3 Tips How to Become a Runner in 2024

For those of you who don’t know, I began my running journey in January of 2023. Since then have run hundreds of miles over the course of the last several months and have raced in two half marathons. 

 

At one point in my life, I had ZERO interest in running. 

 

There was also a point in my life where I wanted to start running, but wasn’t exactly sure where to start. 

So I applied some of the skills you’re going to learn today that we teach our clients in Alliance Coaching. 

Most of us know it’s important to identify what our general running goal is.

 

We want to know what we are working towards and how important it is to make sure that we are following some type of program. Either working with a running coach or being able to follow through with that running so that we can be the most successful. 

 

But what do we have to do now to make sure that we follow through in being a more consistent runner so we can get closer towards that? 

 

Running Tip #1: Find & Tell Your Support System About Your Goal

For me, I had to make sure that when I planned to run that I told my spouse about it. This way, he could handle everything at home with childcare during my running times. He also showed up for me in the moments where I didn’t want to run, giving me that extra push to hold me accountable and make sure I got out that door.

 

Support can also look like making sure you have general childcare if that is something you need. 

 

It also could look like finding a community of runners who are working towards a similar goal just like you. 

 

Maybe you even choose to work with a behavior change coach who can help you show up for your commitments. A good behavior change coach will help you work through any resistance or mind drama and build those behavior change skills so that more action is happening towards being a consistent runner. 

Social support is immensely helpful with being able to be a consistent runner or reaching any goal. 

Being able to truly voice what your goal is holds you to a different level of accountability. It tells our brains that we really need to show up for ourselves. 

 

It’s a great way to connect on many levels. Whether that is in our household and really intimate people in our lives. It could be friends and people who just have like-minded goals of running or maybe we’re connecting in an online community or working with a coach.

 

They all provide a valuable contribution in how successful you can be. Social support can really make a huge difference from thinking about running to actually doing the run. 

 

Running Tip #2: Schedule Your Runs

There is a HUGE difference for me on the weeks that I schedule my runs and know when and what days I’m going to be completing them in preparation for that. Versus the weeks that I try to make a decision on the fly, on a day-to-day basis. 

 

While I truly enjoy running… If I’m faced with the question, “Do I want to go on a run right now?”

 

The answer is most likely going to be no. 

 

My brain is going to list all of the reasons why I shouldn’t be going on a run and all of the things that I need to be doing instead, or how it can be pushed off later. It starts a negotiating process that is only hindering me from actually getting out of the door.

 

What can be the most helpful is avoiding that altogether and making the commitment ahead of time.

Scheduling runs can be a great way to show commitment to yourself. 

It demonstrates a non-negotiable within your week to do the things that are working towards your goal. It also prevents any of that negotiating that can happen within your brain. 

 

If you’re faced with the decision in the moment, let’s take the guesswork out of it and be able to put it on our calendar and prepare for that accordingly. 

 

Running Tip #3: Embrace The Discomfort 

Arguably, this is the most important tip…

 

Running can be uncomfortable, especially if you are a new runner. The weather isn’t always perfect; the terrain isn’t always ideal. Maybe you didn’t sleep great the night before. You’re working through and learning…. What does a hard run feel like and what does an easy run feel like?

 

You’re navigating things like mileage and running indoors versus outdoors. And ultimately something that a lot of people don’t talk about – boredom. 

By accepting and embracing the discomfort that sometimes comes with running, it allows us to have amazing growth opportunities for not only our physical capabilities, but also our mindset capabilities. 

It’s a great way to build your discomfort tolerance. Knowing that you can be uncomfortable, but you can still show up and do the thing anyways because the benefit to you completing it allows for so much more growth and opportunity on the other end. 

 

You are getting closer to a version of you who follows through and shows up and does the thing anyways, even if it was the last thing you actually wanted to do. 

 

With embracing the discomfort, it allows us to say, “Okay, not all runs are fun, but each run is going to get me closer to my goal.”

If you always wait for the “perfect” time, opportunity, weather or sleep… You’re never going to go on a run.

 

• • What does it feel like to show up and do it when you are a little tired? 

• • When the conditions aren’t perfect? 

• • What can you gain and learn from that? 

• • What benefits can you get as a runner and overall as a growth opportunity, working towards your general goals by showing up anyways? 

Sometimes the best thing for you is the thing that you don’t want to do… The thing that causes us a little discomfort and running can do that. 

 

Because of this, I have never once regretted any of my runs. Whether they were a bad run or an amazing run, I know that I still gained some kind of benefit from it and it allowed me to be a better runner. 

 

Thank you for reading, see you in the next one!