In March, when COVID-19 changed everything, it totally affected the way I trained and stayed in shape. As a college athlete going to the gym three to four times per week was something that was built into my life. When gyms closed down and I no longer had the option to train there, I had to find ways to stay in shape at home. This was when I turned to running.
Because I’ve always had workouts made for me by coaches and trainers, running wasn’t something I’ve ever really done before. Here are some tips I’ve learned over the last few months that have helped running become easier for me.
- Run to music around 125-145 beats per minute (BPM). When I workout using weights, I usually listen to rap or hip-hop music that is a little bit slower. When I first started running I listened to the same music but I quickly noticed that when I switched to upbeat, faster tunes, I was running way faster than before!
- Make sure you have good running shoes. The runners I had in March and April didn’t have good ankle support, they had weak material at the front of the shoe and the bottoms weren’t very cushy. The first thing I did when malls opened up was buy a good pair of Nike running shoes. I made sure they had good ankle support as running outside can have uneven ground as well as hard material at the toe because you push that part of the shoe when running more than when using weights to work out.
- Run with a partner. Running with someone gave me the accountability of keeping up with the pace and running for a longer period of time. It was also more enjoyable, in March when we couldn’t see anyone indoors it was a great way to catch up with friends as well as stay active. Running with someone can help you push yourself farther and is also a way to stay social and safe during these times!
By using these tips I hope that it can help you either start running or if you already run regularly help make it easier!
