Running For Beginners

I am so excited for you to begin your journey into running! I know I am very biased, but I honestly think running is one the best sports EVER!

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional running coach, nor do I hold any certifications. This advice is from my experience as an ex-cross-country runner in HS and from the 7 marathons (26.2 miles each) and 5 half marathons I have trained and ran in my life.  

1.     First and foremost, please obtain a well-fitted pair of running shoes that suit your running style. Everyone has different biomechanics when running, which will dictate the type of shoe you should be running in.

a.     Heel strikers

b.     Midfoot strikers

c.     Forefoot strikers

Depending on how your foot hits the ground after each step while running will determine the type of foot striker you are. Check out your local running store or Nike store to see if they have the treadmill running test that will help you choose which shoes will best suit you. 

If you do not have access to a treadmill running test at a local store you can also record yourself running on a treadmill and play the video back on slow-motion to see how your foot hits the treadmill. 

Are you landing on your forefoot? Midfoot? Or Heel? Whichever it is, you can look up shoes specifically for those types of foot strikes. You can also look underneath an older pair of running shoes (if you have some) and see where the most wear and tear is – the rubber from the mid/front of my shoes are almost ALWAYS gone after I’ve put a few 100 miles on them. 

I personally run in Nike frees for short runs and Saucony Guide 13 for long runs. I have also run in Adidas Ultraboost and Brooks Ravennas – I am a mid to forefoot striker to give you an idea.  

2.     Get a timer/stopwatch/cell phone etc. and time yourself while you run for the very first time. Look at that time and write it down. Depend on the duration repeat this 5-10 times with walk periods in between.

Example: say you ran for 2 minutes straight before walking than do that 5 times with 1 minute walking breaks in between. 

Run: 2 min

Walk: 1 min

Repeat 5 times for a total of 15 minutes of run-walking. 

Repeat 10 times for a total of 30 minutes of run-walking. 

3.     Repeat this run/walk cycle 4-5 times per week depending on how your body feels.

4.     After 2 weeks of run/walk cycle slowly decrease the amount of time spent on walking and add that time spent to running. 

Example: say you ran for 2 minutes and 1 minute walk 5x, now try 2.5 minutes run and 30 second walk. 

Run: 2.5 min

Walk: 30 sec

                        Repeat as mentioned above (number 2)

5.     Options: you can slowly (every 2 weeks or so) decrease the walk time and increase the run time depending on how you feel. ALWAYS check in with yourself because (take it from me) running injuries are no joke and seem to last FOREVER. Or you can increase the overall repetitions.

Example: say you ran/walked 5 times and now you want a new challenge, you can increase it to 6-7 times. (Always checking in with yourself). 

6.     Last, but most DEFINITELY not least – STRETCH, cross-train, and fuel your body with nutritious foods that will help maintain your performance. I cannot stress this enough – your body will not optimally perform the way you want it to unless you take care of it properly.

a.     Cross-train examples: Biking, swimming, walking, elliptical, rowing, yoga etc. 

b.     Stretch: Hamstring, quads, hip flexors, calves etc (Yoga is AMAZING for runners)

c.     Nutrition: This is a loaded section and really needs to be personalized. I have my bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Science, and I would make personalized meal plans for each person (because we are all VERY different). However, just general tips would be to increase your water intake, include more carbohydrates (especially before and after running workouts) and increase your fiber intake through greens and veggies. However, DO not eat high fiber foods BEFORE running unless you want to go to the bathroom immediately after lol)

Little encouragement note: If you have never ran in your life and you feel overwhelmed in the beginning – it is OKAY! I promise everyone hurts while running even the professionals – keep going! It NEVER gets easier – you get STRONGER! ;)

If you have ANY questions, concerns, or comments please feel free to email me (my email is in the contact section or DM me on my Instagram!)

Best of luck on your new journey into running!! All the hard work will be worth it in the end! :)

Sincerely,

Christina

Running on Science