Insider Guide to Running
Hey there friend! You're probably here for one of these three reasons. One being you are already a runner and are curious how to be better, two being you absolutely hate running and want to learn to like it, and three... you have never been into running and don't know where to even begin.
Here's the deal... if you don't have a goal or a purpose behind what you're doing, you will be miserable and end up quitting whatever it is you started. And that goes for anything in life, not just working out! So, start by determining what your goals are. Are you wanting to start healthier habits? Are you wanting to lose weight? Are you wanting to get in better shape? Are you wanting to train for an event? Figure this out first, and it will determine your course of action going forward.
I had a lot of questions from IG so I will answer those first, and then after I will give a few more tips depending on what type of running you're looking for!
How do you overcome wanting to quit?
I talked a little bit about this in my as well, but my best advice is to speak positivity to yourself! I like to tell myself that I'm fast, fit and strong when I start to feel tired and I just repeat those words over and over until I start to believe them. More often than not I have to talk myself out of quitting or stopping in the middle of a workout to take breaks. I just tell myself that I am fine, I'm not tired and I'm gonna feel more accomplished if I don't stop! If it's really bad and none of those things are helping me mentally, I pray and ask God to give me the strength and endurance to finish! And like I mentioned before, if you don't have a purpose for why you're working out, you will probably end up quitting because there is no motivation to continue.
I just finished recovering from an injury and need to stretch more. What do I do?
Great question! There are two different types of stretching. Static and dynamic. Before a workout, you should focus on dynamic stretching to warm up your body and muscles. Post workout you should focus on static stretching. Focus on main muscle groups such as quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, abductor/adductor (inner thighs). You can google different types of dynamic/static stretches if you need more visual examples. Foam rolling is also super important/helpful in recovery! The foam roller I use is linked .
Where do I start and how do I develop a solid base/stamina?
Running is a skill that is acquired - you have to work at it! Don't just think you're gonna be able to run 3 miles at an 8-9 minute mile pace without working up to that first. If you're just starting out and don't already have a fitness base - take it slow and start with interval training. Run/jog for 1 minute, then walk for 1 minute on and off for 30 minutes. When that starts to feel comfortable, increase the running portion by one minute (so now run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute). My favorite interval workout is running for 3 minutes and walking for 2. It gives me a full recovery in between so I can go hard during the three minutes! Intervals are a great way to increase your fitness level regardless of when you start. If you're just wanting to keep a good cardio fitness base, run every other day. Before I started half marathon training, I was running on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and lifting on Tuesday's and Thursday's. I usually always take 1-2 days off for recovery a week!
My hips/knees hurt - how do I fix that?
Disclaimer - I am not a physical therapist, so don't quote me on this but I have had a lot of physical therapy throughout my soccer career and this was the general consensus. If your knees or hips are hurting, a lot of it can be alleviated through stretching or strength exercises. For knees - stretch your hamstrings, calves and quads the most. For hips - stretch your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and foam roll over your hip flexors/IT band. Using a foam roller helps with loosening tight muscles and can stretch a lot of muscles that aren't as easy to target by yourself! Also, if something is hurting it could probably mean the muscles surrounding those areas are weak. For knees, focus on strengthening your VMO (google VMO exercises and do them at home or the next time you're in the gym) and your hips/glutes. The VMO is especially important for preventing injury and supporting/protecting your knee! For hips, work on your core and glute/hamstring strength.
What shoes do you like to run in?
Right now I am wearing hoka's and have liked them so far! They are super comfortable and give me a lot of support. I have wider feet and they are perfect - if you have a normal width or narrow width I would go with the . I have also worn Brooks and Saucony running shoes before and like those as well! My advice is to go to a running store and get fitted for the right shoe. They will watch how you walk and run and determine which is the best fit for you! Running shoes are an investment and I usually have mine for about a year. Pleaseeee don't skimp on quality! It's super important to buy good quality running shoes to help prevent injury.
Things I use/wear for running
body glide - Great for preventing chaffing! I wear it before every run and it works like a charm. They also have one for your feet if you are prone to getting blisters! I'll link it .
Garmin watch - I have two right now because I got a new one for my bday. I have the and . I love my venu watch and it is super accurate during workouts in regards to calories, distance, heart rate, etc. They discontinued the one I have (I've had it for 2 years), but I linked the new version and I actually like the look of it better! I am still getting used to my Vivomove and I don't really consider it a workout watch - but I love the way it looks because I can wear it all day and it looks like a normal watch.
hoka's
workout tops amazon
running shorts
socks
Final Thoughts
I get it, running is hard! I am not an expert and I am by no means a "great runner". But I know my body can handle hard things and I've always had to push myself in this area of my training because I have never necessarily liked it. The reason I like running more than other cardio is because I feel like I get the biggest bang for my buck regarding calories. However, I do not advise you look at running as a way to burn off the cookies you ate at lunch or for dessert the night before. There is a balance between wanting to be healthy and stick to a regimen, and wanting to be skinny/lose weight. Find what works for you and enjoy the process! You are not going to be successful overnight, so take your time and really listen to your body and what feels the best for you.
Like I mentioned before, determine what your goals are beforehand! That will help you mentally prepare for your runs and keep you from "burning out" when you feel like you want to stop. After our half marathon, I am going to change up my training a lot and incorporate more sprint work and interval training with a mix of weights to develop some definition that I have lost over the last 2 years from not playing soccer!
Did I miss anything?! If you have any other questions feel free to ask me in the comments or DM me :) I love you guys!! Thanks for reading <3
