In the past few months I did not exercise at all, or hardly. Now after getting my health back, I feel motivated to make up the lost time. Cycling has always been my preferred choice when it comes to an aerobic workout. However, since I have a dog, I’m shifting interests over to running so that I can keep both of us active. I used to criticize running as being primitive and inferior to the benefits riding a bicycle can offer. I’m going to eat my words because I’m finding running to be more practical and just as effective as cycling. Sure, they both may have their pros and cons… but from an endgame perspective, the same goal is achieved for me whether I’m running or pedaling. My priority is to simply maintain fitness and burn calories.
With cycling, it takes more work to “start”. I have to gear up, check my bike, and figure out a route. And since it’s not very fun to pedal around on your own, syncing up with other people comes into the equation. This usually becomes far more tedious than it should be, and really dampens the whole experience. For me, since I’m relatively lazy and inpatient, obtaining results quick is important. As for running, all I have to do is put a leash on my dog (who is always ready, no organizing required here), put on my shoes, and go out the door.
I bought these Free Run+ 2’s a couple weeks ago, and they have been amazing. I think one of the reasons why I was previously put off by running is because I never had proper shoes.
There is a ~0.3 miles long street near my house which is in a commercial district that I continually run up and down on. It’s fairly ghetto, but has minimal traffic which allows me to run with my dog off-leash. A tired dog is a happy dog:
Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m abandoning cycling or anything like that – simply commenting a new trend. If the stars align and a ride comes together one day, I will always be down to ride.
Hopefully in the future I can take up swimming next. I think that is the ultimate form of exercise, it has the best of both the running and cycling worlds: easy to get going (assuming you have a pool nearby) and water provides an easier environment for joints. In the time being, I just need to keep up running on a weekly basis. Which is what I’ve said before about bike rides, but I think this expectation will be easier to meet.