How should I run? Where should I start? What’s the secret to sticking with it? As a new year arrives the same question comes pouring in again: How do I run? People never want to hear the simple truth: run slower. Most of us are blessed to move daily in some form, but our ego often is not prepared for the low rate at which our body can stride after time off.

There is a special pleasure in embarking on a run of unknown duration or undetermined distance. It brings time closer. When I set out on a long run, I check the clock and calculate progress. During speed workouts, my mind is focused on the intervals that are yet to come, and even easy runs sometimes have me ticking off sections, with each turn becoming an item on a to-do list. In recent months, I had decided to discard these preconceptions in favor of open-ends, curiosity and adventure.

The experience of not seeing progress as fast as I would want to can feel frustrating. While can borrow someone’s idea or dream, but you cannot borrow their conviction. Conviction is the glue that holds your dream together when everything is falling apart.

One cannot deny that it has been a year filled with plenty of ups and downs, and a need to adjust, requiring patience, while facing the unknown. I began to note a number of similarities between running an ultra-marathon and living life amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It has become clear to me that having a defined goal, offers purpose and direction, while navigating towards an unknown future.

Community building, self-optimization, digital gadgets and lifestyle aspiration, all targeted on the mass market. As an amateur sport, running combines every aspect of creating brand relations in a modern way and serves as perfect role model for other sports categories.

Running has gained tremendous popularity as a means of getting away from it all and re-connecting with your body and surroundings, while getting fit and sweating out the pressure of the daily life. On the other hand, meditation has also gained a huge foothold, as people turn inward to try and calm their racing minds, regain control, and let go of an overwhelming flood of thoughts.

Virtual challenges and runs are part of a growing trend in recreational running: doing a race whenever you can, wherever you can, and still feeling as if you are part of the crowd, even if you are running alone.

With a little over a month to go, the final preparation will be on its way for more than 1.300 daredevils that are ready to take on the Marathon Des Sables (“MDS”). Aside from the month-long physical and mental preparation for this mighty challenge, the equipment plays an equally important role to master this 250-kilometer desert crossing.

This might be your first try at running or an attempt to improve on what you already do. The less sport you have done recently, the more you can expect to improve your distances and speeds. The following words should give you a little overview of the importance of the heart rate to your training and give you an introduction to different training types.