Tips for beginner runners

​If you want to go out and start running there is no reason why you can’t. Running is an excellent and relaxing sport which can be suitable for almost everyone as long as they are prepared. You may think, but how exactly do I start running? I don’t feel I’m fit enough to start! Before you decide that you want to start trying to run often, there are some things you should think about beforehand to ensure that you aren’t going to get hurt and what your goals are involving the sport. Carry on reading to find out my tips for beginner runners and how you can be prepared to start.

​Equipment

My Salomon XR mission 2 trail running shoes

The most important thing to think about before starting your new hobby is purchasing a good pair of running shoes. Many sports shops will advertise running shoes online to be suitable to run in, but names can be misleading and can cause injuries. For example when I first started getting serious with running, I searched the internet quickly for ‘running shoes’ and found a nice pair of Nike Roshe runs. Personally, for running these shoes were not suitable for me and I soon stopped wearing them after developing shin splints.  So my advice would be to visit sports shops which specialise in running shoes or a trustworthy cheaper shop which sells running shoe brands (sports direct is a good example).  If you are running through the woods or not on a flat surface, trail running shoes are excellent and often come with the benefit of no-tie laces. Some of the brands I recommend are Salomon, Karrimor, ASICS and Under Armour. If you can’t, there’s no need to make yourself broke by buying a pair of shoes unless you know you’re willing to use them often. I don’t recommend wearing canvas style sneakers to run in as you could become more prone to injuries when tackling trails.
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If you’ve not ran for a while, you may not have any suitable clothing to run in. My advice would be to purchase a small amount of clothing for a cheap price (sports direct again is excellent for this). If you’re starting off running in cold conditions, buying a warm pair of tracksuit bottoms or leggings would be appropriate. On top, I suggest a long-sleeved base layer, running t-shirt and a thermal over layer / hoodie.  Some cheap brands I recommend are Karrimor, Nevica, Adidas, Puma, New look and Primark. If you are a busy person and often have to squeeze in a run before school/work, I advise buying a watch, nothing too expensive in case it gets broken. Some watches/ fitbits offer a benefit of measuring your heart rate and other health aspects; these can be useful to track your improvement if you’ve got the cash to buy one.

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Planning ahead

​Before you begin to start running frequently, you will want to decide on which days are most appropriate for you to schedule your runs on. Perhaps, if you don’t want to bump into people you know you could try going at times when most people are at home, e.g. lunchtime, dinnertime, and early mornings. Try to stick to this day and time as much as you can, this will help you to soon develop a routine. You should also consider where you’re going to run and how often you will alternate your running routes. If you don’t want to bump into people you may know, running in unpopulated parks and woodland areas are great. But if you don’t mind, sticking to the pavements can be just as fun. When you start running, don’t expect to be able to run miles straight away. By setting yourself monthly goals by slowly increasing the miles you’re running each week, you’ll find yourself making progress in no time! 

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Before running

​Before you go out for your first run, make sure you have a snack 1-2 hours before you go out. I also like to lay out some food for when I get home and I’m ready to collapse on the sofa. You might want to check out the weather as well, this can help you to decide which clothes are most suitable to wear. The last thing I like to do before leaving my house is check that I’m comfortable in my attire. Often I’ve found after buying a new accessory to perhaps hold my phone, that the item has been annoying whilst I’ve been running, therefore resulting in my run not feeling as relaxed. 

Remember

• Don’t feel discouraged when you see other runners doing better than you, they’ve been where you are before and you’ll be like them if you continue with your plan.
• If you don’t feel like running one day, tell yourself that you’ll run a short distance and then see how you feel when you’re outdoors.
• Don’t feel like you need to run constantly, you will need to stop and walk to get your breath back. This will improve as you run often.
• Look up whilst you're running, this can stop you from tripping up or running into someone and can also help your running technique.
• Focus on a point you want to run to, its scientifically proven that you’ll run there quicker.

I hope that my tips have encouraged you to take up running or even to give it a try once in a while, running is excellent and can help you to improve in many different sports. It is certainly something I look forward to and plan to continue improving my mileage and speed throughout the year.