Why not Start Running? Everyone else is!

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And it’s driving me crazy.

Feeling isolated and alone? Like there’s no one to share your time and mutual hobbies with?

My friend, do I have a solution for you.

Go for a run. Everybody’s doing it.

Literally, everybody on planet earth! Gone are the days of quiet, peaceful jogs listening to the birds and enjoying the solitude. Now, it’s all about getting in good with every group of desperate humans in need of exercise.

I run, you run, everybody runs!

Running out in the world has become so popular, it’s now a team sport, whether you want it to be or not. If going to the gym and running next to someone fills you with fear of catching “the virus,” and who isn’t feeling that nowadays, what else can you do? You have to get your workout in. It’s the right thing. Staying in shape and releasing stress is vital for survival during a lockdown.

Who cares if it looks like the Boston Marathon out there. With every runner and their grandma elbowing for space to move their feet through. Put on those shoes and join the crowd! Make sure to keep your distance so you stay coronavirus free, though. It’s not as easy as you might think. Let people pass you. Move to the road if the sidewalks are packed. I think it’s worth the risk.

Competition leads to pain

I’ve always had a love, hate relationship with running. The physical and mental benefits are fantastic, but it’s a challenge for me to run long distances. Being a tall man at six feet three, it ain’t easy going for a run regularly. Mostly, I’m thrilled to jog for ten minutes at a time. Forget marathons, I just want to get to two miles. This quarantine has motivated me to work harder and improve both my running body and strengthen the stamina of my running mind.

Why was it such a shock then, when I stepped outside after the lockdown order was decreed. Only to see billions of other newly woke runners venturing out to prove themselves. I should have expected this. The competition pushed me to run longer than I usually would. How about trying to reach fifteen minutes? Yes! I’m a real runner! I can keep up with them.

Nope. I’m in pain. What is up with my lower right leg?

I didn’t know what this was so I went to the one place where I find all my answers.

YouTube. Yup. I watched videos by expert super runners. Forget doctors. I went right to the source. People who’ve been through this.

Turns out, I’m suffering from shin splints. Ugh! The pain sucks, but I learned to massage the inside of my leg up and down to spread the blood around, and it helps.

Being tall also makes me a tad heavier than most. I discovered the importance of buying running shoes with plenty of cushion to reduce impact. If you’re a big person, you need more support on your feet for running than smaller people. Not to mention, I’m mainly running on concrete but dream of dirt roads — nowhere near where I live.

The right shoes make a difference

I did more research into the best running shoes for my situation. My new Saucony Triumph 17 are made for marathon runners and feel incredibly comfortable.

Thanks again, YouTubers.

If only I’d known about these shoes before, I might have saved myself some pain. Of course, trying to increase the amount of running I was doing didn’t help either.

I tend to be impatient, so I learned my lesson. It’s perfectly fine to only run for a short time and gradually ease into increasing the amount. Don’t let trillions of other runners out there right now inspire (or guilt you) into doing more than you’re ready for. Enjoy the freedom of being outside and moving your body.

Making sure to get out of the house early, before 9 a.m., would be my advice. I’m not much of an evening runner. It’s nice to get a run in first thing. There are too many dog walkers out in the evening. It’s hard enough dodging crowds of joggers to have to also run around every puppy in the neighborhood.

So what are you going to do? Be a part of the “Running Outdoors Revolution”? That’s really only here because all of these people who can’t just run on a treadmill in an air-conditioned building.

A few things to keep in mind

There might be a sea of us running each day outdoors, but you can, and should, join us. Wear a mask if all the heavy breathing and sweat scares the crap out of you. Buy shoes with the proper support, plan your time of day and days of the week that work best, watch a few YouTube videos, and go for it.

Come together while keeping your distance — with all the other runners in the world discovering the magnificent high of getting out in nature to get their miles in.

And best of all, get a break from being trapped inside.