Get Started: 5 Tips for Beginner Runners
Get Started: 5 Tips for Beginner Runners

I have been running since the Reagan administration, so it is no surprise that people often ask me for tips on getting started.  I love running and I am proud to say that my enthusiasm has turned some friends and colleagues from “never” to “forever” with running.

Here are some tried and true tips for getting started:

  1. Get motivated. Stop saying that you are “not a runner.” Anyone can be a runner, so once you decide that you want to be, declare yourself a runner. You don’t have to shout it from the rooftops, or to tell anyone at all, but you have to own it. And then, fake it until you make it.
  2. Consult a professional – or two! I am not suggesting that you need a coach. First, check with your doctor by getting a physical to be sure that you are physically able to start running. Next, go directly to your local running store to get help finding the right shoes for you. I am all for a bargain, but getting the right shoes for your form and feet can make or break a runner. You can also find great gear and get help with clothing choices while you are there. (Women, get a sports bra recommendation when you are there, too!)
  3. Start slow and with a plan. If you’ve never run before, try the Couch to 5K plan for a great slow ramp, walk-run plan that works. There is even an app for it! If you have run before, consult Runner’s World or Cool Running for a beginner plan for whatever distance you are hoping to tackle. Don’t try to do too much, too fast as that can lead to injuries. If the program you pick seems too easy, give it a few weeks and then build up your distance and running time by about 10% or 20% each week.
  4. Find a friend. Getting into the running habit takes time and it is much easier to keep at it if you have a partner waiting for you. It also can be more fun and you are more likely to keep at it if it is fun. If you can’t convince any of your friends or family members to get moving with you, check with your local running store or running clubs in your area to see if they have a beginner running group.
  5. Set a goal. Start small – run a mile without stopping, participate in a 5K by mid-October, run a 10K or a half marathon. Whatever it is, be realistic about the time it will take to build up to it and set mini goals along the way.

Running can be a challenge at the beginning, but like many healthy habits, it is worth the effort. Mark the one year anniversary of the day you start on your calendar and look back at how far you have come. And celebrate with a new pair of running shoes, a race registration or a piece of gear you have been coveting.

Happy running!!

Posted with Permission from Erica Finds

 
 
Learn to push through pain. Cause it 

will hurt, and hurt, and hurt, and then

one day... BOOM !!! Stress fracture. 

Then you rest
5:00AM 

The hour when legends are either 

waking up or going to sleep
BOSS: "Hey, can you hop on Zoom 

real quick?" 



ME:

New Featured eBibs

Came home after a short run and my  dog peed a little because he was happy  to see me. None of my friends pee when  they see me. I'm surrounded by fakes
80% of arguments start because  someone hasn't run yet.
Just wanted to let you know that is NOT okay to run and then NOT post about it  on social
I got a $25 gift card to Fleet Feet,  so no I gotta come up with  $257 of my own money to  complete my purchase
Suck it up... So one day you won't have to suck it in
To that friend who has never been  tired of listening to my problems.  Thank you. I owe you a lot.
You know you're a runner when you categorize your friends as "Running friends" and "The Others"
WARNING  I'm exercising, eating right and  watching my alcohol intake. Which  means I'm sober, I'm cranky and I'm  sore. So proceed with caution
“I’m dying is this over with yet….OOH PHOTOGRAPHER!!!”
The most awkward thing about running with friends is figuring out which person  is going to be the fast runner who is taking it easy for the day, and which person is the slowpoke who is  running much faster than  usual but pretending  t...
That one word you use 500 times during a run
In case no one told you today... you're slow AF and your marathon PR aint shit
I'm really sick and tired of food having calories
I saw a girl on the trail today.     No iPhone. No earbuds. No smart watch.  No hydration. She just ran.    Like a total psycho.
If you skip a run because it's too cold, you're a lil bitch.    – Old Chinese Saying
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