Running is an absolutely fabulous sport. It’s relatively cheap, it doesn’t require learning a set of rules or other people to do it, and it’s proven to boost your physical and mental health in all sorts of ways. However, all those benefits can be easily forgotten a couple of kilometers into your first run, when you’re gasping for breath and wondering how long it will take to walk home.
If you’re keen to give running a proper go then these tips from some of the UK’s top runners, coaches and experts will help ensure that it’s an enjoyable and productive experience, rather than a frustrating one.
It’s not only running rookies who will benefit from this advice either. If you’re an experienced runner keen to improve your best times or become a more accomplished runner, then you’ll find several useful tips in the Performance section in particular.
And if none of the tips strike a chord with you and you still can’t summon your running mojo, try buying a new pair of running shoes. That always seems to work for us.
Preparation
As with everything in life, it pays to prepare. If you’re getting into running with no long-term goal in mind, that could simply mean deciding how often you’re going to run—but if you have an event lined up, selecting a training plan should be the first thing on your to-do list.
1. Have A Plan
Whether your aim is simply to finish your first proper race or smash your marathon personal best, you need a training plan or else you run the risk of getting nowhere fast. “You have two options: find a good off-the-peg plan, or ask a qualified running coach for a bespoke one,” says elite runner and coach Shaun Dixon (letsgetrunning.co.uk). “Generic plans are available for free and based on achieving a set distance in a target time, and many runners have used them to good effect. Make sure it’s been put together by an expert and that you understand the rationale behind each session. This will allow you to make small changes based on your weekly schedule and how you progress.”
The most popular way to begin running is by following a Couch to 5K program. There are plenty of free ones, including our very own eight-week Couch to 5K plan. The NHS’s nine-week plan is also a fine choice and it’s supported by both podcasts and an app (App Store and Google Play). If you find that Couch to 5K is still proving too much, another great option is None to Run, which eases you into the sport at a slower pace.
RECOMMENDED: 5K Plans | 10K Plans | Half Marathon Plans | Marathon Plans
2. Get An MOT
Before embarking on your plan it can be worth getting a once-over to correct any minor niggles or running technique flaws that could develop into major problems, especially if you have a history of injuries.
“If you’re going to start running in a serious way, it’s essential you identify and correct poor habits as early as possible, which will make training much more beneficial and pleasurable,” says Dixon. Schedule an appointment with a physio or sports masseur who will be able to highlight any weaknesses, stiffness or imbalances. “Having an expert evaluate how you run will bring to light any weaknesses or idiosyncrasies that, if left unchecked, could end in pain or injury down the road.”
3. Consider A Club
Running solo can be one of life’s great joys but if you’re knocking out several runs a week as part of a training plan, doing some of them with other people is a great way to stay motivated, make friends, and discover new places to run. You’ll find free running groups in most cities around the UK now—many specialist running stores stage several group runs each week—or you can look into joining your local running club. Rest assured that you don’t need to be a speedster to join—they cater for all abilities.
Running Gear
The first item on your shopping list should be a good-quality pair of running shoes. That doesn’t necessarily mean spending a huge amount of money, but it does mean spending some time working out what the right pair for you is. This guide from the experts at specialist running shop Runners Need will help.
4. Get Gait Analysis
A free gait analysis service is offered at many specialist running stores, including every Runners Need store. You’ll be videoed while running on a treadmill for a couple of minutes and the footage is then played back (in freeze-frame if necessary) to assess your foot plant, stride and running pattern. This information is then used to find the best shoe for you, though it should be said that you shouldn’t value your gait analysis results over and above what your feet are telling you. Generally the best rule to follow is that if you really like how a shoe feels on a trial run, that’s the shoe for you.
5. Choose The Right Type Of Shoe
First, consider where you’re going to be running and buy shoes that will be suitable for the terrain. If most of your training is off-road, then road shoes with built-up heels are unsuitable because you will be more unstable and could turn an ankle. Similarly, a pair of trail-running shoes with deeply studded outsoles will be very uncomfortable on paved roads, because the studs will press into the soles of your feet.
