The impact of running is two-fold: It is beneficial to your well-being, and can be an exciting activity.
When you are motivated, you cannot wait to start running. However, such motivation can push you to overdo your daily runs. Hence, while running is beneficial, it can also be harmful. It is why you are advised to strike a balance between the two. For this reason, every beginner tends to ask how much of the running is enough?
As a beginner, the first rule of the game is to start small. No matter how motivated you are, keep your limits. At this stage, it is never about how much you can cover and at what speed, but just about how much strain your body can take in. If you push yourself hard, you will likely pick any of the injuries associated with running.
As a beginner, on the first day of running, try to do about one to three miles. This first day's intention is not to get fit or test how far you can run but evaluate how your body responds to running. Therefore, just run at your comfort, making the pace as easy as possible and stopping as soon as you feel tired. Do not push yourself too hard. To make it easier, try to alternate the jogging and walking minutes. Try walking for two minutes, then jog for about four minutes. You can increase jogging time to six minutes as you reduce the walking time. Do this for about 30 minutes.
How Far Should a Beginner Run?
A beginner should run twice or thrice a week. Do 2- 4 miles per run. Don't run on consecutive days because such an action will deny your joints and muscles enough time to recover between those runs. Remember to do just 20-30minutes of accumulative running time for your daily workout and stick to an easy and light pace.
The first month of running should be all about accustoming yourself to running, so avoid overreaching. However, if you are an athletic being, played sports, or have been active recently, then you are allowed to be a little bit aggressive during your first run but don't get too exhausted.
If you are running on a treadmill for the first time, you should do about 15 minutes every day, for three days a week. Start with a 5 minutes warm-up. After the first week, gradually increase the running time to 30 minutes every four days of the week for the rest of the month. Also, stick to moderate exercising. Remember to wear the right shoes when running on a treadmill to avoid injuries or accidents.
How to Increase Running Distance
As above-mentioned, as a first runner, follow the 30 minutes principle, and increase the running distance to 2-3 miles a week. After your body is accustomed to running, you can increase the runs by 10 minutes to 40 minutes. Furthermore, you are advised to improve your running time by the final week of the first run. However, if attempting this strategy is straining, then back off and hang on to the initial 30 minutes run until you gain body fitness.
When to Retreat
Whether you are a newbie or not, expect to feel some discomfort when pushing for longer miles. However, learn to differentiate between discomfort and pain in the muscles or joints. Stop and walk whenever you sense pain. Stretch until the pain reduces. If the pain does not subside, halt your run to avoid worsening the injury. Most importantly, seek medical attention to ascertain the underlying cause of the injury.
