Although I am a swimmer, I have recently started a new sport, running. I have always enjoyed hiking and the occasional jog, but running track is a completely different mindset. In sprinting, it is all about how much speed you can get off the blocks and keep it until the finish line. Long distance, on the other hand, is about setting a pace that you can keep the entire time. There are many ways you can incorporate walking and running into your everyday life.
When most people think of hiking, they think of hiking through the Appalachian mountains or climbing Mt. Everest, but depending on where you live, hiking can be very different. Near the mountains, it can be very difficult with different elevations. On the beach, hiking and running on the sand can be challenging. And in the Midwest, walking through forests can be relaxing. When I go hiking, I set a goal on how many hills I want to climb. Walking may be second nature to us, but when walking up a huge hillside, it gets challenging pretty quickly.
Going on a jog is a lot similar to hiking. Running around a neighborhood or a trail is a great way to get exercise while running. The Rock Island Trail is always a great place to go when you just want to get out and run for a little bit. I personally enjoy running around a park because it is a loop so I do not have to turn around at a certain point and come back. It is not hard to get better at jogging, you might even be getting better at it without knowing. Being able to go just a little bit farther each time is an easy way to tell improvement. Another way is knowing that you are going to run two miles and see how much faster you can run it over the course of a month or two.
Training to run is a lot different than going on a hike or a jog. Running involves constantly pushing yourself to go faster in a shorter distance and practicing even if you are sore. Training to run longer distances takes even more time. Learning how to keep a pace as you add more miles onto your run can be very challenging. Running to compete takes a lot of time and practice. It is really important that you learn how to use good form while running so you can prevent injuries. I have been running track for three weeks now and my shins are already killing me. I am used to the low impact of swimming so moving to a high impact sport has been a serious shift that I have to get used to. Icing and rolling out sore muscles has become more important to preventing injuries and soreness.