We were born to run, and that is beautifully displayed in the first few years of birth. As soon as the child finds it’s balance, the very first thing it does is run. Happiness is not only seen on the parent’s face, but is intertwined with that innocent naughtiness of the child. Running seems like such a simple motion, but is inherently so very complicated and has become all the more so in our current industrial lives. Sitting on the chair for hours together during the day takes a toll on our bodies, and not only do we lose the drive to run, but the energy too. However, it ‘s a vicious circle of running and disinterest. Until you start running you will always be disinterested, so make that move, and LET’S RUN.
So, what do we need to run? WILL, LEGS, SURFACE.
WILL
If you are new to the world of running, this might be the most difficult obstacle to overcome. Set a really small goal to begin with, for instance
RUN for 10 minutes/day for the next 10 days.
10 minutes is the time you spend watching ads while watching a TV show. It is also way lesser than the time spent on the couch doing nothing. So just get up and RUN. Once you achieve your goal of running 10 minutes for 10 days, give yourself a pat on your back, and reward yourself with a running gear, a shoe or a running bottle or some other relevant reward. Rewards are great if they are introduced at the right time. Now it’s time to increase your running goal.
RUN for 15 minutes/day for 15 days.
One does not need expensive gym memberships to achieve the running goals. Explore your neighborhood and chose a different route every now and then as this will add variety to your runs. Form a running group with friends and motivate each other to achieve goals.
LEGS
We were born to run and unless there are birth defects we just learn to do that on our own. Just go out there and experience your body’s potential. There is no harm in running bare feet if you have no leg/knee/ankle issues, but if you feel that you need more cushion, go for a running shoe with good support. Once you have developed a running schedule, add weight-bearing exercises like squats and lunges to your routine, and this will improve your leg strength.
SURFACE
Starting out running? Do it on grass or other soft surfaces. This will be less taxing on joints and will add that much needed cushion in the initial days. You can eventually move towards running on hard surfaces like concrete roads.
Our body responds fabulously to the stresses placed on it and so does the mind. Slowly increment the stress and you will see immense increments in your running ability. Experience the glory of running, and who knows you will be running a marathon soon. Stay fit, keep running.
Crisp and nicely write article. I am certainly going to adopt few things from your blog. Keep writing and keep motivating people around. Good initiative
I am glad you liked the blog Prateek. I hope to keep adding value in the lives of all readers.
Really well written!
Thanks Ambica. I am glad you liked it.
very gud tips, i have made nipunkakkar.com as my homepage
Thanks Gurpreet. Hoping to keep you engaged as a reader.
Great blog and great start Nipun !!! Certainly got me motivated. Please keep posting
Thanks Shhyam. I am glad it was motivating for you. I hope to keep writing more.
Very useful tips on running.
Concise and to the point… Can’t argue with that! All that’s left to do is run!!
Thanks Ashwin. I am ecstatic that the blog can motivate you enough to run.
Tips on running on toes first or heels first or full feet ? And logic behind it ?
That is indeed a great question Mahesh. Their has been a lot of debate on landing technique and patterns. There are three common running patterns.
1. Rear foot strike: Heel contacts the ground first.
2. Mid foot strike: Heel and ball of the foot contact the ground simultaneously.
3. Forefoot strike: Ball of the foot contacts the ground before the heel.
If one is running short distances fore foot running would work best as it is more efficient due to shorter contact time with the ground. However, it will be tiring to run longer distances with this pattern. You will find invariably that most long distance runners use either the rear foot strike pattern(heel strike) or the mid foot strike.
Here’s what I would recommend.
1. If you are sprinting, use forefoot strike. It is more efficient.
2. If you are running long distances , use mid foot or heel strike.
Some technique details to remember.
1. Reduced angle landing or soft landing: Try to land with your foot as close to flat as possible
2. Shin angle: If you shin is leant backwards while landing then it’s a problem. Practice keeping your shin roughly 90 degrees whiles landing.
3. Weight train to strengthen you quads, hamstrings, calves and gluteus. If your muscles are strong they will be able to protect your joints from the wear and tear.
Good luck with your running goals. Hopefully I was able to provide you with a satisfactory answer. Let me know if you have other questions.