Hello everyone, this is Helen Huang @ Organizing, based in Beijing, China. In order to better learn and practice the YiXiaoNeng Time Management System, after finished publishing 100 Chinese articles, I decided to continue writing and publishing a daily English article in another 100 days based on the "YeWuBin Time Management 100 Episodes" audio program. Today is the 159th day.
Today's topic is: Long Slow Distance is Secret to Loving Running
Today we will continue with our most recent topic: how to run happily.
In my Yixiaoneng class, I lead the group on a 5km run after just one day teaching this material. I am able to do this because I can convince them to overcome their fear of running. Many students are afraid to face the challenge of running such a distance in the beginning, and they don't believe me so I tell them this:
1. I can teach someone to overcome their fear of swimming in just 10 minutes;
2. I can teach someone to fall in love with running and build the successful habit.
Most of us feel tired when we think of sport and exercise. So what should we do so that we are not tired? Here is the secret: run slowly! That's right. Run slowly! The faster we get tired, the quicker we will give up running.
People who are not used to running make the mistake of running quickly in the beginning, hoping they will suddenly be as good as legendary Chinese Olympic medalist and World Champion runner Liu Xiang. If you do start quickly like this, you will soon get tired and you will quit.
On the contrary, when we slow down and find a suitable pace, the lactic-acid build up in our body will reduce, and our heartbeat will not rise so much. The result will be a more energized and less exhausted body. Above all we should moderate our heart rate and slow down our pace when we first run.
Let me ask you something. How far do you think you can walk? You can certainly walk 5km easily, am I right? Now imagine we run just a little bit faster than we are walking. Just a little bit. Do you think you can complete the 5km distance now?
You don't need to run as slowly as you walk. You can run just a bit faster. The important part is to find a pace that makes you feel relatively comfortable as you run. Our body begin to warm up after jogging for 30 minutes and our mood will become happier as the endorphins secrete in our bodies. This feeling of joy comes from the endorphins that are released into your blood as you run. This sense of joy is addictive and will cause you to fall in love with running.
There is another magical running method, which is known as "LSD" or Long Slow Distance. The idea is not to run fast but instead run for a long time over a greater distance. Our body will be fully exercised, and our hearts and muscles will be stronger and stronger if we run for a long time over a longer distance.
Now, obviously, we won't be a strong runner after just one day. But, consistent running 3 to 4 times a week will help us to get rhythmic and periodic improvements over time. If you are interested in developing the habit of running, I suggest you run every single day! Increase your progress bit by bit rather than all at once. If you go too fast, you will get injured!
Therefore, what I want to share in this lesson is that: running slowly, and enjoying the feeling of a raised heartbeat is much better than getting injured. Start running very slowly so that you will gradually learn to appreciate the happy feeling exercise produces. Over time you can increase your pace.
You may be thinking – should we just run slow for forever? Of course not! We should first start running slowly and continue to increase your pace over time. Change a little bit each day to progress little by little. Run 5km today, then try 6km tomorrow, and then 7km, and then 8km, and then 9km……If your physical fitness or health restricts you then run shorter distances like 3km or 4km. If you're overweight or just getting started, running a shorter distance. Your speed will increase if you start to run and keep on running. Consistency is the key.
I have led many people on runs, and through observation I found that: as a general rule, one can run half marathon after he/she has run for two months.
If we begin our run on the starting line and look out ahead for the finish line, we won't be able to run even 500 meters. It cannot be done for a marathon, or a half marathon or even a short 500 meters thinking too far ahead. Instead just start – no matter how poor your performance is, just start and then take it easy. Slow incremental improvements are the key to making it easy and less frustrating.
Remember, I have cultivated the habit in you of getting up early and listening to these audio recordings. So at this point, you should be fairly used to getting up early in the morning. Because you continue to do this over time. Now you're in a good place to develop the 2nd good habit which is running.
It doesn't matter how well or poorly you run in the beginning. It just matters that you start. Just start. So remember, run slowly and run far, and just start.
Thank you being with me together today. Have a wonderful day!
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