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Friday May 16, 2008

Tips for running

Youthnet asked me to put together some tips for novice runners, so I thought I'd post them here with some explanation!

I'm a sports journalist by trade.  That means I love watching sport, and know a fair bit about a lot of things, but I've certainly never claimed to be an expert on running technique.

Then I began running.  And though I still have no idea about technique, if I'm honest, I know a lot about how to make training and racing a heck of a lot easier for yourself.  Here are my top three tips on how to train for a distance run.  (Incidentally, if you want technical advice rather than the trial-by-error words of wisdom from a total amateur, the brilliant Hayley Yelling gave me some recommendations before I ran my first 5k. )

First, I can't stress this bit highly enough – get some good running shoes.  That doesn't mean the most expensive or the nicest-looking ones.  Go to a specialist shop, get gait analysis, and take the advice of the professionals.  You might have pronating or supinating feet (when your feet roll in or roll out as you walk or run), which means you need shoes that correct that.  Otherwise you'll end up with ankle, knee, and hip pain.  Trust me, I speak from experience. 

Second, do the right training.  That doesn't mean just running and running and running.  You need to build up to the distance you're racing over, otherwise you'll peak too early.  I get bored easily when I'm running in the gym, so I intersperse stints of running with other cardio activity, such as cycling and rowing and cross-training, and I never step onto a machine without my iPod.  Or a lot of water.  It's thirsty work.  Don't judge yourself against the other people in the gym, particularly those scary muscle-bound ones who seem to be able to exercise for hours without breaking a sweat.  You need to set your own targets and gauge your progress against them.  And STOP if it hurts.  You're not doing yourself any favours by carrying on.   

Third, keep your goal in mind.  After your training, you should have some kind of idea of how long it should take you to complete the course, so break that down.  How long should it take you to get to the 1k mark?  The 5k mark?  The halfway point?  It'll keep you going when you're thinking that your legs are tired and you can't carry on any further.  You can, and you will.  Get your friends and family to come and cheer you on.  When I ran the HydroActive Women's Challenge last September, seeing my parents, my sister, my brother-in-law and my boyfriend shouting encouragement and waving a banner at the 4.5k mark gave me extra impetus to kick on and sprint the final stretch.  And of course remember that once you've finished the course, you'll have raised loads of money for a really good cause!

Posted by Carrie ( 1:22 PM )
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