First we brought you a ton of awesome Workouts for Runners. Then we shared our best coaching tips and tricks with you on Run It. This year? We’re back, and we want you to Just Run. Introducing our latest monthly running collaboration – in Just Run, every month Angela, Sarah, Nellie, Allie, Laura, Sandra and I will share back-to-basics advice, stories, the best running gear, and our combined running advice and tips to get you out there, just running.
This month we are sharing our best tips for beginner runners. January brings lots of new runners with its resolutions and feeling of a fresh start and we want you ALL to continue running. It brings us all so much joy and fulfillment, and we want to pass that on to you guys!
The 5 BEST tips for beginner runners
IT’S OKAY TO WALK.
It doesn’t make you a ‘bad’ runner, or a ‘pretend’ runner. There’s a whole coaching style based around taking walk breaks not only in training, but in races as well. It’s perfect for beginner runners, because walk breaks help your body adjust and adapt to the new stressors you’re putting on your body. You’re not going to take a flying leap at the vault the fist time you decide to try gymnastics, so recognize that easing into running as a sport is a smart thing to do.
FIND YOUR RUNNING STYLE.
Solo or groups. Music or headphones free. Trail running or roads. Racing or not. Treadmill or outdoors-or-bust. 2 miles or 20. Everyone has a style and rhythm to their favorite form of running (which can evolve!), so it’s worth trying out lots of ways of getting out there on the run to find your joy.
BUY GOOD SHOES.
There are some sports you can try out for a while with just-okay gear to see if it’s right for you. But when it comes to running, having the wrong shoes is going to lead to a lot of bad things. Buy a good pair of running shoes, and take the time to do some research first. Head to a specialty running store to get some advice, ask a running coach or trainer for help, and try them out on the run (lots of online running stores and some specialty stores will let you try the shoes for a period of time and return them if they don’t work for you). If you decide that running just doesn’t do it for you, you can wear your sneakers on the weekend, or to the gym. But if running does become a passion, you’ll be grateful that you started out with good shoes.
DON’T WORRY ABOUT SPEED, DISTANCE OR PACE.
Not when you’re just starting out. Your body needs time to adapt to running, and it will do that by gradual increases in time spent on your feet and mileage (10% increase in mileage per week is a good rule of thumb). Just start the process, and you’ll know when you’re ready to start thinking about pace, and workouts, and all the stats and figures runners just love to discuss. At length. To anyone who will listen. 😉
STRENGTH TRAIN AND CROSS TRAIN.
Keeping up with strength training and incorporating cross training will make you a better, faster, less-likely-to-be-injured runner. And nobody likes a running injury. We spent an entire year bringing you targeted workouts for runners to help keep you strong and in prime condition so when you are running, you feel good.
Now, let’s check out what advice my lovely running friends have to share with you – here are their best tips for beginner runners!
Allie – VITA TRAIN 4 LIFE
Laura – THIS RUNNER’S RECIPES
Sarah – RUN FAR GIRL
Angela – HAPPY FIT MAMA
Nellie – BROOKLYN ACTIVE MAMA
I think new runners feel like it should be all or nothing.but walking is essential to newbies. It’s ok. I know many great runners that follow a run walk ratio.
lacey@fairytalesandfitness recently posted…Choose Your Path
Great tips! Not worrying about pace or distance is a great piece of advice for new runners. Finding your joy is the best piece of advice for all runners!
Good tips. Strength training is often overlooked … unless you come to running from something like crossfit. But it’s key especially when you go to build distance or if you want to do that pesky thing called “losing weight.”
I’d like to add if you tried running 10 years ago and hated it, try again! Back in 2007 I went to Fleet Feet and got “fitted” in the latest and greatest – and I immediately got shin splints. When I went back, they sold me Superfeet and I was in so much pain my doctor sent me for a bone scan because she was afraid I had fractured something. What we know now as runners is that shoes 12 years ago were designed so poorly that they really didn’t put emphasis on proper form.
So, as a runner NOW I can easily run a marathon pain free in better shoes. It’s always worth it to try again! Great post!
These are some great tips! I love it:)