MARCH 2 0 2 1 T3 21In association with
Your heart-strengthening running plan(^1)
HAVE A GOAL IN MIND
Did you know that many free
online courses contain almost as good
learning materials as their paid-for
counterparts? The main reason why the
completion percentage is very low on them
is not actually because they are subpar
quality, but because they are free and have
no deadlines.
An end point gives your efforts a purpose
and keeps you on track. Want to start
running? Want to be able to run 5k without
panting three minutes into the run? Sign up
for a 5k race in two or three months’ time.
And actually pay for the race now, too.
Humans are simple creatures. We have a
lot of biases, too. One of them is called loss
aversion. And interestingly enough, loss
aversion is a stronger bias than knowing
your efforts will pay off significantly in
the future.
This means that by undertaking a
financial obligation, you are more likely
to keep at your plan than without.
Knowing that not going to the race will
lose you £50 is more of a stimulus than
knowing you will be able to run 5k
comfortably in 12 weeks.
(^2)
STICK TO THE PLAN
5k running plans are everywhere
on the internet. Even the NHS has a nine-
week Couch to 5k running plan for beginners.
And truth to be told, most of the plans online
are actually fine.
What you really need to do is to stick to
a plan. Pick one and stick it on the fridge
door. Find a race that’s close to the end
date of your plan and sign up for it. Cross
off each day on the plan as you go along so
you can see your progress.
Even better: pair up with a running
partner digitally. There will be days when
you won’t feel like running, but if you have
a partner egging you on and tracking their
times alongside you, it can make you train.
Also, train consistently and not
sporadically. If you are running three days
a week, let them be Monday, Wednesday
and Saturday, not Monday to Wednesday.
Give your body time to adjust.
21 or the Nike Joyride Flyknit, can help you
feel less sore and recover more quickly.
Compression wear (such as compression
shorts or compression tights) can improve
muscle oxygenation and also make
exercising feel like less of an effort. They
can also reduce muscle fatigue by keeping
your muscles nice and tight. In general,
choose running gear that is comfortable
and makes you comfortable being in it.
Another good way to improve is to get
a reliable fitness tracker or running watch.
They will help you have a better
understanding on how you run and, most
importantly, track your exercises so you
can see your progress. They are also great
tools to help you pace yourself better and
keep your heart rate within a healthy range.
(^4)
DON’T FORGET TO REST
Your muscles will grow, one
way or another, when you start using them.
Even doing only cardio exercises will make
you stronger, and definitely leaner.
The muscle growing process, in a
nutshell, is as follows: when you exercise,
microscopic tears will appear on your
muscles that will get repaired when you
rest (especially when you are asleep). Your
body will use protein to repair the tissues
and, in the process, they will get bigger.
This means that without adequate
amount of rest/sleep, your muscles can’t
repair and therefore instead of getting
stronger, you’ll just injure yourself
exercising. Give yourself enough time to
rest so you can maximise your efforts.
Also, always warm up before and stretch
after your runs. Things like percussion
massagers, foam rollers and resistance
bands can do wonders, even if you just
use them five minutes a day.
“In general, choose
running gear that
is comfortable
and makes you
comfortable
being in it”
(^3)
GET YOUR GEAR RIGHT
This probably goes without
saying, but having a decent pair of running
shoes and compression tights can not only
help you avoid injuries, it can also boost
your performance.
You don’t need loads of gear, though, so
don’t raid your nearest fitness apparel store.
Although running is a full-body workout,
it will work mostly your leg muscles and
put the most pressure on your joints below
your waistline. Having well-cushioned
running shoes, like the Asics Gel-Nimbus