As I talk a lot on my studygram about my running, I am often asked for tips. I am by no means an expert but I've done a lot of long distance running in the last few years and here are the things I would say to anyone who wants to start running.
1. Running requires discipline. It can be very easy to never quite feel in the mood for a run. Tell yourself the day before that you’re going to go running and then don’t talk yourself out it. Even better if you schedule it for a certain time in the day so that you can't put it off.
2. You don't need to spend lots of money of fancy running gear. Any exercise clothes that you will be comfortable sweating in are fine. If you have flat feet like me, I would recommend investing in some proper running share where you have your gait analysed in a running shop but for the average beginner any comfortable trainers should be fine. Once you reach longer distances, I would recommend buying some kind of running belt to hold your phone, water, keys, some emergency money and any fuel snacks but you can buy these quite inexpensively from places like sports direct and again, this is probably unnecessary for shorter distances.
3. If you plan on running outside, you will need to find a nice route. Don't be afraid to go for a walk or jog where you can explore potential routes without worrying about your time. I personally recommend running on pavements or trails where there is not too much traffic. When running outside, your saftey should always be your number one priority.
4. Find the soundtrack that works for you. Personally I like upbeat pop songs that are motivational and give me a good beat to run to. When you are starting out, it might be better though to listen to slower songs that help you to pace yourself. Some people also prefer to listen to podcasts or audibooks, I do do this occasionally but for me this tends to only be on much longer runs (at least 10 miles) as I can start to get bored when completing those kinds of distances. I recommend putting all of the songs you want to listen to in a playlist so that you don't have to keep reach your phone. Again, please remember that safety should always be your priority when running outside. Don't listen to your music so loud that you can't hear the traffic and pause the music when crossing roads.
5. I highly recommend using a tracking app such as Strava or Nike Run Club. These apps tell you your progress throughout your run so that you can tell how you are doing and they also record your running history. It might not be for everyone but I personally find these very motivating. Seeing my lifetime mileage increase over the years has been very satisfying and sometimes my reason to go for a run is just to increase that number.
6. If you go out for a run and you are struggling, slow down. The main reason that people struggle to run long distances is because they are running to fast. For long distance running your pace should be slow enough that you can breathe comfortably. Some people even suggest you should be able to have a conversation with something running along side you. It doesn't matter how slow you run, if you keep running regularly, your pace will increase over time so don't feel afraid to be slow when you start.
7. Don't be too ambitious. If you have not been exercise regularly recently, you will find it very difficult to go out and run 5km straight away. 5km is a big achievement for most people. Don't be afraid to go out for a run that is only 1km or 2km long. And don't beat yourself up if you can't even do that without stopping. I can't when I've taken a long break from exercise. If you start running consistently, you will quickly be able to increase your distance but being too ambitious at the start may leave you feeling annoyed at yourself and discouraged from going out next time.
8. Set yourself some goals to motivate yourself. Signing up for a race or setting yourself a target can be create motivation to get you out there and running. However, remember that the ultimate goal should always be to simply improve your physical and mental health so try to not beat yourself up too much if you miss that goal, especially if its because of injury.
9. Take rest days. Recovery is really important for physical health. I recommend taking at least one day a week where you don't exercise to give your body a chance to properly recover from the week. For me this also means not running too many days in a row because it puts a lot of pressure on my flat feet and I personally I run best when I only a few times a week and do lots more cross training instead.
10. Keep running. Step after step, mile after mile, day after day, year after year. The secret to good running will always be consistency. You can't expect to become an amazing running over night but if you consistently put in the work, I believe that anyone is capable of running. Who knows, one day you might even run a 10K or even a marathon.
p.s. this list has been setting in the notes on my phone for over a year but I wasn't sure where to put it before relaunching my blog.
Commenti