The two main types of road running shoes are neutral and stability shoes, with the latter designed for runners who overpronate (roll their foot excessively inwards on landing). If you’re not sure if you overpronate, it might be worth getting your gait analyzed.
6. Go For A Trial Run
Buying your running shoes is a big investment—so you should always test any shoes properly before buying them. Padding around on a carpet in the shop certainly won’t replicate how the shoes will feel when you’re running in them. Instead, you should “road test” them on an in-store treadmill.
7. Don’t Wear Your Shoes Out
Your running shoes will take a great deal of pounding across a wide range of surfaces and in all weathers, so they will need to be replaced fairly frequently. Generally you should replace a pair after 500-600 miles (800-960km). Exactly how often you need to buy new shoes will depend on your weight, running style and choice of terrain, but you should always avoid trying to squeeze a few extra weeks out of shoes that are evidently worn out, because the shoes won’t give you the protection you need and you’ll increase your chances of getting injured.
8. Select Smarter Socks
You should always wear the socks that you intend to run in when you go for a shoe fitting. The thickness of your sock can make a big difference to the fit and feel of your shoe, particularly as your feet expand in the heat. Runners should wear running-specific socks because they have extra padding across the ball of the foot, the toes and the heel area. This extra padding cuts down on impact and protects important areas that can blister. There’s also usually padding or a tighter area through the arch to allow the shoe to fit more closely and add better arch support.
9. Round Out Your Running Wardrobe
Once you’ve got your running shoes and socks sorted it’s time to focus on the rest of your kit. T-shirts and shorts are usually the staples of any running wardrobe and the key things you want your kit to be are lightweight, breathable and sweat-wicking. Beyond that it’s all about the weather you’ll be facing. If you’re training outside through the winter then a running jacket that protects you from the wind and rain is a worthwhile purchase, and base layers and running tights can also be vital allies in your battle against the cold.
Performance
When you first start running your aims will probably be simple and not focused on speed—to get fitter, or to spend more time outdoors, for example—but after a while you’ll almost certainly start considering how you can become a better, faster runner. These tips will help.
10. Run Your Routine
The key to becoming a better runner, whatever your distance, is consistency. “The more regularly you run, the sooner you’ll see an improvement in your cardiovascular fitness, an increase in both your sustainable pace and your all-out speed, and better recovery,” says Dixon, before adding a slight caveat. “This only applies if you follow a sensible, realistic and progressive training plan, and be smart with how you execute it. Schedule long runs on days when you are most likely to be able to fit them in. You need to be consistent, but you also need to be realistic.”
11. Mix Up Your Runs
The more you run, the better you tend to get at it—but after a while you will need to vary the type of runs you do to continue improving. If you go hell for leather every time you’ll burn out or get injured, and if you stick to relaxed plods you’re unlikely to get any faster or fitter. In general a good training plan will be mostly easy runs, interspersed with one speedy intervals or hills session, one tempo run, and perhaps one long run each week.
12. Train Faster
Runners of all levels can benefit from adding speed intervals to their routine. Interval training not only helps you get quicker, it also sharpens up your running form and, crucially, livens up your training, because sticking to the same steady 5K for all your runs will start to get seriously boring after a while.
The length and speed of intervals you do will vary depending on your overall goals, and you can also do individual sessions in which you change up the length and pace of your intervals. Here’s a short, sharp interval session suggestion from Dixon.
“Short, fast interval sessions will quicken your sustainable speed,” says Dixon. “Intervals should last no longer than 90 seconds so you can maintain an intensity of around 85% of your maximum effort throughout. Rest between each interval should be three to four times the length of the drill, to allow you to maintain sprint quality.”
