GUEST POST!!!
Hi there! My name is Nicole, one of Christie’s fellow Elf 4
Healthers and blogger over at fitfulfocus.com.
If you’re asking yourself, “Who the heck is this? We want Christie! We want
Christie!” have no fear (and open your mind – I’m pretty awesome, too… most
days). Christie and I swapped blogs for the day! You can find her post over on Fitful Focus.
“Why the swap?” you ask (so many questions have you).
Christie and I are both partaking in the Elf 4 Health
challenge, a month-long program filled with daily challenges, all with the goal
of helping each other lead healthier lives during the holiday season. Today’s
challenge is to share your expertise, so Brianna (another Elf 4 Healther –
there are a lot of us little elves) put together this blog swap. You can find a
whole linkup of posts over on Brianna’s blog, Martial Arts and Hockey
Girl.
So onto my expertise. First of all, I should share that I’m
not sure I consider myself an expert in anything – unless you consider being
able to eat peanut butter by the spoonful an area of expertise. I actually
think that’s pretty impressive. Alas, I am not here to share how to devour an
entire jar of peanut butter spoonful by spoonful. That wouldn’t be very healthy, anyway.
Peanut butter aside, I’m here to share running tips. I ran
my first (and so far only) half marathon in March of 2012, and I am currently
training for my
first full marathon, so I guess you can say I’m an expert at beginner
running! Woohoo!
A lot people hear, “I’m a runner,” come out of someone’s
mouth and think its pretentious and show-offy, that these people are bragging
about the miles they’ve run and the shoes they’ve worn through. The fact of the
matter is, becoming a runner is easy. You don’t have to run a marathon to be a
runner. You don’t even have to run a 5K. The simple act of throwing on some
sneaks and hitting the pavement makes you a runner. Do you hit the treadmill
for 1 mile? How about a ¼ of a mile? Then congrats, you’re a runner!
The tough part comes in wanting to run more. You can’t just
wake up and run a marathon. Well, I suppose you could, but you’d probably end
up like this:
Good luck with that.
If you want to start upping the mileage, here are a few
tips:
1)
Invest in
a good pair of sneaks. – That pair you used to wear to high
school volleyball practice won’t cut it anymore. The rule of thumb is to change
your running shoes every 300-500 miles. If you shoes no longer have tread,
cushioning, or look like this…
…it’s time for a new pair. Head to your
local running store and get fitted properly for shoes. Have them assess what
kind of running gate you have, if you have flat feet or high arches, if you
need more ankle support or a wider toe. Good shoes will protect your knees and
keep you comfortable. Comfort and function are definitely the most important
factors to buying running shoes, but I would also go for a pair you think are
cute. Get a pair you admire and you’ll feel fun and unstoppable when you’re out
on the road.
2)
Start
small and start slow. – Don’t try to beat the all-time marathon record just
yet. Start of with short distances and a slow pace. Try running at a pace where
you can still talk with ease. Try alternating running ¼ of a mile and walking ¼
of a mile until you hit a mile total. Then slowly up your distance to 1.5
miles, then 2. Then try running for half a mile and walking for a ¼ a mile.
Keep going slow and steady until you can run 1 mile without stopping, then two
miles. Once you are confident with the distance, you can try increasing speed.
Sprint for 30 seconds, then go at a conversational pace for 1 minute, sprint 30
seconds, slow 1 minute, etc.
3)
Run to
the beat. – Good music can solve any problem. If we could all just embrace
country music, I bet the world would be a better place. Kidding (kind of).
Anyway, pick out some songs that you never skip when they come on – songs that
are upbeat and driving. Songs with a beat that match or are slightly faster
than your pace will keep you motivated. 90’s boy band songs are excellent for
running, but they’re really just excellent in general.
4)
Don’t go
on a runner spree. – This means two things. One, no matter how long you
have been running for, don’t run every day. You need to mix in other kinds of cross
training to support your other muscles. Taking a day or two off from running
each week to do other exercises will make you a better runner. Two, don’t feel
like you have to out and buy all the fancy running gadgets. Good shoes and
socks are a must, but beyond that, all you need are clothes that make you
comfortable and an ipod/phone/mp3 player for music. You don’t even need to buy
a running app if you don’t want to. Simply map out a route on Google Maps ahead
of time – but bring your phone if you have a tendency to get lost!
5)
Pick a
race. – It helps to have a goal to keep you motivated. Do a search to find
some races in your area. I recommend looking for a fun run, like the Color Run
or a Zombie Run. These are less intimidating races and are more about having a
blast than competing for a certain time. The goal for your first race (which I
suggest be a distance of 5K or less) should be simply to get out there and do
it with a smile on your face. Set your sights on the finish line, not the
clock.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and get to it.
Soon enough, you’ll become and expert on beginner running and I’ll be taking
advice from you J.
Don’t forget to check out Christie’s expertise over on Fitful Focus, and get tips from a bunch of
other healthy elves over at Martial Arts & Hockey
Girl.
Is there anything
that scares you about running? Leave a comment and we’ll help you scare those
scares away!
Any runners out there
with additional tips to add?
