Tips For A First Time Runner

TIPS FOR A FIRST TIME RUNNER

I've been meaning to post about running for quite a long time and my whole experience with it all, but never really got round to it till now, because exam time is always, always the time when I get most productive in every other part of my life except the part which matters most: revision. So voila, here we are, and anyway they say that revision and exercise go hand in hand, which is exactly what I tell myself when I sneak off in the morning for a run so that I can prolong starting my work. Running is something that I have steadily grown to enjoy immensely over the last nine months or so, and a bit like Drake, it's exactly a case of 'started from the bottom now we here' (and by the bottom I mean the very bottom). I love running to keep fit, I love running because I'm bored, because it's a nice day outside and I want to be out amongst it all. I run when I've indulged in delicious but naughty food the night before, I run to ease period pain, I run so that I have an excuse to listen to music, and at uni I run for the social aspect. But for a long, long time I thought that running was something that was just completely inaccessible to me. I just didn't think I could do it, and yet over the last nine months I've managed to completely surpass my expectations and self limitations, and achieve things I never thought I would ever be able to do. Therefore for quite a while I've been thinking it might be a good idea to share my story and tips with you, should you be wondering whether or not to take up running too, because as a first time runner who's been through it all so recently I figure I'm in a good position to impart some of the things I've learnt so far, and maybe inspire you to start running too....

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MY STORY

-Back in 2011 when me & my friends did the 5k run for charity (although my attempt at running was very, very poor)-

So last August, it dawned on me that I hadn't done any proper exercise in an awfully long time, what with college not demanding I do two hours of compulsory exercise a week (not that I ever did any actual PE at school anyway as me and my friends were too busy singing, dancing and being very, very weird). Plus I'd packed in the gym two years previously and I'd never really been the sporty kind of girl, nor was I that into dancing, hence I found myself in a bit of an exercise-less rut. I'm not an obsessive moderator of my health, but I do like to make sure I'm being relatively healthy and taking care of myself and my body, and yet I back in August I suddenly found that my not doing much exercise began to really bug me, so naturally things had to change. At school I was always very mediocre at PE, but I distinctly remember that running was the one thing that I was absolutely hopeless at, especially long distance running as I'd always been one to thrive off the rush of sprinting as fast as I possibly could, with the wind pulsing through my hair, pushing my body to see what speeds I could achieve. And yet despite all that, for some reason I decided that clearly if I was going to do some form of exercise, it would obviously have to be running, the form of exercise I was inexplicably bad at. In retrospect it wasn't a very logical decision at the time, but in spite of that I now regard it as being one of the best worst decisions I've ever made.

I began running a 3.7k route at home around where I live in Derby, and it's a route I still love to walk in the evenings. I didn't know a lot about running or exercise in general when I started, nor did I own any sportswear or the proper trainers, so I winged it instead, wearing my old PE shorts, a baggy top I'd normally sleep in and the lightest pair of pumps I owned. I put some upbeat tunes on my iPod, braced myself to face the great outdoors and began running once a week, sometimes more, or sometimes not at all. I'll admit the motivation to actually get out the house and do it was and still is is one of the hardest things about running, as was the embarrassment I got when I saw people I knew (eg. when I passed my driving instructor twice in one run) or the feeling I'd get when I got back, something very similar to a warmed up version of death. Honestly in retrospect I'm not even really sure why I ever stuck with it, but I suppose with it being my only form of exercise I figured it would be a good idea to probably stick with it for the foreseeable future.

