Running Tips For Beginners - Avoid Injuries & Improve Your Health
It’s April and mid 60s here in Seattle. This is usually the time of year that I emerge from my Peloton Bike and switch up my cardio routine. Running it is!
Running is usually one of the first things that people think about if they want to get more fit, lose some weight and feel healthier – so I’ve put together some running tips for beginners (or those who have put it off) which are simple, easy to follow and will help reduce the chances of injury.
When you are next out driving, take a look at how many people are out pounding the streets. Greenlake is a CLASSIC example.
You will notice a LOT of people out running, making the most of the lighter nights and warmer weather.
After all, it’s a lot more enjoyable and more appealing to be outside now rather than the last 5 months when it was colder and darker!
There’s a lot of common issues and injuries that can happen when you are running, especially if you are starting out or just getting back into it during the early weeks of Spring.
As with easing and ending other pains, there are things you can be doing to ease your pain naturally without painkillers or surgery.
Running Tips For Beginners – Getting Started
Running your first 5K (or 3.1 miles) is an exciting goal, a popular distance for first-timers and the perfect way to get in shape and have some fun while exercising.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a runner (yet), almost anyone can be ready to run a 5K by starting slowly.
If you’re feeling nervous, you’re not alone. More experienced runners get nervous ahead of races too, but many new runners worry they’re “too slow” or they will be last or not finish at all.
Facing your fears and overcoming them will give you a big confidence boost.
Feel proud of yourself: Crossing the finish line of your first race will be something you’ll remember for a long time. And improving a PB (your personal best time) is a goal that can continue to stay with you as a runner. But be warned, those feelings of accomplishment and excitement can be very addictive!
Pick out the right clothes and gear: From choosing the best running shoes and sport bras to knowing what to wear in any temperature or weather, it’s important to dress correctly and smart to help you look good and feel even better. I highly recommend going somewhere like Brooks Running, where you can try on shoes and test them on the treadmill. Purchasing running shoes over the counter can be difficult.
Choose a training plan that motivates you: There are many overwhelming 5K training programs available. The couch to 5k app is a wonderful way to start with – it’s full of great ways to get motivated and track your progress. For more advanced routines (half or full marathon, I used TrainingPeaks and love it).
Here at Vertical Sports Physical Therapy I have been asked about how to avoid that post run stiffness and aches during the run.
Warming up is vital for everyone: you will see Olympic athletes completing vigorous warm ups before their events, and you will have seen park runners stretching and lightly jogging to prepare before the 9am start on Saturday.
Your warm-up needs to prepare you for the transition from zero to race effort. Warm up regimens vary based on the distance of the race and your race goal.
Running Tips For Beginners – How To Avoid Injury
The shorter the race, the more thorough the warm-up must be. If your goal is to reach a personal best, you will need to be at your own race speed right from the start. This requires a thorough warm-up to prepare you to start at that pace to avoid a slow opening.
It’s like driving your car without warming it up after it has been sitting in the parking lot for hours in 10 degree weather. It will take 10-15 minutes for your car to respond efficiently without a warm-up and it is quite taxing on the car as well. Your body works the same way.
My suggestion for a good warm up for a 5k run would be:
15-20 minutes prior to the race start, take 3 minutes and walk briskly gradually raising your heart rate and circulation to the working muscles. Then run 3-5 minutes at an easy pace and then walk briskly 3-5 more minutes.
If you run-walk, alternate running for 1 minute and walking 1 minute for 6 minutes instead of running continuously.
Your body will be warm and ready to go. Enjoy!
Running Tips For Beginners – Strengthening Your Knee Joint
It’s vitally important to ensure your knee muscles are strong enough to cope. These days, everyone thinks the answer to any problem or physical pain is to just ‘do some exercises’. Exercises are one of the secrets to ending and easing knee pain naturally, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it.
If your knee is painful or swollen, the first thing you have to do is STOP exercising. If it’s not too bad, take a gentle walk for 20 minutes or so on a flat surface, but don’t carrying on with your usual exercise routine, because you’ll make things worse.
A knee joint that’s painful and/or swollen is a sign that your knee isn’t strong enough and you need to understand there’s a difference between exercising and doing exercises. The latter is what you need to recover a knee joint that hurts.
Our top tips…
Focus on improving the strength and control of your quad muscles (the muscles at the front of your upper leg).
You also need to consider having lower back muscles that are strong and hips that move freely. When I ran my first Half Marathon a few years ago, I hadn’t properly strengthened my back. All the pounding on the concrete during longer runs caused me annoying back pain that ended up killing me on a golf trip later in the year. Don’t neglect your core and back!
You need to be wearing the right footwear with enough cushion to absorb shock (the impact every time your foot lands when you walk).
Running Tips For Beginners – Orthotics Could Help Ease Pain
Have you ever thought about custom-made orthotics? They are a corrective device worn inside your shoe that helps the muscles, tendons and bones of your feet and lower legs function without you suffering from pain and or stiffness. Custom-made orthotics are manufactured from a 3-D image of your foot (from a laser scanner) using raw materials.
When appropriately prescribed to treat a medical condition and custom-made (read: for you), orthotics can decrease pain, not only in your feet, but more commonly in other parts of the body, such as your knees, hips and lower back.
The ‘off the shelf’ orthotics you might have seen in the supermarket are likely to be just plain, generic inserts made for everyone and anything. No thought, time or effort has gone in to the precision making and matching them up to an individual’s needs and desires.
Prescription foot orthotics are bespoke for you.
I recommend them to almost all my clients. In the area, my favorite places to go are Fleet Feet or Roadrunner in Seattle. It is worth the price. You’ll thank yourself later!
Tired Of Daily Aches And Pains Stopping You From Exercise?
I speak to a lot of people who come to Vertical Sports PT after battling aches and pains for months, if not years, and they have often tried a lot of other things which didn’t solve the problem…
They went to the GP, but were just told to take painkillers and rest…
They tried Social Media driven at-home exercises but it didn’t seem to make any difference…
They tried braces, or joint supports but the pain only got worse…
Annie, one of our patients, left us a great Google review after her experience. Within 2 months, Annie was back to running completely pain-free!
This could be you!
Don’t keep putting off what could help you reach your biggest goals.
If you are frustrated with daily aches and pains, worried about things getting worse, or want to learn how you can run more efficiently, then reach out to our team today.
We offer a limited number of FREE consultations where you can speak to a me and receive expert advice, as well as finding out whether Vertical Sports PT is the right option for you.
Arrange A Free Consultation Now
Or if you have decided that enough is enough, and you want to start with us ASAP, then Enquire About Costs and Availability.
Other Resources
Do you struggle with annoying knee pain after you exercise in the gym, or go for a run?
If so, download our free knee pain report and discover:
“7 Proven Ways To Get Rid Of Annoying Knee Pain Without Modifying Workouts, Missing Activities Or Wearing A Knee Brace…”
