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2021-11-12

My Running Advice

I was asked about what advice I would give to runners, new and experienced. Here's the advice I gave (which I should be better at following myself):

• Having a consistent running routine is a lot more important than running fast or far.
• If you haven't run before or have had a long break, start out by running slow and increasing distance incrementally before increasing speed. If you can do 10km at a comfortably slow pace (being able to talk all the way) you can probably run 5km a little faster. Starting out slow helps you build muscles and avoid injuries.
• Stretch. Plan for 10min of stretch after a run, especially a longer one.
• Listen to your body. If you're still sore somewhere hours or a day after a run that's a warning sign. Slow down or run shorter right away -- a lot, even. You don't want that soreness anymore, and you really don't want it to get worse. Running slower and shorter for two weeks could save you from six weeks of forced rest because of injuries.
• Don't push yourself on every run. Once a week, maybe twice if your body allows for it, but the rest of the time should be shorter or slower runs.
• Remember that you're running for long term health, not short term records. Let results take their time, or don't care about them at all.

I know a lot of runners who are motivated by races. They sign up to a race and has that as a goal to look forward to. If that sounds fun to you then do that! I've run a few races, but it's not for me. I prefer going at it my own.

Some runners are also motivated by apps, pulse or GPS watches, or other technical things. Again, this isn't something that motivates me (but I do have a pulse/GPS watch that logs my runs, and I like checking the logs, it's just not what drives me). If it can help you get out more then use it. Any motivation is good motivation, no matter where it comes from.

For me it's been hardest to let go of the habit of chasing results. While I try not to care numbers can still push me. I'm getting better at letting it go, though. Hopefully.

What I love about running may not be the same thing as you love (or will love) about it. That's okay. This is also one of those things where there's no right or wrong. And even though I love it I still find it hard to put my running shoes on and get out, until I've gone those first few hundred meters...

-- CC0 Björn Wärmedal