As a new runner I might not know the right or complete answer to this, all I know is, what has worked for me.
Before I got into running I used to think 20 minutes on the treadmill was the best I could do. I never understood how people can be on the treadmill for longer than 30 minutes. The torture I would say.
What worked for me, was having a goal. When I first started really running, earlier this year, was when I signed up for my first 10k even though it was a virtual 10k I was motivated and super excited to do it.
I quickly realized that having a goal is the first and most important thing to getting past that comfort level.
MY GOAL was to do a 10k, MY MOTIVATION was my goal + my training plan.
If you know anything about me is that once I set a goal that I really want, I will complete it. I wanted to do this and I didn’t care if I had to run, walk or crawl the rest of the way. I also trusted my training plan and knew that if I did what was on there (runs, strength training, cross training, stretching and rest) or at least most of their runs, I would be fine.
My first 3 mile run wasn’t easy, but like that Showtime Rotisserie Infomercial says: set it and forget it. I set my Nike+ GPS/Nike+ Running app to distance 3 miles and away I went. Ran, walked, and crawled, I wasn’t leaving that gym without 3 completed miles on my screen. And that’s how it all began. That’s how I began running past my comfort level.
Now I’m running 11 miles, as I continue training for a half marathon.
It ain’t easy, but it’s not impossible, and I sure don’t regret it, even if at mile 2 of a long run, makes me think how da hell am I going to get through this. Lol. It happens, it’s mental. You get through it, it’ll hurt, then it doesn’t, and away you go. Feeling the wind, passing the miles, and crossing or reaching your goal. I LOVE it. OMG, I can believe i just said that?! Ask me six months ago what I thought about running. Crazy, isn’t it?!
Knowing I can do it, knowing I did it, knowing the soreness will heal. I don’t mind it.
Words like focused, determination and motivation were just words before, now they’re what get me through my runs, my training, my life.
I asked a few of my motivators, the people that kind of influenced me to give running a try, because we shared a similar interest, in this case was NTC. These ladies are super users of Nike Training Club, and they well deserve it. They are also amazing runners. I wanted them to share their answers on how they got past their comfort level. You can read their stories in Part II of this post.