He recommends starting with ten reps of around 40 seconds. “If you slow down during a sprint, end the session because only quality reps improve speed,” he says. “You will experience a significant lactic acid build-up through these drills, which is ultimately the aim of the session. The better you are at tolerating lactic acid the quicker you’ll run.” Warm up thoroughly first.
13. Work On Technique
When you first start running you’ll find that you make huge gains purely by being consistent as well as increasing the frequency and quality of your training. Over time, however, you might also benefit from tweaking your running form, though trying to change this without an expert on hand can be tricky.
“Your posture should be standing tall, holding your hips high, and leaning forward slightly from your toes,” says Dixon. “You should be able to draw a straight line through your ears, shoulders and hips. You want to minimize lateral movement at your shoulders and hips, and minimize torso movement by dropping your shoulders and driving your arms backward from the shoulder joint.”
One thing you can work on easily by yourself is your running cadence – the amount of steps you take a minute. Most running watches monitor this for you, and the aim is generally to increase your cadence to improve efficiency and also reduce injury risk.
“Your goal is to spend less time in contact with the ground and prevent over-striding, because long, heavy strides are very inefficient – shorter and faster strides that include only a brief contact with the ground are far better,” says Dixon.
14. Do Some Drills
Running drills bring two benefits to the table. The first is when you use them as part of your warm-up before a race or hard training session. They help to prepare your body so you can fly out of the gate and hit your race pace from the off.
The second benefit is more long-term. Adding drills to your weekly routine, perhaps after an easy run, can help to hone your running technique over time. You can also do them as a quick standalone training session if you prefer. You’ll need a 10-20m stretch and about 10 to 15 minutes to run through a few sets of each drill. And you’ll need some drills to do, of course. Start with these running drills, shared with us by Nick Anderson, founder of RunningWithUs.
15. Run The Hills
Hill runs are the simplest form of speedwork session because they’re easy to plan, they don’t require much thinking and—while they hurt like hell—they’re over quickly. “Uphill sessions are great for the glutes, get your heart rate high and challenge your body’s ability to process lactic acid, a key factor in improving speed,” says Dixon. “Find a steep hill, run up it for 30 to 45 seconds fast, then walk back down and repeat for six to ten reps.”
Alternatively you could run down the hill. “Kenyan runners often use downhill sessions to improve foot turnover, because you have to keep your feet moving fast to prevent the heavy jarring of your joints,” says Dixon. “Find a hill with a slight incline. At the top stand tall, then lean forward with the hill as you start to run. Focus on picking up your heels quickly and employing short fast steps, making contact with the ground soft, light and fast.” Try six to ten reps of 30 seconds going downhill, jogging back up to the top after each one.
16. Run Strides
Strides are a training staple for elite runners—they can promote good form and get your legs ready to run a fast workout or race in the coming days.
“After a short easy-pace run, find a flat uninterrupted path or pavement between 80 and 100m in length,” says Dixon. “Run fast and smooth for the entire length. You don’t need to go ‘eyeballs out’—aim for between 85% and 90% of your maximum effort while staying as focused and relaxed as possible.” Run six to eight reps with a slow jog or walk back to your starting position after each one, and do a stride session once or twice a fortnight.
17. Know Your Limits
“You don’t have to smash every run,” says Dixon. “Intense interval sessions and long runs are important pillars of a training plan but too much too often will fatigue you physically and mentally. Include some comfortable steady-state work and recovery runs to give your mind and muscles adequate recovery.”
18. Find A Good Local Loop
One of the joys of running is exploring new routes, but if you are powering through a training plan for an event it’s worth scouring your local area to find a loop that’s relatively free of both traffic and people, fairly flat, and has a smooth surface.
This loop will be a place where you can switch off while you run and not have to worry about where you’re going, dodging pedestrians on narrow pavements, or avoiding cars and potholes. The other benefit of a flat, quiet loop is that it’s a reliable spot to do hard interval sessions, because trying to maintain a consistent intense effort across intervals is even harder when you unexpectedly have to cross a road or make a sharp turn.
