All you need to know before you start running


I’m writing this article so I can directly send the link to everyone who’s asking me how to start running. tongue

As this year’s running season is about to end, city streets in big cities across the world will be closed and overtaken by thousands of runners who are competing in races.

Over half a million people finished a marathon (a 42 km long race) in 2016 in the US, out of a total of 56 million Americans who run. In Europe, 41,708 people crossed the finish line of the Paris marathon, 39,072 finished the London marathon, and 36,054 the one in Berlin (these are stats for 2016). The eleventh edition of the Bucharest marathon (the city where I’m based) will take place this Sunday (cc: future mad car drivers).

As this sport’s popularity is on a rise, I think it’s a safe bet to make that some of you will consider starting running in 2019. When this happens, you only need to remember that I wrote this article, to come back to it big grin and get these two things right before lacing your shoes and jumping out the door for your first run:

1. You need a green light for running from a doctor – preferably from a physician specialized in sports medicine, who’s familiar with the implications and repercussions of such activities. If you’re overweight, they’ll likely advise you to drop kilos first by dieting, and consider swimming or cycling instead. Running is one of those meta-habits that have a domino effect and positively impact other areas of your life, but don’t expect to instantly shed weight because of it. (by the way, if you’re also based in Bucharest, I recommend you dr. Alin Popescu – I’ve been following his work for a decade and pay him a visit whenever I’m considering new challenges)

2. You need to go shopping for running shoes and buy yourself a pair that’s at least half a size larger than what you usually wear.

That’s it. Anything else can wait. You’ll figure it out afterwards, at the right time, if you manage to turn running into a routine. But don’t f*ckin’ play with these two, cause they’re not reversible. You might injure yourself and never run again – is that what you want? Or do you want to create a life-long healthy habit?

Now, about the second point on that list. Advising you to buy running shoes might sound like a truism, but most people confuse streetwear with sportswear – and I’ve been guilty of this as well. Just because some sneakers look sporty, it doesn’t mean they’re built for practicing sports. Nike and Adidas might have started as running shoe brands, but not everything they release on the market is made for running. Most models of AirMax, Jordans, Stan Smith or Superstars are for fashion purposes only.

So what shoes to buy exactly? I can’t tell you what. No one can. You’ll need to learn by trial and error until you figure out what’s best for you. Don’t trust what’s popular, good looking, expensive or has great marketing. And manage your expectations (and budget), cause it’s likely that your first pair of running shoes will be a miss.

Start by going to a specialty store and ask for help to buy running shoes – not shoes for walking, basketball sneakers, or whatever else is in there. Decathlon is a great place to do that, they got a wide range, good quality and great prices. RunRepeat is a good online database that I use for research, to learn more about shoes and all their specs.

Back in the summer of 2014, when I first started running, I had no idea that I should buy shoes that are slightly larger than those I wear on the streets. So, after I finished my first 10k run&walk around Izvor, a small local park, my reward was… a black toenail! Oh, fun. happy

Another lesson I had to learn the hard way: if another runner feels good in a certain brand, it doesn’t mean that it will be great for me as well. I’ve had bad experiences with some running shoes that are extremely popular among friends and professional runners, but they are too narrow for my feet. That’s why it’s important that you try them on before buying.

As I wrote before, this year I ran in Cloudsurfer and Cloudflow from ON, a Swiss brand created by a former professional athlete. Before these two pairs, I ran over a thousand kilometers in some cheap Asics that I’ve seen only one other runner with (they have holes in them, but I still take them out for a run when the weather is bad). I also have a pair of La Sportiva that I use for mountain trail competitions.

Other than running shoes, you don’t need to throw money on anything else. At least not until you’ve turned running into a constant habit. And please don’t skip the warmup and post-workout stretching sessions! (David Goggins explains the importance of stretching in this conversation with Joe Rogan – I’ll write more on the subject in a future article)

You don’t need running clothes – well, you do need them, but nothing incredibly bad will happen if you don’t have them. Your mother probably told you that cotton is the best and you should stay away from synthetic fabrics, but cotton is a no-go for running, since it retains moisture – it will keep you sweaty and smelly for longer after a training (more details here).

As a beginner, you also don’t need a watch or any other gear. Yes, it’s important that you measure and track your progress, but you can do that using a free mobile app such as Strava.

When I first thought about writing this article, I planned on keeping it short, only a couple of rows, without any further explanations. As I was writing it, I realized that you need more than conclusions. It’s important that you understand all the factors and context, so you can make the best decision for yourself and not throw money out the window or, worse, injure yourself.

