Running burns more calories than most other mainstream exercises. It not only reduces your risk of chronic illnesses but also boosts your mood while keeping a check on your weight. If you’ve not been active for a while, it is time to start building your fitness levels gently. Running is free, you can do it anywhere. Start with gentle walk for health before you move on to running. It requires little equipment, but a good pair of running shoes may help improve comfort. We have 9 tips to get back into running for those who want to get into casual running—and, maybe one day, earn a glowing post-marathon snapshot of their own, too.
- Mark Your Calendar
Mark your calendar and treat it as any other activity you put on calendar. Set a time and all you need is a pair of running shoes, shorts, a T-shirt. Many out there fear to go out for a run as they have not done it in years. Trust me, if you get out to run, you are a runner. You would not need a membership and don’t have to pay for the time and distance you run!
- Start It Easy
It can be really discouraging if you set a certain time or distance and you are not been able to achieve right away. Start it easy and your first five runs should be fun and comfortable. Don’t worry about the time or distance, just run with your friends round the block a few times to start with. Set hard runs for later part.
- Set Your Goals
Start small but make sure you set concrete goals for your running. Make up your mind that you will run twice a week for next four weeks and stick to the plan.
- Find Your Pace
Allow yourself a pace you are comfortable with. People starting out at a brisk pace find it hard to maintain that after five minutes without stopping. It is suggested to turn it to run-walk and then slowly increase your pace and when you need a breather, allow yourself to walk it out.
- Track Your Progress
People get surprised most of the times when they look back and see what they have done in a specific time. The best way to do this is using an app, also you can write the time and distance. It really surprises people when they compare and notice the changes. One should also be taking qualitative notes too, like “This run was really hard” or “I felt great during this run until 20 minutes in.” this would help you track your progress in a more elaborate way.
- Indoors or Outdoors?
If you are not for running to a destination, treadmill is a good option. Some people only prefer treadmill to speed up things because you just set it and forget it. There are people who find treadmills boring as they want to know where they are going. You can always experiment with both but always stick to what motivates you.
- Mix It With Music
Run with your iPod on. If you listen to music while on the run, make different playlists for different runs. For a sluggish feel put on a mellow playlist for making an easy run. Consider doing a speed workout to a kick-ass playlist when you feel strong.
- Friendly Competition
Running in groups can be the key. It will add some competition as you might be eyeing someone slightly faster than you to help you push harder. You can always make it a goal with your pals to beat each other in distance or time. This is a healthy competition and can be a game-changer in making real difference.
- Do It For Fun
It’s not what people think of you. Even if they think you are a pro that doesn’t mean you have to run for six days a week. If you love it you can do it a lot but the choice is yours. We suggest to start with two to three runs a week and moving on to increasing the number, if you want to see improvements. Don’t drop everything else you are doing—yoga, or strength training, or whatever else. Even if you do it once a week, and it’s purely for enjoyment, that’ll be awesome.
