Starting slow, working in other forms of exercise and joining a group can help running newcomers get started, says Matt Lonergan, a Northeastern track coach.
The April 21 Boston Marathon is fast approaching — and with it may emerge your desire to follow in the marathoners’ footsteps.
Or maybe you see people jogging or training as the winter weather gives way to spring and you find yourself wondering (a bit enviously) if the running lifestyle could be right for you.
Which leaves you with one question: How to get started?
Embarking on the initial strides may be the most difficult barrier for would-be runners. But Matt Lonergan, a running coach at Northeastern University, has some easy-to-follow advice and guidelines to get you up and going — whether you’re a newcomer to running or a former athlete who would like to return to the sport.
Stick with your training through the early days, says Lonergan, and you’ll learn to experience the release of hormonal endorphins that contribute to the “runner’s high.”
“Once you’ve finished your run, you’re going to feel good and it’s going to stimulate the rest of your day,” says Lonergan, an associate head coach of cross country and assistant coach of track and field at Northeastern.
“It’s something you can do wherever you are without need for facilities or a financial requirement — you just put your shoes on and go out the door,” Lonergan adds. “Some people need to get their running in because that’s what makes their day complete. That’s the lifestyle that starts to take shape.”
Here are Lonergan’s tips for running newcomers:
Think of your first attempts at running as the beginning of a long-term investment.
“Maybe you start out doing something a couple days a week,” Lonergan says. “You may want to start with a walk or a jog. Maybe you walk a minute, jog a minute, walk a minute, jog a minute — do that for 20 minutes.
“And then you just build from there,” he says. “Maybe you’re walking two minutes, jogging two minutes, walking a minute, jogging two minutes, walking a minute.”
There are protocols online that can help new runners establish a rhythm that will enable their training to progress.
“Eventually, you get to the point where you’re out there running for 20 minutes straight,” Lonergan says.
Not everyone can raise their fitness level by running solely (pun alert), especially if you’re brand new. That’s why Lonergan suggests incorporating one or more days of biking, swimming, elliptical training or other forms of exercise to increase your aerobic capacity.
Those other forms of training can help reduce the physical pounding associated with running.
“It’s often the impact on the road that breaks people down, especially if you’re not ready for it,” Lonergan says. “Doing some of these other things can help you build general fitness to mix in with the actual running that you are doing.
“Maybe you do a walk/jog every other day, and then the days in between you’re on the bike or you’re swimming or you’re doing something else,” Lonergan says. “And then you can push it to two days of running or walking/jogging followed by one day of cross-training.”
The key is to develop a consistent approach without overdoing it.
“It’s important to be progressive with what you do,” Lonergan says. “You should build up to doing something five days a week for sure. Again, there are many ways to do it based on what you’re trying to accomplish.”
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Will you stick with it in the early days? That’s another question you’ll be answering.
“Running does not feel good when you first start,” Lonergan acknowledges. “If you do it enough, that’s when it starts to feel good. And if you’ve done it before, you’ll know that eventually it’s going to feel good once you’ve put a few weeks into it.”
That’s why rest days will be crucial, especially in the early stages of training.
“Give yourself some time,” says Lonergan, who formerly coached his wife, the two-time U.S. Runner of the Year Marla Runyan, a distance runner who became the first legally blind athlete to compete in an Olympics when she finished eighth in the 1,500 meters at the 2000 Sydney Games. “There’s going to be a transition period with a lot to learn and adapt to — especially if you’re brand new.”
Running with others will help you find your way in the sport, Lonergan says.
“Find a group of people that you can take that journey with,” he says. “Your local running shoe store often will have a group that meets weekly or bi-weekly.
“Running can be a solitary endeavor. If you start doing it completely alone, is that going to be sustainable? People can get turned off from running because there’s no connection with anyone else, it’s lonely, the weather is bad and you find you just don’t want to do it. But if you’re with a group there’s a bit of an expectation and accountability that goes along with that.”
A group can help you learn constructive ways to improve and grow as a runner.
“If you have some guidance you’ll be less likely to be taking on too much too soon. The best way to learn is to have a group around you with a mix of different abilities. That way you can learn from all of the different levels,” he adds.
It’s not just running newcomers who must respect the internal warning signals.
“Even with the veteran runners, it’s important that they listen to what the body’s telling them and modify their training as needed,” Lonergan says.
There will be times when you need to run even if you don’t feel like running. But those “blah days” are not to be confused with times of pain.
“As a new runner you have to evaluate how the body’s feeling and make the right decisions,” Lonergan says. “If your shin is bothering you or your hip is bothering you, then maybe running isn’t the best thing for today. For the sake of sustainability and staying healthy, maybe it’s best to get on the bike or do something different — or just get some rest and give the body more time to recover.
“It’s really important for new runners to differentiate between being sore vs. having pain. That’s why it helps to be in touch with a group of athletes who have experience, or a coach who can help you decide whether you’re fine or you should take a day to rest.”
The running lifestyle may introduce you to other approaches to better health.
“As you learn about the sport you’ll also be learning about the shoes, about hydration and things like caloric intake,” Lonergan says. “All of those things are going to increase your success as a runner.”
“I don’t like to be negative,” says Lonergan. “But the marathon is a hard thing. My initial advice would be to, you know, to start, to start with a shorter distance and work up to it.”
Public road races of five kilometers or less are held routinely.
“Jumping directly into the marathon is asking a lot of oneself,” Lonergan says. “Maybe they survive that marathon and then they don’t do anything else for the rest of the year — or maybe never run again. It’s a better option to choose a 5k or 10k because you can do it more often and sustain it and build a lifestyle around it.”