How I Started Running as a Beginner

Let me start by saying that a few months ago, I literally could not run more than 1-2 minutes at a time, and now I’m sitting down to write this post as I just finished a four-mile run (that I actually enjoyed!). Eeek!!! Four miles may not seem like much to some folks, but this is a super exciting goal for me! I’ve never exactly enjoyed running, but between moving and traveling so much, I just got to the point where I wanted to be able to go outside for a “quick run” as my workout and have fun. Running is also a great way to quickly burn calories while enjoying the outdoors and of course, spending time with my Dixie girl! I am seriously so excited to have reached this goal and want to share the plan that I have been following as well as a few tips if you are new to running! If you’re not a runner, it will probably be miserable at first (sorry)- but you will be so proud of your improvement within a few weeks of following this plan! After all, the time is going to pass anyway, right? You might as well use it to work towards something!

Tips for Running as a Beginner

Here are a couple of tips that really helped me start to enjoy running!

1. You just have to start! There’s no getting around this one.
2. Invest in some good running shoes. Your feet and joints are something that you 100% need to take care of. I have always been prone to shin splints and achy knees, even in high school and college when I was in good shape. I have tried several types of running shoes and Brooks is by far my favorite brand. I started running with the Brooks Glycerin and switched to the Adrenaline once those got worn out, and love them both! They are very similar shoes, the only difference is that the Adrenaline offers a little more of a wall in the heel area to prevent your foot from sliding when you get tired.
3. Treat yourself to some good headphones that won’t aggravate you the entire time you’re running. Seriously, it makes the world of difference! You may not want to spend the money on the name brand AirPods, and you don’t necessarily need to! I have both the Black Pods and the LETSCOM Bluetooth Headphones and like them both. I will say that the string connecting the LETSCOM headphones to each other will sometimes get caught in my hair and pull, but they also hook behind your ears which is really nice. These are made specifically for running so I never have issues with them falling out, especially when I get really sweaty. Yuck!
4. Distract yourself. It was SO easy for me to get bored on the treadmill and start thinking about how miserable it is. Mind over matter! Make mental plans for your day, watch Netflix, whatever you need to do to push past this! I like to either mentally plan out the rest of my day, my grocery list, or the rest of my workout.

Let’s Get Started!

So I started by tracking my runs on “Couch to 5k” app on my phone! It’s free and was a really great way for me to stay on track in the beginning. It basically starts with having you run for a short period of time and then walk and repeat. After a couple weeks of that, it bumps you up to running longer intervals. It’s a 9-week program, 3 workout days a week! It did take me a little longer than 9 weeks because I wasn’t very consistent with it at first- I would skip a week here and there or only run 2 days of the week, etc.

After this, I started doing my miles in intervals. I do a light warm-up jog for about 1/2 mile, and then slightly increase my speed. Sprint from 1.25-1.5 miles, jog from 1.5-1.75. Sprint from 1.75-2.00… you get the picture! Right now I am doing this about 3 times a week for 3-5 miles at a time on the treadmill because it’s easier for me to track and pace myself this way! The treadmill can get really monotonous, so this is a fun way to break it up while improving your pace! Below is a printable download for you to use to track your workouts! See you on the trail!

Cheers,

Alex