5 Essential Tips for a New Runner

🏃🏻‍♂️Find a running partner. This will help keep you motivated and will help you enjoy your runs. Try and find someone who runs about the same pace as you, this could be a spouse, friend, one of your kids, etc.

🏃🏻‍♂️Start small and build up. Start with very low mileage 2-3 days a week and build up each week. It’s also helpful to mix in some weight training or cross training such as biking, swimming or rowing. If you try and jump right into running 5 days a week, you will get injured.

🏃🏻‍♂️You don’t need new $200 running shoes. If you walk into a running store, they are going to ask you a bunch of questions and tell you that you need some shoes you have never heard of with descriptive words you can’t pronounce, and they cost $200. You don’t need that. You need a decent pair of running shoes(less than 6 months old). They should have a fair amount of cushion and stability. I recommend a seven pair of ASICS, or Adidas running shoes. As you increase in mileage, you may want to invest in a more specific running shoe for your body type, but in the early stages of learning to run you do not need the biggest and best.

🏃🏻‍♂️Find a breathing rhythm. This will help you control your breathing and run more efficiently. Figure out a comfortable breathing pattern and stick to it while you run until it becomes second nature. (You can breathe through your mouth or nose, it doesn’t matter).

🏃🏻‍♂️Relax your upper body. Be aware of the tension in your shoulders, arms and neck. If you are tense, relax your shoulders, drop your arms by your side and shake them to loosen up. (Seems silly but it works).

Enjoy your run!