Go Crazy: Unique Running Tips to Help You Break Out!
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I love to run around, but when it comes to “heading out for a run” sometimes I just lose focus mentally. I get bored. I start thinking way too early about when I’m going to be done and I get tired much earlier than I should. I’m a very physically fit guy, I can mountain bike, hike, play basketball, volleyball or tennis for hours, but when it comes to running, I just lose focus. I understand how people physically finish a marathon, but mentally I just can’t grasp it. However, here is the light at the other end of the tunnel; I’ve figured out ways to have fun and feel better while running! So if you’re a beginner that needs something fresh or a veteran who is stuck in a rut, my tips and goofy style is for you!
Run Face Forward The Whole Time – Who Does That?
My mind and body get bored when I run straightforward all the time. When I run, I typically run on a trail or path in the woods, or if I have to hit the roads, I’ll incorporate a local field into my running routine because I like to mix it up. After I’ve been running straight for a little while, I’ll turn sideways and start doing slides like a basketball player would do on defense. Then, I’ll start crossing up my legs doing karaoke’s on both sides before turning a bit more and running backwards before turning around and falling back into stride. Maybe it’s just me, but when I kick back around after a few minutes of different exercises, my running stride feels better and I have a skip in my step like a running back ready to accelerate. Other exercises I like to do to mix it up are power skips, high knees, and butt kicks.
Run Barefoot
Running barefoot is an amazing way to work on your running form. When you run barefoot, your foot no longer has a gigantic cushion underneath and you are forced to run much lighter on your feet. You’ll find yourself up on the balls of your feet, feeling out each step and taking shorter, quicker strides. Head to a local field or turf, but obviously be very careful of what might be lying underfoot. Jog around the field, run back and forth, enjoy the natural feeling of running barefoot and try to learn from it the next time you strap on your shoes.
The Warm-Up Run/Mini-Workout/Run
I love the way my body feels after I run, but I also love the way it feels after putting some blood into my upper body. I say, why not do both? Sometimes, if I head out for a run I immediately feel so tight. You know that feeling when after a mile of running all of a sudden it starts to feel easier? Similar, if I have done something else relatively active during the day and I run later, I notice that I feel nice and loose. Try this out. Start your run nice and loose, shake it out, run slowly, light and bouncy on your feet for about a ½-1 mile to any public grassy space. Now that you’re there, do some pushups and pull-ups then stretch out your legs and body for 10 minutes or so. I like dynamic stretches where I’m still slightly moving and not staying stuck in one place for long. Do a nice minute of power skips or high knees to get your legs pumping again and your motivation raging and now set out for your real run. What you’ve done now is to have warmed-up, got the blood flowing and stretched; now you’re really ready to run.
Run in New Areas – New Loops
I think one of the easiest fixes for getting stuck as a beginner or veteran runner is to change up where you run or the loop that you do. If every time you run you head out for the same loop it’s so monotonous. You mentally note down every little checkpoint and the run drags on. Not to mention, you get stuck doing that loop and you don’t push yourself into a longer run. Head into the woods and hit some trails or just get lost on some new streets you’ve never ventured into. Don’t get too carried away, but if I set out without a plan I seem to be more captivated and less focused on where I am and just that I’m moving.
Dear Mr. Cooper Elling, and Runaddicts.net,
My name is Bob Steele, and I am the person for whom you used my picture in your section: Go Crazy: Unique running tips to help you break out. I am not angry in any way that you used my picture in this section, though I am disappointed that there was no mention of Parkour.
Parkour, is exactly what the section you wrote should be about, for Parkour itself is about taking simple running and combining it with the artistic integrity and limitless possibilities of the human mind, while taking into consideration the complex and sometimes very simple infrastructure that surrounds us and yes even holds us back on a daily basis and combines them together to create a run, and a system of training unlike anything seen before. Since the discovery of parkour, and the similar but more stylistic freerunning, human movement has evolved in ways never before thought possible.
I have always been an athletic person, I was an avid skateboarder for 9 years and while many do not consider it a sport, it was a big part of my life. Still, it wasn’t until I discovered parkour that things started to change for me. It teaches you to overcome all obstacles: big or small, Physical or mental. Not only that but it teaches you to focus on your entire body, not overlooking anything. For example since discovering parkour I have changed the way I eat, the way I move at work or anywhere, it has drastically changed the way I look at my surrounding environment. Instead of being completely oblivious to the sometimes inadvertently beautiful architecture that surrounds us, I now look at it in a new light, with a hope, and a vision of learning something new and creative that will help me later in life.
Parkour will help you a lot more than you think, not only does it improve your strength, conditioning, balance, agility, breathing and focus, it also improves your creativity, and prepares you for emergency situations that you normally would be unprepared for such as, getting to a dangerous risky, or faraway place when time may be crucial and lives may be at risk.
My hopes for this letter, are that it gets read by both Mr. Cooper Elling, and the people at Runaddicts.net, and with a little hope, and luck on my part that someday soon you will have an article addressing the benefits and informing people of the new and exciting philosophy of parkour (Yes it is a philosophy, and a way of life similar to the martial arts. not a sport.).
I would also be interested in writing this article myself, Thank you very much for taking the time to read this letter.
Sincerely,
Bob Steele
@ Paradox Parkour
P.S. I did not mean that Parkour should replace your article which is also important, I only meant that it should also be taken into consideration. Especially since no-one asked, or told me they were using my picture, not that I’m mad, I still think that its kind of cool that my picture was used!
Hey Bob, Davy from RunAddicts.net here!
Check out this article about parkour on our website: http://www.runaddicts.net/tips-tricks/parkour-tackling-obstacles-while-running
Nevertheless, we’d love to publish another article about parkour, if you can write something fresh!
On the image note; We are glad you allowed us to use it by placing it under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0). As required, we attributed the work back to the source and we are very happy that we can promote you that way.
Thank you for your elaborate comment!