Running can be an intimidating activity for a lot of people. Trust me, I was that girl who hated having to run the mile in gym class. Seriously, I prayed that I could just make it before their 12 minute cut off time. So how in the world did I end up running a marathon?? I just started, and then I fell in love.
Running is a great activity to keep up your cardiovascular strength, and the best thing about it is that all you need is a good pair of shoes. There’s no special equipment needed like there may be for other sports. Just throw on your shoes and get out the door.
If you want to give running a try, here are some tips that I put together for you:
Tips on How to Start Running:
- Start slow with 1 mile, then add on each week or two weeks as you get comfortable with the distance.
- Walking is fine! If you need to take a quick walking break, then DO IT!
- Pick a race and register for motivation. Start with a fun 5K! Be sure to give yourself enough time to train.
- Run with a friend, having someone else to keep you accountable can keep you from giving up.
- Stretching is so important to make sure that you keep yourself from getting any injuries!
- Strength train! Running uses a lot of muscles, and to keep yourself from getting injured it’s important to strengthen those muscles! Add in 2 days of weights each week.
- Build in “pull back” weeks. Either in the middle of training, or right after a race, take a break! Do some cross training, like spinning or aerobics class, to keep yourself from getting burnt out and sick of running.
Also, here is a great running workout that you can do outside or on the treadmill. Just base the speeds on your own effort, and increase as the weeks go on.
Interval Running Workout:
