Four Top Tips for Beginner Runners.
With gyms closed, and it being the beginning of a new year, more and more people are taking to running as a form of exercise, which is great! However, it can be difficult to know where to start, and how to get going in a safe and fun way.
Relax, grab a cuppa, read our four top tips for beginner runners and give it a go. Running is an easy and cost-effective way to get fit - no gym fees or equipment needed, just you and a good pair of trainers.
Plan Your Recovery
Whilst it may seem to make sense to go hard or go home when running. Not enjoying rest and recovery as part of your running increases the risk of injury, and no one wants that! Whether that is overvaluing high intensity training, inevitability leading to ‘BOOM & BUST’ or undervaluing lower intensity sessions – ‘REST IS RUST’.
This doesn’t only apply to your physical self but also your mental wellness. Don’t let training take over your life and make sure you include downtime to do other things that you love and enjoy.
Stress and mood have been shown to influence and be influenced by pain. But, always remember, the best form of recovery is sleep.
2. Create a Training Plan
Identify your current limits. What is your current training background? Scribble everything down, not just running. Not sure where to start? Our friendly, expert team offer one-to-one training and exercise plans.
Approximately 80% of running injuries are thought to be linked to a form of overuse. The most frequent being rapid changes to load.
The force between a foot and floor in a runner is thought to be approximately 2.5 times body weight. For an 80kg runner who averages 500 steps per mile this is 100,000kg of load per mile. This a great way to visualise why jumps in distance increase risk of injury. You wouldn’t jump from the 2.5kg dumbbell straight to the 50kg’s.
3. Think About What’s on Your Feet
If you are looking for a new pair of trainers, it’s best to have an idea about what type of running you want to do. Pavements, muddy forests or a bit of everything. But when it comes to the big day of selecting your trainers, our best two bits of advice:
- Take all the advice you can get, even if you think you know it all, never insist on a make and model.
- Second, if it’s comfy it’s probably right.
4. Don’t Ignore Pain
Firstly, don’t panic and quit running! Second, don’t blame your equipment. It may be well something you haven’t thought about. Book in an appointment with us to assess the problem, and see how we can help your running journey. If it keeps you running, it’s well worth it!