How to start running as a beginner

By our Gym+Fitness Team at PCYC Ipswich

Starting running can feel exciting but overwhelming. It’s a great way to boost your fitness levels and clear your mind, but beginning with the right approach is key. Here are some essential tips to help you get started safely and confidently.

You may have asked yourself, is running prone to injury, especially for those who take it up later in life? Running does have a reputation for this, but like anything else, you can’t just roll out of bed and run a marathon without proper training. With the right preparation, you can condition your body to become a healthy, long-lasting runner.

Tips to start running

‘Run-Walks’ are your best friends!

A ‘Run-Walk’ is where you aim to run for as long as you feel comfortable, and once you reach an uncomfortable spot you start to walk. The goal is to get your heart rate down so you can then resume running. This is a great way to kick off a running career as you can set a distance goal and then see week on week how your time is improving through repeat efforts.

Run slow to go fast

Running slower allows our aerobic capacity to improve. This is because we push the body over a longer distance at a lower heart rate, compared to a shorter distance at a higher heart rate. Starting off a running stint by going slower, allows the body to adjust to the load of running. Building strength in our shins and joints will result in a lower chance of injury.

Warmup/Prehab/Rehab

The running itself is important, but what we do outside of that, is the true work. Our warm up must be able to raise our body temperature to a high enough point, our muscles want to work. After running we then need to look at our mobility work and fuelling correctly to allow the body to recover. In your own time you need to look at ways to strengthen your body to continue this new hobby you have found! Workouts like tib/calf raises, mobility work, walking longer distances, and other forms of cardio (swimming/bike).

Running takes time and is not something we often feel great after the first few runs, but with time we get all the benefits of running, including a healthier heart and a healthier body!