Adopted from Runner’s World Online
Think of these lessons as Cliff Notes for "Running 101." Learn them, and you can
make it through your beginning-running efforts with an "A" grade.
1. Welcome to the starting line. This might be your first try at running, or a
return visit, or an attempt to improve on what you already do. The less running
you've done recently, the more you can expect to improve your distances and
speeds in the next 10 weeks. On the other hand, the less you've run lately, the
more likely you are to hurt yourself by doing too much running, too soon. That's
why it's so important to set two related goals as you start or restart your running
program: maximize improvements and minimize injuries. You win by improving.
You lose by getting hurt.
2. Buy the right shoes. They are the biggest equipment expense for runners, so
it's important to get it right. Spend wisely by buying well-made shoes from a
major brand. Search out a model that fits you properly, and is designed for the
surface you'll run on most often-roads, tracks, or trails. If you're not sure
which shoe will work best for you, shop at a running-specialty store staffed by
veteran runners and shoe experts. After you buy your shoes, remember that even
the best have a limited lifespan. Plan to replace them after about 350 to 500
miles of wear.
3. Make a plan. The two basic raw materials of a running routine are time and space.
And the two main reasons given by those who don't run? "I don't have time for it,"
and "I don't have anywhere to do it." Let's dissect those excuses. You can run
well and get in great shape with as little as a 30-minute session every other day.
Think of it as the time you won't waste by watching a sitcom rerun. As for finding
places to run: Anywhere that's safe for walking is also fine for running. Off-road
routes (parks, bike paths, high school tracks) are better than high-traffic streets,
and soft surfaces (grass, dirt) are better than paved ones, but any choice is
better than staying home. Major suggestion: Map out the best courses in your
immediate neighborhood. That saves time, solves the "place" issue, and makes it much
more likely that you'll actually do your planned runs.
4. Take the mile trial. Friends who hear that you've begun running will soon ask,
"What's your best mile time?" so you might as well get used to it. Before long,
you'll be calculating your pace-per-mile on longer runs, but you should begin
with a simple 1-mile test run (four laps on a standard track) to determine your
starting point. Think of this run as a low-key test, not a race. Run at a pace a
little beyond easy but less than a struggle, and count on improving your mile
time in later tests as your fitness improves.
5. Get F-I-T. Kenneth Cooper, M.D., a giant in the fitness field, long ago devised a
simple formula for improving as a runner: Run 2 to 3 miles, 3 to 5 days a week
at a comfortable pace. It's easier to remember as the F-I-T formula: frequency (at
least every other day); intensity (comfortable pace); and time (about 30 minutes).
Even with walking breaks, you can cover 2 miles in 30 minutes, and you might soon
be running 3 miles in that time. It's important to run these efforts at an easy,
comfortable pace. Think of yourself as the Tortoise, not the Hare. Make haste slowly.
6. Find your pace. Okay, so I've told you to make it comfortable. Sounds simple. The problem
is that most beginning runners don't know what a comfortable pace feels like, so they push
too hard. Result: They get overly fatigued and discouraged, or even injured. Here are some
more guidelines. A comfortable pace is 1 to 2 minutes per mile slower than your mile trial
time. Or you can use a heart-rate monitor and run at 65 to 75 percent of your maximum
heart rate. (Note: Max heart rate is 205 minus half your age). Or, my favorite because
it's so simple: Listen to your breathing. If you aren't gasping for air, and you can
talk while you're running, your pace is just right.
7. Remember to warm up and cool down. Don't confuse a little stretching with a good warmup.
Stretching exercises generally don't make you sweat or raise your heart rate, which is
what you really want from a warmup. A proper warmup begins with walking or running very
slowly to ease your body into the session.
My recommendation: Walk briskly for 5 minutes (about a quarter-mile), then break into
your comfortable running pace. (Don't count the warmup as part of your workout time
or distance.) When you finish your run, resist the urge to stop suddenly. Instead,
walk another 5 minutes to cool down more gradually. Then comes the best time for
stretching--after your run when your muscles are warm and ready to be stretched a
little.
8. Don't hesitate to walk. Walk is not a four-letter word for runners. Pausing to
walk during a run is not a form of cheating, but a common practice among experienced
runners. It is a form of interval training that breaks a big piece of work into
smaller pieces, making it more doable. Mix running and walking in these ways: when
you're starting to run for the first time; to regain fitness after a long layoff,
injury, or illness; to warm up before a run, and to cool down afterward; to make
your fast running faster, which is the classic use of interval training; to make
long runs longer; and to make easy runs easier. You'll find that walk breaks work
best when you walk for at least 1 minute but no longer than 5 minutes.
