If you are allergic to hard work or sweat and have never even pondered becoming a runner, then this blog post is not for you. On the other hand, if running has always been something that you wanted to do or the thought of crossing a finish line gets you excited, then read on.
For starters. let me lay out my credentials...
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Ok, so I have no credentials. Everything that I know about running I have learned from my own experience, learned from someone I know, or read about in a book or magazine. My purpose for writing this post is purely to reach out to anyone who is out there thinking about becoming a runner but doesn't know how to get started.
Before lacing up and heading outside to run, there is something that you need to know. Running is hard. No matter how long you run or how good you get at running, it is still hard. I used to look at people that made running look so easy and think, "That's what I want, I want to get so good at running that it is easy for me too." Even though I have since learned that it is not possible for running to be easy, I have discovered that running can be extremely rewarding because of how hard it is.
The best thing about running is that it is a sport for everyone no matter your ability. The sport is less about trying to beat everyone else and more about challenging yourself to improve and get better. I'm fairly certain that there is no greater way to improve yourself and build self confidence then training for and running in a race.
So now that you know my thoughts on running and why you should go for a run, how should you get started? Although there are all kinds of products on the market for runners, all you really need to get started is a good pair of shoes. Running shoes come in all shapes, sizes, and colors but not every shoes is made for every runner. I would suggest taking the time to visit a store that specializes in selling running shoes and get fitted properly.
Now that you have a good pair of shoes, the next thing you need is a plan. If you are completely new to running, I would suggest starting with a walk-run program. If you do a Google search for couch-to-5k you should be able to find plenty of good programs to follow. From a high level I would suggest running no more than 3 - 4 days per week and to build mileage very slowly. Mileage should increase no more than about 10% from one week to the next (this would mean that if you run 10 miles in a week, the following week should be no more than 11 miles). Having a structured plan to follow will help to keep you on track. Without a plan, it becomes very easy to talk yourself out of running each day.
Now that you have a plan, you should find a target race. Depending on your previous experience and current fitness level, I would highly suggest starting out with a 5k road race. In most major cities, you can find a 5k run nearly every weekend. Universities, festivals, fundraisers, and several other organizations offer 5k runs. It is the perfect distance for someone starting out as it is long enough to be a challenge yet short enough to not require too much distance or time to train and no need to worry about in race nutrition.
Experiment with which days you run each week as well as the time of day that you run. Find what works for you and fits best in your schedule. I would suggest, however, that you do at least a few training runs at the time of day that your race will be. After your training runs, be sure to have a light snack that includes carbs and protein as well as some water or even sports drink. A couple of my favorites are half a bagel with a smear of peanut butter or low fat yogurt.
A few other things to consider. Not every run is going to go great, sometimes you might have to walk more than normal or even cut your run short, everyone has bad training runs. So many factors go into being able to run well that something that holds you back one day may not have an impact the next. Maybe you got to bed late, skipped breakfast, or didn't get enough recovery time after your last run. No matter what it was, put the bad run in the past and move forward. On the flip side, sometimes you will be feeling amazing and may want to push yourself harder than normal. This is something that I would advise against for a beginner. Eventually you will get to know yourself and your body really well, but for now, just try to stick to the script.
Lastly, I want you to listen to your body. As I started off saying, running is hard. You will be tired and sore all the time at first. This will improve but won't entirely go away. Work hard to learn the difference between expected soreness and consistent pain that may be a sign of injury. If you are experiencing pain, back off of your training for a few days and if the pain continues, be sure to see your doctor.
So if you have been thinking about starting to run, stop thinking and get out there and start running. Check back soon for the next edition of my guide to running.
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