From Weights to Cardio

After Years of Only Strength Training, I Decided to Start Running. Here’s What I Learned.

I am the furthest thing from your typical runner. I’ve played volleyball for most of my life and have found my second home in a weight room. Running was equated to punishment in my sport. We were forced to run sprints as a form of discipline, in order to enhance the short bursts of speed that came with the game. I never ran long-distance, never went on a run through the neighborhood, and avoided cardio at all costs. Needless to say, when the stay at home order was placed in March, I was in need of a new workout regime. So I put on some running shoes for the first time in years.

I began running with my friends Kyra and Jonah. Kyra ran cross country up until college, so she was the unofficial leader of our workouts. We started every workout with a half-mile run, about one lap around my neighborhood. The first time I ran that half mile I was exhausted. I didn’t stop, but the sudden jump into running hit me hard. My friends made it look easy. Every day we ran a half-mile warmup, and slowly I began to get used to the distance. So I decided to take it upon myself to run on my own, and see how far I could go. The first day I ran a mile and a half through the twists and turns of my neighborhood. I didn’t run very fast by anyone’s standards, and I stopped to walk twice. But I finished the run. My brother joined me for one run, and before I knew it, he was so far ahead that I couldn’t see him anymore. But to me, it was all about progress. This was a new hobby for me, and every step I took was an improvement.

It was hard to ignore the physical effects of jumping into running. My shins took a beating early on, as is to be expected. Playing volleyball for so long means that I’m no stranger to shin splints. Granted, these usually occurred from the shock on my joints from constant jumping. Running induced shin splints were a new kind of pain. In volleyball, the intensity of the game means I can typically block out any physical pain. But on a jog in the neighborhood, there’s only so much I can focus on. A similar occurrence showed up as soon as my shins had adjusted to the impact of running. The arches of my feet became increasingly painful, as did my hips. Both of these, I can imagine, is part of the body’s adjustment to a new type of exercise. That’s what I kept telling myself at least. It didn’t mean I was out of shape or that I was any less capable of completing a workout, it just means that this is something my body needs to adapt to.

Aside from the physical changes I noticed when I began to run for the first time, I also noticed a difference in my mentality between weightlifting and running. Whenever I’m in the weight room, Planet Fitness, or in my basement with dumbbells, I am very present and focused on reps. It’s dangerous to let your mind wander when you’re lifting heavy things. One wrong move and you could seriously injure yourself. In addition to the implied danger of strength training, I find that I am more focused on the quality of my reps, and I only think about the workout at hand. That mentality has served me well throughout my years as an athlete. When I began running, I found that I entered a state of self-reflection. Running allows my mind to wander, something I don’t often do in my day-to-day. I equate it to “shower thoughts” when someone is fully immersed in their own thoughts and their mind can reach incredible lengths of thought. Perhaps I sacrifice some aspects of my form when I zone out during a run, but I’ll accept that imperfection.

The transition from a strict, weightlifting only exercise routine to one that included cardio was an adjustment. It brought its frustrations and setbacks. I still wouldn’t call myself a runner, but I’m working to get better. I ran 4 miles not too long ago, simply because I was having a bad day and needed to burn off some steam. That’s something I didn’t think I was capable of doing. If you’re reading this and are thinking about making a change to your exercise routine, my advice is to do it! You might end up falling in love with it and learning a lot about yourself in the process.

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