My whole attitude and feelings towards running took a complete U-turn when I went to university and decided to join my uni's running club, 'Run Wild'. I'll be the first to admit that it was rather difficult at first, especially having gone from having no idea how to run properly, and overall it's been a huge learning curve. Sticking with it has taken a lot of perseverance and motivation, but I can't stress to you how glad I am that I didn't give up. When I began with my running club they started pushing us straight away, taking us on 2k, then 5k, then 6, 7 and eventually 9k runs all around Manchester (it was a fantastic way to get to know the city and make it feel more like home). They taught us important stretches to do before and after runs, they made us do drills on speed, endurance, stamina, that left me feeling like I was about to collapse, but in spite of the toughness it has always felt like we're a team full of support and positivity, and they never leave a person behind. On some runs I've been the last person to finish, on others I've been one of the first, on some I finish feeling like death, others I feel a tad like Usain Bolt, but regardless of how far I go or how tough the run is, I always finish feeling incredibly proud of myself for making it to the finish line and utterly amazed at my ability to do things I never dreamed I'd be able to. My new found running knowledge has also lead to me deciding to embark on solo runs near where I live, now that I know how what I'm capable of, how to stretch properly and take care of my body, and I've finally gotten over my red tomato face syndrome (I always end up going bright red whenever I go for a run). Plus I'm hoping to run some 5k races over the summer and hopefully attempt the Manchester 10k next year, things I never dreamed would be possible for me a mere nine months ago.

I've finally found a form of exercise that I've managed to make work for me, and it's a wonderful feeling, so with that I'd love to share with you some of the tips I've learnt below...

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My Top Tips & Advice

-The group picture taken after we ran 9k, which for me is the furthest I've ever ran before!-

Always stretch before you go for a run, it literally does make the world of difference. If you don't know any stretches, take a look online and teach yourself some because honestly it really will help you so much.

 If you have a local free running group, join up! Or likewise persuade a friend or family member to take it up with you. It's nice to have some company and someone to persuade you to keep going .

Invest in a pair of running trainers. Again, this really does help, even if you do really like those flowery pumps you started running in. It helps cushion and protect your feet, as well as literally giving you an extra bounce in your step. They don't have to be expensive either, mine were only £20 from Sports Direct.

 You don't need fancy running clothes to go running. Literally just a pair of shorts or leggings, a baggy top, a sports bra (hate to admit it but they really do help), whatever you're comfortable in, and your shoes, will do.

 If going red or being sweaty makes you feel embarrassed when you're running, get a sassy slogan top. For example my fave top to go running in says 'I'm red, enough said', which has literally given me a new lease of confidence because people can't point out what you already know (although they will point out that you're red anyhow, trust me).

 Stay in your head space, and what I meant by that is keep all your attention resolutely in your head and mind. It sounds weird but make sure that's the only place you're present, and don't let yourself start thinking about your legs and how much they ache, because once you do it's pretty hard to recover from as it's all you'll notice. The longer you stay firmly within your head, letting your mind wander off, the longer you can keep going and your legs will strangely ache a whole lot less.

Drink a good amount of water before you run so that you feel adequately hydrated, and drink even more than that after your run to replace the water you'll lose whilst sweating.

Learn a good breathing technique that involves breathing in for longer and exhaling for longer (making sure all the air is out of your lungs between each breath helps avoid the pesky issue of trapped wind). You're like a machine that needs all the energy it can to keep the wheels turning. My favourite is doing a quick two breath inhale in succession, with the first lasting one second and the other lasting four, before exhaling for as long as I can. Try not to fall into the habit of taking lots of quick breaths as you won't end up getting too far.

Sounds a bit weird but run with your mouth open! It helps evaporate the excess saliva you'll naturally produce whilst running, and means you don't need to stop to spit it out.

Start off doing smaller distances where you try not to stop (although the occasional stop is never a bad thing) to help accustom your body, find your groove and best breathing technique,   and then gradually build it up.

In my opinion it isn't about how far you run or how quick you do it (although it is a nice accomplishment) instead I feel running is more about pushing yourself little by little, seeing your fitness gradually improve, giving your body a good old workout, and making it to the finish line every time. If you want to cut your run short, do it and just try again tomorrow, or likewise if you feel you can push yourself further then try that too and see just how far you can go.

And lastly as Dory once famously said in 'Finding Nemo', just keep swimming, or in this case running. You're far more capable than you lead yourself to believe!