How to start running..... from scratch

During the recent Covid-19 crisis running has really come in to its own in the UK. Currently, the government has decreed that we may go out once a day for one daily form of exercise (and also for essential shopping, medical treatment or to go to work as a key worker). With the gyms and pools shut, and very little else to do, suddenly there are a whole bunch of people who want to run. Which is great! Actually, running has been growing as a sport in the UK for years, and there are (were until the virus) more running events than ever before, as well as more parkruns and parkrunners, and I suspect more runners who do neither of these. And why not? It can be cheap and convenient, it builds cardiovascular health and can be solo and mediative or social and exciting depending on what you want.

My Mum (right) on a 5km race at Christmas 2019

My mum, at the age of 50 someting, recently took up running. And she has done a few parkruns and 5km races now. I know people who took up running in their sixties. Lots of people can take up running. Yes, its harder as you get older but its not impossible. And not everyone wants to. But if you want to, are reasonably able bodies and are willing to feel a bit uncomfortable, go for it!

So how to start.....

The NHS couch to 5 km programme is pretty good. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/ And even if you only do the first weeks over and over again, you are running more than you might have done before

Alternatively, local running clubs and groups may run a couch to 5km programme that might suit you. Keep an eye on local newspapers and facebook groups and the like. https://runtogether.co.uk/ is part of England Athletics and an initiative to get people together to run and often has C25k groups on it. If you live in Manchester and want to find groups, let me know and I will try and help.

Alternatively, you may just want to step out your door and have a go by yourself. And that is the joy of running; you need very little kit and no expertise. At its simplest, you simply put one foot in front of the other. Youtube and many blogs are full of experts and less than experts giving advice on how to do this so I will keep it to my top tips:

1. Don't plan to go miles on your first run. Pick a short route and you can always do it more than once if you want. Getting stuck miles from home in the rain is not going to make you love running 
2. Kit pt 1: you don't need to spend tonnes of money but some decent trainers will make the world of difference. By which I mean, no tennis shoes or fashion trainers. Look after your feet and the rest of the joints will thank you. 
3. Kit pt 2 Ladies: Sports bra. Trust me, it both helps your running but also helps you back and long term boob health. Get a high impact one if you can.  
4. Kit pt 3: Everyone needs different levels of layers. I know a man who runs in a button up shirt, I have seen people doing a reasonable pace in proper trousers. However, try not to get too hot. The given advice is to dress for mile two but if you are starting in winter you may want to revise this to your second half mile. 
5. Don't worry about speed, no one really cares how fast you are going. You will get further if you slow down. And use walking breaks to gradually increase your distance. Then eventually start to shrink the breaks.
6. Try to go more than once a week, but don't do the full distance each time. If you are aiming for 5km then may be do a two or three kilometer session in the week before your longer session at the weekend, or take a walk. Three runs a week is plenty, but not obligatory, especially if you are getting other types of exercise too. 
7. It will be uncomfortable. You will get sweaty. You will feel out of breath. Things will chafe. However sharp pains in joints that don't settle with dropping the pace, chest pains and pains that don't settle down after stopping may need some extra attention. 
8. Some people run marathons, some people run 5km but some people just are happy to get around the block. All of these are valid goals and you don't have to keep going further and further or faster and faster. Appreciate what you do achieve and do only what you want. Never run away from the joy of running. 

If you do get up to 5km, then parkrun is a free international initiative on Saturday morning and is great for getting to practice your running. Many are also quite social. There are quite a lot in the UK now but also some around the world. In a few areas there are also the Great Run Local initiatives which may be at a better time for you. But there are also events with medals and tee shirts you can enter, not least the Race for Life events. But none of this is compulsory. Just pottering around the block from time to time is a valid form of exercise, if you enjoy it.