Starting your running journey can be a little scary and overwhelming.  My biggest piece of advice is to start slow.  If you are new to running, it will take time for your body to build up endurance. That’s ok. Don’t get discouraged.  All the running influencers that you see online also had to start out slow, they just don’t show that part.  I have a free 1-month training plan for beginner runners to help get you started.  I have tried to include everything that I have learned so far into this running plan. My goal is to help make you successful and avoid burn out.  The most important thing is to stay consistent. However, if you need to take an extra rest day, listen to your body and take that extra rest day.  Do not set a date to achieve a specific speed or distance when you first start. Take your time with your training.  At first, focus more on the time you are able to run. Distance is less important. For example, try to run for 20 minutes with walking breaks.  It is 100% ok to take longer than a month to complete this training.  If my training plan is not what you need, you can try out Runna for 2 weeks free. Use my code RUNNAXXPMHFR.   With this app, you can use your phone to track your runs. You can also use your smart watch if you have one. 

Don’t worry about buying any fancy gear at first.  Ease into buying running gear slowly. What works for one person might not work for you.  You will want to learn what your “style” is.  The equipment that you decide to use may also depend on where you do your running.  For example, if you are running on a treadmill or on a track, you might not want a running vest or belt. However, if you are running on the road or on trails, you may want to purchase these items.   When you start thinking about making some purchases, you should first buy a good pair of running shoes.  I was absolutely amazed at the difference I felt with a good pair of shoes. However, they can be a little spendy. You want to make sure that running is something you are going to stick with before spending any money.  A good pair of shoes will help determine how your feet, legs and hips feel after a run.  As mentioned in my article, Embracing Running Later in Life: A personal Journey, I first started running with an old pair of tennis shoes from my closet. I struggled with shin splints and tight hip flexors. Buying a good pair of shoes really helped out.  You can check out my Amazon must-haves to view the shoes that I chose. You can also read my article on Best running shoes. It provides a better breakdown of the different types of running shoes out there. There are also some shoe stores that can help you pick the right pair of running shoes.  They have equipment that considers where you hold the weight in your feet. It also examines your gait, which is the pattern of your foot and leg movements while running.  I have not done this yet. However, I am interested in trying it out to see what they say. 

Another thing that I would like to emphasize for new runners is stretching, especially if you are a bit older like I am.  Stretching before and after a run can make a world of difference.  You can even take a break during your run to stretch if your muscles are feeling tight.  Stretching has many benefits. It can improve performance, as it is hard to run with tight, sore muscles. It also reduces the risk of injury and allows for quicker recovery.  Before a run, start with dynamic stretches that involve movement while stretching. This helps warm up the body, increase your range of motion, and prepare the muscles for your run.  After a run you will want to do static stretching which will be very limited and slow movement.  This will help your body cool down, reduce muscle soreness and help remove lactic acid which contributes to soreness.  Make sure you drink plenty of water after your run. This will help you re-hydrate and also flush out lactic acid.   No one wants to feel like they cannot walk the next day so this will defiantly help with that.  Please see my article ‘My favorite warm up and cool down routine.’ You can learn what I do before and after each run. 

Lastly, let’s talk about taking breaks while running.  Please, please take a break if you feel like you need one.  Never feel like you are lesser of a runner because you need to stop and walk for a bit.  It is very common for people to take breaks.  If you watch a lot of running Tok, you will see that a lot of them stop at a corner store for drinks and snacks. Or you may see them put the camara down somewhere to get a shot of them running by the camara.  They had to stop. They set up the camara. They recorded themselves running by the camara, maybe several times to get the “right” shot. Then they went back to pick up the camara and possibly reviewed their footage.  They are taking a break throughout this whole process.  If you are using a fitness watch, you can decide whether to pause it during your break. The choice is yours.  Me personally, I like to keep my watch going the whole time because I want to include all of it.  Running, walking, stopping at the bathroom, sitting on a bench for a minute to catch my breath, to me this all counts as part of my run. 

So as a new runner, keep in mind that slow and steady wins the race.  Take it slow in the beginning to avoid injury, soreness and burn out.  Don’t rush into buying all the running gear. Wait to see what you will need. Protect those legs and feet by buying a good pair of running shoes first.  And lately but surely not least, let’s normalize taking breaks during running when you need to.  Be safe out there and above all else, have fun.  After all, that is the point.