I’m not a runner, but these products took me from the couch to 5K shape in no time | CNN underlined

Run a 5K? No thankyou. i hate running When it comes to exercise, I’ll take a bike or walk over a run any day. For real? I’m a self-proclaimed couch potato and prefer to spend my free time digging through a pile of video games or watching my favorite sports teams disappoint me or, frankly, just sleeping. Like many people, I have no interest in wasting my time doing something I hate.

Bye now. My boss asked me to write this article I decided it was time to lose some weight and training for a 5K sounded like an achievable way to shed a few pounds. So I signed up for a charity run, laced up my running shoes and went to my local park a couple of times a week to train. Slowly (but surely), I’ve increased the resistance to knock out those 3.1 miles.

Race day is finally here this weekend, and it’s fun to look back at where I started. My training course is the paved path around a pond near my apartment, and a single lap is a little over three-quarters of a mile, which means it took time and exactly four laps in one race to reach that 5K distance. During my first run, I passed out after a mile and resorted to walking. My second attempt got me around two laps, but yeah, still tired. I turned the figurative corner in race 3, finishing three laps with breaths to spare.

Since then, slowing my pace has helped me complete all four laps, and I’m so fired up for the big event that I’ve actually started waking up early to run. before work In my world, that’s dedication.

So, yes, I’m still working through that stack of video games, but I can also be proud of my new healthy habit even if I (kind of) forced myself. Do you want to start taking more steps in yourself? Here’s what I learned and what you need to know when I went from couch to 5K.

Think about how much your feet hurt after a long day of walking around in uncomfortable shoes. Now consider the ridiculous idea of ​​trying to run a few miles in them. Ouch. That’s why it’s essential to wear the right running shoes when you start running. It will go a long way to minimize pain.

Every time the weather warms up, I consider running. A mile here, two more there never sticks. I wore Nike Free Run 2018 during those stays. Good, affordable sneakers, but not the kind that will absorb the repeated pounding of my 200 pound frame. Hokas, I have learned, will. The chunky, trendy soles of my Clifton 8s didn’t just make this training cycle bearable, they made it enjoyable.

The cushioning is especially noticeable when I start each run. I won’t say it feels like it’s bouncing, but it’s close. As I settle into a nice 11 minute mile pace, I know, slow down! the cushioning under my feet hides the inconsistencies in the floor. No slippage, plenty of support and proven durability. Most importantly, my feet don’t hurt.

Still, some of our favorite Hokas can set you back more than $200. Do you really want to pay hundreds for a pair of kicks that you only wear for an hour or two a week? I think your favorite running shoes can also be your favorite for walking, working, relaxing, and whatever else you want to do. I bought my Hokas for a trip to Disney World. And I had them on sale at Nordstrom Rack; One of the benefits of Hoka constantly refining the design of its flagship models is that older versions can often be found at a discount.

Running hats to block the sun, non-slip running glasses, phone and key belts, running tights for the ultimate perfect fit, we’ve tried it all. Serious racers can benefit from serious gear. But I’m not a serious runner, and if you’ve read this far, neither are you. Don’t be too oblivious to equipping every part of your body with technical and expensive clothing.

Just make sure you’re comfortable. I love Adidas training pants because they are tight enough to keep my belongings from falling out, but not so tight that I feel like I’m running in my underwear. The Nike Pro Fitness Shorts are my favorite base layer. Under Armor Seamless shirts are my go-to lightest for any workout. Find what works for you, because it’s hard to get into a rhythm if you’re constantly tugging on saggy pants or sweating through a heavy shirt.

There are plenty of memes and TikToks about annoying partners who are always pestering their other half with hydration reminders, and I’m proud to admit that I’m the target audience for these jokes. At home, I’m the hydration police, always telling my fiance that anything ailing her is because she hasn’t had enough water.

Because? Because it’s true! I feel more awake and motivated when I’m properly hydrated, and that was even more evident when I trained for this 5K. Even though I didn’t drink anything during my 35-minute runs, being vigilant about my H2O intake throughout the day made me more ready to run and fueled better while I was out there.

You were living in the golden age of water bottles, so can you make drinking water fun? There are constantly new colors or collaborations from Stanley, Owala and other viral brands, so you’re spoiled for choice. Personally, I’ve been on Team Hydro Flask for over six years now, and I love my 24-ounce bottle because its screw cap prevents spills even when it’s upside down. Just pick something to drink from and fill it up.

There are tons of great apps out there. Try enough and you might find something that motivates you. I gave Joggo a shot, which can also provide meal recommendations for your weight loss journey. But in the end, a push notification telling me to go for a run won’t do anything for me. I have to want to do it myself and it turns out that the greatest technology to help on that front is already on my wrist every day.

My Apple Watch Series 3 is so old that Apple won’t even offer credit if I wanted to trade it in for a new model. While it may not be as robust as some of our favorite running watches, it has fitness tracking capabilities and syncs perfectly with my iPhone 13. Plus, I find it very useful when I’m not running.

When I start running on the watch, it will show my time, distance, pace and heart rate. It vibrates when I do a mile. Once I finish my run, there’s a sense of accomplishment when checking my stats in the Apple Fitness app. I can send the map of my run to my family and friends to show my progress, see my splits to see how much I’ve slowed down each mile, and marvel at my heart rate as I hit the afterburners for the final section .

None of these features are groundbreaking, but they give me a boost while running and make the whole process a little more fun and rewarding. Newer iterations of the Apple Watch can offer you even more. On the Android team? Consider the Galaxy Watch 6. Doesn’t sound like a smart watch? The $100 Fitbit Inspire 3 is our favorite and least-committed fitness tracker.

Getting in shape for a 5K is less about the products you buy and more about your willingness to do it. Lay back. hydrate Try to improve a little each race and then give yourself time to recover. Don’t spend a lot of money thinking that the newest products are the key, because everything that helped me this time around my outdated Hokas, sportswear in the store and the archaic Apple Watch were things I’ve had for quite some time . In fact, putting them to good use was what finally got me into shape.