Running for Beginners, tips and suggestions

Running is great for your body and can be even better for your head.

Imagine stepping out the door of your dorm or apartment building and returning less than an hour later with your mind cleared, your body energized, several of your problems solved, and a sweet, natural high. Now imagine that you’re feeling fitter and stronger than ever before. Sounds great, right? Luckily, it’s not impossible: You can get all these things when you go running.

Okay, maybe you won’t feel this way the first time you go running. Or the second. But if you stick with it and run on a regular basis, you’ll become a better runner and develop a healthy habit that can last a lifetime.

Runners don’t need to learn complicated skills or buy a lot of expensive equipment. Running is something you’ve been doing since, well, just after you could walk. Your running stride and body position should feel comfortable to you — everyone has a slightly different style.

Here are some basic running tips from the American Council on Exercise (ACE):

* Keep your head level, avoid bouncing and lean forward slightly from the ankles, not the waist.

* Keep your shoulders down and relaxed.

* Strike the ground first with your heel, then roll to the ball of the foot, pushing off from the toes.

Benefits
From a fitness standpoint, there are few activities better than running. It helps you stay slim (according to Runner’s World magazine, a 150-pound runner burns approximately 100 calories per mile of running) and it improves your cardiovascular fitness and endurance, making all the other sports and activities you love to do a whole lot easier.

If you enjoy competition, you can look for road races in your area — 5-Ks and 10-Ks are everywhere. You can run with friends and get to know them in a whole new way. Or you can run alone, have precious time to yourself, and experience your surroundings like you never have before. Plus, running is a great way to clear your head or blow off some steam.

Safe and Healthy
If you do decide to run alone, make sure someone knows where you are going. Wear bright clothing (and a reflective vest if you’re running at night). If you don’t feel safe, run with a group.

You also need to think about the safety of your joints and muscles: Though running is great for you, it can lead to injuries if you’re not careful. The most common running injuries result from overuse, and beginners often try to run too far or too fast before they are ready. New runners especially “need to be patient with their progression,” says Richard Cotton, a spokesperson for ACE and an exercise physiologist with First Fitness, Inc. Cotton recommends that runners increase their mileage slowly and don’t run every day.

If you do experience a running injury, take care of it before it gets out of hand. Rest is often the most important step towards recovery, so don’t be afraid to take time off. And “don’t go back to running too quickly,” Cotton says.

Buying Shoes
Running is a relatively cheap sport, but there is one investment you need to make: decent running shoes. According to Runner’s World, here are the things you should look for in a running shoe:

Price: Anywhere from $75 to $90 or more.

Brand: Don’t worry too much about the brand. It’s much more important that you find a shoe that fits. Shoes should feel comfortable and should allow some extra room in the toe box.

Size: Have your feet measured, even if you think you know your shoe size. Your feet may be larger than you think. Athletic shoes tend to run small, so your running shoe size may be larger than your normal shoe size.

Socks: When trying on shoes, wear the socks you plan to wear while running, not dress socks that may be thinner.

Remember to replace running shoes every 350 to 500 miles. “Many running injuries result from poor shoes — shoes that are worn out or don’t fit properly,” says Cotton.

Ryan Ferone has to drag his butt out of bed in the morning to run, but he’s always glad when he does.

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