Running 13.1 miles may seem like a daunting challenge especially if you’re new to running but fear not, laying down some good foundations when preparing for it can give you the confidence you need.
To begin with here are some tips to get you going
- Make sure you have a good pair of running shoes. At Four Health Osteopathy we can help advise you on the sort of shoe to look for that is appropriate for your feet.
- Make sure you warm up properly before your runs. 5mins of walking building up to a brisk walk before you start running is a good way to approach it.
- If you can, try and have a rest day between your running days. This is very important for recovery and to allow your muscles and tissues time to repair properly before the next run.
- You should be running about 3 times per week to get things started. These don’t have to be long runs, maybe about 30mins each.
- At the weekend consider doing a slightly longer run than you do during the week. Aim for about 3miles to start with and gradually build on this as you go adding around 1.5 miles every 2 weeks. On alternate weekends go back to the 3mile run.
- Plan to take about 15 weeks to prepare for a half marathon doing your longest run 2 weeks before the race.
As your body adapts to running in some cases for the first time you may find things hurt! There are lots of conditions associated with running. These include Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, shin splints and ankle and knee pain to name but a few. Don’t ignore pain! Come and speak to us at Four Health Osteopathy for advice. We can help to diagnose the issue properly and suggest ways of adapting your training.
Treatment like osteopathy and sports massage we offer at Four Health can help to reduce the chance of injury during training. With semi regular sessions we can pick up on any asymmetries or imbalances in your body and help correct them before they potentially become injuries that stop you from running. In many cases prevention is much better than cure!
