Running is most ancient and accessible sweetener of human wellbeing.
The benefits of running:
- Running on empty stomach exacerbate fat burning
- You can release your excess energy before heading to a boring office job
- It helps people getting know their living environment better
- It is not expensive as cross training
Prologue
As a school kid, I didn’t particularly like running or any other form of exercising. This can be attributed to two things. First, it was mandatory, and second, I had overweight. I had to wait many years for my first „voluntary” run. When I went to university in Veszprém between 2013 and 2019, I had to collect sport signatures. Although I was an active mountain biker, I didn’t belong to any club that could have provided me signatures. Most of them came from gym workouts and badminton. I also tried running, but as a beginner, running in the city center of Veszprém wasn’t a very well-considered decision. Although my circulatory system was used to aerobic exercise, running – especially running on hills – uses completely different muscles. I was happy to be alive in my first group run.
66
trainings
31:15:45
time spent with running
303 km
annual distance
2337 m
elevation gain
Basic pillar 1: weight training
As a beginner, I was surprised by how much stress running puts on certain muscles in the upper body. Training these muscles is essential for becoming a better runner.
Basic pillar 2: stretching/yoga
It is recommanded for everyone and essential for older people (over 30). You can find a lot of yoga exercises on the internet that are useful after sports. I alternate stretching/rolling.
Basic pillar 3: foam roller
For rich people, there is the opportunity to use the help of a masseur 1-2 times a week. Other people, like me, have to use some kind of foam roll make do with rolling. It is easy to learn how to use it. My first roller was very hard and did more harm than good. It is worth choosing a softer design. On the evening of running days, I usually massage my legs with ointment/ice gel.
Running clothes: I was absolutely surprised by how expensive running related clothes are. Let’s take a closer look. It’s worth wearing a headband against sweat or a cap in the winter. As a running top, I use synthetic T-shirts or cycling clothes I got from previous races. Running pants are a bit more complex. As a whole year runner, you need at least three pairs of pants: summer shorts, long pants for colder weather, and a thermal pants for cold weather. Personally, I don’t like wearing lycra and other close-to-the-skin pants. They are uncomfortable, so I only wear loose-fitting pants. Running socks should be thicker to provide better cushioning and to wick away sweat. And finally, the most important and expensive accessory: a pair of good running shoes. I used to run with a Nike. When I started running again, I took them out again, but after 6 years they were not comfortable anymore. A replacement insole helped until I decided to buy a more expensive/branded running shoe. These were the Mizuno Wave Rebellion shoes. I didn’t have any foot pain right after the first run. I thought about trying another brand, but if they work well why should I invest time and money. Anyway, after two years of usage I ended up stocking up some older Mizuno shoes. So even a runaway model costs you around 100$ (on sale!).