9. Run safely at all times. The biggest threat you'll face as a runner on the road,
by far, is the car. Traffic zips past you at just about a yard away. A moment's attention
lapse from either you or the driver can bring disaster, and you'll be the one to suffer,
not the well-protected driver.
The best way to lower this risk is to avoid running on roads. But for many of us, this
is a near-impossibility. Or it's an approach that adds time and complexity to our
routine (if we have to drive to a park, for example). So most of us just learn to
be extremely cautious when we run on the roads. We try to find low-traffic roads
with wide shoulders; we run on the left side of the road, facing traffic; we obey
traffic signs and signals; and we follow every road rule our parents taught us by
the time we were 7. Every runner should run as if every car is a lethal weapon.
Because it is.
10. Use pain as your guide. Runners get hurt. Of course, we rarely hurt ourselves as
seriously as skiers and linebackers, but injuries do happen. Most are musculoskeletal,
meaning that we recover rapidly when we take days off or other appropriate action
(like ice treatment). And most are self-inflicted. We bring them on by running too
far, too fast, too soon, or too often. Prevention is often as simple as a change of
routine. Use pain as your guide. If you can't run steadily without pain, mix walking
and running. If you can't run-walk, simply walk. If you can't walk, bicycle. If you
can't bike, swim. As you recover, climb back up this fitness ladder.
11. Pay attention to your form. Running form is as individual as a fingerprint and
is too inborn to change very much. But, with practice, you can make minor modifications
to become a more efficient runner. Run "tall" and upright, not with a pronounced
forward lean. Look toward the horizon, not at your feet. Run faster by increasing
your stride turnover, not by overreaching with each stride. On uphills, shorten your
stride, and drive more with the arms. Try to maintain even effort, not pace. When
running downhill, let gravity work for you by leaning slightly forward.
12. Eat and drink the right foods. Sports nutrition is too big of a topic to cover
thoroughly here. But, in general, the rules for good nutrition and fluid consumption
are the same for runners as everyone else. Three areas of special interest to runners:
(1) control your weight, as extra pounds will slow you down; (2) eat lightly an hour
before training and 2 hours before racing; (3) drink 8 to 16 ounces of water or sports
drink an hour before running, as dehydration can be dangerous.
13. Add a little stretching and strengthening. Running is a specialized activity,
working mainly the legs. If you're seeking more complete, total-body fitness, you
need to supplement your running workouts with other exercises. These should aim to
strengthen the muscles that running neglects, and stretch those that running
tightens, which means strengthening the upper body and stretching the legs. Add a
few minutes of strengthening and stretching after your running workouts, because
that's when these exercises tend to do the most good.
14. Follow the hard-day/easy-day training system. Most runs need to be easy. This is
true whether you're a beginning runner or an elite athlete. (Of course, the definition
of "easy" varies hugely for these groups; an easy mile for an elite runner would
probably be impossible for many beginners or even veteran runners.) As a new runner,
make sure you limit yourself to one big day a week (see "The Big-Day Workout" at left).
Run longer and slower than normal, or shorter and faster than normal, or go to the
starting line in a race where you'll try to maintain your best appropriate pace for
the entire race distance.
15. Congratulations: You're a winner. One of the great beauties of running is that it
gives everyone a chance to win. Winning isn't automatic; you still have to work for
success and risk failure. But in running, unlike in other sports, there's no need to
beat an opponent or an arbitrary standard (such as "par" in golf). Runners measure
themselves against their own standards. When you improve a time, or increase a distance,
or set a personal record in a race, you win--no matter what anyone else has done
on the same day.
You can win even bigger simply by keeping at it for the long haul, for years and
decades. You don't have to run very far or fast to outrun people who have dropped
out. It's the Tortoise and the Hare story all over again. Slow and steady always
wins the race.
Reviewed by: Amy Fletcher, M.S., ACSM-certified, CSCS.
Fitness Specialist, Health Iowa/Student Health Service
Reviewed by: Sarah Hansen, MA, CHES (Certified
Health Education Specialist), Health Iowa Coordinator
February 14, 2005