Getting started

Getting off the sofa and into running should be easy right? Wrong. 

I made this mistake and nearly gave up straight away. I've played football for many years and always saw myself as active so thought a quick jog wouldn't be a big problem. 5 minutes into my first run and I soon had a different opinion.

Here's why:

• Your lungs hurt. They've been challenged to do something that they probably haven't done for a long time. 
• I went out too quickly so it soon became anaerobic which cause lactic acid to build up. 
• It was freezing. (I started in January)
• My feet started to hurt from rubbing against my trainers. 
• I became too hot. (Too many layers which included a hoody soon caused problems.)

The good news is that you can solve these problems before you start and have a better experience than mine. It will still be tough though! 

1. Lungs: It's common for them to hurt but after two weeks this stops and you start to learn how to breath properly. Yep you need to learn how to breath during running. 
2. Pace: Go slow. I mean really slow. Your pace needs to be slightly faster than a walk. If this makes you breath too heavy start to mix in a walk. 
3. Warm up: Maybe your a bit body conscious so a few star jumps and running on the spot would be good. Don't do the stretching you did back in school. Instead Google 'Dynamic stretches' for some ideas. (Getting injured on run one is bad news. Staying injury free is the key to improvement so I'll refer to this quite a bit in my blog.)
4. Feet: Invest in some proper running socks as they have extra padding in the key areas. I'd also recommend getting a gait analysis (a check on how your feet land so they can suggest an appropriate trainer) done at your local running shop. Then when you get some decent trainers you might have a little more motivation to keep it up to get your money's worth!
5. Clothing: Running gear is designed to be breathable and it makes a big difference. There are many products out there. Find something you feel comfortable in but of you choose to wear your normal sport gear be prepared for sweat. 

My first run was 2.2km and lasted a full 11 minutes! 

As well as the tips above, I also suggest getting a run tracker. I prefer Strava for many reasons. I'll blog about why at some point. 

My next tip is to book a race or attend a Park Run Park run website. This gives you something to build up to and will help you focus. 

Me at my first ever race. 5km, 4 months after first ever run. 

And finally, consider following a program to give you structure to your runs. There are many couch to 5km plans out there. The NHS one: Couch to 5km plan with podcasts would be ideal and mixes in walks into your runs. 

Please comment if you have other tips or have just completed your first run. It would be great to hear from you.