You’ve seen them. We all have. Whether sweating their skins off in the summer or bundled-up beyond recognition in the winter, the runners are out there. Maybe you’ve called them “crazy” (or something even less polite). Maybe you’ve envied their single-minded dedication to their physical well-being. And maybe, just maybe, you’ve even considered giving running a try yourself…

“I could never do that. I’m not a runner…”

Sure you could. How do you think early man got around? Our bodies evolved to run; they did not evolve to sit at a desk all day. Will it be easy? Not at the start. But it will get easier if you stick with it. Maybe your first run will only be five minutes long. Maybe you need to run one minute and walk the next. Do whatever it takes to get you moving.

And the day you do, you’ll be a runner.

“But I don’t have the time!”

Oh no? You can’t spare twenty minutes a few times a week? If the answer is no, perhaps it is time to look at why fitness is not a priority in your life. Why do you want to run? Weight-loss, health gains, even just to get out of the house… these are all worthy causes. Does looking and feeling better mean more to you than, say, catching the next installment of Desperate Housewives? To achieve consistency in any exercise program, fitness needs to be a priority, whatever your underlying motivations. To put it bluntly, you need to make time. Scheduling your runs each week will increase your odds of actually getting out there to run.

“But I don’t have fancy shoes!”

While a slick pair of running shoes might make you feel cool, they aren’t crucial when just starting out. Make sure that the runners you do wear on those first outings fit well to avoid getting blisters. If you decide that running is something you want to do regularly, a good pair of shoes is a sound investment, especially if you are prone to foot problems like plantarfaciitis. Be sure to select the pair that fits and feels the best, which will not necessarily be the pair that looks the best. Your running shoes should be about function, not fashion.

Just put one foot in front of the other…

And repeat. In the end, it really is that simple. Your feet will figure out what to do.

– Amanda
CSEP-CPT