You see them effortlessly striding down the street as you pass them in the car. Headphones in, running along to the beat blasting into their ears. But there’s that word, ‘effortlessly’, if only it was so easy.
Sometimes you want to switch up your workout routine and swap the sweaty gym for the great outdoors, going for a run on a Saturday morning always sounds quite appealing, especially as the weather starts to improve.
You kit yourself out, don your running trainers and hit the pavements. If like me, you will last all of five minutes and then give up. The wind in the face and the lack of cardio stamina holds you back and your nice active run turns into a steady paced walk. The Spotify running playlist pounding in your ear now has less of an effect.
But let’s get out of this negative thought track and get you steadily back on the running track. If you follow these five steps you’ll be that effortless runner that everyone is so in awe of.
Five steps to get into running
Walking
So this first step we have heard plenty times before, but for a good reason. This is where everyone starts. Like with any sport or fitness, you start from the bottom and gradually build up.
We suggest you start with a minute of jogging, then a minute walking then a minute jogging . Keep like this for a good five minutes. Always remember to end on a walk, this cools down your muscles and brings your heart rate back to a steady pace.
Set a goal
Try and get out running at least twice a week, to start. Be it road running or on the treadmill. Once you have started your intervals between running and walking, set yourself a goal of how long you want to run for. Try for distance rather than time, but either way is fine.
Buddy up
Running on your own can be great, you want to let off steam and blast away the cobwebs. However, if you’re starting out, running with a friend can help. It’s also an incentive to make you run, if you have someone to run with you’re less likely to bail on them.
Persevere
The only way to become that running gazelle is to persevere. Push through the wall of negative thoughts, push through the wall of pain (remember to warm up and cool down to ease injury), and remember why you originally started in the first place. Again, as with any workout, you have to listen to your body and rest it. Don’t over do it and run every day of the week and risk knee strains and injuries. Take rest days and stretch on days off. Excuse the pun, but it’s not a race! Pace yourself and work within your own limits.
Fit Kit
Wearing the correct shoes is an important factor. Even if you’re not at marathon stages (good on you for getting that far), ensuring your shoes properly fit will help you. Having a comfortable pair of sneakers is a great way to start. In terms of kit, you don’t want anything that’s going to rub and cause discomfort so try and steer away from heavily detailed seams.
To help you get into running, Nike has launched a new promotional code to help runners. The offer includes a discount on selected running gear from the Nike Race Day Collection.
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