Developing routines can be difficult at the beginning of any process. It certainly requires some goals or motivating factors to get you to commit to the new habit change. There’s also a degree of learning to move past some of the roadblocks that get in your way throughout this journey.
It’s important to understand that mistakes will be made, preconceived ideas might be incorrect, and there will be general resistance that tests your mental commitment to push through the growing pains.
But as you overcome more and more of these setbacks, life tends to question you less. Less injuries occur, less excuses arise, and you might even be looking forward to going for a run.
It’s all about developing momentum. Slow, calculated momentum. This allows you to grow into the new habit at a comfortable rate without crashing and burning because you tried to floor it right out of the gate.
Avoid Injury
This is the point I cannot stress enough. Depending on what level of runner you are (and be honest with yourself), your body may not be ready for the wear and tear that consistent exercise can do to it. Because this article is for beginners, I recommend starting out slowly…. Like snail’s pace slowly.
It’s easy to go off of how we currently feel in that moment but the important thing to remember is that we need to prime our tendons, ligaments, muscles, and even bones for this exercise. While we might feel like we can handle it because we’re not out of breath yet, our body operates differently. It needs time to build up the strength to endure this process.
I, myself, fell victim to this moving too fast mentality when I became more serious about running several years ago. The busy nature of college and the lack of free time that I was getting started to wear on me and I needed more of an outlet. So I cranked up my bi-weekly running routine to a couple more times per week and almost instantly found myself with some painful shin splints.
This derailed my growing routine for about 2 months and really bummed me out as I thought I was just getting more into the swing of it. Once I sorted that issue out for the most part, I was starting back at square one again after I was making some good progress.
This is why it’s wise to do whatever you can to avoid injuries; it will ultimately set you back and possibly make you more prone to hurting yourself again in the future.
Set Achievable Goals
I’ve never been much of a goal-setter in general but I see a lot of people who are and it gives them the drive to tackle their aspirations, and more power to them! So my advice is to keep these goals very accomplishable in the beginning.
The reason why is because if when we don’t notice it, we avoid things throughout our day that seem too daunting or require too much energy. It’s the very reason why this list is five points long instead of 20 points long. Do you really need to be overwhelmed by that many options when you’re just starting something new? Definitely not.
If you say to yourself that you’re going to run 3 miles on your very first outing and barely get through the first mile gasping for air, running 3 miles now seems out of the question. All this does is intimidate us into thinking we’ll never reach that goal or it’ll take forever.
Instead, maybe just say you’ll jog for 10-15 minutes that day. Or just walk for half an hour. The point is, you can always increase your challenges, but it’s not fun to backtrack and feel like you failed.
Use Appropriate Footwear
This point has become all too important to me recently and it really does depend on some personal preferences. It’s always a good idea to ask a foot specialist or expert on the subject about what kind of shoe is best.
Some things however are more non-negotiable such as having a big-enough toe box. I used to run with a pair of Nike’s that said “running” on them but they certainly weren’t for me. They were so narrow by the toes that I felt like I couldn’t even use them.
I realized how crappy those were when I switched myself over to a pair of New Balance shoes which did me well for a long time. There was much more room for my toes to maneuver, more arch support, and even more cushioning in the sole of the shoe.
Depending on your needs, some of these factors might be more or less important. At the start, however, it’s a good rule of thumb to get shoes with more arch support and cushion than not because these will make up for poor technique and keep you out of pain throughout the early stages.
Run on Soft Surfaces
It is no secret that running can cause a lot of impact on your joints if you are running on hard surfaces or running improperly. The easiest way to make up for poor form or a lack of knowledge in the field is to start on forgiving surfaces. This means running on grass, turf, or a track as these are surfaces that have a “give” to them when there is impact made.
Surfaces that should be avoided to start are things like gravel or concrete and even trails a lot of times. I recommend avoid trail running at the beginning because the variability in surface that you’re on and the unevenness of the ground can be a lot to handle for your body especially as a newbie.
It’s up to you but I find that streets and sidewalks are no fun because they’re so hard and a lot of times just too busy and loud to really enjoy the run.
Run with Good Form
Good form can mean different things in the running world but there are a few things that you help you move more efficiently and keep you out of pain if done right.
The first and biggest evolution in the way I run has been the way my foot strikes the ground. Many people don’t know it, but they strike the ground first with their heel followed by the midfoot and then ball of foot. This is not a good thing because no matter who you are, this motion puts a lot of stress on all of your joints from your knees all the way up through your back.
Aiming to strike the ground with your midfoot or ball of your foot is much safer because it makes your muscles take on the load of your weight instead of your joints.
Another is to keep your strides short initially. When we run with longer strides it may look cool and help us travel farther distances, but it’s more tiring and also creates a harder impact when you hit the ground.
Finally, running with good posture (just like it sounds). Keeping your back straight, shoulders back, and head upright will help your body absorb the shock of the ground efficiently.
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