I am a reluctant runner. Well, I was a reluctant runner. Until I learned to love it. I had always played sports growing up, and with sports, running has a purpose--making a basket, kicking a goal, keeping the other team from doing the same thing. But the idea of running just for the sake of running made me cringe.

Learning to enjoy running took time, it wasn't something that happened overnight, or even in a month or two, but I did notice little things that encouraged me to continue doing it, even when it was rough. This is what I learned:

1. Running made me feel good. Not everyone runs. Everyone CAN run, but not many people DO run. The idea that I was doing something that others don't boosted my confidence.
2. Running was a stress reliever. I began running my freshman year of college. I had a horrible roommate, a long-distance relationship, two jobs, and a full-load of coursework. When I went running, by the end of the workout I was too worn out to fret over everything else.
3. It gave me something to work towards. I'm very goal oriented, and running gave me an outlet for this trait. When I started running, I hadn't worked out regularly in months, so getting back into it wasn't easy. I would set a goal: complete 1 mile, complete 2 miles, complete 3 miles. These weren't even "completions" where I had to run the whole time--it was just, finish the distance, running or walking. Then I would say, run a mile in 10 minutes, 9 minutes, etc. Everytime I set a goal, I knew I would eventually meet it, even if it took awhile.
4. It helped me lose weight. When I started running, I knew I wanted to get back into the shape I had been in high school, but I didn't have a weight loss goal. That just happened. Living in a dorm, you don't have a lot of access to full-length mirrors or privacy, so it wasn't until I stepped on a scale and realized I had lost 10 pounds that this benefit hit me.

Running gets you outside in nature, away from the stresses of everyday life. It gives you time to listen to your favorite music. It allows you to push yourself and reach goals you never knew you could reach. Running isn't for everyone--I know that joint and muscle issues can interfere with this form of exercise. The point is, though, that you don't have to jump in all at once. Start by taking a walk, adding in a 30 second jog every few minutes. As time goes on, add a little more jogging in. Try new and different routes, try to take shortcuts, find new trails. I've seen so many new places because I run.

You may not like it. You may never like it. But, it doesn't hurt to try it for a month and see where you are...you just might be surprised.