- It doesn't get much more free than running.
All you need is pair of shoes and within minutes
you're away from all the stresses
and madness of everyday life.
Sure it can be hard work and a chore for some,
particularly if you're just starting out running.
But you can make it more interesting
and enjoyable for yourself.
You could try putting some music on
and listening to some banging beats whilst you're running.
You could plan out an exciting route,
somewhere that you've never run before.
Or you could even join a local running group
and then start enjoying and sharing that run with others.
So today I'm gonna be running through
my top tips for beginner runners.
(upbeat music)
You might be surprised to hear,
but I still very often take a short walk
or stop during my runs,
sometimes I just feel I need to
and other times I just want to have a look
at the nice views.
But, if you're worried at what bypassers might think
of you stopping whilst out running,
you could always just check your watch
as they're passing by as if you're taking a nice break
between some hard intervals in a run session.
And then as they pass maybe put in a few strides
if you're starting your next hard rep.
Just a little trick of the trade for you there.
(upbeat music)
A common mistake I see when people start running
is that they feel this need to complete
X amount of miles in X amount of time.
Particularly so now that we post everything online
and we feel this need to also impress
our friends and followers.
So focus on building the distances of those runs gradually
and actually starting off really short.
Something like three to four kilometres and every other day.
So this will just allow a little bit of recovery time
between each of the runs.
And then you can add about one kilometre
onto each of those runs per week.
(upbeat music)
Following on from that, it's important that you build
the foundations of running.
So don't start running hard
if you're not actually comfortable running easy
or covering much mileage yet.
Again, you're not gonna look like Usain Bolt
running through your local park, but then who does.
Just be patient, take it slow
and you'll actually find you're probably more consistent
with your running, you're able to cover more distance
and be backup more run days from day to day.
(upbeat music)
Don't feel like you have to do every run
on the pavement or asphalt.
It's pretty hard surface and when we're starting running,
we tend to feel every single impact and stride
that little bit more.
At the end of the day our bodies are designed
for all-terrains so where possible,
try to head off-road onto those softer surfaces
where you can reduce the impact.
Or at least search for the grass, for example,
on the side of the paths.
And to be honest, even now, I still search for
those opportunities to run on softer surfaces to reduce
that impact and the risk of injuries.
(upbeat music)
Now my first mistake was to buy a pair
of awesome looking shoes.
And that was pretty much my only criteria.
And that they were vaguely comfortable to wear.
Turns out those shoes weren't really designed
for your everyday training runs
or for racking up some good mileage.
In fact, they were a pair of nice lightweight racing flats
designed for all out five kilometre races.
So my tip would be to head down to your local running shop
and to seek their professional advice.
They'll be able to help advise on the type of shoe
that you need to suit your gait and your biomechanics,
in other words, the way that your foot lands
and then rolls through.
They'll also be able to help advise on the amount
of cushion you need and the different type of shoes
for the different distances
and terrains that you'll be running on.
You can also speak to friends
and ask them for their personal preferences.
But do be careful on that because what works for one person
doesn't necessarily work for the other.
Personally, I've been through all sorts of different shoes.
I've even had custom-made orthotic insoles.
So don't be surprised if it takes you
a few pairs of shoes to find the ones that work for you.
If you are just starting out with running
then best of luck.
And remember that we are all runners at the end of the day.
Just some run faster than others.
The key is though to start out steadily
and just build things gradually.
And if you like this video, hit that thumbs up button
and to see more videos from GTN just click on the globe
and subscribe.
If you'd like to see our How to Run Like a Pro video,
just click up here.
And if you're choosing some running shoes at the moment
then you might like to see our
How to Choose a Running Shoe video,
see that by clicking down here.