‘If you're not enjoying it, why bother?’ — Tony Ward on how to fall in love with running and finally call yourself a runner
Tony Ward — known as _bigtone on Instagram — has inspired many with his down to earth approach to running. He provides some tips and advice on how to get yourself on the move, and have fun in the process:
Kendal-based Tony is an all-round action man. He loves to run, climb, hike, open water swim and is an aspiring Mountain Leader. While today he classifies himself as a keen runner who moves for “the sheer enjoyment of it”, it took him a while to call himself a “proper runner.”
“I was a 100m and 200m sprinter in school,” Tony said. “I gave it up once I left and it wasn’t until 14 years later that I challenged myself to run a half marathon for my 30th birthday. It was such an effort and I was in so much pain that the following week I vowed I'd never run again!”
Six years later while living in Berkshire, Tony decided to put his running shoes back on. He realised that to reach his mountaineering goals he’d need to find a way to improve and maintain his fitness levels.
“Running was the only way I could replicate some of the effort needed to climb high mountains,” he continued. “I remember almost throwing up the first time I attempted to run 1k in the forest behind my house. But I knew I had to keep it up. Over time, I slowly increased my distance until I could run as far as 10km.
“I was only running for the mountains; I wanted to climb and it took a long time before I could say 'I now enjoy running' and ‘I’m a runner.’
“When I started to enjoy it I started to set myself new goals of running faster and further. Soon, I was running ultra distances just to see if I could.”
When Tony moved to Cumbria, he had a “rude awakening”. The hilly terrain found in his new home county was a huge contrast to the flat countryside of Berkshire.
“I went from running on very easy forest trails to the steep and technical fells of the Lakes,” Tony said. “I was suddenly a beginner again. I could only just about manage to run 8km; I used to drive up the hills to the start of my runs.
“I decided to change my focus and consider whether I was having fun while out and about. Because at the end of the day if you're not enjoying it, why bother? The distance was no longer as important; I’d run for the time out on my feet — maybe one hour, maybe four — and the terrain in the mountains meant the distances would vary massively, so I could relax more and not stress about the metrics.
“Today, I run all over the place and I do it for the sheer enjoyment of it.”
Tony’s tips for starting your running journey:
First, figure out why you want to start running. Do you have a certain goal or is it just for self improvement? It'll make a big difference when the going gets tough and you find yourself wanting to quit.
Stick at it; improvement comes fairly quickly if you can run regularly.
It can help if you can find a buddy to run with so you can encourage each other. Some people like to join running clubs for the structured training and social aspects. But ultimately you have to run for yourself if you really want to become a runner.
Start off slowly; run/jog slowly, walk a bit, do some more. The more you do, the further you'll be able to run.
Don't get disheartened; not everyday is an awesome run day. Sometimes it'll feel hard or you might just have a bad run. But each time you do run, it's an opportunity to have a great one, and when that happens the feeling is AWESOME!
Keep setting yourself goals if you want to progress. If your aim is to run 2km, then great! But what happens when you get there? Further, faster, easier? You can do it all if you really want to…
Run, run and run again; head out regularly and running will become easier. If you don't it'll always feel like hard work. It's all about constantly getting the time into your legs and onto your feet.
Make it easy for yourself; getting out the door for a run can be the hardest bit. We all look for an excuse not to go out occasionally. If you run in the morning, try putting your running gear on as soon as you get up. If you prefer the evening, get your gear out ready for after work or school, and put it on as soon as you get in/finish work if you work from home.
Stretch; everyone hates it and finds it boring, but it really does stop you picking up preventable running injuries. It'll also help you feel less sore from DOMS (Delayed-onset Muscle Soreness) a day or two afterwards.
Enjoy yourself; because life's too short not to. If you're not enjoying your runs, try switching it up, slow it down or go and run somewhere different.
KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TONY