When I started running 6 years ago, I did so many things wrong. This weekend I was at the location of my very first race, the Potato and Corn Festival 5K course. It is a cross-country course that winds along the outer area of a hay field in North Branford. My dad likes to tell people that the little 5K race in North Branford created a marathon runner!
At the time I didn’t know I would become a marathon runner, but I did get bit by the running bug and signed up for just about every race I could find within my area for those upcoming months. There were some challenges I faced as a new runner though. I did all the wrong things new runners should do. I started too much too soon, ended up with very painful shin splints, and ended up taking some time off from running to heal.
Here are some tips for a successful running program for beginners
Antonio Williams, M.S., NASM, P.E.S, Health Engagement Consultant, a #CignaHealthCoach, shares three tips to help you make your running program successful. Try adding strength training, flexibility training, and speed training to your program to decrease your time, help prevent injuries and train your muscles to reach the finish line. He shares the importance of cross-training and how that helps your muscles endure the stress from running.
He also shares the importance of flexibility and speed training. If you want to be a faster runner you have to run faster. Sounds silly, but it’s a fact. You have to train your body to know what that feels like.
Mistakes I made
- You have to start off slow and build up when running. I ran all out all the time when I first started. I wanted to get faster, fast.
- Don’t run every single day. I couldn’t get enough of it. I was addicted to the feeling running gave me. But it’s important to mix in cross-training.
- Follow a program. I didn’t know about Jeff Galloway’s training until six months after I began running. I found him through a podcast. His run/walk/run method is what led me to finish eight marathons.
Hopefully, these tips will help motivate you to begin running or to change up your training to avoid injury and train smarter.
These are terrific tips! Most people who are just starting out have no idea what to do or how to go about doing it! I remember when I first started, all I wanted to do was RUN but, I wasn’t in shape for that. Jeff Galloway’s program helped me out a lot too!
I did the same thing Jennifer. But thankfully with Jeff’s program you can continue to run or on the days you aren’t scheduled to run, you can go for a walk, if it is the feeling of getting outside that you enjoy most.