Picking a new sport is not always an easy choice. Every sport has its own positive and unique sides.
Running is a skill that everyone thinks they have. We run since childhood. Running all day outside on the playground and inside at home. Unlike sports that require more skills, running comes naturally. But there are some rules, which everybody needs to know if want to start with this sport.
If you are new at running you will come up with so many questions like “How to start?” ,”What to wear?”, “What kind of running shoes do I need to buy?”
So if you’ve already decided to make running a part of your life, you need to get familiar with some basic information.
You need to know that running is a great way to get in shape, to improve your strength, develop your speed, to feel better and, of course, to meet people who share the passion.
So now that you are on the start line. Let’s start running through our article 🙂
1. Choose the right trainers
You are a beginner, you need to know what to buy. There is no need go out and buy the most expensive trainers, however you need something that’s going to support your feet and doesn’t hurt while you do your workout.
There are so many different shoes with different styles and from different brands. Each shoe is made for a different type of feet.
You may ask “Which are the best shoes for me”? There is no right answer, but we think that the best running shoes are the ones that make you most comfortable and that fit perfectly on your feet.
How to choose the right running shoes?
Here the 3 things, which you need to look for when buying your running shoes:
Understand Pronation – this is the position when your foot rolls too much to the outside.
- Determine your foot type – there are three types here: low, normal and high arch
- Determine your gait – this is the “behaviour” of your foot when you run.
When you try to determine your gait, you need to know that there are four types: - Severe overpronation – When someone overpronates, their ankle does not have the ability to stabilize the body properly. The best shoe type for an overpronator is a motion control shoe.
- Mild overpronation: This is when the outside of the heel strikes first and the foot then rolls inward slightly absorbing the shock. This is typically someone with a low to medium arch and they should choose a stability shoe.
- Neutral overpronation – the foot rolls inward slightly absorbing the shock. Someone with a neutral gait normally has a medium arched foot. This type of people need to choose a neutral cushioning shoe.
- Underpronation (supination): Someone who supinates, strikes the ground with the outside of their heel first and instead of rolling inward, stays on the outside of their foot through the entire foot-strike. This is typically someone with a higher arched foot and should choose a neutral cushioning shoe.
2. Start with A Warm-Up
You already have your running shoes and you are super excited to start. But you shouldn’t start running immediately.
First, you need to start to warm up your body and prepare it for the exercise.
Most athletes and runners discover their own warm up style. Start with a very easy pace and with short running intervals.
Our Advice: Run the first few sessions naturally and without any expectations. Otherwise, you’re likely to lose your motivation.
3. Do Running Intervals
As a beginner in this, you shouldn’t plan running the entire distance in one go. Between your running session you definitely need to rest.
Try to keep the intervals short at the beginning. After every interval, you need to walk before the next session, and don’t forget to recovery. When you feel more comfortable in what you are doing, you can start lengthening the running sessions and reducing the walking.
Increase the intervals until you can run the entire distance without having to walk. Of course, many beginners start out running too fast and this is the most common mistake.
You can go home with pain or even injuries if you over do it.
4. Understand the meaning of the proper technique
Most of the people who are really at the begging of their running journey don’t have proper techniques and make mistakes.
They waste a lot of energy and loose motivation, because they don’t see any results at the end.
It’s necessary to understand that you don’t need to make complicated movements.
Run relaxed with short steps, which are more effective than doing long, powerful strides.
5. Take time to recover
Your body needs to rest, so give it time to recover before you go out for your next session. You need to adapt to the new demands and prepare your muscles and bones for the next run.
Schedule your training depending on how your body is feeling – you can run one day and rest the next, or run one and rest two. If you have a training plan this can help you to achieve the greatest effect and avoid pain and injuries.
6. Motivation is the key
When you start something new you feel excited and energized about what you can achieve. Be sure that running tests your motivation!
If you want to stay motivated, surround yourself with runners – join a group, read more articles, download apps, that can help you with different programs.
In running it takes one step – just put one foot in front of the other and the magic happens.
As John Bingham once said:
“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”
