A Beginner’s Guide to Running

Picture taken from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/juanedc/

When I first started running, I had just driven from Edinburgh to Leeds and needed to stretch my legs. I pulled on some old trainers and set off down the canal. That day, after a lot of breaks, sweat and huffing and puffing, I’d somehow managed to run just over 8 miles. I believe that this was due to a lot of hours in the gym on the cross trainer previously and possibly, beginner’s luck. However, I found that after that, sometimes I could run five miles without too much effort and feel amazing, and sometimes I could barely get past two. Running really is a magical thing because all you need to do it, is you, the ground and some decent footwear; the rest is up to you. Here are a few tips to get you motivated and pounding the streets. 

Recovering after the Great North Run 

Love your Surroundings

Sure, you can run pretty much anywhere, that’s the beauty of it. However, I found that my performance improved dramatically if I ran in surroundings I felt comfortable in. I personally don’t like to run through town centres or in overly populated areas so I tend to avoid these. If you’re limited in the areas you can run, then pick your times wisely. If you don’t like crowds then run early in the morning, or run through town centres when the shops have shut. Try out a few different terrains and situations and see which you thrive in, it could be that you enjoy a variety and can run anywhere, or you might just find you work best in particular surroundings. Although, make sure to try something new; running in intense winds, rain or snow can actually be very invigorating. 

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

This one is so important, make sure the footwear you run in is appropriate and comfortable. I spent the first few months in converse when I started running, which were completely inappropriate for my feet and stride. I then bought a bargain pair of running trainers in the Christmas sales without too much thought. Whilst these were better, they were not perfect by any means and the amount of blisters, sore toes and rubbing which occurred was not pretty. I then decided that I needed a decent pair to complete the Great North Run and to be honest, I had blisters on top of blisters by this point. No-one wants to be uncomfortable when they run, and if you think about the amount of money you spend going to the gym, classes, on sports equipment and so on, to spend around £100 on a decent pair of running shoes isn’t all that bad. It’s such a worthy investment. I went to the ASICS store in Leeds (http://www.asics.co.uk/) to get my stride and gait measured (it’s called ASICS Foot ID) to find the perfect shoe for me. They get you on a treadmill and take a 3D scan of your foot, and the best thing is – it’s free! I ended up buying the Gel-Kayano 21 trainers. 

http://www.asics.co.uk/cat/gel-kayano-running-shoes/-/gender/Women 

Not only were these a funky colour but they were so much comfier on my feet, increased my speed and distance and made me a happier runner.

Take your Time

When you start running, take your time and enjoy it! You might need to stop and have a little walk and that’s ok. You don’t want to spend every minute hating your first few runs, go somewhere pretty and have little jogs, little walks, occasionally little sprint and build up your stamina.

Stay Positive 

Not every run will be the same, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, sometimes I could go for miles and feel fantastic and some days I could barely get going. Relish the great runs and power-through the not so great. 

Track your Progress 

It’s always a boost to know how well you’re doing and how much you’re improving. I found the Nike Running App through a friend, this was brilliant in letting me know how far I've run, my time-per-mile and the calories burnt. (Important to some, not so important to others.) Again, this is all my experience, you might just want to run and not think about anything but I found it so encouraging to see I’d just done my fastest 5k or I’d blasted a mile in my best time. You also can get a verbal notification telling you when you’ve hit each mile and a running total of how many miles you’ve done in total for all your runs. I think it’s a great little app and best of all, it’s free. 

http://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/running/nikeplus/gps-app

So those are a few tips when you’re starting to run, make sure to stay positive, hydrated and eat well and hopefully this will harness the runner in you!