Getting Started Running

Getting started is the toughest part. Going from little fitness to start running regularly can be daunting. But don’t let this put you off. The key is to make sure you keep training, and the key to this is not to start with such a fearsome training programme that after a few outings you can’t face it any more.

Many people will start with a run/walk programme to ease yourself into what can be quite a strenuous form of exercise. The trick is to set the course and plan which sections you are going to walk, and which you’re going to run.

As you build up a level of fitness, you will be able to run the full distance. From this point you can start building up the distance, and the number of times you are going out running. 20 minutes is a good starting length for a run. How quickly you progress in terms of speed and frequency of runs depends totally on your age, fitness, etc. Remember if you have any kind of health condition, or feel it’s been a long time since you took exercise, you should consult your doctor before starting running.

As you build up, you will start to feel more confident in your ability, and less self conscious. Whilst it may seem a distant possibility at the start, you might want to consider entering a 10k race as a target, and way of measuring how far you have come. Even if this really isn’t your objective, and you just want to run to keep fit, I would still recommend occasionally entering this kind of event. They will motivate you to ramp up your training, and stop you from getting in a rut. If you tend to regularly do the same route, getting stuck at a time, or just bored can be a problem. Entering a race, or at least changing routes for a while can help inspire you all over again.