So you have decided to start running!!  

Here's what you NEED to know

There are a TON of benefits to running! Running helps to build more blood vessels and capillaries in the body, improving circulation. Your heart gets stronger. The impact of your feet hitting the ground improves bone density, sweating and that small bouncing motion that comes with running helps to clear your lymphatic system, and the toxins you're carrying in your body.

Running makes you thirsty which helps you to hydrate more. You expand your lung capacity and Max inspiratory and expiratory pressures (Breaking in and out) 

So how do we start if we haven't run before?

What do we need to know? As a triathlon and running coach, I always have 2 answers to this question...

Number 1: Just start!!

And....  Number 2 is the remainder of this article.  

First and foremost take a few days to go run barefoot in some grass. (Check the area for rocks or anything potentially sharp before you start)

This will accomplish a few things:

1. The proper running posture (Also called gait) starts with the ball of your feet striking the ground first. This happens naturally when you run barefoot! Even after many years of running, I still have people come back to this drill. When our feet get comfortable in shoes, we tend to start running heel ball toe. Be mindful of this as you progress

2. Grass is grounding. It's very healthy for us to take some time to have our skin touch the earth. The planet is negatively charged, and this counteracts the build up of positive electrons in our bodies from cellphones, TV's, and other electronics around us constantly.

Benefits of this can be:

-A calm sense of peace-Reduction of stress-Reduced cortisol-Which then leads to reduced fight or flight instincts in the mind-Which then leads to better sleep-Happiness-Better relationships-Less of a craving for bad coping mechanisms-Less sugar and salt intake-Inflammation reduction-Quicker recovery-Better immune function

The benefits are endless and snowball into each other

3. Nature and exercise typically triggers a sense of nostalgia. Unless you weren't allowed outside as a kid,  you most likely played at recess, your parents took you to the park, you played sports, or even just hung out in the sun while mom hung clothes on the clothesline.

The smell and feel of grass is something we get away from in our busy lives as adults trying to be responsible people, and too busy to appreciate the slow beauty of life. The sweat and fitness endorphins you'll feel on your runs, mixed with the stimulation of the senses from nature is the perfect cocktail of brain chemicals, to not only take you back to the best parts of childhood, but also the intrinsic motivation you'll need to get back at it on days you don't feel like moving off of the couch.

I remember when I first started, I kept telling myself, "I don't know what it is about this feeling, but I have to remember to keep coming back to this! This is important!"  The endorphin high we get while running is a blast of serotonin, that helps improve our focus, our mood, and makes us feel stronger and happier.  

A simple reminder that you love being outside and this feeling will be all you need to keep going.

Body and Posture

When you run your shoulders should be relaxed and down, not bunched up around your ears. Your chin should be level to the ground, looking about 4 feet in front of you, your arms swinging naturally. It's okay to lean forward a little bit, but focus on engaging your core, like you're sitting up straight when you run.

Start out with a "Conversational" pace speed. This means if you can't carry on a conversation at the same time as you're moving, you're going too hard. Your body will have to adapt to the new movements and elevated heart rate you're putting it through, so slow and steady really does win the race when you're starting out.

The body does this quite quickly and effectively. I always say the first 2 weeks feel the worst when you're getting started. (or getting started again) Keep going! Soon your body will be craving it!

Chances are your lungs aren't used to expanding this much. Thats okay! Again, keep your pace light!

The first mile of every run is the hardest. Every time. That never stops.

Your lungs have to warm up to expanding. After that first week or 2 your lungs will be on board with what you're asking of them, and the rest of the run will feel great.

Recovery, Active Recovery, and STRETCHING!

When you first start, don't go too often too quickly. You won't be running 4 or 5 days a week when you first get started. Give your body some time to recover. You'll feel the front of your shins, your hips, quads, and very lower back get sore and tight first. Make sure you stretch after your runs!

*Please note: You cannot static stretch cold muscles! *

Those stretches you see people doing on TV and in movies, where they hold the same pose for a few seconds- these are called static stretches.

There will be very little to no benefit to your body if you do this without a warm up, and you could potentially injure or pull a muscle this way. Also be sure never to BOUNCE when you stretch. 

So what does a warmup entail?

Elevated heart rate, movement, warmer muscles, and ideally joint rotations.

Remember those arm circles we did as kids? Those are joint rotations. What are some creative ways we can do this with our legs and hips too?

I use the first mile or first few miles of a run as a warm up, and then incorporate some joint rotations and static stretches.

This is okay for training, but if you plan on racing, you'll have to have a warm up plan prior to your longer distance race, as you'll have to keep going and not stop

Our bodies are a magnificent structure of different types of muscle, bone, fluid, and connective tissue (Ligaments and tendons) all working together. Muscles tend to be very pliable when they're warm, but connective tissue needs much more heat, time, love and attention.

Connective tissue doesn't have the same access to veins and blood flow as muscle does, so it takes longer to stretch and recover from tear or injury. Connective tissues connect and also support. You can build strength and flexibility in them gradually over time. Imagine for example, a new runner would need to train on some trails where the terrain is not flat, prior to running a marathon trail race. The connective tissue in the ankles would have to be prepared to move all of the different ways they do during a trail run, without twisting, spraining, or straining.

