Learning how to start running seems relatively easy. As many have found though, it can be an aggravating experience. Think of this article as a guide to running for beginners. It is important for you to understand some of the basics before you start any 5K or other training plan and my tips below will help you get started on the right foot. It will not all be about the amount of miles you run, rather, it will be the number of minutes.
There is a wide variety of reasons why someone would want to start running. It could be following a running program to train for your first 5k race, jog around the block, lose weight, or simply get into better health. Regardless of your desire, you can make it happen. The grievous of mistakes you could possibly make is not outlining your goals. Initially, come up with what your ultimate goal would be. If it is to lose weight, be specific.
In writing your goals, try to be as realistic as you can in terms of time. I say this because it is certainly possible that many of you have watched the ‘Biggest Loser’ hit TV show and see how quickly they lose their weight. For most, this is an unhealthy way of achieving your goal. Those participants are watched over day after day; there’s medical support, etc. to help them through all the trials.
In addition to setting goals, runners should understand how to reduce the risk of a sidelining injury, how to stay motivated, as running can become monotonous, and how to increase your level of effort in your runs to thwart stalling out. Any one of the above situations can certainly derail your ambitions, regardless of any plan you are following.
These tips are a bit vague because all runners start out at different levels of fitness and state of health. I am going to keep it simple and present guidelines based on a person with little to no previous running or exercise, for that matter. How you start is crucial to how effective such a program will be. When I mentioned prior about stalling out…it is a point where your effort are not attributable to the same amount of benefit. This happens solely because you have not varied your routine or increased output.
Starting out, beginners need to start slow. For many, this may mean simply walking, as too much effort initially will have a negative impact on your body and be cause for possible risk of injury. Your muscles require time to adapt to your new routine, so let them gain strength consistently. In all your routines, you will not want to do too much anaerobic training. Anaerobic training simply means exercising beyond the oxygen capacity of your body.
In general, you do not want to be out of breath doing your exercises, even in weight training. You will start out walking, then walking and jogging, and finally, working your way up to running. I don’t know you, however, I can emphatically state that I could have you running a 5K, without stopping, in a matter of months. It is all about the approach and your desire. After this article, please continue to read some of my other articles, as I discuss more about the mental approach to running, etc.
Though you can get by with most sporting apparel you already have, there is one piece of running gear you cannot start without…a decent pair of running shoes. For this, I recommend you find a local run-specific specialty store. I say this because your area’s sporting goods store probably does not carry the best selection of shoes, plus you need someone to help you fit into the right shoe. When I say the ‘right’ shoe, I’m not talking style and color here, your foot has a few different ways in which it impacts the ground, called your foot strike, and proper fitted shoes will help.
When you start your runs, make sure to get in a five-minute warmup walk. This will help loosen your muscles and acclimate your system to running. Then, ease into your routine. Again, the mileage in a beginner runner training program may not seem enough, but there is a reason for this.
If your goal is to lose weight, don’t be surprised if this does not occur immediately. Your muscles need strength, and since muscles weigh more than fat, you may not see much improvement until your muscles have gained enough strength to allow you to increase your output.
For those who do like to push themselves, you may find it difficult to stay the course, but it is what’s expected. At some point you will be pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, but initially, we want to fend off any possibility of injury.
Increasing your ability to run farther and faster is the ultimate goal of any beginner’s training. Just understand it takes a good six months before your blood vessels have become strong enough though to really push yourself. Until such time, you will be concentrating on improving your technique, burning fat, and allowing your metabolism to increase.
There is so much to learn, but you don’t want to get over-whelmed…you need to understand the basics, get a personalized training program, and hit the road.
When it comes down to improving your health, or reaching some lofty goal, it is more about your mental state, than it is about your body. Where ever your mind goes, the body will follow. It may not be immediate, as it takes approximately thirty days for something to become habit, but it will happen.
Please take a moment and check out my Run Coaching section. I do not believe in one training plan fits all. Allow my 15+ years of running and coaching help you achieve your goals.
