How to Start Running for Beginners
Now that the weather is improving it’s a great time to start thinking about getting fit and active. Running is a great way to improve fitness and get healthier. If you haven’t done much running before, here are a few tips on how to turn you from a walker to a runners.
Stretching
If you are new to running your muscles may not be used to moving in this way. Doing even a few quick stretches before you start has been shown to help prepare your muscles for activity, increase your performance, improve recovery, and vastly reduce the risk of injury. Some easy stretches to start with include:
Hamstring - bend over slowly and try to touch your calves and then your toes.
Groin & hips - Stand with your feet wide apart and squat down, place your hands over your inner thighs and slowly push down.
Quadriceps - Standing straight, lift one leg behind you with your knee bent, holding your foot against your buttocks.
Calfs - Find a step, place the ball of your foot on the edge, and slowly drop your heel down until you feel the stretch.
It’s always good to finish off with a good stretch up, pushing your hands up over your head and leaning from side to side a few times.
Warm-up
Make sure not to rush your warmup. After your stretching, start with a 5-minute slow/ brisk walk to slowly increase your heart rate and breathing. During your warm-up you can progress into a light jog for 1-2minutes, and then start your run! This will activate your muscles and will allow you to run in better form.
First few runs
For the first few runs or as many runs as you need, run for 1-2 minutes, walk 3-4 minutes and keep repeating this until you feel you can run for longer intervals. Ideally, these intervals should last a total of 15 to 20 minutes. Try doing this 3 times a week until you feel like you can start adding the intensity.
Gradually increase
Gradually increase the amount of running and decrease the amount of walking. You may feel a little breathless but should always be able to carry out a conversation while running. It is advised to start a longer run with one out of your three runs a week. Sticking to your intervals for the other two runs.
The 10% rule is a great guideline to follow, it states that you should never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent over the previous week.
Our Running clinic offers individuals advice on running technique, biomechanical assessment, and physiotherapy treatment for running injuries.
For more information on how to prepare before participating in a long-distance race, contact us here, or book an online appointment.
Running Clinic
Running problems arise with the three Ts: Too much, Too soon, Too far. So what do you do to avoid or overcome these problems? Take part in our running gait analysis to minimise the risk of running associated injury.