First Thing - RUN, Don't JOG

One of my commenters (okay, so I only have two) asked a question that I felt was good enough for a post instead of just a response in the comment field. The question was "Do you have any advice for a beginning runner like me?"

Before I get to the advice, I wanted to point out a psychological element of the question. You are, as you asked, a beginning runner, not a jogger. What is jogging? You often see people "jog" their memory by hitting the side of their head. That doesn’t sound enjoyable. Kids in a playground don’t "jog and play". Running denotes freedom, choice, enjoyment, where jogging denotes punishment, sweat, and no other alternative. One running shoe company has an entire marketing campaign based on that distinction. I’ve read somewhere that the 7-minute mile is the line between running and jogging but I disagree. The line is psychological not measurable.

Anyway, I am certainly no expert (unless 1 year of High School Track, two semesters of college running class, and 1.5 years of weight-loss exercise qualify). I will start this post with the disclaimer that perhaps your best bet is to stop now or face the potential bad advice that may follow. But of course, let’s be honest, if you were concerned about bad advice you would never read my blog in the first place…

In fear of potential lawsuits my first and probably only valid suggestion would be to visit your local running specialty store. I have had wonderful experience with Fleet Feet as you may have read in past posts but there are many good ones to go to. I’m not talking shoe store or sporting goods store, I’m talking about a running store. They LOVE to help new runners and will have many good suggestions.

What are they going to do for you? First and foremost, they will get you in the right shoes. Everyone’s foot is different, as is his or her stride. Most shoe manufacturers make shoes to match your specific needs based on those factors. The running store will help you identify your needs where a shoe store may not be able to do that. I know the allure of running is the relative "free" nature of it but I promise you that the right shoes make a difference. I’m not saying you need $150 shoes but really, if you are not paying at least $60 or so, you WILL invite injury.

Next, clothing - Ask any runner and they will tell you that cotton is EVIL! Okay, maybe not that bad but certainly not ideal. Find a shirt, shorts/pants, socks, that are made from some kind of synthetic material that wicks moisture away. This will add comfort and reduce odor, blisters, and chaffing. I start with shoes and clothes because they will also make you feel more like a runner instead of a shlub that decided to go out for a jog.

Start Slow – Don’t go out today and expect to run a 5k tomorrow. You may be able to, but it may not be the best idea. If you are running and you are having a hard time breathing, walk for a while, then run again. Over time the running periods will lengthen and the walking breaks will shorten and/or go away. Don’t climb your mileage too fast. Increase your distances slowly. I would say no more than 25% each time. As your mileage climbs you can even slow that rate to 10% increases. The main point is that just because you can run 3 miles feeling GREAT doesn’t mean you can run 10 without some real potential for injury.

Log it – So I’m an engineer that loves the numbers but I find it really keeps me motivated to know how far, how fast, for how long I ran. Looking back gives a great sense of accomplishment. Did you realize I have run over 330 miles since last August? I couldn’t say that unless I was keeping track of it. If you are not running on a track or a measured pathway Google Earth has a great measuring tool you can use to see how far you went. It may not be perfect, but good enough for government work… You can log your data on a calendar, on an Excel spreadsheet, or there are even several free online Training Logs. Milestones and improvement over time help make a desire into a habit.

Stretching – This is critical and I think one of the more common things I think beginners mess up. You watch runners before races and what are they doing, stretching, but what you don’t see is the warm-up run they did before that. You can’t stretch cold muscles! What does that mean? Don’t spend 10-15 minutes stretching before you start your run. You may actually do more damage than good. Always stretch AFTER your run, or at least after some warm-up miles. My rule of thumb is if I run less than about 3 miles, I stretch afterwards. If I’m tackling more than that I may stop 2-3 miles in and do 5 minutes of stretches and then again at the end of my run.
Injuries – I won’t say much more than don’t run injured. You can run hurt or in some pain but not injured. I’ll let you and your doctor draw that line. That is why so many of my other tips are related to avoiding injury, all the desire and good intentions can’t overcome serious injuries.

Race – This gets back to that runner/jogger element I talked about earlier. Joggers don’t race. Go to active.com, find some local race and sign up. A race is the validation of your hard work, efforts, and time. Any hey, who can say no to unlimited bananas at the finish line? (most of the time)

I’m not sure if this is what you were looking for or if it even helps but those are my thoughts. I have countless other tips but if I start sharing all my stories I may start sounding like a kook…

Any runners who may have had the unfortunate experience of stumbling upon my blog while you were looking for something of value, please add your two cents in the comments as well…