If you've decided that now is the time to start running, then The Running Bug has got the tools to help you get started. Every day in January we're going to give you a new tip that will help you to begin running and continue throughout 2012 and beyond. We've given the first tip early so you can get started now!
By starting to run you will be embarking on a new, healthier life which can improve your physical and mental wellbeing and help achieve healthy, sustainable weight loss. Our tips will appear here every day in January but if you're thinking about starting running for the first time, you can find more valuable information here:
It’s great to have New Year’s Day on a Sunday – you can plan your week, but also your year, at the end of the day and celebrations. First, check out the Running Bug’s search facility for a date and an event near you: Find 5k races near you.
It’s marathon season, and if you can, plan in a half marathon and a 20-miler (with three to four weeks between them) as part of your training, but be warned, places fill fast so enter today! Find marathons and half marathons here.
Find training schedules for all distances here.
Shorter 5k runs are great speed training, too, as they don’t take too much out of you and mean you can crack on with mileage the following week. We know not everyone’s running a marathon and the 1st of January is a great time to get focused, and make some plans for the year. Why not set yourself a new challenge? Combine giving back with getting fit and find a charity place for one of the big city races like the Asics 10k in July or the Great North Run.
Find out more about getting a charity place here: Running for charities, charity places for runners.
If you found a race yesterday, now’s the time to take action and begin to follow a schedule so you know what you’re doing every day of the week!
From 5k to marathon we can help you plan your training. Research has proven that having a written schedule to follow and setting goals will help you achieve your running goals.
Find 5K Training Schedules Here
Find 10k Training Schedules Here
Find Half Marathon Training Schedules Here
Find Marathon Training Schedules Here
Gait analysis can give you comprehensive information about your running style and risk of injury to various parts of the body. This information can also be used to make your running style more efficient and improve performance. And with new techniques such as the Oxford 3D Gait Analysis, feedback is more detailed and useful than ever before. Read how blogger, Julie, got to understand her recurrent knee problems after having her gait analyzed in Hove.
Find a Running Shop for Gait Analysis here.
Find out which shoes are best for you here.
Wednesday and Friday fit well in most running schedules, as they're usually easy/steady running days. To be the best runner you can be it makes sense to make the whole body strong. It is important to build a base level of strength with heavier weights and less reps, but then you can improve your running by doing functional exercises that mimic the running action and use a number of muscle groups, and by using lighter weights and more reps.
Strengthening the legs with powerful plyometric (ie powerful jumps and bounds) moves will help to prevent injury as well as ensuring you bound off the ground more efficiently. A strong core is vital for good posture and to help you run in a balanced and efficient way.
Posture Exercises for Runners
Strength Training for Runners
TRX Resistance Training for Runners
It's so easy to think the weekend's coming and that you'll get going on Monday, but why not make a day like Thursday your healthy day? If you've got weight to lose you can pick up meal plans and ideas from our seven-day diet plan. Weight Loss Plan: Seven-Day Diet for Runners
Just want to be healthier? Remember the principles, breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper.When to Eat, Best Time to Eat.
Recipe Ideas for Runners:
Breakfast: Oatmeal Pancake Recipe
Snack: Nutritious Smoothie Recipe
Lunch: Oily Fish. Includes Omega 3 and essential protein. Do runners need protein? Also try a healthy soup, including these superfoods for runners.
Dinner: Eat plenty of veggies and lean meat or fish for dinner and make sure you stay hydrated all day long. Hydration advice for runners. At the end of the day, give yourself a well-deserved tap on the back!