Beginner Runner

This is the last day of the quick-start beginner runner series, the day you take the diagnostic test, which will provide the evaluation which will give you the needed information to implement what you've learned.

You've been learning about what to do for nine days. Think of this as graduation day, the day you get the last, but most critical, piece of the puzzle. Today, you find out exactly what you should do, and I mean you, personally, what you should do on Day 1 of your running journey. Today, is your diagnostic run.

In this podcast, I explain what to do to find out how far you should run during each running segment of your walk to run mile, which is the distance you should start with.

I also explain how to progress from there, the three variables, and the details regarding the decisions you'll be making in deciding what to change and when.

I'm excited for you because this is, of all the running secrets I've imparted, perhaps the most crucial one, because if you try to start your running training with too much running, you'll likely never succeed.

Mojo for Running is my other podcast for intermediate runners.

I've heard the phrase, 'turtle power,' for years, always from slower runners, usually in an upbeat, positive way, an "I'm fine with that" way, but sometimes they utter he words apologetically, and that makes me sad, because running, your running, everyone's running should be what they want it to be and what is right for that person.

Often, these are beginner runners, but not always. It is my hope that after listening to this episode, no one listening will ever feel bad, in any way, about being a slower runner.

What is slow, anyway? It's all relative, isn't it? When an Olympian runs a 6-minute-miles, it's an off day. Most runners will never see that faster side of 9 minutes, and some will always run 12-minute miles, and I sure hope those people don't apologize for that because there is no reason. To me, that's like apologizing because you have brown hair.

If anyone ever makes you feel like your pace is too slow, then that person is just being unkind and isn't worth worrying about. In fact, they probably feel inferior in some other way. You have as much right to go your own pace and be happy with it as any other runner has a race to go the pace that is comforrable for them.

After all, running is an individual sport. One of the nost enjoyable elements of running is that anyone can do it; you don't need to be a gifted athlete, but I sure hope you do realize that anyone at any pace is an athlete.

Turtle Power is a mantra of slower runners everywhere, and so it should be. I hope it's empowers slower runners. If you're a slower runner, and since you're a beginner, you probaby are, own it; don't apologize for it. Feel the power.

Mojo for Running

Weight loss – or management – plays a role in the life of virtually every runner. Either they start running to lose weight or they've already lost weight, and they want to become a runner to help them maintain that weight loss. Too, some runners run because they're worried that their weight will gradually creep up if they don't get lots of exercise to offset the calories of the food they consume.

Even the most fit-looking, slender runners will often say that maintaining a desirable weight is one of the key reasons why they run.

Bottom line, many runners are running to lose weight.

It works. Running can, without a doubt, facilitate these goals, but for some, it doesn't work. It's not a given that you'll lose weight by starting to run. Rather, it's a great part of a weight loss strategy. Some people become runners and never lose weight, or even gain weight. I've seen it enough times that, now, I can explain why that happens and how to avoid it.

I've got some guidelines for nutrition as well. I want you to succeed in reaching your weight loss goals, and I'm sure this information will help you do that.

Mojo for Running

Michael Pollan

The Gut Balance Revolution

Eat the Yolks

Grain Brain by Dr David Perlmutter

Real Food Liz (Liz Wolfe) author of Eat the Yolks

Your Personal Paleo Code by Chris Kresser

The Whole30

Walk to Run to 5k Program

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When beginner runners don't succeed, it's usually the result of one of two problems:

1. They get injured and conclude their bodies can't handle it.
2. They don't enjoy running; they dread the workouts.

When you start running the way I've set out in this series, there is no doubt but that you'll feel good during and after the workouts, mentally and physically. That's a given, but I'm sure you're wanting to know what you can do to run healthy and prevent running injuries. That is the topic of this episode.

If you've gotten to this point, you've heard me say, repeatedly, that you must progress at a gradual pace and that you should listen to your body and be okay with doing the same workout for a week or so, until it's no longer challenging.

Of course, I have many more points to make about the path to avoiding running injuries.

Mojo for Running is the companion podcast to Beginner Runner Village. It's for runners at the next level, but the information will still be helpful for beginners.

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Many beginner runners don't warm-up because they think the only reason to warm-up is to prepare to run fast; they know they don't run fast, so they skip the warm-up. That is a big mistake, but I absolutely understand how a beginner runner might arrive at the conclusion that, for them, a warm-up is unnecessary. You must realize that it's all relative. For you, walking is the appropriate warm-up.

The fact is that warming up is even more critical for the beginner runner than it is for an advanced runner. I'll explain that and how to do an appropriate beginner runner warm-up in this podcast.

