How to Run for Beginners (even if you hate running!)
Interested in learning how to run, but not sure where to start?
I wasn’t either, when I first started running. I needed something to guide me in the right direction towards running success.
Get started on the right track with the How to Run for Beginners guide below (which includes bonus tips towards the bottom, make sure to keep reading)!
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1.) Mindset: You can do this!
Once you decide to run, have a positive mindset. This may seem obvious, but I’ve seen too many people begin their running journeys grumbling, and it starts you off on the wrong foot, with a negative attitude.
Say “I can do this” in your head. Because you can. You are determined to try this “running” thing people love so much…and maybe you’ll love it too! You probably will 🙂
NOTE: you need to get used to running before it truly becomes enjoyable. Don’t judge running by your first run.
Give it some time, and give yourself some time to adapt, learn, and strengthen your body.
2.) Have A Plan
Running success depends on your goals and your plan. Have a plan, especially when you’re a beginner.
This is the second most important step. Beginner runners often get overwhelmed, not knowing where to start or how to ease into their running journey. I fell into this category for years until I learned the art of the training plan.
No one told me I could walk/run it, and it would be a win. No one told me I could start with 1 mile, and it would be a win.
I thought I had to start where everyone else was (I can do 3 miles without training, right?!), so I’d throw on running shoes, go fast out of the gate, and be dying after the first 1/4 mile.
I’d falsely think I wasn’t “made for running”, that I just wasn’t “a runner”….and I was SO wrong. I just didn’t have a plan.
The turning point: Starting out slowly, following a good training plan (for a short period of time, to start), and then basking in the glorious feeling of accomplishment at the end.
The key to success is deciding what “success” means to you.
For beginner runners, setting an achievable, realistic goal for yourself is important. Don’t expect to run 5 miles on day one if you’ve never run 1 mile before.
Bonus How to Run for Beginners Tips (to make your first week easier):
Don’t worry about speed -> a 14 minute mile is the same distance as a 6 minute mile
Focus on good running form -> Keep your upper body tall, head up, shoulders back, arms at a 90 degree angle going back and forth (not across your body) and make sure short quick strides are hitting under your hips on ground impact. Sloppy running is not enjoyable or healthy!
Hydrate ->Drink enough water before and after your run.
Runners need to hydrate well to be in top running shape (even beginner runners!)
Music makes running extra fun, get some music for your next run!
Smile -> Research suggests that smiling while exercising may increase efficiency. From experience, I can say smiling (occasionally) while running reminds me to appreciate the process, improves my attitude, and makes the run more enjoyable (especially when I’m struggling).
Start with a Flat Route -> If possible, start running on a flat road, or a track. Not sure if a local route is flat? Go on MapMyRun.com and create a route, then check the “Elevation” box to show you elevation gains/losses
BONUS Bonus How to Run for Beginners Tips (yay you really want to be a runner!)
Enjoying these running tips? Hungry for more? I thought so…once you get the running bug, it’s all over.
Ok, so maybe you’ve already started running a little.
Maybe you liked it.
Maybe you want to learn the next steps in running-world-domination.
Here’s the next phase of running tips to bring your running game to the next level:
1.) Get Good Running shoes
Maybe not something to worry about at the very beginning, but eventually, investing in the right running shoes for your feet makes a HUGE difference. I wore the wrong shoes for a long time, not realizing how bad they made me feel – but now, good running shoes are my #1 running gear priority.
2.) Track Progress with a Fitness Activity Tracker
I’m a stats girl. I like performance metrics, that way I know where I stand, and can set goals appropriately. A run without my FitBit is like a run that never happened (ok, that’s dramatic, but really, ask any runner what makes them sad and forgetting to wear their activity tracker will DEFINITELY rank high up there).
Cheap Activity Trackers: Basic fitness trackers record your steps, distance, various fitness activities, and usually your sleep too. Prices start from as low as $15.99 for the KEEPONIT Activity Tracker and go up to as much as $200+. If you’re going to pay $200+ though, consider:
Advanced Activity Trackers: Apple Watch Series 3 and FitBit Ionic are both retailing around $300 and have longer battery life, built-in GPS, ability to download and play songs from it, sleep-tracking abilities, smartphone notification syncs, and more. Both are good choices for a more robust set of fitness and technology capabilities.
Fitness trackers for runners range from simple to complex, but all allow you to track your running journey’s progress
3.) Get Performance Clothing
Step away from the cotton shirt. Seriously. Cotton soaks up sweat and moisture and keeps it there. This is bad (very bad) for runners. It means more blisters, poor (and dangerous) temperature regulation for your body, and leads to bad chaffing. Chaffing is NO FUN. Believe me. So please…
Invest in Wicking, Performance Attire: Any piece of clothing against your body should be made of wicking material, so it pulls the sweat away from your body, and keeps you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Plus, less chaffing, less smelly-ness, and overall more happiness. Pretty much all major brands have entire exercise lines using this material so there are tons of options and price ranges.
Learn from my mistakes. Cross training for runners is essential in staying injury-free. I hobble-ran the last 6 miles of my first half marathon because I failed to strengthen my hips and quads, resulting in a knee injury around mile 7.
Focus on 2 main areas to start: strength-training for your hips/glutes and abs. Then move onto other areas.
Strengthen abs, glutes, hips and more to keep great running form and stay injury-free.
5.) Focus on Breathing Properly
General rule is to inhale for 3 steps and exhale for 2 (a step is anytime you hit the ground with your foot, which makes counting them easy). Breathing through the mouth is the most effective but do what feels natural to you.
Avoid shallow breathing: Shallow breathing allows less oxygen into your lungs than deeper breathing does. This ultimately results in less oxygen to your muscles, which is bad. To practice breathing, focus on expanding your belly while inhaling, and exhaling out deeply too. Keep a steady breathing rhythm with good posture and you’ll start to get the hang of it in no time.
6.) Say Yes to Foam Rollers
Another thing I fought when I started running (whyyyy).
Foam rollers increase circulation in your muscles, improve flexibility and aid in preparing for a workout and recovering from a workout. Learn to do it right, with The Complete Guide to Foam Rolling for Runners.
