A Beginners Guide to Running

Beginning of the journey...

I am often asked how I first got into running and when did I decide I wanted to run a marathon? But it’s not that simple; its takes time, dedication, self-belief and motivation. Against popular belief; you are not born a runner; anyone can run, if you have two legs and are healthy then you can run! My friends often use the excuse ‘but I can’t run’ or ‘I’m not a runner’. My reply to this (as sarcy as it may sound!) is: Rome wasn’t built in a day. And it’s so true, you are not going to wake up one day and suddenly be able to run a marathon. The training takes time; years even and you can’t expect miracles and instant results straight away!

 

So how do you start to run? Where do I begin? It’s easy; just take on board my five simple pieces of advice and you will be well on your way to becoming ‘a runner’!

 

Tip Number 1

 

My first piece of advice is to set a short term goal by signing up to a 5k or 10k race. This will then provide you with a target that you need to reach; by signing up to something you are giving yourself a deadline on when you need to be fit; avoiding the treadmill at the gym is no longer an option! Do not be too ambitious though; make sure the race is 2-3 months away from signing up. This will give you plenty of time to train and prepare. Running is as much a mental thing as it is physical and you need to train your brain into loving and enjoying it as much as you do your body!

Most towns will hold local 5k or 10k races but you can look on this site and search for any races in your area: www.therunningbug.co.uk/events/running-events-home.aspx#. The Race for Life is a popular choice.

Once you have completed your first race you will be hooked and the adrenaline and rush you feel after completing it will make you want to sign up to another straight away!

Slowly build on the distance each time; I would recommend a 5k followed by severall 10k’s. Once you have perfected your 10k you will be ready to step it up a notch and focus on a ½ marathon. This would take around 6 months of training or you might just be comfortable with your 10k and focussing on beating your PB in that. Each runner is different and you will soon realise your perfect distance and pace.

 

Tip Number 2

 

Secondly; download the Nike+ Running app (if you have a smartphone). This is a great way of tracking your runs and progress. The app will provide updates at the end of every session on how far you have run and any personal bests you might have beaten; this is what motivates me! If I don’t receive a ‘trophy’ (an award for beating a personal best) at the end of a race then I feel like I haven’t worked hard enough and make sure the next time that I go out I put in more effort and push myself harder.

 

Another great thing about the app is that you can add your friends and track their weekly mileage too. You can find friends by linking your Facebook account or searching by name. The app will then create a leader board showing where you rank amongst your friends. Again this is great motivation and will encourage you to go for a run even when you are having an ‘off day’ if you have the chance of overtaking that skinny bitch from accounts! The app really does bring out your competitive side and make you push yourself harder than before. It also makes your aware of how far you have run and awards you when you reach a milestone; motivating you further.

 

An additional feature of the app is that it will map your runs and highlight in green or red where you were fast or slow. You will then see where you start to tire or when you feel more lifted. I always have a red spot around half way but after I reach half way my route becomes green again as I start to think more positively; I have less to go than what I have already run. Again this goes back to the mental training which I will talk about more in a further blog.

My favourite feature is that you can select ‘powersongs’. If you are feeling a bit sluggish or tired and need an extra push then click the ‘powersong’ button and the app will play a song that you have chosen to lift you and give you that extra needed boost. My powersongs include ‘Shake it out’ by Florence and the Machine, ‘Titanium’ by David Guetta, ‘Sexy Chick’ (I am not even joking!) by Akon and David Guetta, and ‘Give me Everything’ by Pitbull featuring Ne-yo. I also have the Ministry of Sound: Running Trax Gold album on my playlist! Everyone is different but I find that listening to fast paced music with a quick beat makes me run faster as I pace myself to the beat of the song.

