Realistic Advice for New Runners, and 3 Tips to Help Stick With It

So it's that time of year.  Two of the three holidays that make up the 'holiday season' are over, you have a layer of cookies padding your waist line, and you're faced with New Years.  A time of resolutions, renewal, and promises of clean slates and fresh starts.  I often hear of people that decide they want to get back in shape, join a gym, do a triathlon, run three times a week, learn to rock climb, or learn to eat clean once the calendar turns to January.  I'm dedicating this blog entry to those people that have decided that they want to become a runner in 2014.   

Becoming a 'runner' can be an enticing goal.  You see those long, lean, graceful runners effortlessly gliding around Lake Monona with their perfectly fitting tights, streamlined reflective gear, and high tech watches, and they make it look SO easy.  You think back to cheering on a friend at the finish line of a race last summer and think about how much you wanted to be in their place.  To know how it felt to cross a finish line and get congratulatory hugs and high fives from friends and strangers. 

Of COURSE you want that to be your 2014 goal.  Your clothes fit better, your energy level is higher, you would make healthy, runner friends.  You could hang a race medal in your office to spur casual conversation with people that walk by.  It all sounds good - right?  Well, if that's the goal you have for yourself, I want to do you favor, and tell you what to really expect.  And also give you a little guidance to keep at it when motivation is running low and you'd rather order a pizza and watch three episodes of Dexter than head out the door on a run. 

First of all, it isn't going to feel good.  Not at first.  The rule of thumb is that the first mile of any run is always the hardest, so when you're starting from ground zero and building up to just doing a mile, expect it to feel more like a grind through a battlefield than a walk in the park.  But it will get easier - I promise. 

You will have aches, pains, and soreness.  If you haven't been doing much of anything for at least 6 months, your body will need to adapt to the rigors of working out again.  Just because you're sore or feel creaky when you get out of bed the next day does not mean you should stop - those aches are your body adapting to doing work!  Embrace it as reinforcement that you're challenging yourself and improving!

And lastly, progress is slow.  If you expect to go from jogging ten minutes your first time out, to running a 5 miler in 40 minutes two weeks later, that's highly unlikely.  It can be hard to make a big lifestyle change - you want positive reinforcement and noticeable results right away! But patience and a slow build is key when you're starting out.

So here are three things to help you be fully prepared to do the work and reach your goal of 'runner' status in 2014.

1 - SHOES.  You need good shoes.  It's critical.  You can get away with going  minimalist and cheap on every other aspect of running, but if you have crap shoes, it will show.  Quickly.  And if you're thinking that the $40 pair of Asics walking shoes you picked up at Kohl's 6 years ago counts as 'new' because you have only worn them three times, you still need new shoes.  Do yourself a favor and give yourself the best running chance at succeeding - go to a local running shoe store and get fitted by a professional.  It makes a WORLD of difference, and you often times find a better return policy at specialty running stores than at big box stores like Dick's or Sports Authority.  You should expect to pay at least $100 for a good pair of shoes, or even more.  Mine run around $145 retail.  (I would hate for you to have sticker shock and decide to stay in your 2005 Keds because you don't want to part with the money.)  If you don't have a specialty running store near you, go to Runner's World Shoe Finder and do some research before heading out to a store to try them on. 

2 - SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.  Just because you ran a 6:15 mile in seventh grade doesn't mean you can do it now.  If you haven't worked out at all in more than three months, and you have a sedentary job, start out with a mix of walking and jogging.  If you have had really minimal activity, jog a minute and then walk a minute.  If you've had a bit more activity in your life, do 5 or 10 minutes jogging and 5 of 10 minutes walking.  It's not quite the run you had in your head of cruising around Monona Bay and then running a few repeats up Bascom Hill, but even the best runners had to start somewhere.  Sprinting immediately when you get out the door will make you feel awful waaaay faster than starting slowly, so take your time.  Speed comes with the more miles you put in, so don't kill yourself to prove something to your inner 7th grader. 

3 - FIND TRAINING PARTNERS.  If you have a friend, co-worker, or even on-line training buddy, it will be enough to hold yourself accountable.  People who want to improve themselves are all around you - maybe you have a co-worker that will want to be your running buddy at lunch.  Maybe finding a beginners running group is more your style.  Local gyms and running shoe stores are goldmines for running groups for all abilities.  Check out their website, or better yet - ask about their running groups when you're in there buying your new shoes! 

Good luck to all my readers that are planning to enter the world of running!  It's hard work, some of your toe nails may fall off, you may struggle wearing those heels to work or for a night out, and your bed time may get quite a bit earlier, but it's worth it.  You won't be winded going up the stairs, you make instant friends when you spot a race shirt you know or see someone else with your same running watch on.  You start to know exact mileage to different places around your town, you have a healthy stress reliever, and you can proudly call yourself a runner!