ACE Tips - Running

Running is in our nature, part of humanity’s fight or flight response, so why is it that the first time we run, it hurts so damn much! The sport has grown exponentially in the last decade. I joined my local athletics club as one of 15 juniors in 2010, fast forward 15 years and one home Olympics, there are now 250 juniors at the same club. Take in to account the hundreds of stories on your Instagram of your friends going for a jog, running has hit a boom. You are now inspired; you try to go for a run, following a 1 mile jog, you now can’t move for weeks and put off for life. Want some help? Here is the blog for you with six ace tips to help you start running and stick to the habit.

1. Comfort

Speaking from a personal perspective, running hugely increased my confidence in sport and daily life, but that did take some time. Before your first run, wear shoes you find most comfortable to help your body acclimatise to the impact of running. Try not to immediately buy the fanciest pair of running trainers, as though you look amazing, they will be uncomfortable on your first run. I would start with the most comfortable shoes, and your favourite activewear to feel as there is a bit of a strut to your stride.

2. Define Success

‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ as every popular Instagram sensation would like to tell you. In fairness, that is a very true statement but doesn’t give you much guidance in where to go next. With beginner runners, there is a lot of anxiousness based around being immediately successful. To conquer this anxiousness, set yourself individualistic goals, but I always start with the same target. ‘Goal 1, take one step out the front door’. That is your base target, so no matter if you are a natural and smash a half marathon, or you get to the end of your street and back, you have won on your first goal.

Another part of running compared to other sports is that you always gain something. In other sports, you win, or you lose. With running, you either earn a distance, or a time, you never lose. No matter if you don’t achieve your personal best, you always achieve the distance you completed. Once you run your first kilometre, say to yourself ‘well done, I’ve achieved that’. Before you know it, you’ve achieved 5k, 10k and so on, after that, quicker times will follow naturally.

3. Breathe and relax

Breathing is an overlooked essential for beginners. People feel their hearts beating out of their chests but don’t know how to control it, and it is mainly based around breathing. A tip that has worked well for beginners is to run at a pace I call ‘conversational’. When you go for a run with your friend and have a catch up, you notice you run further? That isn’t just down to being distracted or lost in conversation, talking provides you with a natural breathing rate and rhythm which in turn provides your system with enough oxygen to lower heart rate which will make you feel more comfortable whilst you start running.

4. Invest smartly

What was once a low-cost sport, costs to running rocketed. You are now looking at £250.00 for elite shoes, £400.00 for a watch, £70 for a pair of shorts! When I look back, I am guilty of overspending on my running attire, and it is so easy to get lost for beginners. Whether it’s the latest technology of shoe, buzz words like ‘overpronation’ and what type of foot strike you have, gait analysis? It’s easy to feel swamped. The best investment I made; the annual subscription fee at my athletics club and my coach. The support you get gives you an immediate return on your investment. After that, a comfortable pair of running shoes, but support from a coach or clubs make that a bonus when it comes to your achievements.

5. Target and Camaraderie

Once you have achieved your first couple of runs, how do you keep going? A new goal of course! The easiest way to do this is to sign up to a race or running event. This can be anywhere from your local and free parkrun to your hometown 10k or even the London Marathon. Once that date is in your diary, you can now map your way to success and the addiction that is running.

However, this is easier said than done. After that far too easy card transaction, you now have to hit the streets and commit to the miles, let’s not underestimate that. The best way to simplify this is camaraderie from like minded people. The running community has never been more connected through Strava, and you can now connect with your friends and family to get digital support (we all love some kudos). As great as Strava is, it doesn’t beat meeting new, like minded people through your local running club or team. No matter if you felt great, or not so great during your run, the companionship throughout the run will help develop the true happiness and even great memories which adds to your PB experience on race day. A high five from a friend goes a long way for motivation.

6. Get ahead of the DOMS

When beginning a new activity, your body needs to adapt and does put in necessary protections for those adaptations to take place. The Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is the build up of lactic acid in the muscles and is one way the body prevents overexertion when adapting. However, this is one of the most common reasons why people stop running, the constant feeling of heavy legs. The body will get used to the demands through perseverance, but can be managed easier with warm up and cool down stretches. This will improve mobility and blood flow to shift any lactic acid more efficiently for subsequent running, making recovery from those heavy legs much quicker and more painless. Focus on the lower back, hips, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and glutes. To aid getting in to a routine, head to Youtube or the Ace Corporate Fitness Active Network where you can find guidance and mobility routines.

I hope that this blog has helped you start your running journey and that you share some of the great memories I have made from running on your own path. Running is far more than a PB, it’s the freedom from the pressures of day to day life, and the laughter from the most amazing network of new friends you get from the running community. Most importantly, enjoy.

If you need any further advice, training plan, or to join the Ace Corporate Fitness running community, enquire with us today at www.acecorporatefitness.co.uk