I’ve trained a lot of people during my career, and I never push them to become runners. Really, I don’t! Every once in a while, someone will tell me that they want to sign up for a race, and inside I’m jumping up and down screaming, “Yippee!” but outside, I’m like, “Oh, that’s cool.”
Sketched by Cruiser, Jerome
Last summer Jessica told me that she wanted to run a Thanksgiving Day 5K and that she had found an app called Couch to 5K. During our sessions we would talk about how her training was going, and occasionally we would run together before I trained her. Thanksgiving morning she completed her first ever road race (I was her running buddy) and even cut four minutes off of her 5K training time! She is signed up for her second 5K in mid-April, and she’s promised to run in the TKO Melanoma 5K with me in May! I’m a happy girl!
Hanging with Jessica after the local Turkey Trot last fall
Lolly decided about a year after she started working out with me that she’d like to start running in local races, and her first race was the 2010 Thanksgiving Day 10K. Since then, we’ve run a 5K, 10K, 15K, 10-Miler, and two half-marathons together!
Waiting with Lolly for the Thanksgiving Day 10K
Vel and I trained together for several years, and when I was injured last year, she was so sweet and joined the Cruisers to walk with me. As I recovered, we started adding little running intervals into our walks. When Lolly and I started talking about running in a local 5K last fall, Vel said she would love to join us! Girlfriend did great!
Flexing before the race with Lolly and Vel
Tips for Beginner Runners:
- Get professionally fitted in the right running shoes for you
- Start out slowly and don’t worry about your pace or distance
- Don’t be afraid to walk when necessary
- Find a running buddy… someone that is depending on you to show up to run with them (you’ll hold each other accountable)
- Listen to your body… If something hurts, ease up on your distance and/or speed until you figure out what’s wrong.
- Find a running app for your phone to guide you
- Use Map My Run to plan running courses and calculate your mileage
- Sign up for a local race so you have something to work toward
- Read running magazines, blogs, and books for motivation
- Buy weather appropriate clothing, and learn about layering
Tomorrow I’ll talk about some of my favorite fitness related apps. Stayed tuned!
- Questions:
- What made you decide to run in your first race?
- Have you ever worked out with a personal trainer?
- Do you use any phone apps to complement your running?
Great tips!
I decided to run my first race my freshman year of college to fill the void of the sports I was no longer playing after graduating high school. It ended up being a half marathon and I trained and fundraised with TNT. It was an amazing experience and a phenomenal group of people!
I have never worked out with a personal trainer. Personal trainer makes me think of the gym, and I do not frequent gyms much.
Other tips for beginning runners:
-I like the 10% rule (although I’ve heard pro’s and con’s). Never increase you weekly mileage by more than 10% of your previous week’s mileage.
-stretching is important!
-don’t forget to take rest days to prevent wearing out/burning out
-don’t compare yourself to other runners
-have fun and enjoy it! try not to stress about hitting a certain time goal/distance goal you think you should hit
Great additional beginner runner tips! Thanks!
You would like my gym, Megan… I have a large VT Hokies neon sign, pictures of Lane Stadium, and basically maroon and orange everywhere!
Haha, well that sounds like my kind of gym! As long as it plays ‘Enter Sandman’ on repeat! 😉
You warm up by jumping to Enter Sandman! 🙂
Well then I’m sold!
I just wanted you to know that your comments awhile back about running with a group really helped me today (I linked to your page on my blog, too). I needed that encouragement and I thank you!
The tips you included are great. A few of my family members are trying out the whole running thing. I’m hoping they click over to your blog to read your tips. 🙂
That’s great, and that’s one of the reasons we’re all here, to help each other out! I think you will LOVE running with a group at least one day a week. Sure there are days that you want to run alone, but it’s fun to know you’re going to be seeing friends with a mutual love of running on a regular basis.
Love this! That is one of my favorite things is when a client tells me they want to be a runner! I LOVE seeing them start from ZERO to finish a race!
It is a great feeling, isn’t it! 🙂
I love how experienced runners are so encouraging of new runners. I remember how everyone was so supportive of me at Miles’ Blueberry Pancake Run. I was intimidated beyond imagination! Everyone took off for their 10+ miles. I stayed back pretending to fiddle with my shoe so no one would see how slow I ran. I was hoping to survive going out 1.55 miles so I could get back in one piece with a 5K run under my belt. A few people who did an out and back finished their much longer run just after me. No one made fun of me or my running on that day, and people like you and Jerome have been encouraging me ever since. Runners rock!!
I would be appalled if an experienced runner ever made fun of a new runner. Life is all about helping out your fellow man whenever you can! I hope you can make it to this year’s Pancake Run! I haven’t seen Miles since last year’s run.
Great tips for people who want to start running! I wish someone would of told me these tips earlier on with my running epxeriences. Stretch, stretch, strech is what I have learned is more important than not.
Good point! Stretching is so important!