Primary keyword -Running For Beginners
Secondary keyword - Running For Beginners
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Random words - Health, Heart rate, Blood, Blood rate, Blood pressure, Heart, Nutrition, Hydration, Eat, Water, Food, Time


Running For Beginners - a good way to keep fit.


Running for beginners is not something beginners should just jump into. A coach is necessary otherwise beginners might be in danger of health problems. Running for beginners, just like all tasks can be overwhelming. It can be overwhelming especially for beginners. Starting your running habit blindly without the supervision of a qualified coach can be dangerous. Certain measures must be put in place. First things first, you must consult with your medical doctor or physician for medical clearance. Tell him about the new form of exercise you are about to start. Bring his attention to any of the following if you have suffered from them.

1. You don't currently exercise and you are over 65 years.

2. You are pregnant.

3. You are overweight.

4. You have high blood pressure.

5. You have a family history of heart disease.

6. You are a current or former smoker.

7. You have diabetes.

8. You often feel faint or have a sever dozing spell.

9. You have chest pain whenever you exert yourself too much.

10. You have been diagnosed with heart trouble.

11. You have been sedentary for a year or more.

Also let him know if you intend to lose weight. Ask him if running might affect any existing issues associated with running and if it is possible to avoid them. Your medical test should include an exercise stress test (usually done on a treadmill) to rule out any cardiovascular problem that might arise if you exercise too hard.

Secondly, after analyzing your health and the doctor has given the green light, the next thing should be to know the basics. Some of the basics are:

1. PROPER RUNNING FORM:

 a proper running form helps you to run faster, move efficiently and with less stress on your body. Also the risk of injury is reduced. Others include;

a. LOOK AHEAD: 

this means looking ahead about 20 feet away from your position. Make sure it is on the ground on  which you run. By this you can easily avoid falling and see anything coming your way.

b. WARM UP AND COOL DOWN: 

before running, it is very necessary to warm up. This helps to dilate the blood vessel ensuring that the muscles are well supplied with oxygen. It also raises your muscle temperature for optimal flexibility and efficiency. It minimizes stress on your heart when you start to run. Cooling down is just as important. It is not good to suddenly stop running. This can cause you to be light headed because your heart rate and blood pressure may drop suddenly. But cooling down helps the blood pressure and heart rate to drop gradually. Important to note again is stretching. It is not exactly to stretch cold muscles when preparing to run. Instead do about 5 to 10 minutes aerobic exercise to warm up and loosen your muscles like walking briskly, jogging or even cycling on a stationary bicycle. While beginning your run, start slowly and build speed. If you fall out of breadth, slow down. After finishing your run, cool down by walking or slowly jogging for 5 to 10 minutes.

c. BREATHING:

When running, it is important to allow air through your nose and mouth at the same time. The muscles need oxygen to keep moving and the nose is simply not enough. When breathing, breathe from your diaphragm or belly. Not just from your chest. This helps to reduce side stitches. 

2. HOW TO RUN SAFELY

It all depends on common sense. Do a safety check. Check if your shoes are well tied. Make sure you are familiar with the route. Let people know where you intend to run. Make sure you run against traffic so that you can see on coming cars. When running in the early mornings or late evenings, wear white or bright coloured or better still wear reflective gears for easy identification by motorist or bike riders. Above all, never run alone during these hours. By all means look for somebody around the neighborhood who shares the same passion with you.

3. NUTRITION AND HYDRATION

On the question whether to eat or not before or after running, the bottomline is you should not be hungry or stuffed. Again, do not eat immediately before running as this can lead to cramping or side stitches. When preparing to eat about 1hr 30minutes to 2hrs before the run. Running on empty stomach is bad as this can also cause you to run out of energy. On the type of food you should consume, your best bet are foods rich in carbohydrate. Stay as far as possible away from fatty foods as well as food rich in protein and fiber. This can lead to gastrointestinal distress. Water is also very important when running. This will keep you from dehydration. If you are running more than 30 minutes, it is advisable to take along a water bottle.

4. PROPER TIME TO RUN

While some research claims that the best time to run is when your body temperature is at its peak which falls between the hours of 4pm to 5pm. Other studies show that you get the best  during 4am to 7am. Other benefits include making you consistent in your exercise and better quality sleep among others. But my take on the issue is you should exercise whenever it works best with your schedule. For no matter what time of the day you chose to run, you will still get all the great benefits attached to running. The most important thing is to start.

7 ESSENTIALS OF RUNNING

1. RUNNING SHOES; wear the right shoes or injury ensues.

2. TECHNICAL FABRIC RUNNING CLOTHES: like all sports, running as its own kit. When going for clothes to use, go for clothes that can keep you dry and comfortable

3. RUNNING SOCKS: stay away from 100% cotton. (the same goes for the clothing too). The best socks are the ones made from synthetic materials such as polyester, acrylic and cool max because they will wick away the moisture. For winter running, wool blinds such as smart wool is also a good choice.

4. WATER: as a rule of thumb, 4 to 6 ounces of fluid should be  consumed every 20 minutes. If you are running for more than 20 minutes it always good to take along a water bottle.

5. ID AND MONEY: it is good practice to tag on you some form of identification when running. This helps in cases of emergency. Also important is a contact number anybody can easily reach. Never go for a run without money. Especially long distance runs. You never can tell.

6. RUNNING WATCH: this is good for timing your runs.

7. SUN PROTECTION: runners should endeavor to use protection against the sun. Their skins being the largest organ of the body deserves some protection. Use a water proof sun screen that has an SPF of at least 15 and offer broad spectrum protection which means it protects against the UVV and UVB rays. A good pair of UV-blocking running sun glasses gives your face more protection and also helps protects your eyes from the sun's damage ray.