"I have been running for almost 2 years, which I know still counts me as a newbie in most people's eyes. Then again I don't see myself ever stopping, which means that someday, I too can be like the 64-year old gentleman I met in a race yesterday who has run 21 marathons and 8 Bostons."
- Jane Parkin Kullmann
Since this is a book about running, I need to have a chapter about training. I think there might be a law that requires it.
It’s easy to start running. All you need is a pair of shoes and a pair of shorts. Some people choose to get by without the shoes, and fearlessly stride barefoot through the debris of modern life.
For most people, starting to run is not quite that simple. If nothing else, most people live in places where variations in weather conditions mean they’ll need more than just shoes and shorts. But gear aside, many people who are just starting to run have no idea how to proceed, nor any confidence that what they’re going to do is what’s best for them.
There’s no need to worry. The most difficult step is making the commitment to start running regularly. After that, there are many ways to proceed, perhaps as many as there are runners. It helps to have a plan, but when you’re starting out your plan doesn’t have to be too detailed. As long as you don’t try to do too much too fast, you’ll be fine. You can always make changes to your plan as you improve. You’ll soon find you’re capable of feats that will surprise you.
Every guide for beginning runners starts with a warning. They always recommend that you visit your doctor before you start an exercise program to ensure that it’s safe for you to begin. My view is that for most people, the best thing for you to do is start that exercise program. Just be sure to start at a level of effort that’s not out of your reach, and ramp the effort up slowly. Better too slow than too fast. Walking is a great way to start – it’s just a slow form of running.
Of course, if you have a heart problem, asthma, or some other medical issue, visit your doctor for specific advice for your situation. If your doctor advises you not to run, even if you’re going to start slowly and easily, my advice to you is to find another doctor.
You will need shoes and clothes to get started. There’s no need to go overboard at first. The shorts and t-shirts you already have are probably good enough for a while. As you spend more time running, you’ll want to look into clothing that is more comfortable. But if you prefer to go shopping for color-coordinated, sweat-wicking outfits right away, go ahead. Whatever makes you feel better about running is a good thing. A big part of getting into a regular routine of running is mental. If dressing in special running clothes helps you keep to your routine, or if the guilt of wasting money by not using the running clothes you bought gets you out the door, do whatever works!
When you’re starting out the most critical equipment to buy is a good pair of running shoes. You can run in anything, even dress shoes, but most runners do best in shoes designed for running. There’s a bewildering array of choices available, but choosing a shoe doesn’t have to be that complicated.
For your first pair of shoes, look for a basic model without any special gimmicks, what the manufacturers call a "neutral" shoe. When you get into shape and start running more, you might find that you need additional support or more cushioning, but until you’ve done some running and learn what you need, something simple is usually best.
You've probably been walking and running in neutral shoes your whole life, so you’re used to them. A shoe with a lot of extra cushioning may feel great in the store, but it may not be stable enough for you. A motion control shoe may be too stable and force your body into unnatural movement patterns. Both can cause problems instead of fixing them.
A basic, neutral shoe is the conservative way to get started. Also, a simple shoe will usually be cheaper. Avoid the expensive top-of-the-line shoe with all the gadgetry. Even if you do need some form of assistance, you can usually find another option that accomplishes the same goal at a lower price.
The fit is more important than any gimmicks. If your shoe doesn’t fit properly you’ll get blisters and other annoying aches and pains when you run. Your shoes need to have plenty of room for your toes so your toenails don't rub against the shoe. If there’s not enough room, your toenails will take a beating and they’ll turn black and fall off. Your shoes also need to be the proper width. Make sure they’re not too tight, as your feet will expand a little when you run.
Be practical, not vain. Pretty colors are nice, but function is more important than appearance. It might be important to you to wear a size five dress shoe, but if the running shoe that fits right is a seven, buy the seven. I was in a running store one day when a woman who was trying on a pair of clunky-looking training shoes asked me if they made her look fat. That’s not what she should worry about. If she buys the right shoe and uses it to run regularly, her butt will shrink. The benefits from the right shoes will outweigh (ha!) any issues with the way they look on her feet.