 

Tip Number 3

 

My third piece of advice is to sign up to parkrun. Parkrun is a free timed 5k run every Saturday morning at 9am regardless of the location. It happens all across the world and in 100s of local parks within the UK. I am lucky that there is one in Burgess Park which is less than a mile walk from my flat. The great thing about parkrun is the sense of community; it doesn’t matter how quick you finish the race and there will be runners from all levels participating; the fastest at mine often completes it in 16 odd minutes, but the slowest may take up to 40+ minutes. There is always a great turn out; Burgess is one of the newer and therefore smaller runs but there are always 50+ runners at the start line on Saturday morning. I also love going to parkrun because you meet other like-minded people; the majority of the runners are regulars and are more than happy to give you advice and help. You receive a text and an email that afternoon with your time and ranking on the same day. They will also tell you if you beat your personal best so each week you will be able to track your progress.

Because of my natural competitive side I have found myself in an on-going battle with a fellow park runner! We have a laugh about it at the finish but during the run I know that I will either be tailing him or he will be right behind me. We make it our aim to beat each other; healthy competition can be really motivating! We are both aiming for sub 20 so the extra push we give each other is really helping.

At the end of the run the volunteers will give you fresh fruit and everyone stays for a chat etc; sometimes there is cake too! I couldn’t recommend parkrun more! I sometimes find that running can be quite lonely as none of my close friends are into running so park run provides me with a free platform where I can meet and hopefully help other aspiring runners. Find your local parkrun and sign up now at www.parkrun.org.uk/.

 

Tip Number 4

 

My fourth piece of advice is vital: know your pace and perfect your breathing technique!

Do not feel under pressure to run too fast as you will only end up burning out more quickly and wanting to stop which will not motivate you in the long run. To begin with you need to focus on completing the distance; even if you need to walk part of the way; the bigger achievement lies in completing the entire distance. Set yourself a target distance and you will find that each time you attempt it you will be able to run more and increase your time. When I first started running I used to run along the canal with my friend Marilyn and we set ourselves the target of 2 miles. We could not even speak to each other we were so out of breathe but each week we got closer to running the whole distance and eventually we built on our pace and could run the whole distance without being totally out of puff!

It is really important that you focus on your breathing as this will be one of the hardest aspects to perfect but once you know how to control it you will find that the running comes a lot more easily. Many beginners often find that their legs are not tired but they cannot continue because they cannot catch their breath or breathe properly. However, this is completely normal as you will not have worked your lungs this hard before. And this is why Marilyn and I couldn’t speak a word when we first started running together as our lungs were not used to it. The key to this is long deep breaths as well as making sure you inhale deeply to ensure enough oxygen is circulating around your body. It will take time to adjust, but once you have running becomes a lot easier!

 

Tip Number 5 

 

My fifth and final piece of advice is to look the part; if you look the part you will feel the part! Buy magazines such as Women’s Health or Women’s Running for inspiration and then get down to your local sports shop and stock up on some gorgeous sportswear. I always feel a lot more confident and motivated the first time I wear a new outfit! It also makes you want to go to the gym or for a run more often. It is amazing what confidence can do for your personal bests!

I swear by Nike products; I think they are really flattering and fashionable; and come in the brightest fun colours! I love my Nike Lunarglides are the best trainers I have ever raced in and I have never had an injury from them. However, please make sure you buy a pair that are correct for your running style and not because they look pretty! Head to Nike world or any Runners Need store and they will find the perfect trainer for you; they will analyse your running style to ensure that you have a trainer with padding in the correct places to support your feet properly.

I made the mistake of buying ‘pretty’ trainers before and did not get my feet measured properly. Never again! I ran the St Albans Half Marathon one week before my girls holiday to Turkey and all but 3 of my toenails fell off – needless to say my feet looked awful in sandals!!

If you’re on a budget then Sports Direct stock all the big brands at discounted prices and always have a sale on! If I am feeling a bit flush and want something nicer then I head to Runners Need, Sweat Shop, Sweaty Betty or Nike World.

It might seem like a waste of money spending £100’s on gym clothes but trust me your body will thank you later!