A year ago I couldn’t run 500 meters.
Now, over 100 runs and 750 kilometres later, I think I can call myself a runner.
Hover over a bubble to see details of the run.
How it started
It was this time last year — May 2025. A few days after my first Hyrox — more on that later. There were certainly things I could have prepared for in terms of the exercises, but — oh man, did the running kick my butt! I mean, it wasn’t a complete surprise to me. I knew I had a pretty solid base when it came to lifting — I’d been doing that for a few years already. But running? That was a completely different story. At that point, I’d get out of breath just trying to catch a tram. I was not able to run 500 meters. And I don’t mean “not able to run 500 meters at pace 6:00” or “not able to run 500 meters with heart rate ~140 bpm.” I mean not being able to run 500 meters in one shot.
And even though building muscle through strength training is great, if I can’t run a bit without being close to a heart attack — I can’t call myself fit and healthy.
One thing about me — I love a good challenge. And I was 100% sure that if I set a goal for myself and built a reasonable plan to get there, there’s no way I wouldn’t succeed.
My running experience & tips
Now I will spare you all the details of all the runs. However, I put down a few things I would tell my T-1 year self when I started:
- Have a goal. You can go a little bit extra or crazy, depending on who you ask, and set them up with the SMART methodology. It can be pace goal, it can be distance goal… For me, it was running 5 km run.
- Have a plan. Having a goal without a plan is just a painful experience. I knew of this app called Runa where I created a 8-week 5K run goal - can’t recommend more!
- Have good quality running shoes. It doesn’t have to be shoes costing you €300, and to be honest, I don’t think that’s even a good idea for the starters. However, you shouldn’t run in Converse. Trust me, your knees and ankles will thank you. I personally became a huge fan of Adidas running shoes.
- Have fun. For a very long time, running was not an enjoyable activity for me. It hurt in all the ways imaginable. But once I caught myself enjoying the views, having a little conversation here and there and actually looking forward to next run - I knew I was hooked :)
What are your thoughts on running? Are you team Apple Watch or Garmin? ;)