Many of us will have at least given running a go at some point, and it seems to produce two distinct camps: those who love running and go on to make it their entire personality, and those who absolutely hate it. For many years, I was one of the latter group – someone who tried (and failed) to start running countless times and ended up declaring that I just ‘wasn’t made for running’.

But I’ll happily admit that I was wrong. In fact, I’m now someone who runs two or three times a week, has taken part in plenty of races and I’ve met plenty of runners with the exact same experience. You don’t need to love running straight away to be good at it or worthy of taking up space, and there are ways to transform your relationship with running if you want to.  

So, in a bid to help more people find their feet in the running world, I’ve put together this list of tiny things you can do to improve your relationship with running. I’m not saying that you’re going to fall in love with running as soon as you start taking these steps, but I’m sure that you’ll end up enjoying it a little bit more than you do now. Who knows – this could be the start of a whole new hobby. 

I used to run the same route around the field behind my house three times a week, then wondered why I found running so dull and uninspiring. Running is a great way to explore new places, so whether you try running down a new road in your neighbourhood (downloading CityStrides will help you keep track of where you’ve explored) or use running to explore a new city on holiday, mixing things up will help to keep you engaged and give you some extra motivation to put one foot in front of the other. 

One of the main reasons why people end up hating running is because they get out of breath so quickly and struggle to keep going – at least, that was the case for me. I used to try and run my local route as quickly as possible to get it over and done with, but I was trying to push the pace without having any base fitness to work with, so I often ended up feeling drained of energy and unable to catch my breath after a 1km amble. 

Slowing down, while hard for my ego, made it so much easier to settle into a rhythm, which in turn meant I finished my runs feeling less like I wanted to lie down and never get up again. Running shouldn’t feel like punishment, so if you’re in pain, particularly out of breath or just aren’t feeling it, know that it’s OK to slow down or even stop and walk for a bit.  

When I first started running, I wasn’t into fitness in the slightest, so the bits of kit I did have were old gym leggings and random pieces donated to me by my much sportier sister. These pieces of kit were functional, but they didn’t make me feel my best, which in turn didn’t make me enthusiastic to lace up my trainers and get outside. While there’s no point investing in a whole new wardrobe just to see if running is your thing, buying yourself one outfit that makes you feel good is an easy way to boost your confidence and make running feel that little bit more enjoyable and ‘for you’.  

Many people swear by Couch to 5k for helping them get into running, but I personally found the requirement to do three sessions a week – with each session spanning around 30 minutes in length – too much commitment. I tried to do the programme countless times, only to drop out in week two or three, convinced it wasn’t for me. Eventually, I just tried running for as long as possible every time I went out, gradually increasing my distance over time. That’s not to say Couch to 5k isn’t worth it, but that what works for one person doesn’t work for another. So don’t get too disheartened if a certain method doesn’t resonate with you – there’ll be plenty of different approaches out there.

More than any other activity, I’ve found running to be a self-fulfilling prophecy – once you start thinking a certain way, it starts to have a direct impact on your running. Basically, if you go into your runs thinking you’re going to have a horrible time, you’re much more likely to have a horrible time. While I’m not usually a fan of positive thinking at all costs (toxic positivity is cancelled, people), I do think it’s necessary when you’re running. Telling yourself that you’re capable, can do hard things and have the fitness (and determination) to get through a run can all ease the pressure a little.  

As soon as you start to see running as a means to getting somewhere (especially somewhere you really want to go), it becomes a lot easier to slow down and enjoy the ride, rather than panicking about how far you have to go or how tired you feel. Been waiting to try out a new bakery? Run to it! Need to pop to the shops? Jog there and walk back.  

Images: Getty