Running shoe salespeople can be very helpful in picking a shoe. But don't let them talk you into something that doesn't seem right. You're the only one that really knows how the shoe feels at the end of your leg.
When you try on shoes keep in mind that running shoes always seem more comfortable in the store than they will after you’ve run in them for a while. A new pair of shoes comes with a soft insole that feels great at first but compresses to almost nothing after a run or two.
A good store will let you try shoes on a treadmill or take them for a short outdoor run if it’s dry outside. Unfortunately, no short test can substitute for an extended test under real running conditions. No matter how careful you are, you’re likely to make a mistake and buy shoes that aren’t right for you. The best stores will let you return those problem shoes, for store credit at least, once you find they don’t work for you in the real world.
Good socks will help protect you from any rough spots in your shoes. While there are almost as many different socks as there are shoes, a basic pair of athletic socks will get you started. Just make sure there are no seams rubbing against your feet. Sometimes it helps to turn the socks inside out so the seams are on the outside. If you do get blisters when you start running, you might want to try socks designed for running before you worry about trying another pair of relatively expensive shoes. Running socks have fewer seams and are made of materials that wick sweat away.
Once you’ve dressed, it’s time to start running. There are a ton of training plans for the beginning runner out there. You can easily find a perfectly good plan in books, magazines, or on the Internet. Or you can just create your own, keeping safe and increasing your chance of success by following a few simple guidelines.
The most important rule to keep in mind when you’re beginning to run is "Start slowly, then ease off." If you overdo it when you’re starting out as a runner you’re more likely to suffer unpleasantly or maybe even hurt yourself. Oddly enough, most people don’t really enjoy suffering.
If you’re in good shape from some other activity like biking or swimming, you need to be especially careful not to run as hard as you can right away. Running will use your muscles and tendons differently. If you’re not careful, your biking fitness just gives you the ability to really hurt yourself by running too hard too soon.
Your goal as a new runner is to establish a regular routine. That’s hard enough for most people. Add in a discouraging amount of discomfort and that makes it more likely that someday you’ll decide to miss a day for extra rest "just this once". Once you start finding reasons to skip your run it’s a short step to quitting. It’s better to make it easy on yourself while you develop your running habit. There’ll be plenty of time later to push yourself harder.
It’s always a good idea to have your running schedule planned out ahead of time. There’s always a good reason to skip your run if you’re looking for one. It’s easier to make the decision when to run ahead of time, when you’re sitting comfortably and the actual run is safely off in the future. Then when the time to run arrives, you skip the part where you decide whether or not you want to run. Tell yourself the decision has already been made. Don’t think, just go.
Most people don’t actually run every day, nor do they run at the same time every day. Work or family obligations can get in the way. Maybe you usually run in the morning, but you want to meet up with other people once a week for an evening run. Take all that into consideration when you set up your plan. Three or four days a week is plenty, especially when you’re starting out.
Setting goals can help motivate you to run regularly, but keep the goals simple. When you’re starting an exercise program for the first time you’ll do best if your goal is simply to set a routine and stick to it. If you go running when it’s time to run, whether or not it’s "too hot" or "too cold" or there’s something good on television, that’s something you can be proud of. Keeping to your routine in spite of distractions will be hard enough for now. Soon enough it’ll be time to worry about how far or how fast you can go. Don’t worry about running a marathon just yet.
Continue to keep it simple when you’re choosing where you’re going to run. I find it easiest to use a route that starts and ends at my own front door. That way I spend my time running, not traveling to where I’m going to run. If you live in a city where the streets are crowded with cars and the sidewalks crowded with people, or in a suburb where the traffic is fast and the sidewalks are few, do what you have to do to find a place where you’re comfortable. But if you don’t need to get in the car and drive to a track or a park to run, you’ll have fewer excuses to skip a day. You’ll also get to know your neighborhood better if you travel it on foot instead of in a car. Later, when you’re in better shape and have more options, you can look for other places to run.
