How To Start and Keep Running
Tips for Beginning To Run and Continuing the Exercise Program
Getting Started
Running is a very safe form of exercise. Most running injuries are overuse injuries rather than acute injuries or accidents. However if you have any health issues that might hinder a running or other exercise program, consult your physician first.
Make sure that you have a good comfortable pair of running shoes. Wear comfortable weather appropriate clothing. You can buy expensive running apparel, but it is not necessary. Whatever old running shorts and sweats you have lying around will work just fine.
Don't try to run a marathon the first day. If you have been previously sedentary, don't even try to run the first day. Start by walking. When the walking becomes easy, start running short distances. Gradually increase the distance you run until you are running the entire route.
If you have been previously walking, just start gradually running part of your route until you can run the entire route. Do not increase the weekly distance you run by more than about 10% a week.
The first step is the hardest. Take it.
Tips To Continue Running
Invest in a good pair of running shoes. When you first start, any comfortable pair will do. As you become a more serious runner and start increasing the miles you run, excellent running shoes become increasingly important. Look for comfort, stability, support, and good cushioning. Buy your running shoes at a running specialty store with sales people that are knowledgeable runners. They can help steer you to the best running shoes for your feet.
You can run anyplace. Find a nearby park with a running/walking trail, go to a nearby hiking trail, or just step out your front door and head down the road. Vary your routes to keep it interesting.
If you smoke, quit. When you feel the urge to smoke, take a run instead. By both quitting smoking and starting running, you will increase the health benefits. Very few serious runners smoke, but a fair number are former smokers. Starting a serious running program seems to be able to help smokers become former smokers.
Select a convenient time and work it into your daily routine. Make it a priority. Are all those other things crowding out your exercise time really more important than your health and fitness?
Schedule rest days. Rest is a very important component of training. Even the most serious runners should not run more than six days per week. The rest days help your body recover from running.
Rather than running the same distance every day, select a number of miles to run per week. Run whatever works for your goals and change your weekly distance as your goals change. Achieve your weekly miles with at least one rest day and a mixture of hard and easy (cross training or walking) days. The hard days will help you improve, and the easy days will help you recover from the hard days. Take the easy or rest days on days when your schedule is most full.
Goals
Set goals and work to achieve them. Goals provide motivation to continue. Set both easily attainable short term goals and impossible sounding long term goals. That gives you both the positive lift of reaching a goal and another goal to strive for.
Start to run road races. The camaraderie with other runners will keep you motivated. Start with shorter distances like a 5 K race, then gradually work up to more challenging distances such as a marathon. It sounds like an impossible goal, but a good goal will keep you motivated.
Get up from your computer and start. Now!
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