Fit Mama's Beginner Running Tips

If you've read any of my blogs, you know how much I love running.  I really like many forms of fitness, but running is something that I desperately look forward to.  It is more than just exercise to me, it is a great de-stresser.  It is one of the only moments of the day I can just zone out, listen to my tunes, and think about things.  I get a chance to organize things in my brain.  I have had many epiphanies while running.  I am pretty caught up with babies all day, overwhelmed, running around and I would say that I can be pretty scatterbrained at times.  But, while I'm running my mind is as clear as can be.  If you are a runner, you know what I'm talking about.  I know some people that HATE running, so I've seen all kinds.  It's not for everyone. 

But if you're on the fence and thinking about taking up the sport, I have a couple tips I've learned that will help you get started! 


 1.  Figure out your goals.  Is your goal to lose weight?  Is it to finish a 5k?  Half marathon?  Full marathon?  Lose inches?  Feel healthier?  Write them down on paper and give yourself a timeline to complete these goals. 

• My goal was to lose 40 pounds and complete a half marathon in 4 months.  I did both those things and I even lost 5-7 more pounds within the next couple months.

2.  Get a training schedule.  Once you have your goals, print a training schedule online for a 5k or half-marathon, whichever race you would like to complete as your goal.  Here is a sample novice training 5k schedule from HalHigdon.com:

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	1.5 m run	30-60 min walk
2	Rest or run/walk	1.75 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	1.75 m run	35-60 min walk
3	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	2 m run	40-60 min walk
4	Rest or run/walk	2.25 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	2.25 m run	45-60 min walk
5	Rest or run/walk	2.5 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	2.5 m run	50-60 min walk
6	Rest or run/walk	2.75 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	2.75 m run	55-60 min walk
7	Rest or run/walk	3 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	3 m run	60 min walk
8	Rest or run/walk	3 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	Rest	5-K Race

This basically gives you 8 weeks to train.  Want to do a half-marathon?  Give yourself 16 weeks.  You can print a half-marathon training schedule online here.

3.  Sign up for a race.  This doesn't seem like it should one of my first tips, but it is for a reason.  When I started running again a little over a year ago, this was one of the first things I did.  Once I was signed up, there was no going back.  I had to train. If you start training and tell yourself that you have time to sign up, then it is much easier to fall off the bandwagon and stop running if you don't have to. 

• With Spring coming, it is the start of running season and a great time to start training for a 5k.  There are tons of local 5k's March-June. 

Me and my girl Sara at my first 5k, the Sweetheart Run, February 2011.

4.  Plan your day around running.  If you're a busy mama like me, running takes a lot of planning. 

• When I'm training for a race, I write out each day's mileage and what time of day I am going to be running.  This depends a lot on my husband's work schedule and the kids' daily activities.  
• Make it an appointment and do not miss your appointment!  Trust me, you will just feel guilty all day (if you're like me). 

5.  Run outside.  Running on the treadmill is definitely an option when the weather is less than ideal but I highly recommend getting outside if at all possible.  There is just something different about running in the fresh air, even if it's 30 degrees outside.  Plus, you don't know what the weather is going to be like the day of your race so it's best to run in all conditions as part of your training.

Here I am after my first half-marathon.  It was 40 degrees, heavy rain & wind, and even hailed for a little bit.  They did not cancel the race and I didn't train for 4 months for nothing!  I was soaked to the bone but so glad that I had done it.  I had also trained in 20 degree weather, so 40-50 degrees was no big deal for me!

 This is a pic when I made it to Riverside the first time, which was 8 miles round trip from my house.  A very big deal.

 Beautiful outdoor scenery from one of my training runs.

6.  Learn the importance of stretching before and after your run.  I learned this one the hard way.  I saw stretching as a burden and time consuming.  I am young right?  I don't need to stretch!  Ha!  I was sorely mistaken...  (no pun intended).  Three weeks before my first half-marathon I pulled a muscle in my right leg after my 12 mile training run.  I literally could not walk for 2 days and I had to rest (no running at all) for a whole week.  This was a major setback for me since I had been on schedule up until then. 

After the week was up, I got back out there slowly and felt like I was starting over.  I did end up making a full recovery just before my race but I still think it put a damper on my overall finish time.


7.  Don't try to be a speed demon right off the bat.  When I started I was punching out a 14 minute mile...I'm pretty sure most people could walk faster than that.  But, I didn't care.  I was running.  Running slowly, albeit, but running.  Now I average 10.30 minute mile and I am pretty satisfied with that.  Find a pace that works for you and work up to a faster speed over time.

8.  Have the right gear/apparel.  See my blog post, Fit Mama Runs for all of my advice beginner running apparel & gear must-haves. 

9.  Join a running club or find a friend to train with.  It helps if you have someone to keep you accountable. 

• There are a couple local running clubs in Tulsa, Tulsa Runner and Fleet Feet.  They have several training programs and different times each day to choose from.  These didn't work for me because of the available times and my kids' and husband's schedule conflicted.  But, I recommend them if you can make it work.
• Find a friend that is willing to train with you.  It is much easier to get up at 6 am if you know you have someone meeting you. 
• My friend Sara started me on a great half-marathon training schedule and we were pumping it out 4 days a week for about 4 weeks when she found out she was pregnant (yay!) so I ended up finishing the training by myself.  But once I got started, it was impossible to stop. 

10.  Cross-train in addition to running if you're training for a race.  Choose 1 day a week as a cross-training day.  Bike, swim, do yoga, Pilates, strength training, or circuit training.  The stronger you are, the more stamina you have to go the long haul and I truly believe this even helps with your running speed. 

I sure hope this helps some of you thinking about taking up running.  I am sure I will think of more things, but this should be a good starting point.  Thanks for reading!!