Why Is Jogging So Hard?

If you’ve never gone jogging before then it’s easy to think that it’s a difficult activity to do. It can seem pretty daunting for many new runners. 

The fact is that a lot of joggers don’t necessarily like jogging at first. When you first start out, it can be easy to get out of breath if you aren’t very fit.

Not only that, but you may find yourself comparing your own performance to other runners around you. Setting time and distance goals can also be a little scary, and it’s easy to bite off more than you can do.

With that being said, jogging gets a lot easier once you begin to do more of it. Practice makes perfect - that’s certainly true when it comes to jogging. Eventually, you’ll find yourself doing 5k runs in less than an hour and you’ll begin to achieve your goals without any issues whatsoever.

It may take a while to get to this point, but trust us - it’s certainly worthwhile to keep on jogging.

There are a few things that you can do to make jogging easier for yourself, however.

First of all, begin at a slower pace. Don’t work too hard when you first start out. You should run at a pace where you can have a conversation with another person without much trouble. 

Also, try not to run too much when you first get started - take some rest days! Don’t be afraid to walk in the middle of your runs too, at least while you get used to the pace.

Finally, make sure that you’re running in the right gear. The wrong pair of shoes can really ruin your run!

Why is running so hard some days?

You will find that some days are a lot harder when you are running. The question is, why is it so much harder some days than other days?

There are actually a number of reasons for this phenomenon. The first reason is that you haven’t given your body adequate fuel beforehand. Food is important for your energy, and so it can have a huge impact on your run.

Before a run, you should eat a meal a few hours before you embark, and you should also have a snack just before your run to give you that important last minute energy boost. Focus on filling yourself with some good quality carbs for energy.

The other reason is that you haven’t taken a rest day in a while. Rest days are essential for maintaining a good athletic performance and are vital for the recovery of your muscles. Instead of running on back to back days, it may be worth going for a light walk instead to stay active while giving your body some time to heal.

It could also just be that you aren’t as mentally prepared for the run as you would have liked to be. You should fit your runs around your life, rather than shoehorning them into your day.

Sometimes there are other things that demand your attention in other aspects of life, and this may sometimes mean that you are less likely to perform in the way that you want to. Cut yourself some slack, and try again tomorrow! 

Why is the first mile of a run so hard?

Many runners agree - the first mile is always the hardest. It doesn’t matter whether you started running yesterday or you’re an Olympic runner, the first mile is always rather difficult, but why is that?

The main reason is that you are starting off in an anaerobic state, but you are trying to exercise in an aerobic state. This means that your body won’t have the amount of oxygen that you need to run straight away, resulting in an increased rate of breathing and more difficulty in maintaining a higher pace.

That transition can be rather difficult in itself. Not only that, but when you first start the run, you are trying to mentally get yourself in the right place for the run, which can sometimes be rather difficult to do.

It can often help to think about the first mile as a different run to the rest of your run. Your first mile may not be your greatest mile of the day, and so it shouldn’t be used as an overall marker of your performance. Your first mile may be terrible, but the next four may be spectacular. Think of your first mile as a warm up for the rest of the run.

During your first mile you are adapting to the activity. That adaptation can be difficult! As time goes on, you will find the run easier to do. After each mile it becomes more and more simple to pound that sidewalk, so keep it up!