19. Mileage Matters
Running more does result in you getting better at running, and gradually increasing your weekly mileage is a well-established way of improving. This needs to be done carefully to avoid injury, and your running will need to be supported more through strength training, recovery work and smart nutrition as you log more miles. If you want to do more training but are struggling to increase your mileage safely, then you could try adding low-impact cardio to your routine, like cycling or using an elliptical machine.
20. Read About Running
Countless billions of words have been written about running, and while not all of them will apply to your own situation, there’s a lot to be learned if you take the time to read articles, books and forums covering the sport. People have been talking (and disagreeing) about running since forever, and we’ve discovered a vast amount of informative opinions on gear and specific events—in fact, you can pick up useful titbits to apply to your training in even the most seemingly inane of internet discussions.
Naturally there are also a lot of excellent books about the best way to train for a marathon or other running event. Even if you don’t click with the first one you read, keep trying—at some point you’ll almost certainly stumble across a training method that’s just the ticket for getting the best out of you.
However, we find that even better than training manuals are general books about running, because they provide both ideas on how to shape your training and inspiration to actually get out there and do it. Start with our recommendations for the best running books to find a selection of motivational reads.
Nutrition And Supplementation
Carbohydrate and fat are the key sources of energy for runners. You’ll burn more of the former when running at a moderate or fast pace, or running for a long time, and more of the latter when chugging along at an easy pace. It’s important to make sure that you are eating enough to fuel your training, and eating at the right times, especially in the build-up to a big race. For the biggest of all—the marathon—you'll need to learn how to carb-load effectively to avoid hitting the wall.
21. Fuel For The Running You’re Actually Doing
When we spoke to David Dunne, performance nutritionist and the co-founder of nutrition app Hexis, about what to eat before a marathon (including the training period) he highlighted the need to adjust your nutrition in line with your training to avoid under- or over-fueling.
“You’re going to follow a periodised training programme, in that you’re going to run longer some days, slower on others and faster and shorter on other days,” says Dunne. “I’d be periodising nutrition in line with that from the time I commenced training.”
For example, that means you can ease back on the carbs on days where you’re doing a 30-minute easy run, but should be making sure you get enough carbs into the body to fuel a two-hour long run or a tough interval session.
22. Don’t Delay Refuelling
Refueling correctly after your run is vital, especially if you opt for a fasted run (see below). “Your post-run meal will aid recovery so if you do run fasted, it’s vital to eat a proper meal containing carbs for energy replacement and a good source of protein for muscle repair as soon as possible,” says performance and clinical dietitian Renee McGregor, author of Training Food. We have more advice in our guide to what to eat after a run.
23. Eat The Right Carbs
“For any run lasting more than 90 minutes some easily digestible carbs—a smoothie, banana on toast or porridge with honey—in the hour or two before you start will improve performance,” says McGregor. “You should also ensure you eat enough carbs over the last 24 hours before the run so your muscles’ glycogen stores are filled. This is essential for longer, more intense runs so that your body has all the easy-to-use fuel it needs to perform consistently well for the whole session.” Find out more about what to eat before a run.
24. Try Running Hungry
“I recommend running in a fasted state for slow to moderate runs lasting up to 90 minutes, which means not eating in the two hours before setting out, or running first thing before breakfast,” says McGregor. “This improves your body’s ability to tap into fat stores for fuel, which makes you a more efficient runner (as well as helping you lose weight). If you’re new to running you need to work up to training in a fully fasted state, because it can suppress your immune system if you don’t give your body time to properly adjust.”
25. Call On Caffeine
When you’re happy with the changes made to your nutrition and daily diet, you can select a few worthwhile supplements. The best supplements for runners are those that delay the onset of fatigue, such as caffeine. The active ingredient in your morning cup of pick-me-up is one of the most reliable endurance supplements available. Caffeine prolongs the length of time you can perform at high intensity and it also reduces your perceived rate of exertion, which means you feel as if a particular physical task is less demanding than it truly is. This in turn allows you to keep performing at maximum intensity.
