Running

• Here's a brain dump of what I've learned over a decade of running for fitness
• Not everything on this page is running-specific but most of it is
• I like running because it suits me and is the most efficient way of burning calories, but you may prefer other cardio

Advantages

• Feel less tired
• Sleep more soundly
• Get ill less often and with reduced severity
  • But flu will still knock you out for a week
• You will want to eat more, which is fine as food is great and you're going to burn it all
• Run for the bus without nearly dying, more stamina in general
• Use the walking lane up escalators because standing is too boring
• Improved tolerance of hangovers
• Joints become much stronger
• Improved blood flow everywhere, e.g. the brain which helps with thinking

Risks

• Injury, where the bad part is you may have to give up cardio for a couple of weeks until it goes away
• Cyclists who use the pavement will try to collide with you, so be vigilant
• Can become a minor obsession

Gear

• Get decent trainers, as you'll be using them a lot
  • Tell the shop person what you're going to use them for
  • If they try to sell you fashion trainers, go to a different shop. Avoid soles that look like they don't bend
  • It's a good sign if they feel like you're wearing nothing at all
• Hat and gloves when it's really cold or even a fleece
• Don't forget your keys like that one time
  • I bring my spare set without lots of keyrings so it doesn't jangle about as much
  • Maybe keep them in a little bag so they don't eat their way through your pockets
• Cheap 3/4 length jogging bottoms from Sports Direct are cool in summer and warm enough in winter

General tips

• Listen to what your body is telling you, and err on the side of caution while you're still discovering what's normal for you
  • Having to curtail a session due to some random niggle is frustrating, but better that than get injured
• Always do your stretches
  • These will help prevent injury
  • Always do them when warm (I use the middle of a session)
  • Don't bounce, hold for 10 seconds while you feel tension and then release
• Most important stretch for runners is the calf stretch
  • Calf injury is the most annoying and hard to shake off, you don't want it
• I also recommend the thigh stretch
• Groin stretch is good if you have a place to sit
• Give your legs a good shake after stretching, I don't know what this does but it seems to help

What happens to your body

• Your first session will feel much easier than subsequent sessions
  • This is because you are burning your liver's glycogen store, which is a cheap source of energy
  • The glycogen store takes a few days to regenerate, during which time you'll find training to be harder
• You are likely to feel muscle stiffness a couple of days after your first session
  • Wait for the stiffness to go away (another couple of days) before continuing, it shouldn't come back
• At first, the mechanism that transports fat from where it usually accumulates to where it's needed (the muscles) is very inefficient
  • This will gradually improve over time

Getting started

• Read the rest of this page
• Aim for 20 minutes 3 times a week
  • At first you will only be able to run for a few minutes at a time, this is normal
  • Stay out for the full 20 minutes even if you have to walk most of the way
  • Over a few weeks you can build up to running the whole thing
• Take it easy, the time to push yourself is after you feel bored with what you're doing, not before
• If like me you're prone to fainting, bring an energy bar to eat after your session
  • I favour McVitie's Digestives Snack Bar Hazelnut & Milk Chocolate
• Remember to drink water but never force it down

Time of day

• Some like to go first thing in the morning, which I consider the height of masochism
• I prefer the evening, so I can have dinner when done
  • This also seems to improve my energy levels in the evenings when I'm not running

Treadmill or outside

• I think outside is better to begin with, as that way you have total control while finding your feet
  • It's also free, and saves time if your route starts and ends at home
• Treadmill makes it easy to monitor your pulse and progress
  • And being a gym member gives you a spare shower to use if your boiler breaks in winter

Staying motivated

• Enter a race e.g. 5K in about 3 months, so you have the fear factor of not being one of those people who clearly did not train
  • After the race, it's very easy to fall back into your previous lifestyle, so book another race and then take your holiday
• Music helps alleviate boredom
  • Have an inline volume control so you can turn it down when crossing roads
• Sometimes I don't want to go, so I ask myself can I put one foot in front of the other? Then go

Resources

• The /r/Fitness wiki has good info much like this page, if you can ignore its obsession with lifting
• Couch to 5K
• Paula Radcliffe's half-marathon training guide for beginners, not online unfortunately
  • As per #Getting started, then escalate to 40 mins 3 times a week (Mon/Tue/Thu) plus a Saturday run of up to 70 mins
  • One of the 40 min runs (Tuesday) should focus on fartlek or sprints, which will help improve your regular performance