You've found your mojo, and built some momentum.
A few extra runs per week have found their way into your diary or log, and you've discovered that 'frequency is your friend'. You've played around with going a little longer/further and, at other times, going faster.
My 10 Tips to help you start - successfully, speedily and safely:
- Take Stock
- Do Some Homework
- Be Inspired
- Make a Decision
- Enlist Support
- Build-in Success
- Some is Better Than None
- Find a Coach or Mentor
- Hang In There
- Sometimes Less is More
You've considered that 'if some is good, more must be better'. There is some truth to this. Importantly, to get better, you will need to do more - more over time, not all the time...
10. Sometimes, less is more:
- you can never start too easily, nor progress too slowly
- doing less occasionally is a great way too
- successfully meet some of life's interruptions and demands
- provide a mental break, and keep the fire alight
- give your body - particularly your tendons and joints - an opportunity to adapt to the demands you have been putting on it
- keep you away from your doctor and physiotherapist
- reward yourself for your journey to now
- be wary of aiming to do too much (too fast) too soon - this is the cardinal error for most runners: beginners, experienced and pros alike. Humans make errors. Repeating an error means your making a mistake, and haven't learnt much
- more - often, further, faster - isn't always better
- aim to do roughly the same thing for all your sessions for the first week or two - if it's way to easy, add a little; if it takes too much effort, you can't finish it, or you're really sore for afterwards, do less
- every 3rd or 4th week reduce how much you do by 30-50%. Start up again at 65-75% of your previous level for a week (and maybe 100% for another week), before progressing again
- rather than running every day, you may consider a non weight-bearing activity like cycling, swimming, deep-water running, skating, skiing, rowing, or strength and mobility work through weight-training, yoga or pilates to add to your fitness, and complement your running for 2-3 days per week. They can help protect your from injury, build your all-round fitness, and prevent motivation loss.
It only takes 2 steps to become a runner: (1) choosing to start, and (2) acting upon it.
The above 10 tips can help you start, and keep you going long and strong...
10. Sometimes, less is more:
- you can never start too easily, nor progress too slowly
- doing less occasionally is a great way too
- successfully meet some of life's interruptions and demands
- provide a mental break, and keep the fire alight
- give your body - particularly your tendons and joints - an opportunity to adapt to the demands you have been putting on it
- keep you away from your doctor and physiotherapist
- reward yourself for your journey to now
- be wary of aiming to do too much (too fast) too soon - this is the cardinal error for most runners: beginners, experienced and pros alike. Humans make errors. Repeating an error means your making a mistake, and haven't learnt much
- more - often, further, faster - isn't always better
- aim to do roughly the same thing for all your sessions for the first week or two - if it's way to easy, add a little; if it takes too much effort, you can't finish it, or you're really sore for afterwards, do less
- every 3rd or 4th week reduce how much you do by 30-50%. Start up again at 65-75% of your previous level for a week (and maybe 100% for another week), before progressing again
- rather than running every day, you may consider a non weight-bearing activity like cycling, swimming, deep-water running, skating, skiing, rowing, or strength and mobility work through weight-training, yoga or pilates to add to your fitness, and complement your running for 2-3 days per week. They can help protect your from injury, build your all-round fitness, and prevent motivation loss.
It only takes 2 steps to become a runner: (1) choosing to start, and (2) acting upon it.
The above 10 tips can help you start, and keep you going long and strong...
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