1.
Seek good advice before you start. Dudley Ladies welcomes total beginners and
is an excellent source of advice and motivation. If you have any queries or need
any help or advice on a running related problem then please feel free to contact
Rita via the email link on the Home Page.
Every April, Dudley
Ladies run a formal 10 week
course for absolute beginners and teach them everything they need to know about
running safely. Throughout the rest of the year new beginners are joining the club all the
time and the way the group is organised guarantees that they are easily
catered for, coached, advised and looked after. There is no better place to go!!
2.
Start slowly and build up. Spring comes, the weather’s warm, the evenings
are light, the London Marathon is on the tele and lots of new runners just get
carried away and try to do too much too soon, which ultimately ends in tears and
disappointment. If you want to be able to enjoy running in the long term, then
ask for advice before you start, begin by mixing walking and jogging and then
slowly drop off the walking and build up gradually. Remember, if you can’t talk
and run at the same time, then you’re going too fast.
3.
You may need to check with your doctor before you start running.
If you
are over 60, have a weight problem, are unused to a lot of exercise, or if you
or your immediate family have a history of having a heart condition then see
your GP and have a check up before you start. Use your common sense. Running
will not give you a heart attack or make you ill but if
you’ve got something
wrong with you to start with or any underlying problems, then running may well
flag them up
4.
Keep a running diary. A running diary or log is a place where you record
each run that you do. It is excellent for motivation and provides useful
historical information which you can use to look back on as you improve and see
what works for you.
5.
Set yourself a goal. It helps to have something specific to aim for. Dudley
Ladies sets everyone the target of running 3 miles before they get their coveted
DL Tee-Shirt but whatever YOUR target is, make sure that it is something
specific, measurable, attainable and realistic. Whatever your level, it is
always exciting and motivating to see how you are improving and reaching your
goals.
6.
Stretch. Stretching of the calf muscles and lower limbs, especially for
women beginners is absolutely
vital. As we get older, our muscles shorten naturally. If we don’t
exercise for some time, our muscles shorten even further and when people wear
heels at work or socially, then they are going to shorten even further still.
People then put on a pair of trainers i.e. Flats, start taking bigger strides
than they are used to and Bang, they've pulled a muscle. Most runners would
benefit from running half an hour a week less, and stretching for half an hour a
week more instead. Stretching makes muscles more flexible and reduces the chance
of injury. Ignore it at your peril!
7.
Get a pair of decent running shoes and a good sports bra. One of the
benefits of running is that you do not need to spend a fortune on kit. The two
essential items are a pair of running shoes, and you should not scrimp on
getting the right pair for you and a decent sports bra. Go to a specialist
running shop such as Sweatshop and not a general sports store for good advice.
8.
Run safely. Research has shown that most accidents involving vehicles and
runners are the fault of the runner and not the driver. Take responsibility for
your own safety and always run towards the oncoming traffic. When crossing at
junctions when cars are present, always go behind them, because the drivers
always say, that they never saw you.
9.
Drink lots of water and eat properly. If you want to change your life and
well-being dramatically by
doing just one simply
thing, then simply drink at least one litre of water per day. Keep a bottle of
water on your desk and have small sips regularly throughout the day. With
regards eating, runners burn up more energy than non-runners, both while they
are running (at about 100 calories a mile) and for some time afterwards. So you
need to consume more of your calories as readily burnable carbohydrate.
10.
Keep on enjoying running. Make as many friends as possible and don't let
running become just another stress in your life of something you’ve got to do.
Don't set yourself such a rigid or time-consuming timetable that you struggle to
achieve it. If it’s not fun then it’s not worth doing is it? Give yourself
complete breaks from running, at least a day a week and month each year when you
don't run at all. In that way you’ll stay keen and refreshed for all the
challenges as they arise.
