This is Part 2 of my articles on the most important beginner running tips.
When you start running, you do need these running tips to get your running on the way.
Please read on for the next batch of running tips!
Beginner Running Tip 10 : About Your Running Goals. Are they SMART? Are you celebrating achievements?
Have you considered what you want to get out of your running. Do you a short-term goal, and a long-term goal?
Maybe in the short term (next 3 months or so) you want to be able to finish a 5k race. In the longer tem (within now and 2 years), you want to run a half marathon. Maybe it is a weight loss goal?
Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Aligned, Realistic, Time-bound). Don't just say that you want to lose weight. How much and by when.
Register those goals. Tell others about it. Ooh, that's scary, yes, share your goals with the world. Nothing like a bit of peer pressure to make sure you actually are going to do what you say you are going to do!
When you have reached one of your goals, make sure you recognise it. Share it via your favourite social network with your friends for example.
Beginner Running Tip 11 : The Funny Thing about Weight Loss Goals...
Running to lose weight? Running is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. So, you have chosen the right activit.
However, what may just happen is that you are not going to lose weight immediately.
That's okay, when you start running your body does two things: it burns fat and it builds muscle.
When your muscles grow they will gain weight. So you could actually gain a little weight.
As long as you feel yourself becoming leaner and your clothes starting to fit better you know you are doing the right things to lose the weight.
So do not let it get you down if you are increasing weight. Eventually, in combination with a healthy diet, you will lose weight.
Beginner Running Tip 12 : Eat Fresh
Of course, in order to lose weight you need to burn off more calories than you consume.
So, make sure your calorie-intake is at a reasonable level. In addition to that, make sure that what you eat counts. Make sure it is fresh, well-balanced and nutritious.
If you eat a well-balanced healthy diet, your body does not crave food as much. A big problem when you have a bad diet is that your body is not getting the nutritional elements it needs, e.g. protein, minerals.
This makes your body crave more food, it wants those essential building blocks, forcing you to indulge into more food.
So, make sure you know what foods to eat and which to avoid.
A good no-nonsense book on healthy foods and good diet is How to Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days, filled with information about good foods, bad foods, foods pretending to be good foods and explanations about the benefits of moderate exercise.
Beginner Running Tip 13: What about Warming Up and Cooling Down
Warming up prepares your muscles to start working. This is important both for your leg muscles as well as the most important muscle in your body: your heart. Don't just step outside and start running immediately.
Instead, start by walking at a brisk pace for a few minutes, followed by a few minutes of easy running - then your real running training can start.
When your workout is finished, take a few minutes to run slowly or walk briskly followed by running stretches. This reduces your risk of injury, decreases muscle pain and helps you recover for your next run more quickly.
Beginner Running Tip 14: Cross Training or Crossed Wires?
Running is great exercise, but it can put a lot of strain on your legs.
Keep in mind that every step involves placing two to three times your body weight on your legs; this is why building up slowly is the way to go with training to run and why cross training is helpful.
Cross training can be nearly any kind of physical activity other than running. For example, cycling, walking, swimming, working out on an elliptical machine and so on.
Cross training lets your legs get a little bit of a break while still helping you to get into better shape. A great type of cross-training is Pilates.
Beginner Running Tip 15: Do This Together With Your Family
Running is a great way to improve your health, even in these hectic, stressful times.
Regular training is the way to keep progressing, so have a talk with your family about your decision to begin running for fitness and try to work out a schedule - ask them for their help in sticking to your schedule.
When your family's there to keep you on track, you'll have a much better chance of holding to your routine - remember that for any runner, the hardest thing of all is just getting outside and getting started!
Beginner Running Tip 16: Find a Running Partner
Having a partner to run with can be a great motivational tool - you can provide each other with moral support and keep each other motivated to continue running and achieve your goals.
Beginner Running Tip 17: Get in the Running Mindset
Make running a part of your life by subscribing to running magazines, reading books on the subject, paying visits to running stores and so on.
Essentially, when you keep running at the forefront of your mind, you'll be much more motivated to get out there and run.
Another way to keep motivated is to enter in a local race.
This will help you to maintain a regular running schedule as you train; and running in a race is actually a lot of fun and completing a race is one of the best motivational tools for runners that there is.
Beginner Running Tip 18 : Subscribe to a Running Newsletter
If you're just getting started as a runner, there's a lot to learn. You need to learn about how to prevent running injuries, about running shoes and clothing, heart rate monitors and all sorts of other running gear.
Visiting this site can give you some help in that area - and so can getting a subscription to the Best Running Gear Newsletter.
This newsletter keeps you up to date about the latest additions to the site and gives you the latest, greatest running tips.
I invite you to give it a try - it's risk-free.
If you don't like it, you can simply unsubscribe any time you choose - but I seriously doubt that you'd want to, once you see all of the great running tips you'll find in this newsletter!
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