Most runners I’ve come across started running to lose weight, and hated every second of it…for a short time. Others start because they get intrigued by the running community. This usually stems from following people or groups on social media who rave about the little facts of their running life like hitting paces, new gear, or even treating their blisters! The intrigued wonder what’s so great about all of that, and then maybe give in to joining a buddy for run club one weekday evening. They see the camaraderie and get inspired to keep up the running. The problem they then run into is where to go from there on their own—aside from the once-a-week run club.
You can find a ton of training guides for beginners online and I do recommend this when you’re first starting out since all you really need to do to start running is to RUN! I, myself, wanted to put together some of my very own tips for both runners who are just starting out with the sport and those of you who are ready to make the plunge into distance racing. It may sound daunting, but the training itself is not so different between the two!
Find Your Groove
Like I said, all you have to do is run, but we all know when starting out running is hard. We see others running even just a mile, and when we try to do it ourselves, it feels like a battle. The key to starting any running program whether you’re just coming out of a break or trying it for the first time is to START SLOW. The minimalist approach is your best option—very little running at a time. It’s ideal to have developed some cardiovascular fitness beforehand but it is totally not necessary! I like to advise people to get to 20 minutes of consistent walking before adding in the running. Once that feels easy, then try out a few sessions a week of this:
5 minute speed walk
5x 30 seconds to 1 minute VERY easy running with 1-2 minutes walking in between
5 minute speed walk
After a week or so of this short session, begin adding 30 seconds to 1 minute of running to the intervals, making sure to keep it slow. Some beginners go overboard with paces, especially if they compare their progress to their friends who have been running for a while, but DO NOT DO THIS! The easier you keep the running initially the quicker you will build endurance and enjoy the sport. Once you can run between 20 to 30 minutes non-stop, then you can try to pick up the pace for one or two runs per week.
Factor in ALL Components
I know I said all you have to do is run, but it’s important to understand the benefits of cross training, recovery techniques, and rest. It’s increasingly important once you start increasing mileage and get into race training. You want to make sure you set yourself up to perform your best and avoid injuries from the start. Many runners learn the hard way and simply ONLY run for years and then get injured and have to be sidelined for weeks and even months at a time. It seems like runners need all of this extra time for each of these components but it’s actually not as time-consuming as you’d think.
Speed Work
When you are just starting out as a runner, all of your runs should be done at an easy pace until your endurance improves and you’re able to run at least 30 minutes without stopping or feeling significantly tired. This is where you’ll pick just one run per week and incorporate some intervals at different paces. I highly recommend more of a fartlek-style of workouts to start out with rather than structured sessions. What’s a fartlek? It is basically just random speed pick-ups throughout a set time of running. Below is an example of a fun fartlek workout to start out with.
Run easy for 10 minutes
3 to 4 sets of: “harder” running for 2 minutes, followed by easy running for 1 minute, then a little harder for 1 minute, followed by 2 minutes of easy running
Cool-down at an easy pace for 10 minutes
Other speed sessions consist of 100 to 1600 meter intervals or tempo workouts, where you run the middle portion of your run at a comfortably hard pace. Tempo workouts are good for practicing staying consistent and steady, and are extremely beneficial for long distance race training.
Strength training
As a physical therapist I am all about emphasizing the importance of basic exercises to everyone. For runners, you don’t want to waste time on the unnecessary, especially if you’re not into working out to begin with. If you have limited time, it’s best to educate yourself on the moves that target your weaknesses and directly help improve running form and efficiency. All you need is 20 or 30 minutes a few times per week! Click here to see a demonstration of my favorite go-to exercises and how you can progress each one with minimal equipment.
Rest & Recovery
Although proper sleep is important, recovery for runners involves a bit more if you want to feel your best every time you head out for your workouts. One part of recovery has to do with the way you schedule your runs—you want to spread out your long runs and harder speed workouts and make sure you are doing at least 80% of your mileage at an easy pace. This is true no matter what level you are at and how much experience you have as a runner! The second part is incorporating techniques such as compression, massage, stretching, and lower intensity cross training such as swimming, cycling, or yoga.
Getting Race Ready
Anyone can train and prepare for any race they want at any time. I love hearing stories about people who were extremely sedentary, never having run a day in their life, then picked up running on a dare, and ran a marathon a few months later! These stories are even better when they truly pick up running for good from that point on! Although you can do this without a problem, you will most likely be much more comfortable giving yourself time to get acquainted with running and all of the components mentioned so that training for these long races doesn’t feel dreadful. And yes—it is possible to have fun in the process!
The best piece of advice I can give to anyone interested in getting into racing is to join the running community in your town. Whether it be going to the run clubs to meet and run with others or just following fellow runners from all around the world on social media—any way that helps you stay motivated is great! I, myself, find the Instagram running community to be so inspiring. People from all levels come together and support each other along the way. If you don’t already follow my journey on social media, search me @stephpiruns and send me a message or comment on my latest post so I can get to know you! If you need any help with creating your run program, you can check out my coaching services here and sign up for my newsletter to stay updated on upcoming seasonal sales!