Types of connective tissue

Ligament - Connects Bone to Bone = Sprain

Tendon - Connects Muscle to Bone = Strain
(Think Tendon & TENDerizing meat, is pounding on the muscle) so Muscle to bone

Injury to muscle can also be a strain to the muscle

Basic nutrition before and after a run

Feel free to indulge in carbohydrates before and after a run! Your body burns mostly sugars and carbs in your body for the first 30 mins of a run, giving you more energy to get started, and then starts to burn more fat. The way our bodies utilize energy is super complex and interesting, but this is the general rule of thumb for now.  So runs lasting longer than 30 minutes will typically give you the most beneficial fat loss. 

Protein plays a really complicated role in exercise as well. Essential branch chain aminos acids are valuable for fitness and after exercise, however, protein from a meal in the stomach takes a much longer time to digest than other macronutrients, and can cause GI distress (nausea, vomiting, bloating, ext) during higher intensity exercise.

It is best to avoid or limit meals with proteins, fats, and dairy to small amounts, or wait about 3 hours after eating a high protein meal before intense workouts or running.

Protein helps to rebuild muscles and aids in recovery. I always recommend protein, and carbohydrates after exercise.

A smoothie with a scoop of protein powder and fruit usually does the trick. Bananas are best for the added potassium.

Hydrate before, during, and after your run! I always take bottles of water and electrolytes with me. I have one of those waist belts that can hold my phone, keys, a little bottle of pepper spray, and water bottles

Our Electrolytes are:
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium
Sodium

Electrolytes help the nervous system to communicate with the body, which is essential for movement. Very dangerous things can happen if these are too low. (Or even too high) If you're sweating a lot, (or drinking a lot of alcohol) your electrolytes are being expended.

Humidity, body composition, medications, diet, activity levels, water intake, and various diseases can influence the balance of electrolytes. There are plenty of sports tablets out there that can help replenish electrolytes. These should be dissolved in water, and taken according to their nutritional recommendations. Typically if you start cramping, you know you're low on electrolytes.

I also want to briefly touch on caffeine intake, and sugar. Some sports tablets and pre-work outs have caffeine in them. The less caffeine you have in your system the better your body will regulate your energy when you don't have any. There are some benefits to caffeine, however knowing your intake is the first step to understanding if you're in a healthy range or not.

The CDC recommends adults can have up to 400mg of caffeine a day, which I personally think is extremely high. I aim for about 50mg - 150mg spread out over the course of the day. Once I gave up coffee, I actually didn't feel like I needed caffeine for anything in my day. I do enjoy a green tea which has about 50 mg, and my electrolyte tablets contain about 20mg in 1 tablet, keeping me at about 70mg in a day, unless I have some chocolate. 

Blood sugar is another super interesting topic when it comes to working out.

Exercise makes your blood sugar levels lower, and it's not uncommon for runners without any specific conditions to experience a "Blood sugar blindness" after exercise. It happens to me if I don't have sugar planned into my nutritional l needs after fitness, or during longer triathlon or other endurance events. I actually lose vision and feel dizzy. To be safe, it's always good to have some candy on hand while exercising.

Technology + Gear

Before you invest a lot of money into a tracker, ask yourself if you'll just be running, or may be incorporating other sports as well

Most digital watches have a running mode. Make sure you know which features and sports you want the watch to calculate before you invest a lot of money. Certain watches do triathlon mode for example, where they count the transition time separately from the individual sports.

I personally recommend Garmin watches.

Things to consider in a sports watch:

-Water proof is best
-Get one that has a Heart Rate sensor, or you can connect a HR strap. Monitoring Heart Rate is vital to measuring running, and over all health
-GPS watches can track your run more accurately
-It's also possible to join running challenges and race your friends adding a sense of accountability and friend competition.

Running Shoes

Typically you want to find shoes with good arch support. Each person has different needs, so before you start putting miles down, I recommend going to your local running store for a proper fit. They'll be able to help you figure out which shoes are best for your particular arch and other needs.

I recommend every single person who is running buy compression socks.  These are the ones I have, and they are an absolute game changer. Shin splints are the soreness in the front of your shins, It's caused by the arch of your foot going flat repeatedly when you run, which pulls the muscles away from the tibia bone causing stress, inflammation, and pain for many days, especially if you're not used to running. Arch compression and ice helps with this. 

I wear these socks for as long as I can after a run, until I go to bed or they become uncomfortable.

I also strongly recommend everyone gets a foam roller! 

Lets Recap!

There was a ton of information on this page so lets go through it really quickly: 

- Run in the grass- focus on your posture, do this frequently

- Remember to love the endorphins!

- Don't do too much to fast

- Recovery is important! Move when you're sore

- Static stretch only when you're properly warmed up. 

-Avoid eating protein before a run or intense exercise

-Protein aids in recovery!

-Electrolytes, water, and sugar balance is important

- Don't overdo the caffeine!

-Track your Miles, Pace, and Heart Rate

-Go to a shoe store to get an appropriate fit for your running shoes

-If you don't do anything else in this article, at LEAST buy the compression socks to be worn after a run. You'll know what I mean about those shin splints if you don't. 

- Get a foam roller! Roll where you're sore. 

Happy Healthy Running!