There’s a newly planned road right by my home. Since it’s not a main thoroughfare and has little traffic, it has become a popular spot for running in the neighborhood. On both sides of the road, you can always see many fellow runners, ranging from high school students to retired seniors. Every time I see them, I get the itch to join.
After adjusting my daily routine for a while and getting used to an early-to-bed, early-to-rise lifestyle, my weight still wouldn’t drop. Coupled with the hot weather in the south and a slow metabolism, my appetite wasn’t great either. Thinking of using exercise to kickstart my metabolism, I finally chose bodyweight training and running.
At first, I set my goal at around two to three kilometers. Since my body wasn’t in great shape, I used an interval running method—running for a bit, then walking for a bit. To build the habit, I chose to run after dinner, replacing my old habit of watching TV.
The body is truly a marvelous machine. After long periods of inactivity, running feels like driving an old tractor. Heavy breathing, sore muscles, and the constant feeling of being on the verge of cramping made me wonder if it was my actual physical state or just an imagined excuse to escape in my mind.
These symptoms gradually disappeared after running for over a month. I could calmly enjoy the scenery and people along the road and slowly extended my distance to between 5 and 6 kilometers.
As the runs got longer, boredom inevitably crept in. So, I started listening to saved podcasts. Hearing the hosts share various life stories and fascinating ideas, I gradually entered a state of flow, enjoying the gentle evening breeze along the way.
Unconsciously, I’ve kept up this habit for half a year. I no longer think about posting on social media to check in; instead, it has become one of the daily routines in my life. When I feel stressed or lost, I put aside my thoughts and just start running for a while.
I also stopped fixating on running at a fixed time. If my body feels okay, I just head downstairs for a run. After finishing, I go home, shower, and dive back into the problems I hadn’t solved before.
Sometimes it’s okay to stop; being able to start running again is what matters. Let’s keep running until the end of life. When we look back on our journey then, I hope it feels incredibly fulfilling!
The most important thing about running is to enjoy it! 🏃
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