Your running excuses quashed

‘I’m too self-conscious to run’

Many people say they feel intimidated about running in public, because ‘everyone is looking at them’. Think again! Most people are too busy getting on with their own lives to spare anything more than a passing glance at anyone else, and if someone does look at you, they’re probably thinking ‘that’s what I should be doing.’

Having a running buddy is one of the best ways of getting over your embarrassment. Not only is it nice to have ‘safety in numbers’ but also once you get chatting, you’ll probably forget all about being embarrassed (or tired, for that matter).

Going out early, before most people are up, is a good way of reducing the number of potential spectators to your initial jogging efforts and it’s a beautiful time to run. Morning exercise is also easier to keep up, as the rest of the day’s demands have yet to get in the way of your good intentions. Heading off the beaten track for a more peaceful run also side-steps the self-consciousness issue, but don’t go to remote areas alone, and don’t take your iPod, it prevents you being aware of your surroundings.

If you really feel unable to take on the great outdoors in your running kit, there’s always the treadmill. All gyms have them, or you may even consider investing in one for home use.

Heckling and horn-hooting are other running turn-offs. When I’m running alone in summer, I put on a pair of sports sunglasses to create a feel of anonymity and fend off comments. In winter, a woolly hat and the cover of darkness disguise my sex! Larger-busted women often get the hardest time from thoughtless passers-by. Other than ignoring crass comments, for women, the best course of action is to wear a good supportive sports bra – some women swear by wearing a sports bra and a supportive crop top at once.

‘I’m too busy to run’

It’s never easy to find the time to fit in exercise when you first start out, but stick with it and soon you’ll find it’s just as much of a habit as cleaning your teeth. In terms of convenience, running beats most other forms of exercise hands down. Unlike, say, tennis, you don’t need to rely on someone else to go with – unlike aerobics classes, you don’t need to reserve a place in advance or turn up at a particular time. There’s no pricey equipment to rent or buy, there’s no cumbersome kit or equipment to lug around – and providing you keep a spare pair of trainers in the car, you can go whenever and wherever the mood takes you. Just think: in the time it takes to get to the gym, get changed, queue for the machines, get changed again and go home, you could have completed your run and shower and launched back into your day with renewed energy and enthusiasm. For a ten-stone woman, even just 20 minutes jogging burns 250 calories. Surely you’ve got time for that… 

‘Running - it’s boring’

Anyone who tells you that running is boring has missed the point. How can being outdoors in a pleasant environment, with time for yourself to think, or simply switch off, whilst doing yourself a world of good, be boring? Okay, so running the same route, at the same pace, for the same length of time, day after day may be tedious, but that’s no more necessary than eating the same thing for dinner every single night. The secret of falling in love with running is to keep it varied, fun and progressively challenging. That way you’ll continue to improve while your mind and body stay fresh. One day, you might go out for a long slow plod somewhere scenic – making the most of the views and stopping to take a breather whenever you fancy it – another day you could hit the park for a short, sharp run, or try picking up the pace after every other park bench until you hit the next one.

Recruiting a running buddy is another great way of staving off boredom – it’s the ideal opportunity to catch up on each other’s news and it’s far healthier than meeting in the pub. If you don’t have anyone to go with, find out if there’s a running club in your area to join.

‘I’m not competitive enough to want to run’

Tell someone you’re a runner and they often say ‘oh, you must be really competitive, then.’ Well, I’m not! If I were, I’d have given up years ago, having never won a race in my life. The only person I’m trying to beat when I go out running is myself. It’s a great way of challenging yourself, and, as uber-athlete Paula Radcliffe says, learning to set goals and plan how you’re going to achieve them is a skill that spills over into other areas of your life, too.

Of course, running can be competitive, but many runners never take part in a race. There’s no need to get involved in the competitive side of running unless you want to. Just enjoy the activity for its own sake.

You may like to try orienteering, which involves navigating your way around a set course, finding hidden ‘controls’ along the way by using clues and map reading skills. It’s totally engrossing and a great way of getting a run, with a bit of excitement but without the pressure of competition – some people walk the entire course.

‘I’m too overweight to run’

A few extra pounds does not mean you cannot take up running. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to improve your fitness and achieve a healthy weight. To minimise the risks, take things slowly and minimise the impact on your joints by following these tips:

• Wear good shoes (that means designated running shoes that fit well, offer lots of support and are no more than six months old).
• Cross-train (in your weekly routine, mix running with other lower impact activities such as swimming or cycling to give your muscles and joints a break).
• Run mainly on softer surfaces such as grass, trail or treadmill to reduce the impact forces.
• Mix walking and running (to prevent overdoing it, to enable you to go for longer and to give yourself ample recovery).

If you are significantly overweight, you may be better off beginning with an activity that puts less stress on your joints until you get fitter, and perhaps lose a little weight. Discuss your intentions with your doctor. But take heart – research shows that fit, overweight people are better off than skinny, unfit people when it comes to the likelihood of an early death – you’ve every reason to work towards becoming a runner.

'Running is bad for your knees’

Running is often accused of ‘wrecking knees’. Yet according to research from Stanford University, regular long-term runners are 25% less likely to suffer from osteoarthritis than sedentary people. Earlier research, published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism, showed that running can protect against osteoarthritis by keeping joints and connective tissue strong, mobile and topped up with nutrients. The truth is, providing you don’t have existing problems in the joints, running in moderation does not increase the risk of, or accelerate the development of, osteoarthritis. Even better news, the Stanford study also found that regular runners had greater bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and frailty later in life.

Again, wearing reputable running shoes in good condition, and training on a mixture of surfaces will reduce the impact on your joints.

‘I’m too old to run’

Okay, so I don’t know how old you are, so I can’t say categorically that you are not too old to start running. But what I can tell you is that unless you have a degenerative joint or bone condition (such as osteoarthritis or osteoporosis), are seriously overweight or have a heart, lung or other serious health problem there isn’t any reason why you can’t start running in your 40s, 50s or 60s. Jenny Wood-Allen, in her 90s, took up running at 71 and completed over 30 marathons before her recent retirement.

Okay, you may need to take more rest days, run fewer miles and be more vigilant about warming-up, cooling-down and stretching as you get older, but you can still reap enormous benefits from running at any age – and grow old gracefully. A study of healthy 60-70 year olds found that running for 45 minutes, four days per week, increased aerobic fitness by a massive 24% in under a year.

So, stop making excuses – get out there and get running!