Do you want to start running?

Running is a simple, low-threshold way of moving that almost anyone can do and takes relatively little time. Moreover, it saves you an expensive subscription to the gym. It can be more difficult for one person to start than another, but once you've found the time and motivation, everyone can start.

Before you start running, it is important to buy good running shoes. Running shoes are not cheap, but are worth the investment because they are comfortable and reduce the risk of injury.

Make a planning

Once the shoes have been bought, you can shift your attention to the actual running. Write in your diary on which days of the week and at which time of the day you are going to run. Research indicates that people who record their sporting moments as an appointment in their diary make it easier to keep up with sport in the long term and therefore make sport a habit more quickly.

Make a training schedule

When you start running, the use of a good training schedule and the right running technique is very important. It is a guideline for your training and gives insight and structure if you want to build up the number of kilometers or pace. Training schedules can be made by a coach or running trainer. There are also running apps available with which you can download for free training schedules for both beginners and experienced runners. Of course, we already give you two example schedules so that you can get started.

Running in a group is always stimulating. It is difficult to cancel a training session if you know that there is a group of runners waiting for you. So try to find a running group with which you can finish the training.

You can also stimulate each other to adopt the right running technique.

Tip: Let yourself be filmed while running, analyze it together with a coach or running buddy and you will learn a lot from it.

Three most important motor characteristics are:

Endurance

Endurance includes the ability of the lungs and heart to provide the body with energy for a longer period of time. This characteristic is strongly developed when you start running. Good stamina is necessary to keep running going, to keep control of the movements and to maintain concentration.

Muscle condition

The ability of your muscles to provide strength is the basis for running. In running, muscle condition is particularly important. You achieve this by doing strength exercises with more than 15 repetitions, low weight and short moments of rest. For more information, go to the in-depth section on building up your strength schedule. To be able to run with the right posture, abdominal muscle exercises, back muscle exercises and trunk stability exercises are important to include in your schedule.

Coordination

Coordination is actually the basis of every sport and is important in order to be able to sport injury-free, also in running. In order for movements to run smoothly, you need to activate the muscles at the right moment. Coordination often goes hand in hand with motor skills and has been taught since childhood. Coordination exercises take relatively little time and can have a relatively large impact on improving your running performance.

Rest between running sessions

It is important to build in peace and quiet between your training sessions; a good work-life balance is essential. Plan at least one day's rest after training. Your body needs time to recover, this will also help you. So bear in mind that you also need rest, rest is also training.

If it doesn't work out for once, don't despair. It's no problem at all if it doesn't work out for once or if you don't feel like it. Listen carefully to your body when you are tired or suffer from something and adjust the schedule accordingly if necessary. It's better to skip a training session for once, rather than doing too much because it's on the schedule.

Start today, it's healthy, fun and gives you energy!

Author: Tom Lumens, TopSupport St.Anna hospital Sports coach