I’ve been running consistently for more than a year now. And there are some things that, for some reason, weren’t obvious to me — things I didn’t really hear anyone talking about.
This might sound harsh, but you should know this. Otherwise, you risk having high expectations and feeling like you’re getting nothing in return.
Below are the things I either didn’t know or chose to ignore. And those things led me to failure before. But as soon as I realized my mistakes — everything fell into place.
“I will lose weight if I start running.”
This is my mistake #1. My favorite misconception. I just love it so much. “Cardio is the best way to burn calories, isn’t it?” No, it isn’t. It’s a great way to feel hungry and tired! So stop it, for God’s sake! Spoiler alert — nothing will help you lose weight unless you stop eating like a vacuum cleaner and start paying attention to your diet. Adding high-intensity training will just burn you alive.
To lose weight through training, you’ll need to increase your volume week by week. And there’s no way around it. As soon as you stop, you’ll stop losing and start gaining it back. And then you’ll say, “F*** it, I won’t be thin, but I’ll be happy,” and you’ll have a huge setback. I WAS THERE. Trust me.
“Every run should bring you joy.”
I don’t know what exactly those bloggers take when they talk about “enjoyable runs every day,” but running isn’t all ponies and rainbows. It’s hard physical work. Can it bring you joy? Yes, it can. Sometimes. But you won’t feel perfect every day. Training is hard work, and you need to accept that.
For example, my recent run was an interval session. It was pouring rain. It was cold. And the wind was insane (50–70 km/h, to be precise). Was I happy? No. I was thinking only about one thing — when will it end? But I knew I had to do it to maintain my results. And I knew training is hard work, not an easy Sunday walk in the park. That’s why I keep going.
“If I’m consistent, I’ll see results soon.”
No, you won’t. I saw my first results after a year of training. The first six months I was just trying to build a habit — going out for a run instead of playing computer games. The next six months I was working hard to complete my training plans. Only after a year did I see my first results: my heart rate went lower, my pace improved, running felt easier.
Again, it took me more than a year. So next time you decide to give up running after not seeing results in 1–2 months, think again.
“Weight doesn’t affect my running ability.”
I personally never thought that way, but I’ve heard people say it doesn’t matter how much you weigh. I lost a lot of weight just to improve my running and become healthier. And to be honest, I think that’s the main reason why I see progress. It’s much easier to run when you weigh less.
That doesn’t mean you can’t run if you’re overweight — of course you can. I did, and no one got hurt, including me. Just be aware that it’ll be hard at first, but it will get easier. You might need to reduce the intensity in the beginning — slower pace, shorter distance. Later, you can improve. Just trust the process. And take care of your diet.
“I can use someone else’s training plan — it worked for them, so it will work for me.”
Everyone is different. Everyone’s goals are different. Some people train to stay healthy, some train for marathons, others want to improve their 5K pace. You need to build your plan based on your goal and your ability. If something works well for one person, it doesn’t mean it will suit you.
“If I run fast, I’ll see better results.”
Fast runs (tempo, threshold) are crucial for your running ability, but they aren’t more important than easy runs. Even if your easy runs feel more like walking than running, they still have a huge impact on your training.
If you can’t do easy runs without your heart rate skyrocketing — switch to brisk walks, incline treadmill walks, or cycling. I personally started with cycling, then added short runs to slightly increase intensity.
If you run twice a week and have enough time between runs to recover — fine, do high-intensity sessions. But that won’t build your endurance base.
“People will judge me for my slow running, and I’m too shy to go out.”
Let’s talk about this one. I had this problem before, and I did a lot of work to fix it. And I bet you have the same issue too.
First of all — who cares what other people think? They should worry about their own lives, not yours. Your life is your responsibility, and that’s exactly why you’re going for a run, isn’t it?
And second — people don’t care. Even if there are a few haters with unresolved psychological issues, that doesn’t mean everyone’s like that. Most people are too busy with their own lives and thoughts. So move on!
So next time you think about quitting running because you don’t see results or aren’t losing weight — think twice.
Sooner or later, you’ll get there.
Good luck with your training — and don’t give up.
