People often ask me “What made you start running”? To be honest, I tried it in college… didn’t like it, and stopped. I tried it again shortly after college… didn’t like it and stopped again. But, a few years later, something happened that sort of forced me to try it again. I was diagnosed with hypertension.
When I found out my blood pressure was elevated, I figured I would make some lifestyle changes, and everything would be fine. Well, it wasn’t that simple. I took the medication, reduced my salt, and I even tried being a pescetarian for a while. None of that helped.
I forgot to mention that I worked out sparingly. Nothing too major, I just lifted weights and did some light cardio. But, one day I decided to go outside for a jog. I figured it wouldn’t hurt and besides, I had packed on about 15 extra pounds, and I figured more cardio would take care of that.
Let me tell you, those first few running sessions were rough. I’m glad there weren’t a lot of people around because I looked pathetic. I don’t think I was able to complete a full mile and strangely, my skin would itch like crazy too.
I told one of my co-workers about it and he explained to me that I was experiencing runner’s itch. Long story short, my body was experiencing an itching sensation due to an increase in blood flow. The only way to overcome it is to continue running so that my body can get accustomed to it.
In the past I would have said “screw this” and stopped like I always did, however, this time I kept running. Something told me this would be good for me… and it was.
Every time I ran, the itching became less bothersome until it completely went away. Even better, I started noticing that my blood pressure readings were lower on the days I ran. That gave me all the motivation I needed to keep going.
Over time my running got stronger, and I believe it was the thing that was keeping me healthy. In addition, running helped me manage my weight better than any other workout I had ever done.
More Than Physical Health
Running has certainly been great for my physical health but it also gave me some additional benefits. I believe that running has helped me become a stronger businessman.
Getting up early in the morning and pushing myself to grind out miles; even in the cold, when most people are still asleep, changes you. Developing and cultivating that type of willpower translates to other areas of your life.
For me, running totally altered my mindset. When I get tired of working, I feel like I owe it to my future self to go a little longer. That’s exactly what I do when I’m running. Sometimes… many times I want to stop, but something in me says to keep going. The same thing has started happening with my work.
I used to be a guy that did my job but when 5 pm rolled around, I was ready to shut it down. However, today I see things differently. I know that if I want to improve and separate myself from the masses, I must do more than what the average person in my industry is doing. I understand that some days are going to be harder than others, but that’s where the mindset of a runner comes in. You do it even when you don’t feel like it.
Check out the YouTube video – https://youtu.be/0VZ_dMpCcmA