15 Best Running Tips For Beginners
Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Afsar
Do you love running? If yes then we are going to share some tips for beginners. If you are not into running then you need to know that running is very important for health. Some people run for fun, some people run for health and some run for their dreams. Running will make you more active in your daily life as it will always give you the inspiration to do things rather than staring at them. This is how I think about running. If you are not into running but want to then we ask you to start running to see the effects on your daily life. However, if you need motivation regarding running then I will do that someday. There are various reasons for running like running for weight loss, for gaining fitness.
Today we will give some tips on running. This is basically a post about running tips for beginning runners, but the pros can be benefited from this post also. It’s not about how to run or a running guide but some tips to start running.
You might be wondering how come we need tips for running? Well, we all do run at some point in our life. Perhaps it’s in childhood when we used to run all day. There are certainly some issues that need to be checked before running, during running, or after running. Most of the time people want to run and they do start, but suddenly stop running. Every time they face a few problems they stop running. I am pretty sure that these few tips for running will help you to pick the shoes for one more time and you will go one to run every day. Remember running is not just a workout but a passion. Follow these running tips for beginners.
1. Get a Good Running Shoes
At first, you need to have a good running shoe. I am pretty sure you don’t want to run on your converse or high heels. It’s better to have good Running shoes which will not only help you to run smoothly but it will enable you to run efficiently and it will make your running experience better.
2. Buy some Running Stuff
If you want to be a pro runner someday then you need to start purchasing a few kinds of stuff like a t-shirt, shorts, tops, and socks. You should avoid cotton as they tend to loosen up and retain sweat for a long time. Purchase polyester tops or linen. However, I suggest polyester fabric be purchased. Purchasing these will help your body to get rid of the sweat easily. It won’t evaporate fully but it will do better than cotton.
3. Search For Running Club:
If you are new to running then you might be lonely on the go. However, nowadays there are clubs for almost everything and I am pretty sure that there is a running club in your neighborhood also. You can search in your neighborhood or town regarding running club. Running clubs always help the beginner in the running process. You can search on Facebook or Twitter to find out whether there is a running club in your town.
4. Join A Group:
As we have mentioned earlier that running with friends is awesome. You can run with your friends or relative but having a group is awesome. Joining a group is not only to have accompanied on the road but to get motivation, inspiration, and fun. When you are in a running group those people will drag you from your lousy bed to run with them. At first, it might annoy you, but in the long run, you will be pleased that you joined a running group. Most of the time these running groups have a person who can coach or guide the members on running properly.
Photo credit: Huffintonpost.com
5. Make A Route Plan
Since you are new to running then you might not have any idea about the root plan. Don’t worry, we got you covered. You need to have a route plan which will allow you to run on a specific route. This actually works well for people who want to run in a town. If you are in a place where there are fewer people and a crowd you can do running randomly. But we will always suggest you run by following a route. This will not only allow you to run for a long time but It will help you to run efficiently. Having a route from which place to which place you will go will help you to measure the time you take on the running. Just make a draft report on the route and start making or modifying it. You will soon have a route and you can always change or modify it once you get bored with it. It’s fun, let’s run. Looks like I could be a poet too !!!
6. Make it Fun
Running might be tough for you at the beginning, but you need to make the most out of it by making it fun. I am not telling you to lower the seriousness but just make the experience fun. In that way, running won’t be painful to you but it will make you feel more joyful and happy. At the very beginning, it might be tough but give it a try and you will ask yourself that “Why the hell didn’t I run before? ” Try to see the scenario, try to feel the vibe of the air, try to feel the smell of the air, try to smile at the roadside happenings, just make it fun.
7. Eat some nutritious food
One of the most important tasks, before you start running, is to get fueled up. Try to eat 300-400 calories of food preferably complex carbs and don’t forget to include protein about 1.5-2 hours before you run. This two-hour is to make sure that your body has the time to digest the food. Eating these will give your body enough energy to run for a few hours depending on your body structure.
One thing that you need to remember is that you should not eat just before your run. Doing this will not help you rather it will sit there and will make problems in your running. The food that you need to choose differs from runner to runner. Some prefer to eat a banana, some likes yogurt with granola, sandwich. Remember to concentrate on Post-Run refueling also. It has been suggested that eating a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein is good for your body. You should take this food after 30-45 minutes of run. One good example of 4:1 Carb: protein is low-fat chocolate milk.
8. Drink Some Liquids to get hydrated
It’s always better to drink some liquid that will help your pre-running session. You should drink around 20 oz before two hours of running. We are talking about two hours to make it go through with your body system. Thus it will not bother you while you run. However, after 45 minutes of running, you will need to drink sports drinks which will re-hydrate and refuel you. This will replace the lost fluids, electrolytes, and carbohydrates. You can always choose Gatorade which can do the work for you.
9. Make Small Achievable Goals
You need to set goals that are achievable. Setting a high goal at the very beginning won’t make you help to run rather it will disappoint you sometimes. It’s better to set small goals and after a few weeks, you can start increasing the stake a little bit higher.
10.Follow your Plan
Remember the plan that we told you to make at the 5th tips? Try to follow and modify the plan as you start running for a few days. Doing that will help you to maximize your running experience. Following a plan should not be that hard, just make sure you don’t take critical routes at the very beginning. I would always prefer to make a plan which is feasible.
11. Keep a training log
You should keep a training log meaning what did you do in the running. You can track the miles you have run, the milestones you achieved, the food you have taken which helped you, and small other things. Maintaining a blog will help you to plan your next running session more efficiently.
12. Don’t wear warm clothes
Once you start running your body will become more and thus if you are wearing warm clothes that will make you feel uncomfortable. It actually depends on the place you live. If the weather is extra cold then it is actually necessary to wear warm clothes. However, it is better to wear suitable clothes while running.
13. Quit Smoking and taking Alcohol
Cigarettes and alcohol are never good for the body. If you are a chain smoker then you should know that smoking kills your stamina. You will feel weaker when you run. It’s better to quit smoking and alcohol to increase your stamina level. You can read Book (amazon link) on How to Quit Smoking.
14. Keep A Normal Pace
Running at a high speed will make you weak. There should be a pace which you will follow. If you are running slow then try to follow that pace. If you want to run faster then start increasing the speed slowly but don’t run faster suddenly. It will not help you rather it will make you weak. Try to figure out a normal running pace that will help you to run smoothly and efficiently.
15. Always Take Some Rest
Always take a rest after running. I am not talking about a 30 minutes nap. Taking rest is very important as you need to allow your body to rebuild the tissues which will build your muscles stronger than before. This will help you to run properly on your next run. If you signed up for a running program then always take some time to take a rest. If the run is longer then you should take a rest of the day before the run.
Conclusion
As I have said earlier that some runs for fun, some runs to lose weight, some runs to maintain fitness, and some runs for fun. Every runner has a reason. I used to run to decrease my frustration and it worked. Now I love running because running is a passion for me. No matter whether you are running for 15 minutes or 1 hour, please don’t stop running. My best advice is to run every day. One thing that I can assure you is that following these 15 Best Running Tips For Beginners will surely make you a better runner than before. I will be finishing with a quote
“I run because if I didn’t, I’d be sluggish and glum and spend too much time on the couch. I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run…to savor the trip along the way. Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that.” -Dean Karnazes
