I’m going to start running for the first time, and I’m feeling very intimidated by my decision. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. I love seeing people who are out for their daily run. They all look so fit and healthy…and unachievable.

Why I Want to Begin Running for the First Time

As I mentioned, it’s something I’ve considered doing for a while. I’ve been reading a lot about what going for a run can do for you physically but also emotionally. I’d like to try running for the first time and see if I can bring myself to the point that I’m getting that positive, healthy feeling too. I’d like to know firsthand what a runner’s high feels like. I want to know what it is to be that person that other people see and think “she looks so fit and healthy…”

I’m not dumb enough to think that when I’m out there running for the first time, everything will fall into place, and I’ll be great at it.  I know that it will be very difficult and that I’ll likely hate it and want to give up on it for the first while. But it’ll be worth it because one day I’ll realize that I’m not hating it. Then, one day, I’ll realize that I’m loving it.  That’s the goal, anyway.

How I Plan to Start

At the moment, I don’t run at all.  So, I really will be running for the first time. I’ll be starting from scratch. I’ve done a bit of reading, and it looks like the best way to get started is in intervals.

So, for a while, I’ll continue walking as I usually do, but I’ll throw in a minute of running (more likely jogging) at a time.  As I reach the point that I’m not collapsing as a humiliating sweaty mass at the end of the one-minute jogging sessions, I’ll start doing them more often. Then I’ll start lengthening them to two minutes.

I doubt I’ll be doing a full run for several weeks.  Instead, I’ll be walking, jogging, walking, jogging at different intervals.  Eventually, once I’ve brought my fitness level up enough, I’ll be able to begin truly running for the first time.

I haven’t decided if I’ll go for a half marathon or anything like that in my future, but I wouldn’t mind joining a charity run at some point. I think that would be motivational and very rewarding.