I speak to new runners every day, and know that leaving that front door and stepping out into the public domain for the first time to go for a run can seem a daunting prospect. Follow these 12 top tips to prevent making those age-old mistakes and help to keep it simple, fun and achievable

Correct trainers and kit

Invest in a proper pair of running trainers from the word go to prevent injury and make the running more comfortable. Go to a proper running store, explain you are new to running ask for a ‘gait analysis’ so that the trainers are properly chosen and fitted to your foot and running style. Good running shops are there to help and make sure you speak to an experienced member of staff! It’s also worth investing in some running kit made of running specific technical fabric. This is vital to aid comfort, they will help wick the sweat away from the skin, feel less heavy and support the correct areas.

Avoid going from zero to hero

As motivated as you may be, running is a high impact sport and must be integrated progressively into your exercise routine. Running three times per week or every other day, is generally a safe place to start and this can be progressed, as the body gets stronger. Be prepared to walk/run if building fitness and gradually reduce the amounts of walking in the weeks ahead. Twenty minutes minutes might be 1min easy run/ 1min brisk walk in week one but by week four could be 20mins continuous or 4mins run/ 1min walk…

Planning/Patience/Progression

Remember these and apply them to your running at all times! Plan your running: how many times a week, where, when, long-term, mid-term, short term goals. Be patient: improvement will come but it is a progressive process! Any top 5K beginners training plan should give you this.

Set a goal

Rather than simply ‘starting running’, set yourself a goal as this will make the whole journey more structured. A brilliant start is a 5K in six to eight weeks’ time (depending upon current levels of fitness and progression). A charity 5K series (http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/types-of-event/5k-events/index.html) or the local 5K parkrun  (parkrun.com)  are a fabulous place to start. Who knows, it could then be a marathon next year!

Training plan

Get yourself a training plan to support this goal. There are many zero to 5K plans out there, which begin with incorporating blocks of walking and running until you can finally run a full 5K. This will make the whole process much more fun, structured and successful!

Invest in a simple stopwatch

You don’t need a massive GPS strapped to your wrist just yet but a very simple stopwatch, which tells you how long you have been running for, will help when structuring lengths of runs or blocks of run/walking.

Make it social

Look in to any local running groups that you can join in order to run with others. Check out RunEngland (www.runenglad.org) for local running groups geared at beginners in your area along with many of the leading retailers such as Sweatshop and Runnersneed who all host runs from their shops.

Safe, sensible, interesting

Choose routes that are all of the above: Safe, sensible and interesting. Incorporating lots of ‘off-road’ such as grass or trail alongside Tarmac running is desirable as this is kinder to the body and joints. Your route may start of as a loop of a park locally to you and build from there.

Pace yourself…The Tortoise was right!

Too many beginners say to me, “But I can’t even run for a bus.” That’s because when you run for a bus you are usually charging along at full pace hoping it won’t leave you behind. When starting out with running please learn to ‘run at the speed of chat’ as if I were next to you and you are able to talk to me at all times when running.

Be Yourself

There is a lot of literature on running technique but initially please simply run naturally and comfortably just remembering these three things; feel tall, light and always aim for a very slight lean forwards. More depth on this area can be explored as you develop as a runner in the months ahead.

Basic core exercises

These are vital as a strong body will support the running and prevent injury. These only need to be very simple exercises that can take minutes in your living room. See the conditioning examples on our website (RunningWithUs.com) or pop along to your local Pilates/ body-conditioning classes.

Stretch regularly

Stretch the key muscle groups regularly and certainly after every run. For example: glutes (bottom muscles), hamstrings, quads and calf muscles, as this will aid prevention of injury and improve recovery day to day.

maxresdefaultHave a training question? Follow @nickandersonrun, the official Cancer Research UK London Marathon coach. To support Cancer Research UK’s London Marathon team and help beat cancer sooner, visit cancerresearchuk.org/marathon