5 Reasons To Start Running

By Vanessa Agosta
[Fitness]
Is running really bad for your joints?  Vanessa Agosta shares her experiences with running.
If the most running you ever did was in your elementary school playground when you were a child, you may need a lot of convincing before even considering to start running.  Many people who don’t run simply believe running is just not meant for them.  They find it difficult, maybe even painful.  I was one of those people six years ago.  Even though I was an active person, lifting weights regularly and practicing martial arts, I could never get myself into running.  Each time I tried (and it would be sporadic), my lungs would burn and I would get stitches (painful abdominal cramps) in my side.  I thought I could safely say that I wasn’t a runner.

My Foray Into Running

About six years ago I started working at a desk job in an office that had no gym and my lunch breaks were not long enough for me to travel elsewhere to exercise.  But I really wanted to work out on my lunch break, so I started running.  Actually, I didn’t start running; I started walking.  I would warm up by walking for five to ten minutes and then I would run for as long as I could.  At that time, I would last maybe a minute.  Then I would walk again.  I continued this effort each day, running and walking in a combination that felt comfortable to me.  After a couple of months I introduced a stopwatch to my training just to keep things interesting.  What an accomplishment it was to run for five minutes without stopping.

By now, you can get a sense of where I’m going with this.  The key to my success with running was that I was consistent and worked at my level of ability.  I’m not a fast runner, nor will I ever be one.  But that’s not important to me.  What matters to me is that I enjoy what I do and that it makes me feel good after I’ve done it.  Convenience is a big bonus.  I don’t have to get in the car and go somewhere.  My gym is right outside my door.

Barring any severe injuries or chronic joint pain, there is no reason for any of us not to run.  If you’re an older person, it may take you a bit longer to work up to running than someone who is younger and that’s okay.  But if my experience is not enough inspiration for you to start, I’ve got five more reasons why you should.

It's Cheap And Easy

Running is an inexpensive sport (as long as you don’t go crazy buying clothes, shoes and accessories).  You don’t have to pay for a gym membership because your gym is outdoors.  This brings me to another point:  running is convenient because you can do it virtually anywhere.  Running is also a natural movement of the body.  Unlike other sports or figuring out how to work the machines at the gym, there isn’t a whole lot to learn about running.
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