Run Correctly and You Won’t Have to Stop
Seriously. If you find yourself going out for a run and having to eventually stop, then you’re just doing it wrong. It’s possible for humans to actually never stop running if you they know how to do it the right way.
Okay no not really, but there is somewhat of an element of truth to this idea. Humans are actually the best long-distance runners out of every creature in the animal kingdom. Sounds crazy but it’s actually true.
We can’t necessarily outrun horses, bears, lions or an awful lot of creatures to be honest, but we can run for longer than they can. A lot longer. And the more time you spend running, the more you can reap the health benefits of it.
Being able to go out for a 2-hour run is of course going to be more beneficial than a 15-minute run and if you know how to do it, this is entirely possible. And when I say you won’t have to stop, I also mean you can keep doing it well into your old age.
Some older people who were runners in their youth tend to lose the ability as they age, and this is because they make certain mistakes that end up causing damage or causing their bodies to wear down in the future.
Run correctly and you can avoid this. So let’s look at a couple of ways in which you can maximise your running potential.
Hydrate
The importance of hydrating when you’re running cannot be understated. Water is important for a number of things in our daily lives from energy to waste removal and perhaps most importantly in regards to running, body temperature regulation.
As I’m sure you’ve probably noticed, you sweat a lot when you run. If you’re someone who doesn’t run all that regularly, you’re probably drenched in sweat after just a couple of minutes on the go.
The reason for this, is because when we exert ourselves, our body temperature increases and our sweat is there to help cool us down. But in the process, it also causes the water content in our body to decrease which lowers our energy.
It also sheds a lot of the nutrients present in our body that can aid in recovery and prevent injury to our joints and muscles. For you to be able to keep going, all of this stuff needs to be replenished.
So if you’re not drinking water while you’re running this is going to slow down your progression and inhibit your ability to continue to run in the future. Drink water before, during and after your run and also monitor it while you’re not exercising too.
The days after a run are your recovery time and your body will need water to speed that up so
that you’re good to go for the next one.
Build Up the Distance
While this is a discussion about being able to run for extended periods of time, don’t get it too twisted. When you’re starting out, you won’t have the endurance and conditioning of a world-class athlete.
Attempting to run for hours at a time when your body isn’t used to it is actually quite dangerous. So what you need to do is build yourself up to that by breaking a run up until manageable sections which will increase in length as you go.
It all depends on the person how much you want to give it at the start, but if you are a beginner I would suggest running for 15-20 intervals and then giving yourself a 3-5 minute break in between each of these intervals.
Allow your body that little period of time to settle and to get the temperature back to normal. Also, going back to what we said earlier, drink water during that break, and if you hit the end of the 5 minutes and are still completely exhausted, wait a little longer.
Build it up at your own pace. Even your runs are only getting 30 seconds longer each time, it’s still progress and you will still get to a high level at some point. If you want to challenge yourself, try adding 3-5 minutes per interval every time you run or cutting down the breaks by a minute or two.
Watch Your Form
Because we’re humans and running has been such an important part of the evolutionary development of our species, we can kind of do it naturally. But it’s still important to watch your form and make sure you’re not making any mistakes.
Keep your shoulders upright. If you’re someone who tends to walk around with your head down, looking at your phone, make sure that you don’t run like that. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep them loose.,
Hold your arms at a ninety degree angle and make sure that you don’t find your elbows pointing outwards. If this happens it means your arms are crossing in front of your body which will actually slow you down.
Also, don’t squeeze your hands into fists like some people say, because this is actually increasing the tension in your body which is also going to slow you down and reduce your endurance. Keep them relaxed.
And use your feet to push off the ground, don’t just lift them. You can go faster and further if you are actually using your feet to propel you forward. Otherwise you could potentially cause yourself injury because your momentum isn’t fluid.
Ultimately, bad form is terrible for your progress as a runner and can make things difficult for you as you get older so get it right from the beginning.
And above all else, it’s important that you don’t give up. As we discussed earlier, do as much as you are capable of with each run, but make sure that you actually go out running on a regular basis.
Doing it once a month isn’t going to get you anywhere. Once a week might be okay but I’d suggest 2-3 times a week to really get a lot out of it. And remember this too, running can be enjoyable. Heard of a runner’s high? You can get that too. So get those running shoes on!
