How Do I Start Running?

One of the biggest challenges with running is just getting started. Many people can find it hard to motivate themselves to get up and go running. One of the most important things when beginning running is goal setting. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to run?” Or “What am I going to accomplish by running?” These answers can vary from person to person. Some people might want to run to lose weight or manage stress. Lukas Gallo, an experienced marathon runner, told me in an interview that his goals are one of the most important things to him when it comes to running. He thinks about his upcoming marathons to motivate him to go out and run every day and do his best. Whatever your reason is, you will be able to use your goals to motivate yourself to go out and run. Make sure that your goal is reasonable and achievable. If your goal is almost impossible for you to achieve you will lose motivation. If your goal is achievable, you can see yourself growing and getting closer to your goal and this will keep you motivated.

After you have found a goal for yourself you can get outside and start running. According to the article How to Start Running for Beginners, you should start by running/walking for 30 minutes three times a week. This is a good starting point for beginners because 30 minutes gives you enough time to get your heart rate up and get a good amount of exercise in. Thirty minutes is also not too much time to where people feel like it’s taking too much time out of their day. An article written by The New York Times called Even Short Runs Have Major Health Benefits is all about how the distance of your runs don’t matter as much as the time of them. It is better for you to have a shorter distance run, especially when first starting, than to go for a super long run. The important thing is that you are working your muscles and body. When starting out running, you will notice yourself getting tired easily. This is perfectly fine and normal. Your body needs to adjust to the regular exercise you are doing now. It is alright to take breaks during your runs and walk for a little while until you are ready to run again.

Most importantly, it is very important that you stretch before your run and after your run. You need to warm up your muscles before you use them, and you need to cool them down afterwards. According to Runners Tribe in their article 6 Tips to Help You Start Running on Campus, if you stretch before and after your run, you will reduce the risk of injury and lower your soreness. It is pretty much a given that after you run, you will be sore. Especially if you are new to running or go for a more intense run. The perfect way to reduce this soreness is to stretch after you run or maybe use a foam roller to help loosen your muscles. Being sore is a good thing and it shows you that your hard work has been paying off. Being sore means that your muscles are being worked and they are getting stronger. The more often you run, the more your body will become adjusted to it, and you will feel less sore after every run.

What Do I Need To Eat In Order To Be Successful In Running?

Nutrition is something that isn’t always thought of when you first start running. However, nutrition is very important for your body for you to stay energized and reduce the risk of injury. The article What to Eat Before Running written by Healthline recommends that you eat a meal 3-4 hours before your run. They recommend eating things like eggs, pasta with chicken, a baked potato, or a bagel with lunch meat. It is important for you to eat carbs before your run especially if you are going to be running a long distance. If you are getting closer to the time when you are going to run and you find yourself hungry still it can be nice to have a little pre-run snack. This is often just a very light snack as you don’t want to eat too much right before you run. Something like a banana or a granola bar will do just fine. If you eat too much right before you run, you may notice that you feel more weighed down or your stomach will become upset.

Throughout all of this, you will want to make sure that you are drinking a lot of water. This is especially important if it is hot outside, and you will be sweating a lot. If you are dehydrated and try to run, you can feel lightheaded or even pass out. You will also get muscle cramps a lot easier if you are not drinking enough water. After your run it is important for you to rest and rehydrate. You will probably end up sweating during your run and you need to replenish the fluids you lost. A great way to do this is with sports drinks like Gatorade. Sports drinks are often high in electrolytes which are important to keep you hydrated properly. In an article written by REI called Hydration for Running: A Beginners Guide, they put great stress on the fact that you need to be hydrated before you run, during your run, and after your run. They also bring up the fact that you don’t want to overhydrate yourself either. Overhydration can be mistaken as dehydration because they have similar symptoms. You also want to eat after your run. You will want to eat foods high in protein in order to help you build muscles. Daniel Neilsen, a personal trainer, informed me in an interview that many people don’t realize just how important getting the right nutrition is when you are running. He claims that nutrition is often overlooked when people are just starting out with running. People, especially college students, need to make sure they are eating the right foods in order to have their body healthy and reduce the risk of injury.

Now that you know everything you need in order to start running, there is only one thing left to do. Go out and run! Some people may be nervous to start running by themselves. This is nothing to be ashamed of. A good friend of mine, Natalie D’Andrea, who works at Shred415 Naperville (a fitness club), told me that many people come into the fitness center with a friend or two and go onto the treadmills together. Running with a friend is a great way to get started and can also act as motivation for both people. Whether you are by yourself or with a friend, you can now go out and learn firsthand the joys of running.