Learn To Love Running: Too Much, Too Soon, Too Fast
October 30th, 2011 § 1 Comment
Earlier this year I taught a running clinic at my workplace. I titled the clinic ‘Learn To Love Running’. I am passionate about running. I decided to post some of the materials I put together for the clinic here on my blog. This was from one of the sessions.
One of the hardest things for a runner to learn is patience.
After all, we’re an unusual breed anyway. The idea that we’d relish in the discomfort that comes from a good hard run, that we’ll willingly get up before dawn on a weekend to get in a long run or that our ultimate goal is often to run a distance that most people would only drive in a car, should say something about our temperament. As runners, we need to develop patience if we are going to enjoy and be successful at this obsession.
Too Much – Beginning runners often lace up their shoes for the first time and head out the door with grandiose ideas of running 5K or five miles or even more. But usually while they are still in sight of their home, they will realize that running might just be harder than they first realized. Beginning runners need to take it slow and easy. Try walking a mile before you try running it. In fact, you should probably work up to just being able to walk for 20 minutes three or four times a week for a month or so before you even try your first jog.
Too Soon – Other common mistakes runners make is is increasing their mileage too soon as well as getting back to running too quickly after an injury or illness. The rule of thumb is you shouldn’t increase your weekly mileage by more than about 10% per week. So if you run two miles five days a week for a total of 10 miles. You should only increase your mileage to about 11 miles the next week.
It’s also important to give your body adequate time to recover after injury, illness or a hard workout. If you don’t, you risk being out even longer. When I am nursing an injury I am usually climbing the walls till I can get back out there running. But I have learned the hard way that getting back to running too soon after an injury can prolong the injury. Rest is just as important for you as exercise in getting stronger.
Too Fast – Many beginning runners head out without any idea what an appropriate training pace is. They think that have to crack a four minute mile and end up miserable with their lungs bursting and their legs screaming. Then they wonder what people see in running. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running at a regular training pace. There are times for a faster pace such as speed work or interval training but most of your mileage should be at a conversational pace.
One of the things that comes with experience as a runner is patience. If you work hard to develop it, your running will improve and it will definitely be more enjoyable.
[...] When I teach running to people either one on one, or when I have taught a clinic, one of the things I tell people is that the hardest thing for runners to learn is patience. In fact, I have a post on that very topic from a running clinic I taught here. [...]