Make a Run for It with STEPN

5 min readJan 3, 2023

With the new year just starting, how about freshening up your fitness routine?

If you’re looking to make a healthy change, consider switching from walking to running. While both activities provide numerous benefits, running can open up new worlds and even greater rewards — and STEPN is here to help.

For those who are just starting out, it can be intimidating to lace up your sneakers and hit the road or trail. But the rewards of running are well worth the initial discomfort. The feeling of accomplishment and the endorphin rush that comes with completing a run can be incredibly satisfying.

Make a Run For It

We recently did a poll on our Twitter and found that 80% of STEPN users are using walkers and joggers. With the New Year just around the corner, we’re creating a fun challenge to push STEPNers to reach new horizons. And with our very own commander-in-chief Yawn switching from a jogger to a runner, we figured this was the perfect time for a new challenge!

Say hello to Make a Run For It..

The Benefits

So, why run?

Improve cardiovascular health
Increase muscle strength
Boost endurance

It can also help burn more calories and maintain a healthy weight. And unlike walking, which is a relatively low-intensity activity, running can provide a more intense burn.

Running has numerous benefits for both the body and the mind. While walking can be great for your health as well, running can open up completely new worlds — both for your fitness goals, and quite literally if you explore new neighborhoods!

For those of you who like to squeeze in more exercise out of your routine, running burns more calories per minute — running at a 6 mph pace for 30 minutes will burn more than double the amount of calories than walking at a 3.5 mph pace.

Mental Health

In addition to the physical benefits, running can also have a positive impact on mental health. You can use it as a way to hit new mile times or distances and boost your self-esteem. It can also reduce stress and anxiety, and even help improve symptoms of depression. It can also be a great opportunity to clear your head and focus on your own thoughts.

Making it Stick

So are you ready to give running a try? You never know, it might just become your new favorite way to stay active and healthy. But all too often, our good intentions can falter and we struggle to stick with our resolutions. To help you stick with your new habit, we’ve collected a few tips on how to make a New Year’s running resolution that will last!

1. Be concise with your routine

Instead of resolving to “run more,” set a specific goal. This can be something simple like “run three times a week at 5pm” or “run a total of 5 km per week”. By keeping things specific, measurable, and achievable, it will make it easier to track your progress.

2. Make a plan and set aside time to work on your resolution

If your goal is to upgrade from a Walker/Jogger to a Runner/Trainer, create a plan to switch your sneakers or add another one to your collection.

It can also be helpful to understand what exactly upgrading from a Walker/Jogger shoe to a Runner/Trainer shoe means. Walker and Jogger speeds are 1–6 km/hr and 4–10km/hr, respectively. You can time yourself or check your phone as you’re jogging one day to see how quickly you move.

Then, if you’re up for it, you can see if you’re able to push yourself to a runner speed (8–20 km/hr). If you use a runner shoe, you’ll need to be able to stay in that range to earn GMT. For those who know they can, this can be a great incentive to keep pace and stay above 8 km/hr!

For those just starting out, a Trainer shoe might be your best bet, since it encompasses all speeds from 1–20 km/hr. That way, you can track your speed but still have a “grace” range if you fall below the running pace. If you’re someone who likes to mix in sprints in between jogs, this can be a great shoe for you.

3. Enlist the support of friends and family

Share your goals with those around you and ask for their support. They can provide encouragement and accountability, and can even join you in your pursuit of your resolution. In fact, a Runner/Trainer can be a fantastic gift for the holidays if you’d like to bring your whole family along!

4. Be flexible and adaptable

If you encounter obstacles or setbacks, don’t be discouraged. Instead, look for ways to overcome these challenges and continue working towards your goal. And if your goal no longer feels relevant or meaningful, don’t be afraid to reassess and adjust your resolution accordingly.

5. Start small

Don’t get overly ambitious when you begin, especially if you are just starting out. Gradually increase the distance and intensity of your runs. You don’t need to be a marathon runner to reap the rewards of running — even a few minutes of jogging a day can provide significant benefits.

Closing Thoughts

Finally, don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way! As you make progress towards your goal, take time to acknowledge and reward yourself for your hard work. This will help keep you motivated and engaged, and can provide the encouragement you need to continue working towards your resolution.

Happy New Year, and happy running!