Interested in adding some running into your weekly routine to meet your cardio goals, or even signing up for a fun run or half marathon, but you’re not sure where to start?
Running is a form of exercise that is accessible, doesn’t require any equipment and most people can get started no matter what your fitness level is! If you’ve never run before or you’ve taken a break from it for a while, running can feel pretty challenging. But don’t worry, if you start slow and are consistent, you can see big improvements over time, not to mention quickly reaping the many benefits of running such as boosting your fitness levels and mood and protecting your long-term health.
To kickstart your running journey, it can help to know a few tips to prepare, ease yourself in, run with good technique, see improvements, avoid injury and know what the benefits are (especially for those days when you need a boost of motivation!) This guide to running for beginners covers everything you need.
Physical benefits of running
Running is a great form of cardio to increase your fitness and protect your long-term health. Running can help to improve lung capacity, increase metabolism, lower cholesterol levels, increase energy and decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
A 2015 review published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings concluded that substantial evidence pointed to numerous health benefits, such as helping to prevent obesity, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, respiratory disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, and hip replacements. Running was also associated with a risk reduction for some cancers and a lowered risk of developing a disability later in life.
And you don’t need to run long distances to benefit! Even small doses of running are associated with a significant reduction in cardiovascular issues and all-cause mortality.
Mental benefits of running
Running is not only good for your body, it also works wonders for your mind. Exercise is excellent for stress relief and running is a great option — you can run by yourself for some me-time, or with others for some social interaction.
Research has also found that regular aerobic exercise can also improve memory function and brain health as you age.
In fact, a 2019 review from the University of Palermo confirmed that many studies have shown physical activity may help to delay brain ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. It has also been shown to improve cognitive processes and memory, has pain-relieving and antidepressant effects, and may help with an overall sense of well-being.
What to do before your first run
As with starting any fitness journey, preparation is key. Here are a few key things to do before you head out on your first run.
Speak with a healthcare professional
If you’ve not run before (or haven’t laced up in a while), it’s always a good idea to double-check with your doctor first to get clearance, particularly if you have a chronic condition such as a heart condition, diabetes, arthritis, or you’ve had injuries from exercise in the past.
If you’re healthy but have had past injuries or are experiencing any current aches or pains, it is recommended you consult a healthcare professional such as an exercise physiologist for a pre-running assessment, to discuss your physiology and how best to achieve your running goals.
Invest in good shoes
If you buy one thing before you begin running, make it a good pair of running shoes that fit you well and are the right type of shoe for your running style, foot shape and body. Rather than choosing a shoe based on how they look, visit a speciality running store to get your shoes fitted if possible. That way you’ll have the right type of support for your unique feet and running style.
Know what to do to be safe
There are a few things you can do to stay safe when running. Always carry identification, your phone with enough charge for your run, and tell someone where you are going. Try to run in well-lit areas where you have phone reception.
If you’re running on the road, run opposite to the traffic so you can see any vehicles coming towards you and wear bright colours for visibility. If you’re running on a footpath, always keep an eye out for cars entering or exiting driveways. If you’re trail running, you may want to consider taking a pack, depending on how far you’re going and who you’re with. Your running pack could include things like a small first aid kit, water, sunscreen, a light, spare socks and some warm clothing. There are many running apps available that have a safety beacon and will relay your position to a nominated friend if you need assistance.
What to do when you start running
Onto the running itself! When beginning to run, following a few simple steps can go a long way to making the experience safe, and enjoyable and ensuring you make progress on your running journey.
Always warm up before you start
A good warm up will help to protect your joints and muscles and minimise your risk of injury. Before starting a run, spend 5-10 minutes walking or jogging lightly for a minute on and a minute off. Then perform some dynamic stretches such as leg swings, arm circles and torso twists to help activate or “wake up” those muscles.
Start with run-walk intervals
Building running fitness and getting the body used to a new form of exercise can take time. When starting out, try alternate running with intervals of walking. Simply start with one minute of running and one minute of walking (or more if you need), and then try to increase the running intervals. You can also pick landmarks like street signs, trees or lamp posts as your finish lines for each interval. As you become more comfortable, you can progress to running continuously.
To see progress, it can help to set yourself a distance or time-based goal to work towards, such as running for 30 minutes or three kilometres without walking.
Build slowly and make it manageable
As with all exercise, it’s important to be patient and build up to a consistent training routine, as injury risk increases when the volume of exercise increases too quickly. Increasing by 10% each week is a good rule of thumb to follow. So if you start by running for 10 minutes, next week aim to run for 11 minutes and so on until you reach your desired time or distance! Patience and consistency are key.
Going for a run might be challenging in the beginning, but it shouldn’t be so hard that you never want to run again. During each run, keep a comfortable pace — if you can’t speak at all or are completely out of breath, slow down. If running alone, try counting your steps aloud for 30 seconds as a test or sing along to your favourite songs.
Let your goals shape your routine
If you want to make progress with your running or have a distance or time-based goal in mind, you’ll definitely want to do multiple runs per week. Consistency and frequency is key. If you want to run occasionally for its health benefits and how it makes you feel rather than chasing after specific running goals, it might work better for you to just do the occasional jog as part of your normal workout schedule.
Add variety to accelerate your progress
Once you’re more comfortable running, there are various types of training sessions you can do to keep things interesting and help you progress faster. These include:
- Running hills in short bursts to improve your fitness, power and speed
- Long, slow runs to help build endurance
- Sprints or interval sessions on flat ground to help improve fitness, power and speed
- Shorter “tempo” runs at an increased pace which gets your body used to running faster
- Slower, shorter runs can be used for recovery or days when you’re tired or short on time
