Some Advice for New Runners

This post written to link to the Runner's Lounge Take It and Run Thursday. Topic: Basics of Running.

I don't know that I have a lot of great advice for new runners. I am a new runner myself, one that is terribly slow, one that falters, one that still struggles both with motivation occasionally, and with physical things that can keep me from being someone who can run daily. However, I did train all summer and complete a half marathon, maybe I learned a couple things that I could share.

Don't look too far ahead on the schedule, take one day at a time and have faith in the plan you have laid out. Not all the runs are going to be fun, and some will even get you down, but if you keep on the schedule, it will get you there in the end. You won't believe when you are doing 3 and 4 milers that you will ever be able to do that 10 miler, but you will. Eventually you will. I did it. You can do it too!!

Keep telling yourself that the crappy runs make you stronger. Also, try to figure out why it might have been crappy. Mine were usually due to not being hydrated enough. For some reason it seems to be something that can slip my mind or get minimized. I learned that lesson over and over. Crappy runs will happen, you need to be prepared for that. If you are in it for the long haul, you will have to learn what you can from them, then put them behind and move on with a positive attitude. I often went back to Bingham's Courage to Start whenever my attitude faltered. Having something like this that makes you feel good about why you are doing this can be very helpful.

Bring your club along to beat back the uglies when they occur. This is my metaphor for handling the negative thoughts that seem to be inevitable. I don't know how I'll do Sunday's run, I must have been crazy thinking I could be a runner, I'm sure I'll be the slowest person at the race, and on and on. These will probably happen (although I am pretty negative so maybe I get this kind of thing more than most people) and you will need to combat them on the fly. Counter with the week's mileage or your latest blood pressure reading or the fact that most people are home on the couch or whatever it takes to beat those bad boys back.

Core work and cross training can make you a stronger runner. I didn't take this advice very well and learned that with a weak core, I had lots of aches and pains and it might even be the reason I had injuries. I kept hearing it over and over from doctors, advanced runners, books, etc. It just isn't something that got me very excited to do and took me awhile to "hear" but I've finally decided I have to take this seriously. It's so easy to get caught up with the running and the advances you are making, and you CAN run without doing this, I've just decided that doing it makes more sense for me.

Remember why you are doing this. I wanted to be a runner and improve my fitness and try to build myself a great healthy body. It's easy to get wrapped up in races and schedules and get down about being so slow. I am one of the slowest people out there and sometimes that can be really hard to swallow. There aren't too many things that I am this bad at! :D However, I have to remind myself that my mission here isn't to win or even to be fast. I'd love to be, but it doesn't seem to be happening. But, I am running, I am improving fitness, and I am building a stronger, healthier body. Those all sound like successes and it's important for me to keep that in mind.