Then, we'll talk about walking paces. By that I mean paces for the three different occasions when a beginner runner walks as part of a weekly schedule. Those three are the speed for walking when walking is the whole workout on your easier, non walk/run days, walking as part of a warm-up before the walk run interval, and last, the pace for walking between running intervals. This question came up several times in my online coaching group; so, I know it's one that occurs to most people executing a walk to run program.

Mojo for Running is my other podcast for intermediate runners.

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The single most common beginner runner complaint I hear is that they can't breathe. Often new runners say they struggle to breathe because they feel like they're breathing through a straw; they say they just can't get enough air, and that's a miserable sensation, right?

If you've ever been in that situation, you will find answers in this episode. That may be the number 1 problem that you know you must overcome to be a success, to be able to build endurance and, one day, run for miles, in comfort. It just makes sense, that if you can't breathe, you can't run very far, and you can't be comfortable for even a few minutes. So, this is a problem we must fix and do it the right away.

For a more extensive discussion of this topic, please check out this earlier podcast episode:

BRV 008: How to Breathe When You Run

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It's not unusual for coaches of beginner runners to disregard form in lieu of total emphasis on building endurance. I believe the opposite is the far better, more effective route,

Why learn to run with bad form? Why? It makes no sense. The easiest time to focus on form is when you're only running a few steps at a time. Plus, the better the running form, the less the likelihood of injury – and the better the form, the more comfortable the runner will be, and the more coordinated the new runner will feel, and that is hugely important.

In this podcast I take you from head to toe, quickly going over all the elements of running form.

If you'd like a deeper, quite thorough look into running form, I've got that for you, too. I've actually done four episodes:

BRV 009: Running Form Explained, Part 1

BRV 010: Running Form, Part 2

BRV 011: Running Form, Part 3, Foot Strike

BRV 012: Running Form, Part 4, Runner-Watching

Mojo for Running is my other podcast for intermediate runners.

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You need a plan, a running plan.

You wouldn't set out on a road trip without a map because the chances of arriving at your destination, assuming you hadn't been there before, would be zero. There are far too many possibilities and far too many possible directions.

Well, starting running is somewhat like that. While most people think it's as easy as running as far as you can, then stopping to walk, then repeating, as I've already explained, this method will almost never get you to your desired destination. In fact, more often than not, it ends in a dead end to what might have been a prolific and immensely satisfying running career.

Enter the map – or in this case – the plan. By plan, I actually mean a day by day running schedule. This changes everything, and the happy part is that you don't need to hire a coach to get a schedule that's tailored to exactly your goals and your body. I'll explain, in this episode, how to layout a beginner running schedule customized to your body.

Listen in to learn the running principles that are the backbone of every running schedule.

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Mojo for Running

Every runner of every level needs a constant stream of motivation, but if you're thinking that's harder for beginner runners, you would be right.

The fact is that once you establish the habit of running, which experts say takes 28 days, then the habit takes over, and you only occasionally need more of a boost than that.

Beginners haven't yet established the habit, and that means you need extra help. In this episode, I provide seven techniquest to keep you motivated to get out the door.

Truth is, the longer you run, the more ingrained that habit becomes, and most of the time it's harder not to run. Honestly, it's like brushing your teeth 'most' days. That's the good news; that's the great news, but you'll need some extra help in the first few weeks, and that's the goal of this podcast, to provide tips for staying motivated.

For a more extensive discussion of motivation, here is a longer podcast I did a while back.

BRV 029: The Motivation of Wanting More

Mojo for Running Podcast 76: Encouraging Words for Runners

Mojo for Running Podcast 117: Accountability Hacks

Mojo for Running Podcast 139: The Mental Side of Running

Mojo for Running

Weight loss is the number one reason that people start running, and number 2 is not even close. In our world, people just don't move enough, anymore, and that creates a problem. We need to move a lot to burn enough calories. Many people want to run to lose weight, and many run because they don't ever want to have weight to lose.

It's safe to say that 80 percent of beginner runners are overweight, some with just a few pounds to lose, but many with many more.

In this episode, I explain how to utilize running to help you succeed in your weight loss journey.

Of course, diet is huge. I don't mean dieting, per se, not being 'on' a diet, but eating a healthy, reasonable diet, day in and day out, but sometimes that's not enough. Even if you lose the weight, without a lifestyle change, a change to a much more active life, you won't keep it off. That won't happen if you're running. Running has the potential to make a massive difference in your body and that means a difference in your life.

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The post Become a Runner Class Day 8: Running to Lose Weight – BRV 043 appeared first on Mojo for Running.