I never used to consider myself much of an outdoorsy kind of girl, and I would hardly use the adjective “athletic” to describe my fitness routines. Staying in shape and working out were important to me, but I always felt that keeping active was some kind of chore. I would banish myself to the gym a few days a week and spend the majority of my workouts dreaming of the moment I could get off the treadmill. Working out was not an enjoyable activity, but I knew that I had to do it to stay healthy.
However, I had a complete change of heart and attitude about fitness when I studied abroad in Switzerland during my spring 2011 semester. During my first week in Lausanne, I wanted to start a morning fitness routine, but I had no access to a gym. My only options were either not working out at all or taking my workout outdoors. I decided I would try something I never thought I would be able to do. I decided to become a runner.
My morning runs started out at a slow jogging pace that I could only keep up for about 10 minutes at a time. For the first couple of weeks, I switched off between running 10 minutes and power walking five to 10 minutes. Progressively, these intervals became easy for me and I realized that I needed to start pushing myself if I wanted to improve my stride.
One cold February morning I decided I was ready to push myself to my limit. I would drive myself to keep running until I absolutely had to stop. I can still remember how excited and anxious I felt as I laced up my shoes and mentally prepared myself for the unknown.
I started at a steady pace, continued until I felt comfortable, and then I picked up the speed. I was no longer counting the minutes, and elapsed time did not matter. All I could think about was pushing myself further and further. A few miles and 35 minutes later, I finally stopped. There was no reason to make excuses anymore — I knew I was capable of running long distances and had to keep pushing myself.
Before I knew it, my running obsession began and I was running long distances at least three days a week. My body composition was changing rapidly as I was gaining longer, leaner muscle and my endurance was increasing tremendously. Because I was running on uneven terrain, my balance also improved. I noticed I had more energy throughout the day and my overall disposition was uplifted.
Running became more than just a physical workout; it became a passion that took a hold of all of my senses. Every landmark I passed, whether it was the bakery or the schoolyard, had a different scent and sound that I could always count on. Every breath of fresh outdoor air that filled my lungs cleansed and renewed me as it gave me the strength to push further.
Within four short months I went from being the girl who used to fake being sick in PE during the running practices, to the outdoorsy and athletic girl who craved lungs full of fresh air and the uneven pavement beneath her feet. When I was running, the world seemed to slow down as I allowed myself to concentrate on my senses and let my mind escape.
Of course I did experience a lot of muscle pain and aches as my body was adjusting to the new physical activity. But it was all worth it. I did not become a runner overnight. It was a complete physical and mental process that took a few months to get the hang of. To this day, I am by no means a master runner. I still have a long way to go if I ever want to take running seriously.
Of course one must be in good physical condition and should consult a doctor before beginning any new form of physical activity, but running is not difficult to begin. It just requires some good running shoes and decent pavement. I would encourage anyone who fears the dungeon-like qualities of the gym to step outside and take their physical activity to the pavement. Running outdoors takes the chore out of staying active by offering peace of mind in the fresh open air.
