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Changing Your Running Scenery: My Running Diary

By Mandi Mellen

Posted on October 24, 2016

The best way to push your body is by changing your running scenery! I was super lucky to spend a few days in San Diego and you know I took full advantage by running someplace new.

Diary of a Running Chick: October 24th, 2016

Running in a brand new city, or one I’m revisiting, is truly one of my favorites ways to explore and experience the area. I just left San Diego and its hard to explain, but when you run you experience the world differently. It’s not the same as walking, driving, or biking. I love how running completely changes your perception!

Finding new scenery, whether it’s in a city you’re visiting or simply venturing to a different part of your home turf, always pushes your body. Your run doesn’t even have to be longer than normal. It can be the same or even slightly shorter and you’ll still feel the difference both physically and mentally. I always find myself more worked and more sore the next day!

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That’s the true benefit and the part I love most about finding new scenery to run. I love that even though running in San Diego was no harder for me than running at home, I actually got a better workout. The terrain might have even been a little easier. It was a nice flat surface with no real incline. I truly could have just kept running, but the location change worked my body more than I ever expected!

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Changing my running scenery reinforced to me how our bodies are constantly craving change. Let’s face it, we’re changing all the time. So much so, that a lot of times we don’t even realize it. The more we can do as runners to keep switching it up, the more benefits we’ll get out of it. The more we’ll change and grow our running styles. For me, change always symbolizes growth and I’m always looking for that next step as a runner.

It’s super easy to get complacent with your runs. I find myself guilty of this as well. A lot of times I don’t even realize I’m being complacent until someone points it out to me. Changing scenery definitely helps me shake off complacency throughout the year. After being in San Diego, I’m now excited to get back out there on my regular routes in Los Angeles, but I’m also thinking of new ways to change it up here at home!

One thing I noticed from my change of scenery was how effortless my runs felt. I loved that! It can be daunting to run in a new area. What if you get lost? What if you don’t go far enough? As you get used to running away from home, you let those fears just fade away. You can trust yourself that you’re running a good distance! I always think, whatever you run when you’re on vacation or on a work trip is better than not running at all!

Try changing up your scenery. Even if you’re not going out of town anytime soon, just run in a different section of your home town or city! It really does change how you look at running and your runs. You’ll feel amazing, strong, and I bet you’ll even be more sore the next day than you usually are. Who doesn’t love that?

Mandi Mellen is Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Vlogger at BuzzChomp. She’s an actress, writer, and producer. Get lost in her youtube comedy channel PillowTalk TV. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Instagram