Everyone knows that running is a great form of exercise, starting a new running habit doesn’t have to be hard. You just need to be consistent and hardworking and you will see the result. Remember it only takes 21 days to form a habit and a habit like running will help you in countless ways.
How to Train
Get ready for runner’s high, race-day excitement and a new-found sense of confidence.
FIRST PICK A RACE
The absolute best way to keep yourself running is to find a race, sign up for it, pay for it and put it on your calendar. A fixed race date will help you stay focused, and keep you on a regular running schedule. A beginner can run any race — you just need to allow enough time to train for it.
RUNNING FORM
Some people are natural heel-strikers while others tend to lead with their toes. The good news: neither form is inherently better than the other. And you are less likely to become injured if you simply maintain your natural stride. The more you run, the more comfortable that stride will feel.
Staying motivated
Set yourself a goal
Whatever your level, setting challenges is useful to stay motivated. Training for a race, such as a 5K, or a charity run is a good way to keep going.
Run with a friend
It really helps to have someone about the same level of ability as you to run with. You’ll encourage each other when you’re not so keen to run. You’ll feel you don’t want to let your running partner down, and this will help motivate you.
Keep a diary
Keep a diary of your runs. Note down each run, including your route, distance, time, weather conditions and how you felt. That way, whenever your motivation is flagging, you can look back and be encouraged by how much you’ve improved.
Mix it up
Keep your running interesting by adding variety. Running the same route over and over again can become boring. Vary your distances, pace, and routes.
Benefits of Running
1. Running Improves Your Health
Believe it or not, running is actually a great way to increase your overall level of health. Research shows that running can raise your levels of good cholesterol while also helping you increase lung function and use. In addition, running can also boost your immune system and lower your risk of developing blood clots.
2. It Prevents Disease
For women, running can actually help to lower your risk of breast cancer. It can also help reduce the risk of having a stroke. Many doctors today recommend running for people who are in the early stages of diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, and it is proven to help reduce the risk of having a heart attack. By helping the arteries retain their elasticity and strengthening the heart, your chances of suffering a heart attack can be significantly reduced.
3. You Might Lose Weight
Running is one of the best forms of exercise for losing or maintaining a consistent weight. You will find that it is a leading way to burn off extra calories and that it is the second most effective exercise in terms of calories burned per minute, following only after cross country skiing.
4. Running Boosts Your Confidence
Not all of the benefits of running are physical. Running can provide a noticeable boost to your confidence and self-esteem. By setting and achieving goals, you can help give yourself a greater sense of empowerment that will leave you feeling much happier.
5. It Relieves Stress
Stress can actually cause a number of health and mood problems. It can also diminish appetite and sleep quality. When you run, you force your body to exert excess energy and hormones. Running also helps to reduce your chances of developing tension headaches.
“I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days.” …
Runners Mile 