It’s common to feel like you suck at running — but it doesn’t have to be that way.
A snapshot of a watch boasting an impressive six-minute mile time. A sweaty selfie taken after an “easy” trail run, completed before sunrise (of course). A video clip showing a glowing, smiling face while crossing a half-marathon finish line.
It feels impossible to escape these humble brags if you use any form of social media. And to members who are wiped after five minutes on the treadmill or breathless halfway through a 5K, these posts can trigger one common feeling: I suck at running.
Let’s be honest, running is tough. And even if you find this style of cardio training to be no-sweat, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily enjoying it. Half of runners worldwide say they either hate running or barely tolerate it, according to a Strava survey of 25,000 people. Only 8 percent of participants said they loved running.
Why Running Is Worth the Effort
The health payoff is significant. Runners have a 30 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 45 percent lower risk of cardiovascular mortality compared to non-runners, research shows. That translates to roughly a three-year boost in life expectancy.
How to Improve Your Relationship with Running
You don’t have to feel miserable while unlocking those longevity benefits. Adopting a new set of tools can make running less of a chore you’re forcing yourself to push through.
Take a Precision Run Class
Improving your relationship with running all starts with Precision Run. An Equinox exclusive, Precision Run was created to unlock the potential in every critic and member who’s ever declared they’re “not a runner.” It emphasizes your one-minute personal record (i.e., PR).
Your PR is a self-owned, hyper-personal metric. It’s the fastest speed you can maintain for one minute.
Your PR is fluctuating. It can change week to week and year to year.
Your PR takes competition out of running. It’s you versus you.
The other pillars of Precision Run — the BITE (Balanced Interval Training Experience) method and the custom Woodway treadmill with an interface built around your PR — make the physical experience of jogging or sprinting less torturous and more achievable.
You can take Precision Run classes in-person at your Club or on-demand through the EQX+ app. Either way, you’ll have an expert Coach celebrating your wins and pushing your limits.
RELATED: The Impressive History of Precision Run
Build Your Running Community
Does running with other people actually help it feel less miserable? Yes, a long, exhausting training day can turn invigorating when you bring community into the fold. Feeling a sense of “groupness” during a workout class can make you feel more enjoyment and pleasure; having the support of other members can help you overcome stressors, like your final push when your legs feel like Jell-O. It can also encourage you to work harder than if you were training solo, research suggests.
To grow your running community:
1. Meet with a local run club.
2. Take an Equinox Group Fitness class.
3. Join an in-person Precision Run class.
4. Do an on-demand Precision Run class with your friends. Share your wins in the group chat.
“PR is there for you always, to remind you [that] you don’t suck,” says Precision Run founder David Siik. “And when you feel like you do, we will usher you across the finish line, one step at a time.”
RELATED: The Scientific Benefits of Togetherness
Focus on the Small Details of Your Run
These tiny elements can make your run feel like less of a chore.
Wear apparel you love. Your clothing choices reflect how you feel about yourself and how you want others to feel about you, research shows. Having positive feelings about your clothing is tied to positive views of your emotions, sociability, and competency. Run in gear you love, and you may feel the same way about yourself, even if the work feels brutal.
Fuel properly. The wrong energy gel can send you straight to the bathroom, and high-fiber snacks can leave you sluggish. Choose fuel that agrees with you.
Choose the right music. Jamming to your favorite album can make your run more interesting and enjoyable. These tunes could make a long, exhausting endurance workout feel less strenuous, too, science shows.
Foster a Positive Mindset Around Running
Simply believing that athletic abilities can expand and develop with some effort and learning (known as a growth mindset) is linked with improved sports performance. If you believe you’ll become a better runner, there’s a good chance you will. It’s not always easy to maintain that positive perspective — and that’s where a Precision Run Coach, your personal hype-master and expert trainer, can prove valuable.
The Bottom Line
Running may suck now, but this is the start of your journey. Lace up your sneakers, find the routine changes that make running more enjoyable for you, and get to work.
FAQs
What is Precision Run?
Precision Run is an Equinox-exclusive running program that welcomes both longtime runners and members who feel they're "not runners." It’s built off of your one-minute personal record (PR) and uses the BITE (Balanced Interval Training Experience) method. Classes are available in Equinox Clubs and on the EQX+ app.
Why does Precision Run use a one-minute PR instead of pace?
The one-minute PR is an individual metric that allows you to focus on self-growth and stop comparing your workout to others’. Each effort in a Precision Run class is based on your one-minute PR — not specific pace or heart rate — creating a workout that’s more personal to you. It’s a hell of a lot harder to feel like you suck when you’re performing against only yourself.
Is it normal to hate running?
Completely normal. In a Strava survey of 25,000 runners worldwide, half said they either hate running or barely tolerate it, and only 8 percent said they loved it. Feeling like a "bad" runner is common, but it doesn't reflect your potential.
Does running actually extend your life?
Running can influence longevity. Runners have a 30 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 45 percent lower risk of cardiovascular mortality compared to non-runners, research shows. Runners’ life expectancy is three years longer than that of non-runners, too — a meaningful payoff even if individual runs feel difficult.
Does running with other people make it easier?
Yes. Feeling a sense of "groupness" during a workout class can make you feel more enjoyment and pleasure, and it can encourage you to work harder than training solo. Join a run club or take a Precision Run class at your Equinox club to build a community.
What small changes make running feel less awful?
Apparel, fuel, and music all matter. Wearing gear you love can help you think more positively about yourself, the wrong energy gel or high-fiber snack can derail a run, and your favorite music can make a long workout feel less strenuous. Small adjustments compound into a better experience.