Starting to Run
Now is a great time to start running. Is this something you have been thinking about for a while but kept putting off?
You don’t need any fancy equipment, just trainers and something comfortable to run in.
Here are some key points to help you get started:
Make a plan
Have a goal in mind of what you want to achieve. If it’s starting to run for the first time, then building up to 30mins or 5km of consistent running is a great place to start. There are many ‘walk to 5km’ plans out there, so pick one that feels achievable to you and mark the run days into your calendar so you know each week what you will be doing.
Don’t skip rest days
Rest days are really important as they give the body time to recover and adapt to the new loading on the body. If your plan says to run 3 times a week, then space these out so that you get a rest day after every run.
Running too much too soon is one of the easiest ways to pick up a running injury before you have really got started.
Listen to your body
If you don’t feel ready for the next week in your plan, then repeat that week until you feel ok to move on. Everyone is at different stages and has different levels of fitness so it’s important that you move forwards at your own pace and what feels right for your body.
Do Pilates!
Being strong and stable in your body will help you become a better runner and helps keep you injury free.
Every run step you take loads the body, so you need to be able to carry that weight. Pilates and strength/conditioning exercises help to build up this strength in the body. Get started with Pilates.
Warm up and cool down
Follow the warm up and cool down, however tempting it is to just start running out of the door. Your muscles need time to get warmed up and ready to start running.
Doing some skipping down the road is a great way to start, and don’t skip the cool down. If the plan says walk for 5mins at the end, then walk for 5 mins and enjoy that extra bit of fresh air!
Stick to the plan
If the plan says run 3 times a week then stick to this. Consistency in training is key to building up your aerobic base. It’s better to do 3 runs in a week rather than 5 runs and then having to take a week off because you have done too much.
