Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UVA chapter.

This summer, I finally decided to commit to running, and I experienced a plethora of expected and unexpected results.

Mental Effects

One of the main reasons I decided to start running over the summer was to build up mental toughness. It worked, but it was not a linear process. It’s normal to have a feeling of dread before a run, and even during the run, if it isn’t something you normally find joy in. The most difficult part for me was getting myself out there and through the first half of my run. However, running also had some amazing mental health side effects. First, I was much more confident in how I felt, looked, and in how strong I was becoming. Second, I began to feel the “runner’s high” feeling, but this only really came for me at the end of my long runs.

Physical Results

Running long distances, supplemented with my weight training, helped to lean me out. Of course, running also required me to eat more. One tip I would give is to fuel yourself. If you are lifting weights, fuel yourself. If you’re running, fuel yourself. If you’re doing both, fuel yourself extra! Your body needs it. You will be able to run longer, and your body will be able to carry out its important processes. Don’t be afraid of fueling yourself. You deserve it!

Keeping up with running

I would find that progressing took a while for me. I didn’t improve too much over the summer with my times. However, I improved more in distance. Remember that any progress is progress! However, sometimes I would have weeks where I would be too exhausted to run every day. That is okay! Rest your body. However, depending on where you are in the month, the exertion you are able to put yourself through will change. Don’t beat yourself up.

person wearing orange running shoes walking
Photo by Bruno Nascimento from Unsplash

Conclusion

Running can be amazing for you. For whatever reason you decide to pick it up for, it will be so beneficial. However, it is very hard to keep up with the long distances when in college (at least for me). As our schedules are becoming more packed, we may not have two hours to run each day, and that is okay! Fitting it into your schedule, or making extra time for it is awesome.

Gracie Firgau is on the writing team at the Her Campus at The University of Virginia chapter. Beyond Her Campus, Gracie studies Pre-Commerce and German at the Univerity of Virginia. She is a second year interested in Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Information Technology. Gracie has also done research on topics such as Video Game Preference and Sensorimotor Skill Maturity Compared to Age and Ultraviolet Radiation’s Effect on Drying Duration of Automotive Paints with Resin Filming Agents. She has interned for the Nau Center at UVA on the Letters Home Project, worked with her professor in the History Department on transcriptions of documents from the 1800s, and interned for Galax City Public Schools in Information Technology. In her free time, Gracie enjoys weightlifting, cooking and baking new recipes, and experimenting with new fashion and beauty. She is also involved in Chi Alpha at the University of Virginia and is always searching for new areas to explore her passions while also building new relationships.