Runner’s Manual for Beginners
This article is for those of you who have been living a sedentary life and want to stay active. Maybe you’re a couch potato and worried about your health as you age; maybe you work in an office and want to be more active. If you have been thinking about starting running or jogging to get in shape, this article is for you.
There is an old saying “you have to walk before you can run”. This is very true for people who want to start running for exercise; your first two weeks should be nothing more than walking. You don’t need to walk around with your arms flailing like a crazed walker; you just need to walk with a purpose. Tighten your butt and stomach muscles, and walk a mile or two at a pace that pushes you, but doesn’t push you too hard. Your leg muscles will experience some soreness the next day, but it shouldn’t be so severe that you won’t want to walk again in a day or two.
After at least two weeks of walking, your legs should now be ready to handle a light jog. Start by jogging slowly over the same mile or two you’ve been walking for the past two weeks. You don’t have to worry about your speed or how fast you can run the course; the idea is to do cardiovascular exercise, not to try out for the Olympics. Try to find a pace that you can maintain throughout the ride without stopping or overexerting yourself. You will notice that your speed will increase rapidly over time as your body adjusts.
Now some tips that every runner should know and follow:
1) DO NOT run or jog on concrete surfaces or sidewalks. Running is a high-impact exercise, which means that every time your foot hits the ground, it sends a jolt through your foot, leg, and hip. The concrete is very hard and does not give to it; it is preferable to run on asphalt. I always get weird looks from people when I tell them this, but it’s true. If you take a hammer and hit concrete, what happens? It will chip or break. If you hit the asphalt with a hammer, what happens? It thunks. That’s because asphalt is so much softer than concrete, especially on hot days. If you insist on running on concrete, you may want to have a knee or hip replacement in a few years.
2) Run only in running shoes, not cross trainers. You don’t need hundred-dollar Air Nikes, but you do need a lightweight running shoe. This will prevent you from developing very painful shin splints. When your shoes wear out, replace them, or you’ll have the same problem.
3) If you run on the side of a road ALWAYS run facing traffic.
4) If you run at night, always wear a reflective t-shirt or vest. Most running shoes have reflective strips, but that’s not always enough to ensure visibility.
5) Have plenty of liniment on hand. Your legs will take months to get used to the bumps, and a good liniment (I prefer Flex-All 454) is invaluable.
6) Some runners like to stretch before they run, but I never stretch. Most people don’t know how to stretch properly and will hurt themselves more stretching than not stretching. I prefer to do a half-mile warm-up walk before I run to get my blood circulating and to relax my joints and tendons. I also recommend a half-mile walk to cool down after running so your heart rate gradually returns to normal. Locating your running route within a half mile of your home will help you do both walks.
7) Carry a bottle of water with you. I don’t usually drink while running unless I’m running long distances, but it sure is nice to have on your way home to cool off. I recommend that you throw a bottle of water in the freezer the night before and put it away before you run, you will have ice cold water for your refreshing walk.
8) Don’t try too hard. If for some reason your heart rate is too high or you get out of breath, start walking until your heart rate drops to where you feel comfortable running again.
Running is great exercise and it’s also a lot of fun. Bring a radio with you or an iPod if you like, it can help you keep up and take your mind off the effort. Have fun and get fit!
