Stop obsessing over your PR
Tip # 1: Have a Strong Reason Why
I’ll be honest with you. Running isn’t that much fun at first. Your legs will feel like they’re made of lead, the sweat will sting your eyes and your lungs will scream with agony. Worse still, your appetite will shoot through the roof as your body adjusts to the new energy demands.
It’s easy to think of quitting in the early days. This is why you need a powerful reason to propel you. There is no right or wrong reason as long as it is important to you. But once your body learns how to do it well, running can be relaxing, meditative, invigorating and, yes, fun.
I started running because the boys in my high school called me fatty. In the back of my mind, I wanted to be accepted by them. Each run was driven by the desire to fit into their definition of beauty.
It's been 20+years. My reasons for running have morphed and grown through the years. But I've never stopped doing it.
Tip #2: Find a Wagon To Hitch Onto
Running for its own sake isn't sustainable at the start. You may orientate yourself in a certain direction but without a destination in sight, the journey becomes a lot tougher.
This is where a plan comes in. As a beginner, you have two options- find a good off-the-peg plan or ask a qualified coach for one. From Couch to 5k, 10k to half marathon and full marathon plans, there is something for everyone.
Ensure an expert has put it together and that you understand the rationale behind each session. This will allow you to make small changes based on your weekly schedule and how you progress.
Tip#3: How You Gonna Wear Sandals With Nasty Toes?
Your body is going to take a lot of pounding from now on. Choking up the distance comes at a high price. Running exerts a force of up to three times your body weight on your foot. But contrary to runners' folklore, there is a cure for black toes. And it’s found in your shoes.
Two factors influence the type of shoes you need- your gait and the terrain you’ll be running on.
Let’s examine each factor:
A. Your Gait
Or pronation refers to how your foot rolls inward for impact distribution upon landing is the first step in finding the right shoes.
According to runnersworld.com
Pronation is the inward movement of the foot as it rolls to optimally distribute the force of impact on the ground as you run. With “normal” pronation, the foot “rolls” inward about 15 percent, comes in complete contact with the ground, and can support your body weight without any problem. Pronation is critical to proper shock absorption, and it helps you push off evenly from the ball of the foot at the end of the gait cycle.
There are three main pronation types: supinator, normal and overpronator.
As explained on asics.com
- Supinator
The outer side of the heel hits the ground at an increased angle with little or no inward rolling (pronation), causing a large transmission of shock through the lower leg.
Push Off: pressure on smaller toes on the outside of the foot.
Injuries: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle strain.
Prevention: Do extra stretching and strength training for the calves, hamstrings, quads, and iliotibial band.
Foot type: high arches.
- Normal
The foot lands on the outside of the heel and then rolls inward (pronates) to absorb shock and support body weight.
Push Off: even distribution from the front of the foot.
Injuries: Less likely due to effective shock absorption, but neutral runners are not immune to injury.
Foot Type: normal-size arches.
- Overpronators
The foot lands on the outside of the heel, then rolls inward (pronates) excessively, transferring weight to inner edge instead of ball of the foot.
Push Off: big toe and second toe do the majority of the work.
Injuries: shin splints, plantar fasciitis, bunions, heel spurs.
Prevention: Overpronation causes extra stress and tightness to the muscles, so to prevent it, do a little extra stretching.
Foot Type: low arches or flat feet.
B. Where you'll be running:
The main consideration on the terrain is if you’ll be running on trails or on paved roads. If most of your training is off-road, road shoes with built-up heels are unsuitable because you will be more unstable and could twist an ankle. Similarly, a pair of trail-running shoes with deeply studded outsoles will be very uncomfortable on paved roads, because the studs will press into the soles of your feet.
If you’re not sure if you overpronate, it might be worth getting your gait analysed.
Tip#4: Set Limits on Your Ambition
I’ve got news for you, baby. Run long enough and it’s going to hurt. While injuries are an inevitable part of running, taking on too much too soon is a fast track to getting sidelined. Ambition is highly recommended but don’t sign up for that marathon yet. Your body isn’t prepared for it.
As a rule of thumb, never increase your mileage by more than 10 per cent from one week to the next.
Tip # 5: Warm Up and Warm Down
Think about warming up your muscles like you would warm up your car.
Warming up helps prepare your body for running. It increases the temperature and flexibility of your muscles and helps you be more efficient and safer as you run.
Cooling down gives your heart and blood vessels a chance to ease out of your run. It slows down your heartbeat and lowers your body temperature.
If you stop too fast, you could pass out or feel sick.
Tip #6: Tap Into This Source Of Strength and Speed
Run long enough and you will encounter this foe during your training. So why not tackle it before it gets to you?
I’m talking about the hills, baby. Yes, hill work can be tough and challenging. But once you can bring yourself to incorporate hill work into your training regimen, you can tap into a source of strength and speed. Uphill sessions are great for the glutes, get your heart rate high and challenge your body’s ability to process lactic acid, a key factor in improving speed.