Quick recap: Doctor’s approval. Running shoes. And, ideally, a purpose that will help you get through the hard times. Yes, there will be hard times, running will suck, don’t expect it to be easy. You need to embrace the pain and have a bigger goal, such as turning this into a lifelong habit that will help you stay healthy, mentally sane and live longer. For your dear ones, if not for you.

And now, a few shoelfies from back in the summer days…

If you got any questions, please use the comments form below, so that everyone else can see the replies.

VREI MAI MULT?

Completează formularul de mai jos și o să primești ceva nou de la mine din două în două vineri. Te poți dezabona oricând vrei.

PE ACEEAȘI TEMĂ

COMENTARII

8 comentarii

8 comentarii. Leave new

  • buna, ma tot gandesc sa achizitionez si eu On..poti sa imi dai un feedback..stiu ca fiecare se simte diferit si ca poate gusturile nu coincid..dar pe mine m ar ajuta..multumesc…Loredana

    Răspunde
    • Hello! Nu e vorba doar de gusturi aici, ci și de conformația piciorului, bugetul disponibil, pentru ce vrei să-i iei, pe ce distanțe alergi de obicei ș.a.m.d., din acest motiv nu-mi place să recomand nimănui încălțăminte, indiferent de cât de minunat mă simt eu cu un model happy
      Cum ziceam și mai sus, urmăresc atleți de performanță și am prietene care aleargă și se simt de minune în niște modele care sunt ft populare și lăudate, dar care mie nu-mi vin din cauză că am piciorul ft lat (Adidas Boost și Salomon Speedcross sunt primele 2 exemple care-mi vin acum în minte).
      Revenind la On Running, dacă ești din București, îți recomand să faci o vizită la magazinul ăsta și să-i probezi înainte să-i cumperi: https://stonefeet.ro/ (e aproape de stația de metrou Timpuri Noi)
      Și Trisport mai distribuie On la noi, au magazin în nordul Bucureștiului: https://www.trisport.ro/

      Răspunde
  • Marius Gabriel
    11 oct. 2018 16:32

    I was that annoying in my mails, eh?

    Anyway, if you don’t have the money at first to go to a medic, I guess you could just start slowly and see where you are. Just go at it by thinking and not pushing yourself ‘till you drop.

    My experience is that after losing some weight I tried running as long as my organs started giving signals. Then around 3-4% more until my organs (liver at first, then lungs) were ok and stopped to be on the safe side.

    Obviously, this is your risk, and shouldn’t replace a medical visit!

    Răspunde
    • Haha. I had 4 or 5 similar conversations in a short span of time, so I thought it would be easier to just write this post instead of re-writing the same advice every time happy

      Răspunde
  • Adrian Gavrila
    14 oct. 2018 17:00

    Hey Cristina,

    What about running on the streets, on concrete? I read in different articles that is not so healthy for the knees. I have no other possibility in this moment.

    Răspunde
    • Hello, Adrian!
      On the long term, it can lead to knee wear, especially for those who are overweight, who overtrain (exaggerate with the training time, running distance, or both), don’t include other exercises that can help them strengthen their muscles. A bad running form can also amplify the problem. Nutritional deficiencies might play a small part as well.
      On the other hand, it depends on what you’re comparing to. Compared to doing no physical activity at all? I’d say go for running on concrete and keep in mind all those factors I mentioned before, so that you don’t injure yourself happy And try to run on dirt trails whenever you have the chance (if you’re living in Bucharest, Herăstrău has many right next to the alley around the lake, and pădurea Băneasa is another option).
      If you don’t want to poke the bear, swimming or cycling will protect your joints – these are the safest.

      Răspunde
  • Adrian Gavrila
    21 oct. 2018 14:59

    Hey Cristina,

    Thank you for explanation and advice. I live in Timisoara and I run at 5 am in the morning just after wake-up. I don’t want to lose time traveling to running trails so I run on the bicycle trails happy

    Răspunde
  • […] 2019), Garmin (2020), InsideTracker și HRV4Training (astea sunt recente), MyFitnessPal (din 2015), Strava (2018). Posibil să am nevoie de extra input aici, dar revin la momentul potrivit. ​ Cărți de […]

    Răspunde

Dă-i un răspuns lui pyuric Anulează răspunsul

Adresa ta de email nu va fi publicată. Câmpurile obligatorii sunt marcate cu *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Te rog să introduci o adresă de email validă.
You need to agree with the terms to proceed