The #1 Secret to Becoming a Runner

Two-to-three months. That’s how long it takes new runners to feel they are finally making progress with their run training.

You know the feeling as a beginner, it’s that dreadful time when you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing, and wondering if you are making any progress at all. Miserable, you start to question whether it’s even worth continuing. Then, finally, you do the worst thing possible:

You quit.

This is true for almost any new goal or major change – nothing happens overnight, nor does it even happen in a week, a month, and in some cases, even a year. However, it is possible that if you had persisted, even just one more day, you might have witnessed a breakthrough that could have transformed your world, proving all your hard work was worth it.

This happened to me during training for my first half-marathon. I had never “run” more than a 5k (3.1 miles) in my adult life, and suddenly I was following a training plan that had me running up to 11 miles on my journey to completing 13.1 miles. Yikes!

After weeks of running mostly 3-4 mile runs, (and by “runs” I mean, run/walks), I was slowly increasing my mileage every Sunday. It was hell. My clothes were uncomfortable, my breathing was labored, my heart raced, and it was boring. Each run came with renewed questions of my terrible life decisions, and possibly some screaming at unfortunate passers-by who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Which was nothing compared to the aches and pains I experienced after each run! My legs were constantly fatigued, my calves and ankles swelled and throbbed every day, and instead of losing weight, it began to climb a couple pounds here and a few more there. I decided that running sucked. But I had registered to run the race, and was determined to finish it.

Then came the week 5 long run of SIX MILES. After procrastinating until mid-morning, I finally set out on a sunny Sunday to attempt this new distance I thought was impossible for me.

Do you know what happened?

I felt amazing, and ran the entire 6 miles! Without stopping. No walking breaks. Just good music, beautiful weather, and constant forward motion. I felt invincible. Okay, maybe not like I could live forever, but I finally felt like the three months I had been running up to that point were all worth it. It was one of the most memorable runs I’ve ever had, and made me realize the immense benefit of every short, or slow, or painful run up until then - each one was a part of the success I felt that day.

Results don’t happen overnight, and giving up after days, weeks, or even months isn’t going to make things better – the only thing quitting does is set you back to zero.

Though my relationship with running changed after that six-mile run, I still felt like a beginner for years. But the lesson stuck.

Persistence paid off for me then, and has continued to make me better to this day. After 13 years, 13 marathons, and 10,000+ miles, I finally feel like I have dialed in my running. Though I’m still learning, and never going to be first in a race, running has become a part of who I am.

It’s a lifestyle, and one I want to share with everyone - especially anyone who wants to run further, or faster. This is for all who may doubt whether they can finish a marathon, or a 5k, or even a jog around the block.

That #1 Secret to Running? It’s running. Like anything, we learn by doing. We improve through consistency, commitment, and staying the course. Humans were Designed for Distance - we were born to run, and built to endure. Running is amazing for many reasons, and this newsletter will cover all of it, and more.

So, lace up your shoes, head out the door, and go! Walk if you feel like it, jog just ten feet, embrace the beginners’ aches, and the pain of long run miles. It’s all worth it, but only if you persevere, and stick with it long enough to see all the amazing benefits!

Choose one metric to track:

Remember: Consistency matters more than intensity when building a running habit.

*Do not forget to add time to stretch, warm-up, and cooldown before and after every run! The Roadmap is simply a guide on how to create your own beginner training plan.

**And always, listen to your body! Do not push yourself to run if you are injured or overly fatigued.

Gotta Run!

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