Beginners Running Tips

By Stuart Amory, Ronhill consultant trainer.

So you’ve bought the latest Ronhill sportswear and you’re ready to run a marathon…STOP!!! To avoid potentially injuring yourself please take your next step by reading my helpful tips.

Tip1. As well as buying clothing, invest in a good pair of running shoes. I recommend visiting a specialist running shop as you’ll find the staff are trained in analysing your running style and finding the right shoe that provides you with the correct amount of stability and cushioning to help protect your back and lower limbs from injury.

Tip2. Go for an MOT. You get your car serviced so why not your body? If you can, arrange a visit with a local Osteopath or Physiotherapist as they will check that your body’s in good working order prior to you ‘pounding the streets’. If they identify a potential problem, you’ll be prescribed a series of exercise to do in you own time

Tip3. You’re kitted out, great but let’s walk before you run. Before going for a run you should start with at least a 5-10 minute warm up walk before breaking into a jog. Once you near the end of your run give yourself the same amount of time for a cool down stroll.

Tip4. Build a base. When you start running you need to ease your body into it. For approximately the first 6 runs, run at an easy pace, this way your muscles and tendons won’t be put under too much strain too early. After a couple of weeks gradually increase the time you run for.

Tip5. Try interval training. This involves running for a period of time and then walking for a period of time. The extent of time depends on your level of fitness, for example run or jog for 1 minute and walk for 5 minutes. All you need to do to improve is to gradually increase the running time and gradually decrease the walking time. You may find after a number of weeks you’ll be running for 5 minutes and walking for 1!!!

Tip6. Get into a routine. As a Personal Trainer, I recommend that all my clients do at least 3 separate hours of exercise a week to have any real benefit on their bodies. However do listen to your body. If you ache, then reduce the amount you’re doing until you feel up for it again.

Tip7. Keep a jog blog. Every time you do any exercise write it down in a diary. This is a definite way to see how you’re improving. To aid in this include times, distances, how you felt before, during and after, heart rate before and immediately after (find your pulse and count for 60 seconds to find your beats per minute) and even what the weather was like as this may affect your performance.

Tip8. Run with a friend. Well who else is going to motivate you to get up, get dressed and get running? I’ll tell you who else apart from a friend, your family, a running club or even a personal trainer (I know a good one, hee hee!!!)

Tip9. Reward yourself. Set yourself some realistic goals and on attaining them reward yourself with a massage or a new running top. These goals can be weight, distance, time or event related. When you succeed, celebrate then set new goals!!!

Tip10. Getting fit has to be challenging but also fun! So enjoy yourself, choose different routes with great scenery, enter a race, be proud you’re getting out there and making a difference to the most important person in the world…YOU!!!

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