R U N N I N G 🏃♀️ it’s a totally free form of exercise that can be enjoyed by anyone. A lot of people start running as a new hobby or a new fitness challenge to work on, however, a lot of new runners may plan to go out and run a certain distance with the best intentions, but their body may not be ready for what is a very cardio heavy and intense endurance exercise, especially if they are new to exercise.
This combined with potentially lots of stress on an untrained body (ankle, knee injuries etc - did you know when you run you place double your body weight of stress on your joints!) might even cause some injuries and many first time runners that do their first run, get put off by the unexpected exhaustion and maybe even sustain an injury too 😔 running is a great form of exercise and I don’t want you to be put off from a first bad experience, so take these tips into consideration if you're thinking of starting your running journey...
🏃♀️ Start by training your body for running first - I know that’s hard when you just want to get out there and pound the pavement, but trust me, it’ll be worth it in the long run (sorry, I couldn’t resist..!) work on strengthening your body with squats, bridges, lunges, planks and calf raises - these exercises help to strengthen your muscles and help prevent injuries. Maintain these exercises even when you become a seasoned runner to keep your body in tip top condition.
🏃 Invest in decent running shoes - this is the only investment you really need to make, but your shoes can help prevent injuries and help to reduce pressure on joints. If you’re local, I’d highly recommend the knowledgeable bunch at @runningbearshop in Alderley Edge - they can get the right shoes for you depending on your gait and posture, and give the best advice too.
🏃♂️ Plan your route - make sure you know where you’re going, that it’s safe and accessible. Running from your home is a good idea to start with, maybe time yourself to do 10 minutes then turn around again. If it's a first run, chose a flat path that is easy to run on, gravel, pavement or (a safe) road are good terrains for first time runners. Try to avoid any significants hills on your first few runs until you've build up your running endurance a little more. Once you are more confident, it's a great idea to start adding those incline challenges in.
🏃♀️ Be safe - if you’re running at night wear some high viz clothing and take a torch/wear a head torch so you can be seen - if it's icy/slippy, stay off the quieter tracks where you might fall. Don't forget to take your phone with you and if you're running alone, tell someone where you're going and you're expected route. If you use Strava, you can use the 'Beacon Text' feature and let a contact know exactly where you are in real time.
🏃♂️ Take things steady - when you start running it's best to mix it up with walking, jogging and some sprinting too. Use a timer to walk/run for certain time periods, e.g 40 seconds walking and 20 seconds running and repeat. Or if you'd rather not be clock watching, use visual points of reference for your training, e.g I'll walk up to the next lamp post, then I'll run til I reach that big tree, this is not as time bound and sometimes it helps to see a visual goal to run towards. Always work within your limitations and do what you are able to.
🏃♀️ Try a programme - you can download my FREE couch to 5K app here - it's a guided plan that will help you work up your fitness to be able to run a 5K course. It's definitely the best way to do this and hundreds and thousands of people have become fantastic runners over the years by using a similar training plan. If you're looking to go that extra mile and enhance your running, why not try a personal training session with me? I can help you reach your potential and help train your body to be in the best state for running, helping you to improve your endurance, mobility and speed to.
Comments