Increasing Your Running Distance
So now that the weather seems to be thawing out, you may start venturing outside. I know so many people want to start running but aren’t really sure how to start. Once you run for a bit, you may be wondering how people can run 10+ miles for enjoyment. I have a couple of tips that I think will help you out!
Starting Your Running Journey
Once you get out there and have a couple of runs under your belt, you know how your body reacts to it. You may have a good idea at what your natural pace is and how much is to much. Once you have this knowledge, you are definitely in control! Even if you’re currently alternating between running and walking, you’re still on your way!
Here’s what I want you to do. Set a distance or time goal. Whether you are using your phone or you have a GPS watch/fitness tracker, start off with a mile (or ten minutes if you’re going with time). The next time you run, try to go for a little longer, maybe a tenth of a mile. If you’re doing run/walk intervals, try to lengthen your running interval by twenty seconds on each run. Remember to stay in your natural pace, you should be able to hold a conversation while you’re running. If you’re only able to gasp a few words, you’re going too fast. Continue to do this until you feel comfortable and you’re ready to start increasing steadily.
Running was always so hard for me until I did it properly. Now I can’t live without it!
The 10% Running Rule
This is where you start really pushing forward and adding those miles week to week. I wouldn’t really get to this point until you are fairly comfortable with your running and you run at least three times a week.
When you increase mileage, your body needs to adjust. What many people do is they start out running way too fast and try to tack on the miles quickly. While you may be able to do this a few times, IT WILL BITE YOU IN THE BUTT. Overuse injuries are so common in new runners and so many people I know get shin splints and claim that running is just not for them. Shin splints happen due to many things but overuse is definitely one of the major reasons.
The 10% Running Rule states that you only increase your millage each week by 10%. So if you ran a total of 10 miles this week, next week you would run a total of 11 miles, then 12.1 and so on! Obviously you’ll want to spread these miles out evenly during the week. It may be hard first but your body will adjust and you’ll be able to continue to run longer.
Also, as a tip to continue running longer on individual runs, KEEP IT SLOW! You don’t want to try to run faster when you’re working on distance. They are two separate things and should be trained for separately. Speed work is another story but if you’re just getting started on running, I would recommend the 10% rule with no speed work at a conversational pace.
Are you a runner? Have you tried to pick up running before?
