reason why a 30-minute walk is a walk in the park today, and an absolute drag tomorrow.
Physiological aspects aside, how much you can run is a factor of how you feel, and how hard you can put your mind to reaching the finish line. If you look at running beyond it’s physical qualities - you can find what I call ‘meditative movement’ in it. So train your mind to take it one step at a time before every run, and your legs will automatically take you miles & miles ahead. But remember, take it easy & listen to your mind & body on all days. The days I unlocked exponential running milestones is when I took the pressure off myself. As you can imagine, you can always run better with a lighter heart. ;)
That’s all for today, folks. Hope you enjoyed this edition, and I will see you around for the next one.
Cheers!
Superb 👏