If you’ve read my other posts you’ll know that I am not one of those people who was born a natural runner. I was also not much of an athlete for the first two decades of my life and I never thought I would have anything to say on the subject of running because I really struggled with it.
Things changed at university when I started using running as a way to relieve stress, and given the current climate I wanted to share how I got started because while I am not an expert, the running stuck and it’s become a habit, a part of my routine, and something that I think anyone can pick up if they want to.
Everyone will have different reasons for wanting to run. Although, if we’re being honest, right now it’s one of the few things most of us are still able to do so by default it might be something you’re thinking of trying to save you from boredom or anxiety.
The starting point is to try to have a good pair of shoes. I’m not saying go out and buy the Nike Vaporfly Next% (please google this if you haven’t seen these yet – shoes are looking crazier and crazier these days!) but you need some support for your feet if you’re going to be pounding the pavement. I am an over-pronator which I discovered five years after experiencing knee and back pain, so if you are having any type of pain it’s worth evaluating whether you need shoes that will help your feet land the right way on the ground. Asics has a useful explanation of this in case you’re curious (https://www.asics.com/gb/en-gb/running-advice/understanding-pronation-find-the-right-shoes-for-you/). It’s surprising the difference the right pair of shoes make. I found running really hard before I bought shoes with the right level of support for me, and it felt like a completely different experience once I had the right shoes. It all starts with your feet so keep them in mind! Granted right now might not be the time to buy new shoes, so this could just be something to keep in mind for the future.
Once you have shoes, consider your outfit. Again, you don’t need high-tech gear, just material that won’t chafe. Everyone says to avoid cotton which is a good rule, although if it’s all you have right now wear it. I wore cotton shirts for ages and if the key is to get out that front door, you can make whatever you have at home work. I still wear cotton socks if I’m running for less than an hour, but I’ve found that sleeves with thick seams under the arms are a “no-go”. Chafing on your chest is a real thing too for men and women. Vaseline is a good way to protect against chafing and it’s something you might have in your cupboard. Similarly, having a good sports bra can make a difference and if you’re chafing around your bra it’s a sign that it’s probably not the right size. RunnersNeed has some advice on this (https://www.runnersneed.com/expert-advice/gear-guides/sports-bra-buying-guide.html). That being said, when I first started running, I wore two sports bras on top of each other and it worked out fine enough. If you’re just starting out the key is to get out that front door so don’t focus on your wardrobe too much, you can always sort it out down the line.
Now that you are dressed and ready to go, you need to leave your house. It can be hard to work yourself up to this point because this is where things get real. When I first started running I felt a bit embarrassed at this stage because if I’m honest, I felt like a bit of a fraud. I wasn’t going to be running fast or far, and people would see me out there sweating and giving something a go that I did not have a lot of confidence in. It felt uncomfortable to start running and it usually took about 20 minutes for me to feel like I was actually “into” it and able to forget a bit about the world around me.
The key is to start small. I never tried the running/walking combination but it works well for a lot of people. What I did was start off with a 15 minute run and slowly build up from there. My first goal was to run 3 miles continuously and once I was able to do that, I moved on to 5 miles. There are a lot of training plans out there if you want to follow one, but as a beginner I would recommend aiming to run about 2-3 times a week (roughly every other day) or more if you like. You do not need to base your running on time, you could have a route in mind that you want to run continuously one day, or a particular distance. Just build your way up to it and be kind to yourself while you do. Nothing that is worth it is instantaneous in life.
I find it helpful to keep a record of my runs and use my notes app on my phone. This way I am able to track myself getting better and know what my best times are for my routes. This is completely personal to me and it’s a good feeling to see my progress in writing. You don’t need a Garmin watch – I have one now but I ran with a small digital watch for years and often ran watch-less, just check the time when you leave and when you get back home. Or don’t check it at all, just remember your routes and see if you can go a bit further next week. If you don’t want to track your runs, don’t. I’m sure you’ll be able to feel yourself improving and the point is to do this for you, so do it the way you want to.
Another thing to remember is how you feel after you’ve finished a run. I have found that running, unlike any other sport, puts me in a completely different state of mind once I’ve completed a run. I feel relaxed, things are a bit more in perspective, and I always feel a bit proud of myself for getting out there. Right now, it’s so easy to sit inside and let the world pass by, counting down the days when there are no timescales – use this as an opportunity to get outside and focus on yourself. When you’re running it’s all about you, you are taking care of your physical and mental health and putting yourself first. It might be for 10 minutes but do that twice a week for a year and you’ve hit 1,040 minutes!
Finally, a quick note on mental health. I will never forget a neuroscience course I took during my undergrad at Stanford. It showed that the effects on the brain of going for a run were essentially the equivalent to taking anti-depression drugs. The diagrams depicting the reaction in the brain to both are something that I still cannot get out of my head to this day. It was partly as a result of that lesson that whenever I feel down or anxious, I search for my running shoes because I believe that there is something incredibly powerful about running that helps me regain control over my thoughts and my life. This is purely from my personal experience, but I do think there’s the potential that running could make a real difference in your life and it’s worth giving it a shot to see if it can!
Kilometers to Miles 