The sun is slowly but surely ceasing to beat down on us weary travelers, from south and north campus alike, but almost two full months into the academic year you start to feel the [insert Lenoir, Ram’s, Agora or Wherever-Your-Primary-Choice-Of-Grub-Is here] Effect.
It’s time to take advantage of the autumnal beauty that surrounds Chapel Hill and say, “I need to get back into running, and by ‘into’ I mean committing to a routine that doesn’t involve crying, nor enjoyment, necessarily.”
The Lenoir Effect /thee lenwah ahfekt/ noun – the timely but sudden aspiration to become physically, and consequently emotionally, fit which one experiences after realizing the impact that a few weeks or months of American university dining hall eating has on a newly independent person (also known as a “kid”).
Reasoning with the negative voices
With 729 acres of perfectly imagined scenery – well, almost perfect – UNC offers all the reasons for you to escape the entrapping delusion that is a comfortable bed or an enchanting internal voice saying, “Tomorrow I’ll run instead.” But, let’s get real. We’re college students, staying up way past the bedtimes we tell our folks back home that we obey. We tend to be tired, that’s adulthood.
Source: UNC Registrar
The real reason you should go for that run: yourself.
If you sit down with yourself (in front of a mirror?) and have a serious conversation about your health (maybe you should if you’re talking to a mirror), you’ll realize where your priorities stand.
Take care of yourself.
Indulging in nighttime splendors or juggling busy day schedules are facets of the real world, but they should not excuse you from running, or hitting the gym or keeping up hygiene for that matter.
The habits that take shape in your college life determine the course you’ll ultimately take in your adult life.
We went over the why, but how?
They stop with you at the stoplights and busy crosswalks, some wielding shorts that are oddly fashionably short, most with a brazen look of determination to run forever.
Most likely just back to their dorms to shower or to the dining hall to surrender to the cookies that put the Lenoir Effect on them in the first place. But they appear much more successful to you than that. You can be like them, maybe better.
1. New to the running game or returning from a sabbatical?
Gradually build up your routine. A couple days a week is the goal. Go for increments of 15 to 30 minutes and increase the amount as you feel like it.
2. Unable to betray your bed in the morning?
It’s possible you just set your alarm for the wrong time and you interrupt your sleep cycle, making it harder to wake easily. Download a sleep cycle app that will awake you appropriately.
3. Don’t hit the trail less traveled alone
Four out of three medical professionals advise that running with company, as in all things, guarantees goals to be met more than running solo. They also hate statistics.
4. Forget your past
In life and in running, moving on from past mistakes is the healthiest thing to do. It’s all right to reflect, but not to dwell on your failures. Today (not tomorrow) is the only day to get it done.
5. Punch running in the face and actually enjoy it
Race a friend and place bets. Bring earbuds. Switch up your route for new scenery. Track your running accomplishments. Go naked… this means without gear to worry about time, just enjoy!
6. Stop making excuses (and get off your phone)
College students spend roughly 8 to 10 hours on their phones a day! While some of this may be multitasking, you still have a lot of time to replace passive scrolling with healthier alternatives.
7. Extrinsically motivate yourself
Mostly this article was about intrinsic reasons to run (for yourself). But, what about that girl or guy you’ve been eyeing? They’d probably be interested in toned muscles and DRI Fit clothing.
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