7 things to know before you start running

1 – Running sucks! Now this may seem like an odd thing to say but it’s true, running is hard! When you start running there’s a strong possibility that you’ll hate it. Your muscles will ache. You’ll feel like you’re in hell after a few hundred metres. You’ll think you’re slow. And your face will be redder than a rising moon. However, you will beat these obstacles if you push through those first gruelling weeks. Your muscles WILL get stronger. Your distances WILL get longer. You WILL get faster. And you WILL learn to love your red, sweaty face… hell, it just means you’ve pushed yourself hard and that deserves to be an achievement.

2 – The feeling of success!

It could be finishing your first run. It could be getting a PB. It could be completing a parkrun. It could be raising money for charity. It could be finishing a marathon. It could be winning a race. Hell, it could be getting out for a jog on a cold winter evening. Completing a run is a great achievement. And with each success you’ll want to go even further, run even harder, and fall in love with the sport. I am 31 years old, and I promise you this, the feeling of finishing the London Marathon was one of the most amazing and surreal moments of my life.

3 – Parkrun

Parkrun is simply the best. Now I am not an overly sociable person but the community that a Parkrun builds is like no other. You’ll run with people with all different experiences. You’ll get PB’s, recorded times and a friendly welcome. You’ll love the achievement of completing a 5K by 10am on a Saturday. They even have someone to run as a volunteer to finish last so you’ll never ever be the last one over the line. You then have the whole weekend to not think about fitness. And you won’t have to pay a penny! Now… tell me any other sporting community in the world that delivers that.

4 – Preparation

Don’t panic before you start. There’s no need to go out and spend a fortune on trainers if you just want to ease in as most standard running shoes will get the job done. Don’t worry about food either, I’ve spent many moons fretting over pasta or race, but all you need to know as a beginner is that carbs are your best friend… and don’t forget to dress warm in the cold months. Once you have a few weeks experience running, you’ll start to learn what food suits your preparation. With trainers, if you start to get any abnormal aches and pains, then head down to your local running shop and they should be able to recommend a good pair to suit your running style.

5 – Strava

Don’t waste your time with the negative, judgemental lunatics on social media (cough cough Twitter). Use Strava as your main source of networking because you’ll join thousands upon thousands of runners to build the best community on the planet. Runners are out to support each other and Strava is the best way to join in. It’s also great at tracking your runs, analysing your performances and so much more! Go on sign up… it’s free.

6 – Treat yourself

The more you run, the more calories you burn. Now I don’t know everyone’s situation, but from my point of view, the more I run, the more I’ve earnt that cake. And sometimes that cake gets me to the finish line. Sometimes the idea of a nice bubblebath after a freezing cold 20 mile training run gets me to push through the pain barrier. Sometimes treating myself to a Nando’s, McDonald’s or KFC makes it all worth it. Don’t be afraid to treat yourself, life is too short to not enjoy whatever helps get you to the finish line. Go on… you’ve earnt it.

7 – Don’t worry… You’ll love it because running doesn’t suck!

It took my about 4 years to stop worrying (I’ve ran for 5)! But you shouldn’t be worried, all the feeling and fears are normal. Yes, sometimes you may fall short of your aim. Yes, you may hit a wall in a race. Yes, you may have to call someone to pick you up mid-run. Yes, you may feel intimated by faster runners. Yes, you may think you look knackered. But who cares? You’re achieving more than you ever thought you could.

Are you thinking about getting into running? Or have you already got past that obstacle? Let me know in the comments below.

Cheers.