I wouldn't say that I "like" running, either. I got into running because I was experiencing a mental health crisis, and I needed something besides drugs and alcohol to deal with feelings that were otherwise impossible for me to cope with.
Suddenly, as a guy who has shouted "what are you running from?" at Bay to Breakers celebrants, what had been a joke became a dark and profound awareness. It turns out, I was asking myself that question. Running, paradoxically, helped give me the emotional resilience to face what I was running from head on.
There are very few things in this world that cost you nothing, are equally available to everyone, and can automatically, reliably and immediately improve your subjective experience.
This is a brilliant joke, and I love it. But the flip side is that almost everyone I know that ever got into running has Been Through Some Shit, is aware that running is annoying, not very fun, and kind of cringe, and Does Not Care, because whatever it is, running helps.
All of which is to say — you can think of run clubs as support groups, for everyone who has found themselves with a good reason to run, to be seen by other people who Know. For many runners I know, it's impossible to hate them anymore than they used to hate themselves. So, bring on the jokes.
I always feel euphoric when I get back - it's a much better way to wake up than slamming coffee (although I do that too). And it improves my kids' mood and focus in the morning. I get a few minutes to chat with my kids on the cooldown walking home. They are able to improve their stamina, which makes them better athletes (they really love sports).
It's one of the highlights of my day, and my kids seem to enjoy it enough put down their iDevices for a few minutes in the morning. Sometimes it can be a bit unpleasant getting started, but that feeling usually passes within a minute or two. We could do some other activity instead - but I can't think of much that beats running when it comes to benefit vs simplicity and time commitment.
Just wanted to add a positive perspective on running. And I'm a cyclist, not a runner.
In the past I had some issues with my IT band when I used to run longer distances. I was able to clear it up by using a foam roller in combination with other stretches. These days I have issues with my achilles/calf, which I’m sure I could clear up with a combination of strengthening, stretching, and weight loss - but instead have just been sticking to slower speeds and shorter distances. Cushioned shoes helped, too.
It may be worth seeing a sports or physical therapist. It’s amazing how much of a difference a strengthening exercise can make. Or if you’re like me and don’t like seeing doctors, there are a lot of physical therapy videos on YouTube to try out.
Last suggestion I have is to look into cycling. I ride with lots of guys who took up cycling after ACL injuries, achilles injuries, etc., forced them to give up other sports. With a proper bike fit, I think you shouldn’t have any issues with your knees. And can be done both indoors and outdoors (smart trainers and Zwift have come a long way in making stationary bikes more fun, though still not as fun as outdoors).
Basically, I guess "exercise the thing up to the point where it starts hurting" is the general advice for this kind of thing. I just hope the pain can go away so I can enjoy tennis again.
A very lean and thin person weighting in at sub 70kg will hardly ever get issued with their knees, even if they run daily
If you weren’t doing any activity before, the pain is probably related to muscle imbalances, (relative) overtraining or similar. Obviously not a doctor but the takeaway shouldn’t be that exercise is bad, more that years of inactivity leads to serious atrophy that later causes injury when activity levels pick up.
I stopped running years ago when I took up weight training and I didn’t miss it at all.
Last year my wife wanted to do some Spartan races so started training, I joined her for a few training runs and due to the controlled, slower pace she was running at set by the training schedule/app I loved those runs.
Turns out I was running too fast and hating every minute. I now run once or twice a week at a slowish pace, it’s been great. Speaking to “proper runners” since starting back up this is apparently very common, most people who hate running are simply going faster than they should.
Anything that gets you outside, run/sit/ride/tennis club is a good thing so well done them for organising something.
The other things that make a big difference: eating enough (you need more calories to lift more) and getting enough sleep as well as rest between workouts.
Like every other exercise, it's a question of building a habit.
Weights becomes fun when you see the progress in your physique and in the weight you can lift going up and feel in that things that were hard are now easier.
As someone else suggested, a trainer can really help as can doing a a simple compound lift based programme like Strong Lifts 5x5 as it’s simple and you make good gains pretty quickly.
But I've got to say... I find it a bit distasteful how Americans increasingly seem to be more united by their dislikes than their interests.
Recently there was a frontpage HN news post about "stoop coffee" [1] - and that felt like a much more chill and constructive approach to doing nothing with other people.
[1] https://supernuclear.substack.com/p/stoop-coffee-how-a-simpl...
This is all why I have come to the conclusion that no matter what my thoughts are about something I should mostly keep them to myself if I’m unwilling to do things related to those thoughts. This has helped me find a lot of time I spent disliking things and discussing those dislikes and now I spend that time either trying to fix what I dislike or focus on something I do like.
Also that stoop coffee post is a great post.
Used their service some, but I 3D printed a phone holder for the handlebars. Now instead of sitting in a chair watching videos and scrolling HN, I do it with an elevated heart rate for 30 minutes.
Sure it's not the "right" way to exercise, but I've lost weight (in combination with an improved diet), have more energy and I feel less guilty about screentime.
I replied, "taking them at all is the hurdle. Don't worry about not getting 5% of your multivitamin, because you're still getting the other 95%."
Starting something is the biggest hurdle.
I suspect its the same thing with most endurance type sports which include running. Most people don't actually like the idea of it but the feeling of well-being makes them keep on doing it.
The wet sand on the beach at low tide is the ultimate running surface.
And getting away from streets and cars and noise and barking dogs and most of the rest of our idiot primate species is a major mental refreshment, as well as a physical improvment.
I highly recommend it...
p.s. I enjoy sitting too, but like most engineers my work already has me sitting WAY too much. And the authors complaint about corporate "big run" is then followed up with how they start each weekend at a corporate coffee corps. Sad lack of awareness, really.
https://rawandferal.substack.com/p/cooking-up-mehrans-steak-...
We've got our problems here, to be sure, but there's nowhere I'd rather be.
I think adult running maybe takes the fun out of it by making you run 5km rather than 50m.
Also the runners who look sexy tend to be the 100m sprinters rather than the marathoners.
You should probably lace up your running shoes given that obesity and inactivity will for sure kill you.
"oh, ya know your heart is gonna explode?"
"Oh gosh that's so bad for your knees."
"Running will take years off your life cuz of the inflammation"
None of it is true.
Running, and in fact even moderate paced walking, is likely the single healthiest activity a person can do. Just moving at a brisk pace.