New starters & runner-returners

For those of you getting into running, or back into running, here are a few tips.

First & foremost, get some decent gear.  This will make the whole running experience WAY more enjoyable and whilst you don’t instantly need to go to the expense of breathable fabrics and gore waterproofs (although they do help with the desire to go running in inclement conditions), a decent pair of runners is essential.  We swear by Run in Hove (you hadn’t guessed?), but any small running-focused store staffed by enthusiasts rather than shop assistants is probably okay.

We took Kim’s son Jason into Run yesterday for a pair of trainers and having assessed his needs, Kurt explained why Jason sometimes experiences painful knees.  He then offered a specific choice of shoes that would help him prevent injury, the chosen pair (above) weighing in at less that the price of a run-of-the-mill pair from a high street chain, despite being the latest technology.

So now you can go running, right?  Yup, it’s that easy and having warmed up gently, there are three things that are worth focusing on: your breathing, the point of contact and relaxing your jaw.  This is not exhaustive, but it’s good to have a simple, initial focus.

Breathing.  To start with, try to run no faster than you can while breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Aside from helping prevent over-exertion, this means you get into a good breathing habit early on.  Later, when you want an additional burst of speed, you can breath in through your nose and mouth together and will really notice the effect.

Point of contact.  Your heels and modern running shoes are generally designed so that you land on the outside corner of the heel.  The foot / shoe is then rolled onto its sole before departing from the toe.  When running, focus on the heel landing and the big toe departing as this will help you adopt a good running gait.

Relax your jaw.  In order for your jaw to be relaxed, you have to relax your shoulders, arms, hands and upper torso and since most of the running power comes from the legs, there is no need for the rest of you to be tense.  Later, when you want an additional burst of speed, you can straighten your fingers and with your hands pointing forwards, pump your arms forward and backward.  You’ll see what I mean when you try it.

You can look on the running blogs for more things to focus on as you start to get the running bug, but for now there is just one other thing that will make your experience a positive one.  Stretching.  

It’s a great habit to get into when you’re doing anything physical and especially running.  Start as soon as you get back, while your muscles are all still warm.  The key muscles to focus on are the calves, the quads, the buttocks and those tricky muscles that seem to join the two legs together, which I get to by squatting down, knees apart with my hands on the floor and elbows propped against the inside of my knees.  As I transfer the weight forward onto my hands, the elbows push the knees apart and stretch the said muscles.

Get someone to show you the other stretches (I could be here a long time trying to explain them without a diagram) and get into the habit of spending five to ten minutes stretching after each run.  Running and stretching both release endorphins so you should feel GREAT by the time you’re done.  

And if you then go and eat some protein, it will help to build the muscles that you’ve just been working, ready for next time you go out.

Enjoy!