You can get running gels and sports drinks containing caffeine, or stick with your morning coffee. However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention a possible side effect of taking caffeine before a run, which is that it can make you need the loo. Rather badly. So make sure you’ve tried your caffeine supplements before race day to ensure your PB bid isn’t scuppered by an unexpected trip to a Portaloo.
26. Eat Your Greens (And Reds, Purples And Yellows)
Runners rightly obsess over how they can best reduce their risk of injury, but illness can scupper a training plan just as quickly as a dodgy knee, especially if you’re training through the winter for a spring marathon. Make sure to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day at the very least, and look to get a variety of colours on your plate to ensure your body has all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy during a demanding training plan.
Cross-Training
Running may be your focus but there are a lot of benefits to be had from cross training, especially doing other forms of cardio to improve your overall fitness.
27. Add Low-Impact Forms Of Cardio To Your Routine
Running is a high-impact sport and as such it can be hard to keep increasing the amount of running you do to improve performance without risking injury. An alternative is to increase your training time with other forms of cardio like cycling, swimming and using an elliptical, which will result in improved fitness without the impact of running.
Strength Training For Runners
Supportive strength training will make a big difference to your running, both in terms of improving performance and your resilience against injury. We spoke to physiotherapist Patrick Carroll about strength training for runners and he gave us some invaluable advice.
28. Get Stronger With Weight Training And Plyometrics
To improve your running you need to challenge yourself with your strength training, and Carroll told us the best ways to do that are with a progressive weight training plan, or by using plyometrics. This is more effective than doing exercises that replicate running, such as long sets of bodyweight exercises like lunges.
29. Try Doing Strength Exercises Before And After Runs
The traditional way of doing strength training is through two or three longer workouts each week, but Carroll suggested another way that appealed to us. This is to do one or two exercises before and after your runs, which will produce the gains you’re after without having to dedicate longer workouts just to strength work.
“That probably leads to maybe four or five mini-strength sessions during the week, and the accumulative benefits of them can match the more traditional standalone strength sessions,” says Carroll.
30. Don’t Strength Train On Your Rest Days
You might think it makes sense to do your strength training on days you’re not running, which can work if you run two or three times a week, but if you’re running a lot and have a scheduled rest day on your training plan it’s best to protect it to give yourself time to recover.
“If you’re running on a Monday and a Thursday, doing your strength work on Tuesday is no problem,” says Carroll. “But if you’re running six days a week, I wouldn’t be doing the strength session on the seventh day. If you have a defined rest period because it’s part of your training plan and you need it, then I would try and protect that.”
Recovery
No matter how experienced or proficient a runner you are, rest days and recovery sessions are to be treasured. All the hard work you put in during tough training sessions only pays off if you give your body the chance to recover from that work. Warming down properly after each run and resting might seem like wasted time, but not doing so leads to fatigue, fatigue leads to injury, and injury leads to the dark side/not being able to run.
31. Always Warm Down
“A warm-down provides a period of adjustment between exercise and rest. It’s probably the most neglected part of a training session but you omit it at your peril,” says Grantham. “Implementing a proper warm-down will improve muscle relaxation, remove waste products, reduce muscle soreness and bring the cardiovascular system back to resting levels.” Spend 10 to 15 minutes jogging, gradually reducing your speed every couple of minutes.
32. Invest In A Massage
“High-performance athletes are increasingly using massage in their recovery strategies, and it’s becoming more and more popular for recreational athletes too,” says Grantham. “The physical benefits may include increased blood flow, enhanced oxygen and nutrient delivery to fatigued muscles, increased removal of lactic acid and improving mobility. The psychological benefits should also not be underestimated—many report that it improves their mood.”