If you’re starting from the couch, I suggest that you pick a single route and stick with it for a while instead of changing the route from day to day. The more choices you need to make before you run, the more likely you are to choose not to run. More importantly, it will be easy for you to see how much you’re improving when you run the same route every day. That will help motivate you to keep going.
I always like to run on a loop course instead of going out and back on the same route. Out and back courses are good if you live in an isolated area and all the loop courses are too long for you while you’re getting started, or if you’re traveling and want to keep from getting lost.
You probably want to avoid any major hills for now, if you can.
Three miles is a good distance to start with. A lot of the health benefits of running come from extending your workout to where you’re elevating your heart rate for 30 or 40 minutes at a time. A 3-mile loop fits right in for most beginning runners. Even if you start by walking the whole way, three miles takes less than an hour to complete, and you’re better off than you would be if you started with a shorter distance.
Once you pick your course, begin by alternating running for a minute with walking for a minute until you make it all the way around the entire loop. If that’s too hard, start by walking the whole way. As you get in better shape, start making the running intervals between your one-minute walking breaks longer. Run for two, then three, then four minutes at a time before slowing to a walk. You might want to buy a runner’s watch with a repeating timer to help measure the intervals. Once you’ve worked your way up to where the running segments are somewhere around eight minutes long, try running the whole distance.
Try to extend the amount you run at regular intervals. Give yourself a week or two to get used to your current level of effort, and then increase the duration of your running interval. But if you have a bad day or need a little more time to get ready for the next level, don’t force yourself into doing that day’s entire workout. Improvement isn’t always consistent. If you feel like a run isn’t going as well as you’d like, dial it back that day, take more walks, and try to get back on track next time.
I’ll say it again – Be patient. Run EASILY when you start out! Soon enough you’ll notice that your runs are getting faster, even though you’re not working any harder. Never hurry; there’ll be plenty of time to worry about how fast you’re going later.
Don’t even time your workouts. If you’re at all competitive, timing your runs will encourage you to try and go faster each time you go out. That will only push you to try and do too much. When you’re a new runner you should be more concerned with running farther, not faster.
Build your own plan from these suggestions or use a plan you find online, read in a magazine, or get from a friend. If the first plan you try doesn’t work for you, don’t worry and definitely don’t give up. Just try something else until you find a routine that fits the way you live. Remember: everyone is different. Don’t strain trying to keep to a particular schedule or keep up with other people out of pride or to prove a point.
Once you’ve gotten far enough away from your former couch-potato status, there comes a time where you need to decide whether you’re going to keep up with your new-found running habit. It takes most people a little time to learn whether they’re destined to become a runner. It’s important to stick it out long enough to build enough fitness so you aren’t pushing your limits every time you run. It may be hard to imagine, but I promise that if you stick with your routine long enough you’ll get over a hump and there will be days where running is almost effortless.
Hang in there until you’re fit enough to regularly run 3 miles or more. That’s probably enough to know how much you’ll really like running. People who quit before they put in the time and build up their endurance to a reasonable level are just wasting their effort.
If you’ve built some endurance and have the ability to run a few miles without exhausting yourself but you’re still asking yourself whether or not to go every time you have a run planned, running may not be right for you. A few people enjoy the side benefits of losing weight or being in better shape for other activities enough to grit their teeth and grind through their runs. But most people, if they don’t really like running for its own sake, find it tough to stick it out.
Ask yourself, "Is this fun? Is this what I want to be doing with my time?" If you’re thinking about quitting any time you get a little tired or slightly bored, maybe you should look for another activity. That’s nothing to be ashamed about.
On the other hand, when you get to where you’re running 3 miles regularly, that’s not only a good start towards incorporating running into a healthier lifestyle, but maybe – just maybe - you might want to think about running in a local 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) race. Be careful – you might get addicted.