As we round the corner of the new year, the mental new year’s resolutions to form. Becoming a more healthy and fit version of one’s self is usually high on the resolution list, and many people turn to running.
Before you throw yourself into running, do a little prep work. These are some tips that you keep in mind to make sure that you’re not only running safely, but you’re getting the most out of your new running regimen.
Pick Out Your Running Shoe
This may not seem like an important step, but picking the correct shoe is key to maintaining long term physical health. You need to make sure that you choose a shoe that caters to both your body and your specific running needs. Keep the following things in mind when choosing your shoe:
- Make sure you get your feet sized in the store. If your feet are distinctly different sizes, it may make sense to go to a specialty store to purchase differently sized shoes; you want them to fit perfectly.
- Choose shoes that have a small heel-to-toe drop (the difference in thickness between the cushion in the front of the shoe and the heel of the shoe). Keeping the heel-to-top drop small ensures that your feet will properly support your weight with every step
Set Multiple, Realistic Goals
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when starting to run is allowing themselves to get discouraged too easily. If you have no history of running, it’s okay that you aren’t immediately able to run a 5K. Set your own pace, and make realistic goals for your body. A goal can simply be “I’m going to run for a solid 10 minutes”. When you have achieved one goal, set another. Ramp yourself up as you learn what your body can and cannot take. Don’t be ashamed of your pace.
Create A Schedule
If you have not run before, or are out of practice, don’t start out trying to run every day. Your muscles need time to rest and repair in between your workout sessions. Since running is impact-heavy, you can start out by alternating between running one day and doing something low impact the next. On a week-to-week basis you can start to ramp up the amount of time/distance that you are running. Remember not to try to do too much all at once.
For more resources, see the following articles: here, here & here
