10 Dos and Don'ts
Beginners' commandments - in a nutshell
- DON’T begin a running programme until you’ve had a full medical check-up if you’re over 40, significantly overweight, have been seriously ill in the past year or have a family history of heart disease.
- DO tell someone where you’ll be running and when you expect to return. Carry some identification and 10p for a phone call.
- DO watch out for cars, and don’t expect drivers to watch out for you. Always run facing traffic so that you can see cars approaching. When crossing a junction, make sure you establish eye contact with the driver before proceeding.
- DO try some light stretching exercises before and after your walk/run sessions, to reduce muscle tightness and increase your range of motion.
- DO include a training partner in your programme if possible. A partner with similar abilities and goals can add motivation and increase the safety of your running.
- DO dress correctly. If it’s dark, wear white or, better yet, reflective clothing. If it’s cold, wear layers of clothing, gloves or mittens and a woollen ski hat to retain heat. Sunblock, sunglasses, a cap and white clothing make sense on hot days.
- DON’T run in worn-out shoes, or in shoes that are designed for other sports.
- DON’T attempt to train through an athletic injury. Little aches and pains can sideline you for weeks or months if you don’t take time off and seek medical advice.
- DON’T wear headphones when running outdoors. They tune you out from your surroundings, making you more vulnerable to all sorts of hazards including cars, bikes, dogs and criminals.
- DON’T run in remote areas, especially if you’re running alone. If you don’t have a training partner, run with a dog or carry a personal attack alarm. Don’t approach a car to give directions, and don’t assume that all runners are harmless.
Discuss this article
If it is an early morning run, something short, like 35-40 mins, then I don't eat anything, and that which I drink is just to freshen me up. I concentrate on eating a decent breakfast and rehydrating when I get back.
If it is any other time of the day, then I try to leave about 3 hours since eating a proper meal, but will usually make sure I am hydrated well also.
I only drink on the run if it is an hour plus. I only think about eating if it is more than 2/2.5 hours on the go, and then that is usually an energy gel or something like that, although, to be honest, I rarely run for such a long time, so my experience is limited.
Posted: 17/12/2002 at 09:44
10 Do's and Dont's. Beginners' commandments - in a nutshell "9. DON’T wear headphones when running outdoors. They tune you out from your surroundings, making you more vulnerable to all sorts of hazards including cars, bikes, dogs and criminals." This in my opinion is utter rubbish; in fact the opportunity to run with music is one of the reasons that these last five years, since I started running have been so enjoyable. Those who exercise to music use 70% les oxygen than usual, if you have a real passion for music and pick the right tunes to run to, it will improve your efficiency. Also don’t feel that you need to keep the tempo over 120 beats per min, in a simple 4:4 pattern, to take advantage of this, but vary your playlist and experiment with down beats in unusual time signatures or indeed simple ambient music with no percussion at all. I've had just as sublime experiences with music running then I have going to live gigs, even if this has meant braving those "hazards" of cars, bikes, dogs and criminals (what???).
Posted: 07/02/2009 at 22:36
I eat a bowl of 3 weetabix for breakfast, followed by some form of fruit, usually just an apple but a banana or pear do the job equally, then drink a fair amount of water in a short time, then sip water for about an hour afterwards, giving me time to pop to the bog. By this point im usually good to start my run, but on some mornings stiches just pop up anyway. If you find yourself getting one, slow your pace, relax your arms, and DON'T rub the area. A stitch is muscle contraction, inhale very deeply then exhale very hard to stretch the diaphram and surrounding muscles, and ease the stitch. It will probably be gone in half a mile.
Posted: 07/12/2009 at 21:02
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