Learn 5 tips for new runners
Do you want to live a healthier lifestyle? Are you okay drunk running the local 5k? Do you want to impress the woman next door? Ultimately, I chose to run simply because I want to live a healthier lifestyle. Like a lot of people, I wasn’t sure where to start other than just lacing up the old sneakers that were in my closet and hit the ground running. Let me share my 5 tips for new runners.
If you’re like me, you’ve turned to the internet to try and find a place to start. Well, if you type “starting running” into a search engine, you’ll quickly be overwhelmed with information and ideas. I wonder how something so simple can end up being so complicated. Well, after several months, a lot of tantrums, and a lot of frustration, I wanted to share the top 5 tips from one new runner to another.
Invest in a good pair of running shoes.
This may sound obvious, but I can’t overstate the amount of trouble you can save yourself by taking 30 minutes to work with an associate at your local athletic store. They will check your running stride and many times record it so you can see the mechanics of your feet as you run. Who knew that some people’s feet naturally turn outward when the foot lands (supination) and others turn inward (pronation). I certainly didn’t. After a few minutes with an experienced runner, they were able to recommend the right type of shoe for my natural stride. They were also able to help me decide how much support I needed compared to how much cushioning the shoe provided.
After putting on proper shoes, the pain in my knees and lower legs (shins and calves) was greatly reduced.
Of all the tips for new runners, this is undoubtedly the most valuable. If you’re making a real lifestyle change, this is non-negotiable advice.
Less is more
This may seem counter-intuitive, but I assure you that trying to do too much too fast WILL HURT! Running like any other exercise requires periods of effort and recovery for the body to adapt and become stronger. Well, unlike other activities, running requires longer periods of recovery. Sorting through the multitude of plans and tips available on the web, as well as through trial and error, the 80/20 rule is the best place to start. 80 percent of your entire run should be at a low or very low intensity. The best advice is if you plan to incorporate running into your life, build your foundation and DON’T OVERTRAIN.
walking is perfectly fine
If you’ve just started running or recently started running, then you already know that it takes a while to build up the stamina to run more than a short distance. (When I started, I couldn’t run 1/4 mile.) As long as you build that stamina, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with incorporating walking breaks into your workout. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to help build your stamina as a new runner. Whenever you walk at a brisk pace, your heart rate and breathing will speed up and therefore your body will actively improve your aerobic conditioning. I’m not sure where I first heard it, but it rings so true;
“You get as far running a mile in 5 minutes as you can running a mile in 15 minutes.” – A stranger
develop a mantra
At first, I struggled to stay motivated. Truth be told, I still struggle to stay motivated. Let’s face it, it’s hard to stay motivated when you can only run for 30 seconds and then walk for 2 minutes. It can be hard to truly appreciate the small gains you make day in and day out. Don’t let this fight get the best of you. Most people who stop running do so within the first week of trying. Appreciate small gains and celebrate improvements. Even if you find that tomorrow you can jog for 31 seconds… celebrate the achievement. You have earned it. If you start having negative thoughts and trust me EVERYONE does from time to time, develop a mantra to push the thoughts out of your mind while running. “I have this”, “All walls have doors”, or my personal and alternative favorite “Today, define yourself” are examples of good strong mantras. My own experience suggests that you should avoid negative words in your Mantra. Avoid Don’t, Can’t, Won’t, etc., the subconscious is a powerful thing, there is no need to feed it negative energy. Every time you have a negative thought while running, immediately start repeating your mantra. Soon, you will be able to push out negative thoughts as soon as they appear and allow positive thoughts to replace them. This may be the most overlooked tip for new runners.
Enjoy the process…Because there are no Shortcuts
I would love to tell you that after only a few months I am running half marathons and enjoying every minute of my newly developed and still growing running experience. The truth is though, I’m just getting ready for my first 5K and while I’ve come a long way (from 1/4 mile before my first walk break on day 1 to about 4.5 miles before from my first walk break after 4 months), it takes work and commitment to want to be better. There are no shortcuts to improving your running form. Learn to enjoy the process of learning to run. Take a moment on your easy run or during your walk breaks to look around and see if you can notice anything you’ve never noticed before. Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment every time you jog a little longer than last time or take a shorter break than before.
At the end of the day, the best way to improve your running is…running. I just hope you can do it with less pain and more education than me.
every mile counts