Coopah How To: Start Your Running Journey

words by Jordan Foster, Head Coach @ Coopah, the Run Coaching App.

As much as I love running, I can also remember how hard it can be to get started.

We live in an age where there is endless amounts of advice and information at our fingertips. We can follow other runners on social media, there are countless run clubs you can join, and it may seem like everyone is out running marathons every weekend- which although can be inspiring, it can also make you feel pretty overwhelmed and that you are miles behind if you are just starting out.

But the truth is, every single runner out there was a beginner at one stage.

Every runner went for their first ever run. Every runner entered their first ever race. Basically, every runner had their own Day One. So don’t let being a beginner stop you, because if you never start, you will never know what you could achieve.

So, here are my Top Tips to help you get started on your running journey - whether you are a complete beginner, or perhaps returning after a break, all of these things will help to ensure you’re in it for the long run.

Start Slow & Steady

The best way to start your running journey… slowly. If you have never ran before, or perhaps have taken a long break due to illness/injury/postpartum recovery then here at Coopah we highly recommend starting with a walk/run approach to ease you into continuous running. By including run/walking into your training it can help to reduce the risk of injury, keep you motivated as you see your fitness gradually improve, and also subconsciously it gives you the mindset that it is totally okay to stop and walk. We have 100’s of plans on our app designed for anyone, whether you are starting running, or aiming for a PB.

Embrace the Rest Days

Once you start running it can become very easy to think you need to be running every day to see progress, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. When we start running we need to give our bodies time to recover & adapt, and that only happens when we rest. To begin with, aim to get out 3 days a week and spread it across the week to always ensure you get a rest day in between your runs. Don’t be surprised if you are a bit achey to start with, it’s completely normal and is just your bodies way of telling you that you worked hard.

Set Yourself a Goal

A lot of us start running because we have an end goal in mind - it might be to complete a 5km, or maybe even running a marathon. But whatever it is, having a goal in mind can be a great way to keep you motivated and help you to stick to your training plan. If you are new to running, your first goal could be that you want to be able to complete a 5km without stopping (which is an epic achievement) and you might decide to pick a local parkrun to do it. We will warn you though - once you start running it can get quite addictive, and even if it seems impossible now, that 5k goal might turn into a marathon sooner than you think.

Get Involved in the Community

As mentioned in the last point, parkrun can be a great way to keep you motivated and help you to stick to your training. For those that don’t know, parkrun is a completely free, volunteer led 5k event, held every Saturday morning across the country. The great thing about parkrun is that all abilities are welcome - from Olympic athletes turning up to run hard, to regular parkwalkers. It is also a great way to meet other runners, get introduced to local running clubs and find out more about races in the local area. Also, the post parkrun coffee and cake is a great reason to get up early on a Saturday.

Trust the process, and enjoy it.

Our final, and maybe most important point, is to enjoy it. Trust us, we know how hard it can be when you first start, but if you stick to those first few runs, we promise you at some point it will just click, and before you know it you will be running for longer, running faster and getting those post run endorphins every time you lace up your trainers.