Most people either love running or loathe running, but it is in fact one of the most therapeutic forms of exercise on the world. The repetition can be very meditative and relaxing for your mind. Running can burn a lot of calories and it is a great activity that can take you all over the world, be it for a running event or to see a new place.
Here are some tips for non-runners to help get started
Choose your track
If you are one of those people who think to themselves “the further I run, the further I have to run back” and then you psych yourself out, I would highly recommend choosing a track that you are familiar or comfortable with so you can just run until you want to stop. This is a great way to build up your confidence, especially when you are starting out.
For example, you may feel more comfortable on a treadmill at a fitness club, running laps on the same track or running on a track that you are very familiar with. Start where you are comfortable until you build up your confidence and go from there.
Sometimes when you are starting out on your track you may want to walk/run to start with. The aim will always be to run more than you walk and each time building up more of your run so that you run your entire track. Choosing to start is always the hardest part.
Play with your speed
Playing with your speed can not only make running more fun, but it would also be a more natural way of running as in a fun run or running outdoors you would often have to sprint past someone at some point to get ahead. On a treadmill for example, you may want to try running 400m at 7km and 400m at 10km and alternate that for 20-30 minutes. Outdoors you may choose a lamp post to sprint to and then jog to the next one for 20-30 minutes as a start Playing with your speed is not only a great way to burn calories, but it is also quite mentally stimulating if you are looking to energise rather than zone out.
Join a community
Whether you love running already or you are just getting started, joining a community of runners is a great way to feel like you are part of something. It is also a great way to connect with others and have something to train for.
Choose the right shoes for your feet rather that for their design
HCF claims data has shown that there is a rapid increase in people going to the podiatrist in summer compared to winter due to injuries and niggles. In fact there was a 173% increase in members claiming for podiatry services last January (2022) compared with August 2021 and this is a common trend. This is likely due to more people hitting the pavement to get fit for summer. One way to minimise your risk of injury is to get fitted by a professional with the right shoes for your feet. It may also help to work with a trainer on your running gait (which is essentially your stride and how you strike your foot on the ground).
When we run, our shoulders should be back, head should be facing forward, Our hips should be inline with our shoulders, and our foot should be striking right under you knee. This form should help to minimise your chance of injury, aches or niggles.
Happy running!
Do you want to start running? Here are some tips for non-runners to help get started. Visit MUM CFOs blog for more.
Article by Ben Richards, PT at Anytime Fitness
