5 Easy Ways to Start Running

Looking to start running? Running is a fantastic form of exercise that can help you to achieve a range of health-related goals. Running can help you to lose weight, improve your cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles and improve your mental health just as a few examples - it is also incredibly rewarding!

One of the best aspects about jogging is that all you need to start is a good pair of shoes and motivation. When you start running, it will be tough at first, but you should quickly notice progress when you commit to a training schedule. So, what are the best ways to start running?

1. Running Intervals

One of the best running tips for beginners is to start with running intervals. The very first run can be eye-opening and difficult, especially if your fitness levels are low. When you get started, it is a good idea to run and then stop and walk when you get out of breath before running again.

These intervals allow you to catch your breathe and avoid injuring yourself. Additionally, you can still cover a decent distance and then try to reduce the amount of time spent walking with each run. It is easy to get obsessed with statistics when you start jogging, but to start with you should not worry about distance or pace and just enjoy being out running.

Running with Richie Kiely

2. Take it Slow

The biggest mistake that people make when they start running is to run too quickly. It is amazing the difference that slowing your pace can do in terms of how far you can run without having to stop. Many find that they can run a distance faster by slowing their pace as opposed to running-walking-running - slow and steady wins the race!

In time, you will feel yourself getting fitter and you can then start to increase your pace. Be sure to do this gently to avoid injury and give yourself a mile or km to get warmed up before you start running at a faster pace.

3. Set Yourself a Goal

At the very beginning, you should focus on running intervals and not worry too much about time or distance. It is a good idea to set yourself a goal to work towards, though, so that you can stay motivated and progress each week.

Most people start off with a target of running 5km without stopping. This is a good target that beginners can achieve with regular training within a month or so, but it is also a distance that experienced runners often cover to try to beat their PBs. There should be 5km races that you can sign up for nearby, which will give you something to work towards.

Once you have a goal in mind, you can then start devising a training program to achieve this goal. The internet is a brilliant resource for this and many people turned to the NHS Couch to 5K training plan at the start of the pandemic.

Running with Adam Sebba

4. Work With a Running Coach

One of the best ways to start running is to work with a running coach, especially if you have concerns over injuries or you have a particular target in mind. A running coach will be able to provide personalised advice and guidance to help you to maximise your performance and work towards your goals.

Running can be a daunting activity to start, especially when you read about running techniques, gait and common injuries. A running coach will be able to guide you through all of this and develop a training plan that will work for you. Additionally, a running coach will help in terms of motivation and support. Recovery is just as important as jogging and this is another area that they can help you with.

At Sport Session Sports Club, we can connect aspirational joggers with running coaches whether you want to shed some weight, run 5K without stopping or train for a marathon. We are a digital sports club that makes it easy for people to start new sports and get expert advice so that they can improve performance, hit their goals and avoid injury.

5. Use a Timing Device

As mentioned earlier, you should not worry too much about time, distance and other stats when you are just starting. Once you start to build fitness and have a goal in mind, you can then use a timing device. Timing devices will help you to track your progress, monitor performance during a run and can be helpful for pushing your performance.

Once you start running regularly, you will find that it is fascinating to go over the various statistics and see the progress that you have made. Many people find that tracking your runs with these devices can give you an extra motivation boost, especially when you can share this data to social apps like Strava and Runkeeper and connect with your friends and other runners.

There are a number of options when it comes to timing devices. The main options include:

• GPS watch
• Activity tracker
• Timer
• Phone app

There are many different options within each category, so you will want to research to find the best option for your preference and budget.

Running with Christopher Ford

Start Running Today & Reap the Benefits

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start running and show you a few easy ways to get started. Running is one of the best forms of exercise that there is and it is an amazing feeling once you start to progress and achieve your goals. It can also be daunting, so it is helpful to be aware of easy ways to get started and build your fitness.

Book with one of our running coaches today to get the best advice and support as you start your running journey. We can pair you with an experienced running coach that will be able to offer personalised advice and help you to start making progress straight away.

Running with Jonathan Norris