At running school

Heini, the service and administration manager at Helsinki Adult Education Centre, is testing out the centre's courses. This time, Heini is checking out the running school course.

I admit to being a Sunday runner: I run when I have time from my other hobbies, when I feel like it. Sudden inspiration usually strikes on Sundays when the sun is shining beautifully, but not every week. I start running in the spring, but because I don't feel particularly passionate about running, at some point the whole thing is simply forgotten. In need of motivation and fresh air, I go to try out Aapo Summanen's course "Innostava juoksukoulu" to see if I can find the charm of running.

Feel free to put on your sneakers!

The running school started energetically. At first, we discussed our hopes, goals and a little equipment, after which we headed straight to the running trails. We did technique exercises in the central park, filmed the participants' running technique and tried different terrains: we ran on roads and paths, on snow and on slightly drier ground. In March-April, there was very little drier terrain to be found, and the slippery conditions made running challenging in places. To my surprise, I noticed that my state of mind was still approaching euphoria, whether it was the fresh air and the company of people or the inspiring teacher, and I felt like I could have run to the ends of the earth. In the evening, I was in such a surprisingly good mood that it was difficult to fall asleep.

Running school schedule

Running school always started with technique exercises, after which we moved on to the topic of the day. We tried interval training, among other things, with the aim of running one minute harder and one minute slower for ten laps. We were allowed to set the pace ourselves, but the goal was to always go a little further. Personally, I could have taken it easier, because the next day my backside was so sore that it was difficult to walk. I didn't know that running could be this effective! In the following weeks, we tried acceleration training by running two minutes one way and two back, with the aim of always going a little further on the way back, hill training and speed exercises over a distance of a few dozen meters. One theme was muscle fitness training, where we focused on the muscle groups that are important for running, starting with the small muscles of the foot, which can be essential in preventing stress injuries. As a warm-up, we did a half-hour run of our own in Keskuspuisto. The muscle-building exercises felt like a refreshing change and it was fun to run wherever my nose pointed in the sunny weather.

You can also get homework at the running school

The teacher had a cheerful positive attitude and was able to encourage everyone. We also received homework in the form of various runs and the teacher encouraged us to go for a quick run. It was a relief to hear that even small bursts of energy matter, because many times a run is missed precisely because of lack of time. If you don't have time to run for an hour or even half an hour, even less will do, because ten minutes always brings you closer to your goal than zero. Many participants had real goals for running and some were training for the Women's Ten or another running event. I, on the other hand, am interested in running as a good side workout: basic endurance running and recovery runs are the best fit for my other sports hobbies.

Thoughts about running school

The running school proved my preconceived notions of running as a somewhat boring plodding on a dirt track wrong. Running is much more than that and is a more technical sport than one might expect. Everyone can run, but there may be room for improvement in technique, and it may not occur to you on your own to think of ways to train more effectively and make running more interesting. The course gave me a kick start for spring and helped me start my running hobby earlier than expected. However, I guess you are born a passionate runner: the spark has to be found inside. Anyone who has a passion for running in particular would get excellent additional motivation for their hobby from the “Inspiring Running School”. A fit and goal-oriented enthusiast, for whom running is not a completely new experience, would benefit the most from it. This time, the participants were quite fit and the course progressed accordingly. For a complete beginner and someone who has never done any exercise, the running school might have been too much to swallow. My own goals were fulfilled: I gained new perspectives and enthusiasm for running from now on, even at times other than sometimes on Sundays.

Text: Heini, Helsinki Adult Education Institute

Photos: Bluewater Sweden and Malin Skydsgaard, Unsplash