Pick Up The Pace: Running Guide For Beginners
Running is one of the most convenient forms of exercise available. Due to its ease of performance pretty much anywhere and its minimum requirements in terms of expertise, fitness, and health, it is the kind of sport that most people can practice. However, that doesn’t mean that a person can start off running a marathon straight away. On the contrary, there are guidelines that first-time runners should follow in order to avoid any injuries. Here’s a running guide to help you get the hang of running and to be able to pick up your pace in a healthy way:
Choose the Right Shoes
The first and most essential aspect to consider when starting off running is wearing the right shoes, even if you have flat feet. The experts at findmyfootwear.com explain the importance of wearing the right shoes while running, due to the support they offer. Understanding your foot type will also help you choose the shoes that provide you not only with enough support but also with the right cushioning that your foot needs. This could differ depending on the way your feet tend to strike the floor on impact showing the type of pronation category your footfalls under. While different types of running shoes can improve your running according to your foot type, there are also different types of athletic shoes that many people tend to disregard. However, because each shoe is designed according to the movement of the foot that occurs in that specific sport, it is essential that you pick a pair of shoes that fall under the running category to avoid injury or causing pressure to the joints.
Start Running 3 Times a Week
In order to get used to running, it is important to take it slow and get your body used to exercise, especially if this is your first form of physical activity in a while. Start by running 3 times a week; run or run and walk for 20-30 minutes twice a week, while adding one long run during the weekend to help give you the endurance you need.
Use Interval Running
One of the best ways to get into running is to use the run/walk method. This form of interval training is based on running for 10-30 seconds and then walking for 1-2 minutes and repeating for the duration of the run. This allows your body to take a break in-between the runs and be able to last for longer periods. It is also a great method to help you increase your pace gradually as you resort to sprinting during your running time and jogging slowly as your form of active rest. As you get more comfortable, you can add to the running time and decrease the jogging time while trying to increase your pace. This form of training is also a great tool to be used when training for marathons to help you pick up your pace and boost your endurance.
Sign Up for a Race
A good way to force yourself to commit to running, take it seriously enough, and work on picking up your pace is by obliging yourself to train for it. There’s no better commitment than by actually finding a race and signing up for it. Once you know you have a race coming up in a few months, you’ll start training for it properly. Always start with a short distance and as you accomplish it and reach the finish line, challenge yourself to something more difficult.
Strength Training Is Important, too
In order to be able to achieve your goals, you need to work on your form as well as strengthen your muscles. That’s why it’s not just about running — you also need to incorporate strength training within your workout program. This will help you strengthen your upper body, back, core and legs, to give you enough strength to be able to perform better and exert more effort. Focus on each muscle group on its own with push-ups, pull-ups, dead-lifts and ab workouts in order to work on the important muscles and increase your overall strength. It will also be an effective way to mix up your workouts to avoid getting bored.
Running has many advantages and is a great form of exercise to incorporate within your routine. Not only will you be getting the positive effect of a runner’s high, but it is also an easy way to achieve your fitness goals while improving your endurance. There are also many races you can sign up for to help you constantly challenge yourself and improve your style, technique, pace, and speed.
