Running For Beginners: How To Start Running
Running is the ideal form of exercising to adopt – you can do it anytime, anywhere. However, because it is such a simple type of movement, it is easy to get ahead of yourself when you first start out. To help you introduce running into your regular routine, we’ve put together a guide to running for beginners on how to start running.
First Thing Is First, Find Your Motivation
Whether it’s a race or a vacation, a “finish line” to focus on is great motivation for beginners who want to start running. With races, you tie yourself into commitment because you have to pay in advance to be entered. Why spend the money on something you don’t plan on finishing? This is the first tip we offer to clients who want to learn how to start running. It doesn’t matter what your motivation is, as long as it is meaningful to you. Running is not always easy, so you want to find something that helps you push through when you have to dig down deep.
Get The Right Shoes
While running is a sport that requires minimal equipment, your shoes play an integral role in your ability to perform and prevent injury, especially if you are following steps for running for beginners. You can get a professional shoe fitting to ensure that you have a running shoe that complements your feet and stride. High-quality running shoes are a vital investment when you are learning how to start running because they will provide comfort and reduce your risk of injury as your body adjusts to running as a regular activity.
How To Start Running
Now we’re getting to the good stuff! Once you have the right tools and you are committed to learning how to start running, you’re ready to begin the process. You can create a running plan on your own or you can hire a Denver running coach to help you create a schedule you can stick to.
We recommend starting with three or four runs each week, complemented by cross-training and rest days. Running, cross training, and resting are going to be the key ingredients to successfully reaching your running goals.
Running – When you’re learning how to start running, it’s not hard to imagine that running is going to be a central focus of your training.
Cross Training – A diverse cross-training routine will help your body build and maintain the strength that you need to run safely and prevent injuries.
Resting – Your rest days are essential to keeping your body in tip-top shape. Don’t neglect them!
The Run-Walk Method is a great way to start running for beginners. Pioneered by Olympian Jeff Galloway, this method for learning how to start running is exactly what it sounds like. Running and then taking brief walking breaks at scheduled intervals helps your body build up the endurance you need to perform longer runs.
For beginners, you want to start running for 10 to 30 seconds and then walk for the next 1 to 2 minutes and follow this pattern for the duration of your run. In most cases, a 20-minute run three to four times a week is a good starting point for the run-walk method. You can slowly increase your running time and decrease your walking time as your endurance builds.
Running For Beginners With A Denver Running Coach
It is important to ease into the sport when you’re learning how to start running. If you’re not sure you can create a training plan to start running safely on your own, a running coach might be a good option to ensure you can reach your goals without risking injury. Whether you want to run a marathon or just tone up for an upcoming vacation, our running coach can help you. Contact us today to schedule your first training session.