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It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 60. It’s never too late to take up running. By reading this, you could be taking your first steps toward starting a life of health, fitness and aching leg muscles (sometimes).
Taking up running is one of the best things you can do for your body on a day to day basis. In fact, studies show that simply running at a moderate pace for five-ten minutes a day could reduce risk of stroke, heart attacks, certain cancers and neurological disorders like dementia and Alzheimers.
The message is as plain and simple. Running can be a great habit to incorporate into our everyday lives. But if you’re wondering, ‘Where do I start?’ never fear. We have all the information you need.
Here are 13 things every running beginner needs to know:
- Don’t push yourself too hard
I don’t know about you, but when I come across a new hobby or interest, I go all in. Forget work, time with friends or even food! For me, it’s all or nothing.
This can be a particular problem when you take up running because, unfortunately, going in too hard too fast tends to result in injury. What’s more, if something goes wrong when you’re simply starting out, it can be easy to pack things in all together.
Hold your horses. It might feel like you’re nagging yourself, to begin with. But in the long run, your interest in the habit is likely to stay with you for a lot longer.
- Pick a race
Find an official one. And commit to it! Do your best to find one that is out of your comfort zone but is also achievable.
There is no point picking a marathon if you struggle to finish a 10K. At the same time, there is no point signing up to a generic 1.5-mile fun run when you jogged further than that this morning. It’s all about setting goals that get you fired up, but you can still achieve your objective.
What’s more, by picking an official race, you may even be able to surround yourself with like-minded people. Running events are awesome for meeting people who share an interest in your new hobby.
- Map Your Runs
It’s always better to be a man (or woman) with a plan. Making a decision on the route you’re going to run can often make the difference between completing the distance you set out to, and feel sluggish or maybe even bored halfway through your workout.
When you set out your journey as a running beginner, there is often more motivation to get the thing completed. Instead of endlessly plodding along, there’s an end in sight. This can be a great motivational technique.
Perhaps you’re someone who likes to stay close to home. You could simply keep a mental map of the route around your block and how many times you plan on passing through it. Maybe you prefer to get out into the country and take the scenic route, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to understand your route so you don’t end up getting lost. Whatever you prefer, plan your route ahead!
- Stretch
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Stretching should be considered before taking part in any run. It doesn’t matter if it’s a marathon or a 5K. Stretching is one of the most important tools in a runners arsenal when it comes to avoiding injury.
In fact, studies have shown that stretching before a run can actually help by increasing speed. Perfect if you’re trying to increase to make your runs shorter. This could potentially be due to the evidence stating that stretching before running increases your range of motion.
Five quick and easy stretches that are ideal for the running beginner include:
- Calf Stretch
- Piriformis Stretch
- Hip Flexor Stretch
- I.T. Band Stretch
- Hamstring Stretch
Not sure how to go about these exercises? Check out this explanatory video below from the guys at Living Better.
- Clothing
One of the great things about running is that the clothing required is often minimal. When your goal is to complete a mile or two a few days a week, you could easily get away with an old T-shirt and some shorts.
That being said, if you want to look and feel the part, then there’s no shame in treating yourself to some great kit for your new hobby. But remember, whilst looking good is always great, it is important to make sure that the clothing you’re wearing is functional.
Look out for materials that are light, breathable and waterproof. I’ve included a couple that fit this description below!
- Pick your experience
Although, at its core, running is pretty basic, there are plenty of different ways you can choose to experience it. For the extroverts, a running club could offer a great opportunity to socialise with other beginning runners. Maybe you have a friend who is taking up running too. Running with other people can also be a great motivator, by the way.
Those who enjoy running alone also have several experiences to choose from. Music can be a great way to push yourself. Especially if you spend some time investing in a great running track. Maybe you could set it so that certain songs come on at the right moment. You might overcome that steep incline a lot easier if you have something like the rocky theme song backing you up!