Tip #7: Don’t Forget About the Weights
Another enemy, but hey we gotta talk about this. As runners, we are all about the mileage. Hitting the trails and chewing up the distances is what we live for. But a stronger body is a speedier, more resilient body. A strong butt reduces your risks of injury. Strong arms drive the legs. And flexible calves help you run faster.
Keep your upper body and core toned with a lot of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and back raises (don’t forget that the back is part of the core). Cross-training helps strengthen neglected muscle groups, reduces impact from the repetition of running and helps prevent burnout.
Tip# 8: Add Speed Work to Your Weekly Diet
Sprints should take five per cent of an athlete’s total weekly mileage up. Someone running 30 miles { 48km } a week should run sprints for
1.5 miles { 2.4km}. Tempo runs, fartlek and interval training will help you run faster.
Tip#9: It’s Okay to Take a Rest, Seriously
A rest day doesn’t mean you have to seat on the couch all day. Instead, consider the idea of an active rest day. A bit of movement can increase blood flow thereby reducing soreness and speeding recovery. Consider trying a gentle yoga class, an easy bike ride, a brisk walk, or even a light jog.
But sometimes a day of rest, recovery and laziness is exactly what you need.
At the end of the day, you have to focus on how you feel. Soreness is fine, pain is not.
Tip #10: Find Your Community
Oh, the joys of a solo run. Anytime, anywhere and any distance. But somewhere along the road, you’ll long for company. An ear to bounce ideas off. A buddy to motivate you. A pacesetter to push you to new records. Someone to grab a drink with after a run and obsess over words like cadence, elevation gain and splits.
Tip #11. Lubricate, Lubricate, Lubricate.
The mix of sweat, skin and fabric makes for a lethal combination. So bad it can cause you to pull out of your race or take days off your training. Runner’s nipple is a thing!
Your humble tin of Vaseline, clingy non-cotton clothing and proper hydration will keep the chafing away.
Tip #12:Are You Getting Enough Sleep?
If you fall asleep in a moving vehicle, get drowsy after a heavy meal and need endless cups of caffeine to get through the day, then you’re not getting enough sleep.
The answer lies not in the quantity of your sleep but rather in its quality. It's critical to think about whether the time spent sleeping is actually restorative.
We pass through four to six different stages during sleep. These different stages of light and deep sleep form sleep cycles, and each stage has different characteristics. An average sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes.
Progressing smoothly multiple times through the sleep cycle is a vital part of getting truly high-quality rest. Waking up in the middle of a cycle will leave you feeling groggy, but waking up in between cycles wakes you up feeling refreshed and alert.
Tip#13:Don’t Skimp on Your Fuel
I’m talking about carbs, fats, protein, energy bars and water. You meet the energy demands of running through food; which also aids in your recovery. When you eat is also important. Ensure you eat enough carbs over the last 24 hours before the run so your muscles’ glycogen stores are filled. This is essential for longer, more intense runs so that your body has all the easy-to-use fuel it needs to perform consistently well for the entire session.”
While fasted workouts and the keto diet are trendy, eating carbs is super important, especially before a run. So, if you want to be a better runner, get used to eating before a run.
Tip #14: Stop Trying to be Macho
It’s easy to think you can shake off an injury. You might convince yourself that all you need is a few laps around the block to curb the soreness. Or it might be bad sleeping posture. Or you might blame your shoes.
Please don’t. As difficult as it is to sit out an injury, it's the best thing to do. You risk setting back training and racing goals, not to mention missing an endorphin rush. But whatever ails you will take longer to heal — or get worse — if you run through the pain.
Tip #15: Embrace the Runner’s Stomach
The poor sleep, nervous energy and stress before a race. It doesn't matter how long you’ve been running, your anxiety will manifest in physical symptoms.
It's not a sign of weakness. Far from it- it shows how much you care.
Tip#16: What Gets Measured Gets Improved
There is no better feeling {besides runner’s high} than seeing a streak of ‘x’ that marks your progress. Tracking your runs will motivate you to do more, show you areas for improvement and build your confidence.
Tip #17: Quit Chasing a PR
I'm preaching water and drinking wine here. I've been chasing a half marathon PR. for the last couple of months. Take it from me. It sucks the fun out of your runs, leaves you frustrated and impedes your progress.
Learn to be process-oriented not outcome-oriented. Celebrate the small daily wins. A proper form when you plank. Your stronger squats. The longer effort during your hill work.
Being a better runner doesn’t necessarily mean a faster runner or a runner who can run 26.2 miles { 42.1km}. Everyone’s definition is a little different, but you’ll agree with me that a better runner always correlates with a healthier runner who gets injured less often.
Becoming a better runner will require you to be consistent, patient, and persistent. It won't always be easy. Life will happen. You’ll get sick, travel for work, and experience loss and pain.
But if you stick with it long enough, you’ll find, like I did, that running is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.