Robert - The Ultimate Beginners Running Guide: The Key To Running Inspired

2012 by Ryan Robert. All rights reserved. Published by Ryan Robert.

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Introduction: Why Run?

What we call the beginning is often the end.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from.

T.S. Eliot

Whatever the reasons are that we begin thinking about running, it begins, as Eliot reminds us, with an ending. We are ready to end some part of our lives that we dont like, and replace it with something healthy and gratifying.

To begin running is to truly begin building self confidence, to enjoy being outdoors with friends and fellow runners, or to be by ourselves for reflection and solitude.

There are many health-related reasons to run, which will be covered later in this introduction to reinforce the decision to begin running. But as runners just starting out, our first rationale should be very personal and specific. We may start exercising and running with a fairly superficial rationale: I want to be able to fit into my wedding dress; the doctor said I need to start doing something good for myself; I want to shed those holiday pounds. Although these are great seeds of motivation, there will be times when we need more than simply, I want to look better for my partner, or Well, the doctor says I should, so I guess I will.

You will find that if you run consistently, all of the issues of weight, appearance, self-esteem, and physical and mental health come together in overall fitness. In the final analysis we will continue running, training, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle only by being gracefully selfish and doing what is good for our overall health, mind and body, and not for a specific event or someone else.

This book and the running schedules enclosed are aimed at helping beginner runners get started no matter their level of fitness, weight, age, or location. One of the most wonderful things about running is that it can be embraced by virtually anyone, anywhere in the world. Basic questions will be answered about preparing to run, footwear and gear, raising your level of fitness and intensity once youve begun, nutrition and weight loss, and common injuries.

Because the mental aspect of running is such an enormous part of the sport, at the end of each chapter is a short visualization exercise. Visualization has been proven to stimulate the same areas of the brain as the actual exercise, but more importantly it helps us to overcome the initial problems of procrastination and lack of motivation. For example, NBA players spend hours visualizing exactly how they will shoot a free throwstepping up to the line, one, two, three dribbles of the ball, elbow forward, eyes focused can you see it in your minds eye?

Using the same techniques, we envision ourselves lacing up our running shoes, stepping out the door and breathing in the fresh air; then walking briskly toward the starting point of our run. We feel good, with shoulders and upper body loose, and legs feeling strong and agile.

Another reason for the visualizations is to help us to remember how much weve accomplished as we continue to run, and how much has changed in our lives since weve started running. Running is essentially an extremely (wonderful) vicious cyclethe more we run the better runners we become; the better runners we become the more pride we take in ourselves, our nutrition and lifestyle; the more pride we have in ourselves the more we enjoy running and so become more motivated to run After a few weeks or months it is very easy to take this progress for granted; we use visualization to remember how far weve come and how far we have to go.

This cycle of feeling good because you feel good actually has a very sound basis in the bodys biochemical reaction to exercise and specifically to runningwe can actually train our bodies to produce the chemicals to make us healthier and happier!

Perhaps you, too, have marveled at the fanatics who run in all kinds of weather and treat their training as if it were a religion. These runners dont necessarily possess special dedication pills, rare ambition genes, and are not particularly self-disciplined; but have found that running enacts the cycle of pleasure and gratification; offering the unique set of internal and external rewards that only running can provide.

As beginner runners we can become so caught up in the details of the sport and getting ready to exercise that we forget that all we really need are a pair of sneakers and some open ground to run across. The term running as a sport is used very looselyrunning is also a hobby, a way to meditate, or a simple way to achieve goals without videos, programs, or expensive gym memberships. There are three major things to remember, which will be repeated throughout this book: Use a running journal, either online or a paper copy; find a good running club or running mentor, either online or in person; and keep your running and training as simple as possible.

The pointers and information included in this book are intended as useful tools to help get rid of the BUT phenomenon of starting out: But how far should I run? But am I too old/fat/short/skinny to start running? But dont I need a special watch/shoes/shirt/bra? Our mind can become an incredible mechanism of procrastination. Hopefully this book will help to dismiss these niggling questions and inspire you to get out there and get running.

You can start right away by choosing the right running schedule for you in Chapter 5Training Schedule for Active Beginners, Training Schedule for Non-Exercisers, Training Schedule for Weight Loss, or Training Schedule for People 50 and Olderand begin running immediately, as long as you feel confident enough to do so.

If you have particular health issues or concerns such as asthma or arthritis, please check with your doctor before beginning.

Something that will be mentioned frequently throughout this book that is not a necessity but can play a very positive role as you begin to run and train: a running journal. It doesnt have to be fancy; simply a notebook where you can record how long you ran, the distance, (which can be as basic as to the mailbox and back) and other considerations you feel are important. Again, a running journal isnt a necessity, but it is one more psychological tool we can use to help build our confidence and determination.