Why I Run Daily Despite the Fact I Hate Running

As I write this, I have just returned home from my Sunday morning run, the 5th time this last week I have ran consistently, and the second week I have run 5 days in a row, even though I hate running! Wait, let me clarify, as hate is a strong word, I dislike running, it is not the first choice for me as an aerobic activity.

So, you may be asking, “Why do you do it if you dislike it so much?” Well, first let me clarify that my preferences for physical activity are based on my 30 years of martial arts training. I love, and have no qualms or apprehension, to kick, punch, and power my way through an intense martial arts based workout, in fact, I thrive on it. It is a passion of mine! So why run?

We, as human beings, thrive on the familiar, on the comfortable, on what we know and are good at. If you’ve ran for 20 years and I suddenly want you to start kicking a heavy bag, chances are you will be meandering outside your comfort zone, and you will want to run instead. You’re still thinking, “So why run?”

Our minds, like our bodies, also seek out the comfortable, the familiar, the easy path, the less stressful way of doing things. Lets’ face fact, if I told you there were 2 routes for you to drive to your grocery store to get groceries and one had no traffic, no accidents, and was a clear and easy route, and the other was congested, currently had 2 accidents tying up traffic, and was backed up for miles, there’s a 100% chance your mind would immediately tell you to take the first path. Without sounding like Captain Obvious (of the Hotels.com commercials), the choice is clear and obviously apparent.

However, choosing the easy path, the clear route, the less stressful path in everything we do builds a wall of complacency within our minds, a wall that we do not want to traverse after a while, a wall that impedes the development and honing of our mental endurance, mental toughness and our ability to cope in stressful situations, to find calm in chaos.

It is the same reason you will see a look of despair and disappointment on people’s faces if suddenly the elevator system breaks down in an apartment building and now the stairs are the only option. The stairs were there all along, but when they are the only option, the harder option, the mind immediately tells you it is a terrible and dire situation.

In my book on Warrior Leadership I discuss the concept of sparring in martial arts, where we fight each other in a controlled situation (wearing protective equipment, punching and kicking at 50-80% force, and backing off when we have overwhelmed our partner). In sparring, martial artists are given the opportunity to feel stress, to feel an actual fight intensity, which can be dialed down or up, depending on the comfort level of the individual and their level of expertise. 

This enables their minds, their bodies, and their spirits to get stronger, tougher, sharper and when the crap hits the fan in an actual real life fight scenario, they are not surprised by the high stress and intensity of an actual enraged person trying to inflict harm.

I always marvel at the numerous martial arts schools who do not ramp up the intensity, for you can spend years training, even get your black belt, but if you’ve never ever actually been punched in the face, in a real fight it will shock you back to a white belt level and surprise the living daylights out of you!

So, what has this go to do with me, you may be asking? The same concept applies to our everyday life. If you never ramp up the intensity of what you do, never go outside your comfort zone, never do something you don’t really enjoy as it may be difficult, then your mind will not have the toughness or endurance to withstand stressful or dire situations in your life, you will never see the calm that can exist amongst the chaos.

When I started to run a few weeks ago, I hadn’t consistently ran for about 15 years! Yes, I may have ran a little at the gym, or in a field with a soccer ball, etc., but not regularly, 5-6 days in a row. I love to kick, to punch, squat, do push-ups, lift weights, anything but run. But, in doing so I had become complacent, and, even when I considered to start running back a few weeks ago, my mind kept telling me, “This is not for you! What are you doing?”

So, I conquered my mind, I did what my mind kept telling me I didn’t want to do! Running became my mental sparring, as each day I stretched and embarked on my run, the biggest battle wasn’t my physical endurance, it wasn’t the distance, it was my mind that kept screaming at me to not do it.

You too can do daily mental sparring, to strengthen and toughen the mind, to overcome your apprehension, and to gain control over your thoughts and behaviors. In doing so, in going outside your comfort zone, you will begin to experience calm in the chaos of what your mind is averse to trying. So how can you do this? 

Seek out situations, tasks, exercises (like I did with running) that stress you, make you uncomfortable, in which your mind would not normally choose, and embark upon regularly. Some examples are:

1.      DRIVING – Before I describe this, I actually spent a lot of time doing this, as I was always a high-strung driver, but in implementing this technique it calmed me immensely. If driving stresses you, if you’re always in a rush, I want you to spend time behind a slow driver. Stay behind them, no matter how much you are tempted. Control your breathing, realize you are in control, this is your choice, and before you know it you will be at your destination. If you see a light turn yellow, stop! I know you want to race through, as you have no time for slowing down, but do it! You are sparring with your mind’s desire to be first, to drive fast. Try it, it works, but you will need to have patience and persistence.

2.      GROCERY SHOPPING – Always need to find the shortest line at the grocery till? Don’t! Force yourself to find the longest, slowest line, no matter what your mind is telling you. Get in that slow lane, realize all is going to be fine, control your breathing, realize you chose this line and you will get through and out the door when you can. I know this may be difficult, now with Covid19, as I now experience clerks directing you to the shortest line to get people through as fast as possible. However, do it if you are able, spar with your mind’s choice to go fast, to not have to wait! Learn to control anger, lack of patience, and other mind numbing feelings you are experiencing by picking the slow lane.

3.      SPEAKING – Afraid of speaking in public? Force yourself to talk to others, to speak up in a crowded situation, such as a meeting, or other forum where you can choose to be quiet or have your voice heard. Join a Toastmaster’s club, whatever it takes to get you to speak when your mind keeps telling you to not say a word. Spar with your mind, show it you can do it!

4.      EXERCISE – Start doing something you dislike, whether it’s those dreaded burpees, running, or embarking on a martial arts journey, get outside that comfort zone, spar with your mind as it tells you it cannot be done! Controlled stress in an exercise environment, one that you can stop at any minute if physical pain is an issue (as you should never do something that is hurting you physically, it has to be doable remember), will engage your mental toughness and tenacity, and will do wonders for your mental, physical and spiritual well-being.

There are numerous other examples, basically anything you avoid, stresses you, or causes you to lose control of your emotions. Think hard, for I know you have your own unique stressors and zones of discomfort you shy away from! Seek out controlled mind sparring methods to indulge in those situations, to challenge your mind, to see your emotions building (while controlling them), and to calm the mind and body while you persevere and actually do what the mind told you was impossible or so painful you should never do it.

This is why elite warriors, like Navy Seals, engage in stressful, real-life, training missions, so they can remain calm in a real battle situation, to build comfort in times of discomfort and remain calm, focused, sharp. You don’t have to be a world class fighter, a Navy Seal, or a world champion to spar with your mind, to engage discomfort on a regular basis and build mental toughness, endurance and tenacity. In doing so, I can guarantee you will eventually be able to engage calm in the midst of chaos, to find comfort when everything around you screams discomfort!

Now you know why I run, despite the fact I hate (dislike) it!

Kerry is a Leadership Specialist, a Professional Engineer, Leader, Author, Speaker, Trainer and Mentor. He has amalgamated his corporate leadership knowledge with his martial arts training, to produce his own style of Warrior Leadership, where Development of Mind, Body, and Spirit are amalgamated and transcended. His book, “Warrior Leadership - A Transformation of Mind, Body & Spirit for Everyday Life and the Workplace” is available worldwide on Amazon. He is currently working on his 2nd book on Attaining Greatness & is available for speaking engagements, seminars, workshops and personal coaching/mentoring.

Be sure to follow him on Twitter @KerryKBrown and at kerrykbrown1 on Instagram.