How to start running without getting discouraged?

Regular running reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. In addition, it allows you to quickly burn calories ¹ . This is valuable information for those who are looking for physical activity with slimming potential. In addition, it improves your mood, releases happiness ^hormones2 and allows you to listen to yourself and calm down. Easy, cheap - because it does not require specialized equipment - running is a sport for (almost) everyone.

Who shouldn't run?

Sometimes experts advise against running for obese people. With high body weight and load on the body, joints and bones may be burdened. This in turn can lead to injuries ³ . Running is also not a sport for people who suffer from spine problems, diabetes, heart problems or hypertension. In each of these cases, it is better to consult a doctor who will confirm or refute our fears.

Experts also recommend seeing a doctor before starting training if you are over 40 years old, have a BMI over 35 and have a family history of heart disease . It is worth doing a package of basic tests - blood count, cholesterol, sugar. It is also better to check your blood pressure and resting heart rate and do an ECG. If everything is OK, you can start.

Mistakes of beginner runners.

People who are just starting out often make common mistakes that turn running into a chore instead of a pleasure. And this, in turn, leads to discouragement and abandonment of training. They impose too strict a regime on themselves, run too often or train too intensely. They want to "make up" for lost time or achieve results quickly. This is an ineffective strategy ⁴ . If you are just starting your adventure with running, take it slowly and follow the following rules:

• You don't have to run every day. 3-4 times a week is enough. The body must have time to regenerate. If that's too much for you, that's okay. Start with two workouts a week. It's better to run less often, but regularly, than 7 times in one week and then not at all. You can find many ready-made training plans on the Internet, developed depending on the goal you want to achieve ⁵ .

• Before you run a marathon, start with a not-so-fast jog interspersed with walking . All you need is half an hour, five minutes of running, five minutes of walking - alternating. After a few or a dozen workouts, when your body gets used to the effort, you can increase the pace. However, do not set yourself too ambitious goals - you are running for yourself, not in a competition. Increase both your pace and distance slowly. Be careful not to overtrain and get discouraged. The stories of many people who quickly gave up running repeat this pattern. Dose your effort. Running is supposed to be a pleasure - even if it takes effort. However, it is important that it is adequate.

• To avoid routine, change your route . This way you won't get bored ⁶ .

• Choose the right music for running. You can also listen to podcasts or lectures while running. Changing the playlist is another way to combat boredom.

• Schedule time to stretch after each workout . Thanks to this, your muscles will rest after exercise and you will avoid the risk of cramps and stretching of the Achilles tendon. Stretching improves blood circulation in the legs and will reduce muscle pain that may occur at the beginning ⁷ .

• Don't rush into buying gadgets . To start with, all you need are good shoes , which can be purchased at any sports store, and an application to measure distance.

And that's it - ready, ready to run, start.

Bibliography:

1. Lavie C.J., Lee D.,Sui X. et al., “Effects of Running on Chronic Diseases and Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, September 8, 2015
2. Siebers M., Biedermann S., Bindila L. et al., “Exercise-induced euphoria and anxiolysis do not depend on endogenous opioids in humans.” Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2021
3. Łuczko G., “How to start running from scratch - running for beginners - step by step guide”, accessed December 13, 2021.
4. Jasiński M., “How to start running? Knowledge compendium". Treningbiegacza.pl, accessed December 13, 2021.
5. “How to start running today: a beginner's guide”, runnersworld.com, August 20, 2020
6. “Running for beginners”, nhs.uk, accessed December 13, 2021.
7. Wasilewski L., “Running for everyone – facts and myths”. Treningbiegacza.pl, accessed December 13, 2021.