33. Get More Sleep
Yes, you can actually get faster while lying in bed. “Sleep is one of the most important forms of rest and provides time for you to adapt to the physical and mental demands of training,” says Grantham. “Sleep deprivation can result in a loss of performance, both from a single bad night’s sleep and from an accumulation of poor sleep over the course of successive nights. Cutting back on your sleep over the course of a week could push you into sleep debt and negatively impact performance.” Aim for at least seven but preferably eight or nine hours a night.
34. Easy Runs Should Be Easy
The slow recovery runs on your plan are just as important as your speed sessions and tempo training. These easy runs help you to build and maintain your fitness while the body recovers from harder training, and it’s vital you don’t run them too fast. If you’re running alone then you can use a heart rate monitor to judge your effort if you’re not confident you can run slowly enough based on feel. Running with others can be a great option for easy runs though, as Thomas Dreissigacker, On Athletics Club Europe coach, explains:
“I think it’s much easier in a group to run easy, because most athletes run a bit faster on their own. In a group you are talking all the time, so it’s easy to keep the pace really easy for everybody.”
35. Take Rest Days Seriously
Once you get into the swing of running, you will start to get itchy feet on the days you’re not scheduled to train. However, taking at least one complete day of rest each week is essential to allow your body to recover and adapt to the training load. Keep skipping your rest days and at best you’ll burn out and at worst you’ll get injured.
Taking a rest day doesn’t just mean “no running” either—you should refrain from any kind of exercise if possible. Even the stretching and mobility work you’re doing to support your running is best done on a day where you also run, in order to allow your body a complete day of rest on another day, and certainly don’t line up a strength session for your rest day. If you absolutely must do something, then make sure it’s nothing more taxing than some foam rolling or a very gentle cross-training session on a bike or in the pool.
If you’re training towards an event, once you get close to the race your rest days become even more vital. If you can, it’s worth planning your entire race week around maximizing your recovery time and putting your feet up. It’s harder to envisage the benefits of rest days when compared with the feeling of accomplishment you get after a tough run, but allowing the body time to recover is just as important as the training itself if you want your running to progress.
36. Get The Basics Of Recovery Right Before Getting Too Fancy
There are a lot of products that claim to help you recover after runs, and while most of them can provide some benefits and are used by professional athletes, they are often expensive. If you’re going to use them, it should only come after getting the basics right.
“Sleep enough, have good nutrition—it’s really important to improve the basic things before you start with special things,” says Dreissigacker. “Our athletes work with a physical therapist, we have massage guns, we do stretching sessions. But the most important things are the really basic things: sleep enough, perhaps have a nap in the afternoon, and have good nutrition directly after training—don’t wait two or three hours before eating.”
37. Try To Switch Off
Getting yourself pumped up for a hard training run is great, but it’s important that between your sessions you relax. That’s trickier for people with families and/or who work full-time than it is for athletes whose job it is to train and recover, but it’s something everyone can get better at. When you get a chance to put your feet up, do it.
“Training is not the difficult thing,” says Dreissigacker, “the most difficult thing is what you’re doing between sessions. Normally we train at nine o’clock in the morning and five o’clock in the afternoon. So you have a lot of time in between. If you have to do five or six hours of work or studying, it’s hard to be fresh. If you can nap and perhaps do two hours of work, it’s OK.” Don’t use us as an excuse if you’re fired for napping at work, but the point stands that if you’ve set your sights on a challenging time, you need to minimize stress. If that’s impossible, you may need to temper your expectations.
Injury Prevention
Runners worry about injury a lot, and they talk about injury a lot, and they get injured a lot, but a few simple steps can greatly reduce your risk of suffering both minor and major niggles.
38. Scale Up Your Training Slowly
The fastest way to get injured is to suddenly ramp up either the amount or intensity of the training you’re doing. Following a training plan will help you to build the amount of running you do gradually, with one, two or, at maximum, three tough sessions like hill sprints or interval runs a week. As a rule of thumb, average out the distance you’ve run over the past four weeks, then plan your next week’s training off that number—you should be increasing your total distance by around 3-5km, not jumping 10-15km each week.
