Things That I've Learnt From Running

When the weather is dry outside, I like to go for a run outside. I'm not the fastest runner but at least I'm moving faster than walking. At times walking by myself can be rather boring and so I go for a run. 

• IT'S OKAY TO GO SLOWLY

A bit of a cliché but it works. It's okay to jog at a slow pace as long as it's comfortable for you and you aren't killing yourself trying to be the next Paula Radcliffe or Mo Farah. We aren't running marathons here, people. We don't have Quicksilver abilities. Well, maybe you are but I'm not. I can do 5 km comfortable in 40 minutes and I'm really chuffed with that. That isn't constant running because when you run in Ireland you are up hill and down dale every few minutes. Flat surfaces are a reprieve so I myself. It's fine. Remember, you're lapping everyone on the couch. 

• WORK YOUR WAY UP

Continuing on from the last point, it's a good idea to work on building up your stamina instead of bursting out of the trap and wanting to sprint the entire way. You will burn yourself out within a couple hundred metres, even if you get that far. I like to walk for a bit and then run for a couple of kilometres or for a certain distance, walk for a bit to catch my breath (cross a road) and then run for a bit longer. By doing that my stamina has greatly improved and I can comfortably do a 2 km stretch. Plus, building yourself up now will help you in a zombie apocalypse or when a dinosaur is chasing you. 

• YOUR CORE DOES MOST OF THE WORK

You know that niggling pain you get in your side when running that begs you to stop? Well, that's your core. In the last few runs that I've gone on, I've noticed that when my posture is proper and I'm supporting my upper body, then running is easier. But when I'm slouching and not paying attention to my posture, my legs feel like dead weights and I can't go on, I get breathless easier and stitches come more often and it's a real struggle. When my core is engaged and I'm supporting myself, my legs don't have that added dead weight pressing down on them and I can run for longer periods of time. 

• KEEP YOUR HEAD UP

I used to watch my feet when I ran because I thought that if I watched them, then the distance wouldn't matter and I would look up and I had miraculously traveled so many metres. It does work at times but a lot of the time, looking up makes the time go by. Plus, it helps the core out too. When looking up I can see imaginary markers where I can say, 'Right, I'll get to this lane/lamp/bridge and I can walk/start running'. You can't really do that when looking at your feet. 

• A NICE VIEW HELPS

The 5 km circuit that I take takes me out of the town and into the countryside, down and along the river and back into town. It has such beautiful views. There are times when I stop and I take a picture. A good view helps to distract you from what you're doing. You're running. That needs a distraction. Landscape can be a great distraction than a TV with news on it at the gym. Also, when you feel like stopping you can tell yourself that you'll go until the next lamp post or to the next bridge or this location and then you can take a breather. 

• A PLAYLIST IS GREAT COMPANY

This compliments everything I've said. When you're concentrating on your posture, keeping your head up, taking in the view and trying to run and walk, run and walk, a good playlist is great company. I even try to time my intervals with songs. I start off by walking for a song and then running from the next one and see how I go because I am doing up a very steep hill by that point and I can end up tubed. Music is great for when you're starting to flag but you want to keep going. I tell myself that I can stop when I get to the end of the current song. 

I hope you enjoyed this post and learnt something about running from a complete newb.