5 Tips on How to Start Running
“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”— Eleanor Roosevelt
Listen, I get it. The lure of a comfy chair and zone out in front of a screen while you zone out and drink tasty beverages is real. The fact is, heart disease is still the #1 killer of modern day humans.
I don’t think I’m anything special. I’m not a professional runner and I’ve only considered myself a running enthusiast (still wary of the ‘runner’ moniker!) since about August 2019. The lessons I’ve learned and decisions I’ve made to get to where I am are easily translatable to words as I continue to apply all that I’ve learned. I’m excited to be able to share lessons of humility to show everybody that running doesn’t have to be fast to be effective!
My 5 Tips: How to Start Running
“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy; I’m saying it’s going to be worth it. If it was easy, you would’ve done it by now”― B. Dave Walters
Keep It Simple
First thing first; running is about getting out under the sky and moving. Simple. You don’t need fancy shoes or watches or clothing to get out and move – do you? Work with what you have available. Do not concern yourself with your appearance or performance.
Tie the best athletic shoes that you have and just… go. Go as far as you can around your block… and after a few sessions, go a bit farther. Nothing more, nothing less. Your lungs will burn a bit, and your heart will have a big ol’ thought bubble in your head saying “WTF!?” but if you keep challenging yourself, you will improve. You will see a glimpse of the benefits – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual – that running offers. THEN you can look into getting kitted out, fitted for proper running shoes, hydration, safety gear, and, well… looking like that runner that you’ve become!
Walk Before You Run
I use Google Maps extensively to map out routes around my neighbourhood. By dropping pins around, you can ‘add stops’ and then switch to walk mode to calculate the total distance. OIf course, starting out you’ll probably want to know what 1km looks and feels like. Find the point using Maps, and then walk it out. I suppose I should mention, that if you walk 1km away from your house, you’ll have a 2km round trip! So, start with a point half of your goal distance and use that as your benchmark.
Regardless of your first benchmark distance, the first step should be being able to WALK your that distance comfortably to condition your tendons, muscles, posture, and mentality as you hike it out. Build a good amount of base kms as you walk and then slowly replace those walking kms with jogging intervals. This will absolutely limit any overuse injuries and allow you enough time to adjust and rest, all while steadily nudging your limits higher and higher.
The Importance of Breathing
That’s a weird thing to type out, but seriously. You’ll need to spend some time actively paying attention to your breathing technique. When I started out, and from what I hear about new runners, is that sometimes a debilitating stitch is developed in the abdomen on one side or the other. For me, it was the left. It was due to my shallow and erratic breathing as I was pushing to complete my first continuous kilometer. What I found that worked is essentially controlling your diaphragm using your core muscles.
When you inhale, keep your abs tight and your belly as flat as possible as you fill your lungs completely – resist the urge to ‘expand’ your gut with the intake of air and breathe DEEP. Then, when you exhale, keep your core engaged but expand your belly (resist belly tendency to ‘collapse’ with exhalation) as your diaphragm forces air out. Control your breathing rhythm using this method (my go to is 2 steps as I breathe in, 2 steps to breathe out. I will alter this slightly depending on pace but I generally keep a high cadence (steps per minute).
Keeping your breathing purposeful, deep, and controlled will allow your mind and body to work together!
Schedule It In, Be Modest and Flexible
One word of warning here – never increase your time on feet or distance per week by more than 10% at a time! That is asking for an overuse injury. Trust me, I ambitiously chased 1k, then 5k, then 10k, then a trail 10k, and my quad rebelled on me. It’s fun, but keep it modest at first. I’d vote for less distance and more outings per week versus more distance and less outings. Consistency and frequency will allow your aerobic system to strengthen and condition your body for the new demands – hence the 10% limits!
Everybody will have their own goals and vision for success, so if you’re unsure then you’re going to need two things, 1) a benchmark, did you do your 1km yet?! 2) a race or event to aspire to. Once I ran 1km I signed up for a 5km event that was about 4 weeks out. I stuck with it and upped my distances modestly until I ran 5km for the first time a week before the 5km event. It kept me excited and accountable to my self-imposed schedule. After my 5k, I did the same with a 10km event! It’s exciting and endless, so be modest in your schedules and gradual increases will keep you moving for longer.
Do Not Worry About Time!
You’re probably going to be using Strava, Runkeeper, or other such tracking software. These tools allow you to see others workouts, distances and achievements. I want to remind you to keep your goals in the forefront, don’t run someone else’s race. Every runner had to start somewhere and it’s just your time to put work in. Fancy numbers and analytics of km/hr do not apply right now. Don’t chase PRs when you’re starting out as you will get injured. You need a good base of aerobic distance on your legs and lungs before you start sprinting out a 5k for a new best!
By all means, record your times and compare to your own performance, but take these tracking tools with a grain of salt and stay true to your own schedule and goals.
Living Life as a Runner
Not all running has to be fast. Running involves jogging or even the late-race shuffle you can see in long distance events. As long as you are out moving at least slightly faster than walking pace – you’re a runner. Keep the heart rate low for the majority of your distances as you build your base, follow the 5 tips outlined above, and enjoy the challenges and triumphs that being a runner brings.
Enjoy your first glimpses of the runner’s high as you get going, and of achieving what you once considered impossible for you. Nothing is impossible and it’s up to each of us to prove it.