Running is Not Rocket Science – So Why Make it So?
By peteh on Feb 17, 2010 with Comments 1
Many of the visitors who come to our sites are confused by all the mixed messages they get about how to start running.
To help show how simple running is at beginner level I have come up with the “Beginner Jigsaw” – as you can see the jigsaw consists of 5 pieces. As you develop as a runner and your ambitions grow then each individual jigsaw piece will divide into further pieces as you add more information, skills and training programmes and you raise your fitness levels, but this is a whole different ball game and not one that is contained in these articles.
These articles are aimed at the Beginner runner and we will talk about each individual piece of the Jigsaw so by the end of the series any beginner runner will be confident enough to get out there and do it!
- Health: We will start with probably the most important piece – your health. If you have not exercised for some time, if you consider yourself overweight or have any other medical condition, it is vitally important that you make an appointment to visit your Doctor. Tell him/her that you intend to start doing some gentle exercise and that you need to know if everything is OK before you start, you will usually find your Doctor only too pleased to help as fit people rarely visit doctors!
- Motivation: What is motivating you to take up running? Remember, there will be times when you find the whole running thing too much, you will find every excuse under the sun not to go out for a run; here a just a few:
- It’s too cold outside.
- I don’t have time to run.
- I get bored easily.
- I’m too tired.
- I’m just not motivated to run.
The easiest way to help you through all this is to set yourself a long term Goal with several short term goals leading up to it. Now this could be to lose a certain amount of weight, to run a 10k, half marathon or marathon. But whatever it is there is one thing you should do:
You should tell all your family, friends, Facebook friends and work colleagues! This make sit extremely difficult for you to back down!
The next article we will talk about Equipment
Filed Under: Featured • Whinge of The Week
I absolutely agree with this advice. At Christmas, I agreed to run the Great North Run with a few of my cousins. As I have never really run – nor wanted to run – I knew drastic action was required so I have signed up for a 5k in May, a 10K in July and started my training schedule today with the Sport Relief Mile. In addition, I am blogging on my community website and have also forwarded details to be published in my charity’s newsletter. No way I can get out of it now and I am confident that the milestones I have set in place will prevent me putting off training.