- 1. You don’t need to stretch before a run. (Source: Time)
- 2. Please do warm up before your training run. A dynamic warm-up raises your heart rate a bit while priming your joints for action. (Source: Fitsugar)
- 3. You need carbs, but please replace refined carbs with fruit, vegetables and cereals. (Source: Scientific American)
- 4. Use a combination of nose and mouth breathing. Keep a repetitive rhythm aligned with your steps and if you are running out of breath slow down until you can breathe normally. (Source: howstuffworks.com)
- 5. Concentrate on your achievements and improvements: it will help you with motivation. (Source: therunnersguide.com)
- 6. Don’t wear old cotton socks. Technical running materials help wick the moisture away and keep you dry and blister free. (Source: runtheplanet.com)
- 7. In the gym do exercises such as squats, lunges and calf raises. (Source: the Guardian)
- 8. Stretching at the end of the run is a must to avoid soreness and prevent injury. (Source: Cool Running)
- 9. If you run with music, find songs and build a playlist with an appropriate BPM, it will help you keep your pace. (Source: jog.fm)
- 10. Strength training, especially for your core, helps you run bettern and prevent injury. (Source: Strehgthrunning)
- 11. Omega 3s can help your lungs, hearth and joints. (Source: runnersworld.com)
- 12. Relax your shoulders while you run. Keeping shoulders tense builds up tension especially during long runs. (Source: completerunning)
- 13. Track your running progress. Write down your running times and distances after each run. (Source: triathlete)
- 14. During rest days, Yoga can help you keep your muscle elasticity and prevent injuries. (Source: runnergirl.com)
- 15. If you can, plan regular massage sessions. Massage is purported to relieve muscle soreness, shorten recovery time, restore range of motion, remove adhesions, and even improve performance. (Source: TrackShack)
- 16. Don’t run every day. Actively plan some rest days. Joint health is one of the most important reasons why runners need to schedule regular rest days into their training regimen. (Source: the runners guide)
- 17. Each pound you lose makes running easier. (Source: PhysicsForums)
- 18. Find a training program and stick to it. If you need to run 3 minutes and walk 1, don’t push it and run 4. There is a reason why some training programs are universally accepted and will take you to the desired results. (Source: thatsfit.com)
- 19. Hydrate. Make it a habit to drink water throughout the day. (Source: completerunning.com)
- 20. Obviously pick the best running shoes for you. There isn’t a “best running shoe” but there are for sure shoes that fit you and your running style and shoes that don’t. Finding the running shoes that fits you is the best investment you can do in your running. (Source: runningshoesguru.com)
20 Running Tips for Beginners – and not Only
Written by Ruggero Loda
Ruggero launched Running Shoes Guru in 2009. Originally from the Alps of Italy, he now lives in Amsterdam with his much loved little family. He is a passionate runner and triathlete who has worked many years in the sports footwear industry.
I needed the tips because I was planning on taking running seriously. I need to lose weight for my sister’s wedding next month and I figured that running would be a good way to relieve my mind of the stress of having to deal with my bridezilla sister. She wanted me to do this and that to help her out and this is all on top of my regular job. I have to let my stress and frustrations out through running instead of confronting her about it now. The tips are just what I wanted to find. Thanks.
I think running is a relatively simple sport but that is a good list of tips for the beginner. I had an attempt at producing a similar list on my blog (http://www.runchaser.com/2012/08/top-ten-tips-for-running-beginners.html).
An extra tip I could offer is to keep running routes varied. Runners can soon lose interest if they run the same routes all the time. Doing a range of flat, hilly, trail, road etc runs will also help reduce the risk of injury as it will mean that muscles, tendons etc will not get used in the same way as they might if you stick to the same run all the time.