BEGINNERS’ RUNNING TIPS

‘I’ve tried running and I hate it?’  Sound familiar?  Or ‘I want to run but I get out of breath running 10 yards.’

I believe most people can run.  The reason some people feel they can’t do it or hate it is because they start off too fast and go too far.  Follow the running tips below and you will become a runner.  Aim to run 3 times a week.

  1. Get as good a pair of trainers, stopwatch and sports bra as you can afford.  I can’t recommend the Enell sports bra too highly.
  2. Start slowly.  If you can’t hold a conversation, you are running too quickly.  If you’re running on your own, say the first few lines of a poem or nursery rhyme.  Ignore the looks of passers-by.
  3. Run by time, not distance.  eg, 30 seconds, 10 minutes, 30 minutes etc.
  4. Don’t go too far the first time.  I’ve trained people who did 2 minutes on their first run and who went on to become runners.  People go too far, too fast, become exhausted and then say running is not for them.
  5. Keep a running diary:  record your runs and your progress.
  6. Increase your running time slowly and consistently.
  7. Rest days are vital.  Run every other day.
  8. Have a realistic goal:  entering a 5k road race is a good motivator.
  9. Get a running buddy.
  10. Finally, enjoy it.  Don’t be a martyr to a training schedule.  As long as you can fit in 3 runs a week and have rest days, you don’t have to slavishly follow a plan.

Avoiding injury

Going too far, too fast is a sure way to get those knee injuries that runners fear.  Making sure you stretch your quads, hamstrings, calves, inner thighs and hip flexors will help keep you supple and help avoid injury.

This website has 4 exercises/stretches to help you avoid runner’s knee.

http://www.fitsugar.com/Exercises-prevent-runners-knee-29265933?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed%3A+fitsugar+(FitSugar+-+Healthy%2C+happy+you.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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