Slow Jogging

I heard about this only recently, and decided to check out the book from the library:

Slow Jogging by Hiroaki Tanaka

Slow Jogging by Hiroaki Tanaka is “an efficient, healthier, and pain-free approach to running for all ages and lifestyles.” Sounds good to me, as someone who takes up running for a bit, and then dumps it again. Basically, it’s the opposite of “no pain, no gain.” Tanaki dreamed of being an Olympic-level runner, but struggled with training and eventually was told (wrongly) that he had been born with a heart condition that meant he couldn’t train at that level. He went on to research exercise, but didn’t really put his theories into practice. After taking more than 4 unhappy hours to finish a marathon in his 30s, he gave up exercise until he turned 45, when he was diagnosed with fatty liver and high cholesterol, due to weight gain and years of being sedentary.

His practice is based on running at “niko niko” pace, from the Japanese word for smile—meaning a pace that allows you to talk to companions, sing a song, generally enjoy what you’re doing. Sounds good to me!

It’s also similar to some of the advice from the other book I’m reading, Exercise for Mood and Anxiety. I put some of that into practice this morning, reminding myself that I feel better after a run, and walking for part of my 5k this morning. I ran 2 km, walked roughly .5 km, ran 1.5, walked .5, and ran the final .5—a strong finish/ending on a high note being a good way to cement the memory of the run as enjoyable rather than a drag!—and ended up doing some of my fastest splits ever. One km was under 6 minutes, which is super fast for me, even if it’s slow for everyone else!