Beginning Running Tips For Your New Year's Resolution!
Here are some great tips to keep you safe on "track".
Have any tips that should be on this list? Feel free to comment below!
What to Wear:
1. Spandex shorts under your regular running shorts to avoid chafing "down there".
2. a. Good Shoes. Invest in your feet, and knees, and hips, and shoulders, and neck (They're ALL connected and affected by improper support and form). One of Lakeland's running treasures is Fit Niche. They'll film your feet and fit you with the type of shoe YOU need.
b. Running Socks. Cotton socks will make you blister.
3. Get a good bra (ladies.) No skimping here. It may cost more than your shoes, but it's worth it. Ask some male runners...they could use one too.
4. Buy clothes that make you look good and FEEL like a runner! Ladies, especially, you know if you feel like you look good, you're going to wear those duds more often!
Community
5. Join your local running club—check with your local running store fitness center and/or recreation department to find one.
6. Join a Strategic Wellness Challenge Team .
Manners
7. Conscientiously share the trail with walkers, bikers and other runners.
8. Call out to the person in front of you on the running trail, "passing on your left". Give them time to accommodate you.
9. Don’t neglect and irritate your family and friends by spending all your time running and talking about running. (Note to self.)
Motivation
10. Sign up for a race as soon as you feel up to it. Our challenge team has 12 events we're training for. We'll post these for your consideration at a later date.
11. Find a committed group to run with. It is much harder to skip a run when you have someone else depending on you.
13. Remember that you will have plateaus in your progress and tough days along the way.
14. It gets easier.
15. Accept and appreciate the fact that not every single run can be a good one.
16. Be prepared to remove the words “can’t” and “never” from your vocabulary.
17. It takes 6-8 weeks for your joints to acclimate to ANY new activity. So, if you're beginning in January, think March and be kind to yourself. Progress slowly.
18. Don’t think too much about it or you won’t do it.
19. Running is not an excuse to triple your intake of doughnuts because runners gain weight too.
Nutrition Tips
20. You don't need a sports drink if you're only running an hour. Drink water. It's the best rehydrater around.
21. Each pound you lose makes running a little easier.
22. Hydrate. Make it a habit to drink water throughout the day.
23. During longer runs if you don’t like to carry water take some cash in your pocket pouch or a shoe wallet. Run a route where there’s a corner store that you can use as a pit stop to pick up your water and maybe use the bathroom.
24. Avoid eating spicy foods before running and the night before your long runs.
25. To aid recovery the most crucial time to eat and drink is in the hour immediately after you run.
26. If you're trying to lose weight, save your starchy carbs for immediately after you exercise. One serving will do.
Prevention
27. Use Vaseline or BodyGlide wherever things rub. They will help prevent blisters and chafing (guys don’t forget the nips).
28. Do not increase your mileage more than 10 percent per week.
29. Guys: Band-Aids before the long runs. Your nipples will thank you in the shower afterwards.
30. Log your mileage for your legs and your Shoes. Too much on either will cause you injury.
31. If you are prone to shin splints and lower leg pain try running soft trails for your Training runs and save the asphalt for race day.
32. Ice aches and pains immediately.
33. Cut your Training by at least 30 percent to 50 percent every 4th or 5th week for recovery.
34. Neosporin (or another antibiotic cream) is good for chafed areas (if you didn’t use your BodyGlide!).
35. Keep your toenails cut short so they don't jam into the ends of your shoes.!
36. Put some BodyGlide between your toes on long runs.
37. Don’t stretch before a run. Warm up by walking briskly or jogging slowly for several minutes. Stretch after!
38. Do not ice for more than 20 minutes at a time.
39. Do not use the hot tub after a race. It will increase inflammation and hinder healing.
40. Frozen peas make a great ice pack for aches and pains. A thin t-towel wrapped around them makes the cold more comfortable.
Event Tips
41. Race day is not the day to try new shoes, eat new foods, or wear brand new clothing.
42. Do not try a marathon as your first race.
43. For races longer than 5k start out slower than you think you should.
44. Use the Galloway method of walk/run to preserve your energy, prevent injuries and finish faster and stronger.
45. A plastic garbage on race day is a very fashionable cheap disposable raincoat.
Safety
46. Run facing traffic.
47. Never assume a car sees you.
Shoes
48. Try shoes on in the afternoon when your feet are bigger.
49. Double-knot your shoe laces so they will not come undone when you run.
50. Get assessed for the right kind of running shoes.
Training
51. Listen to your elders: Walt Stack famed senior-citizen distance runner “Start slow … and taper.”
52. At first keep your runs short and slow to avoid injury and soreness so you do not quit.
53. If you are breathing too hard slow down or walk a bit until you feel comfortable again.
54. Pick your route close to home (out your front door)—the more convenient it is the better chance you will have sticking with it.
55. Find a beginner training plan for your first race. Try Nike.com
56. No amount of money spent on gadget training programs or funny food can substitute for minutes, hours, days and weeks on the road.
57. There’s no shame in walking. Walk/Run Galloway methods produces happy, healthy, WINNERS!
58. Speed work doesn’t have to be scientific. Try racing to one light post and then jogging to the next.
59. Do speedwork after you develop an endurance base.
60. Practice running harder in the last half of your runs.
61. Build rest into your schedule. Rest is just as important of an element as exercise in your fitness plan.
62. Mix-up your training plan. Make sure your training plan is not too heavily focused on one thing. No matter what level of runner you are your training plan should include four essential elements: endurance speed rest cross-training. Join the Strategic Wellness Challenge Team 2010. We cross train: Bike, Swim, Run.
Weather
63. Dress as if it is 10 degrees warmer than the temperature on the thermometer.
64. Run early in the morning or later in evening to avoid mid-day heat.
65. In the winter dress in layers (coolmax or other technical clothing) and wear a headband over your running hat to cover your ears.
66. To keep cool in hot weather soak a bandana in cold water wring it out a bit and tie it loosely around your neck.
67. For hot weather fill your water bottle about half way lay it at an angle in the freezer and just before you head out for your run top it off with more water.
These will get you out the door. Have fun!
by Whitney Cabrera
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by sarah hunter on
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wow! great advice! thanks!
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