If music isn’t your thing, why not spend some time listening to an audiobook. If you’re always nagging yourself to read more, this option could be especially to you. Don’t just be a running beginner. Be a running library!
- Hydration Stations
Sometimes going to the effort of securing yourself with water for a run can feel like a drag. I hate having to continually hold a water bottle in my hand. What’s more, even if I have pockets big enough, whilst the bottle’s constant banging against my leg doesn’t bother me, the chafing absolutely will.
For reasons like this, it really can’t hurt to invest in a hydration system that works for you. If you prefer water bottles then great, clip-on pouches are a perfect choice too. Personally, I recommend a Hydration Backpack. They’re secure, can hold way more water than an average bottle, and you don’t need to worry about holding them!
- Gadgets
Geeking out over tech has its benefits, especially in the running world. There are multiple reasons that you might decide to take up running. Fortunately, the world of gadgets has a way to accommodate most of them.
Running to lose weight? There’s a world of phone apps and watches out there that offer the opportunity to track the calories you burn by taking account of your weight, height and type of workout.
Maybe you’re into distance running. Apps like Strava and Adidas Running come with GPS tracking so that it can pinpoint the exact distance you have run. No more yardsticks for you!
If you’re interested in keeping a decent speed, the same apps and gadgets can pinpoint exactly how many minutes it takes you to complete a mile as well as your average pace overall.
- Check on your form
This might be difficult to take on board as a running beginner, after all, it’s unlikely that anyone has told you that running requires proper form before. But hear us out. Running with the wrong form could leave you injured!
According to Healthline, the ideal posture to keep when running should be:
- Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle
- Swing your arms from your shoulders
- Keep your hands relaxed
- Avoid crossing your arms across your torso or twisting your upper body
- Slightly lean your chest forward to help propel your body forward
- Eat Right
Results are based on 70% of your diet and 30% of your training. If you’re someone who enjoys pushing their body to the limit but rarely picks the right foods to fuel it, you may have a real problem.
You may be a running beginner, but eating like an athlete could see you make leaps and bounds in your training.
Although some dietitians may contradict this, it is mostly agreed that carbohydrate is the ideal food source for energy when running. This is because our glycogen stores can deplete quickly when bursts of energy are used. Check out our blog post on nine top foods for runners for a broader idea of what you should be eating before, during and after a run.
- Miles count when calories count
If you’re running to lose weight, it can be easy to get caught up in some of the typical traps. Running is often a go-to option for people when it comes to staying in shape. This is a fantastic choice. As a general rule, you can burn as much as 100 calories for every mile you run.
However, it is essential to respect the fact that you may end up eating more due to extensive training. It isn’t always ideal to eat as many calories as you burn. At the same time, you should expect to be eating more. Running is a vigorous exercise and depriving yourself of the right nutrients will definitely slow you down.
A better way of understanding your calorie intake is to work out how much you should be consuming using a calorie calculator after factoring how much exercise you are doing weekly.
- Stay Safe
When compared to other kinds of exercises and workouts, running is relatively safe. It’s non-contact, you aren’t usually handling any extra weights and getting a serious injury can be avoided most of the time.
The main risks of running tend to come from environmental elements. If you are running before or after work, it can get quite dark depending on the season. Whilst most of staying safe as a running beginner comes down to common sense, it can’t hurt to state it here. Wear reflective clothing, run against traffic and keep your phone handy in case you run into trouble (pardon the pun).
- Rest Up
This ties back to not pushing yourself too hard. Know when you need to stop and remind yourself that it’s ok to stop. Above all things avoid running when you’re injured. Unless you want to be injured indefinitely, that is.
When starting out, it’s best to go for around three or four days a week. Try sending your days of looking after your body. If you really don’t want to take a day off, consider different exercises such as swimming or yoga.
Conclusion
Summing things up, it’s great that you’re even considering becoming a running beginner. Doing so has placed you on the path to leading a healthier, happier lifestyle. With the tips I’ve thrown at you in this post you should have no problem getting into running and staying in running.
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