• Start slow, the first 5-10 minutes of your run should be really light.
• Run from your core; imagine a belt around your middle pulling you forward rather than leaving it all up to your legs.
• Don't stare at your feet, keep focused ahead 10-20 feet.
• Use your whole foot- land on the middle of your foot and roll off your toe.  If you land on your toes, your calves will get tight and you are at risk for shin splints. Landing on your heels means you have overstrided and you're braking, which wastes energy and may cause injury.
• Get into a rhythym.  Breathe in for 2-3 steps and out for 2-3 steps.  Your breath should come in your nose and out your mouth. 
• Don't bounce!  Keep your feet close to the ground.  We're running, not jumping.
• Stand tall with proper posture; relax your shoulders, hands and neck.
• Your arms should move from the shoulders (not the elbows) and come straight forward and back, not crossed over in front of you or out to the sides. 
• Breathe deeply into your abdominal section to get rid of cramps (stitches).
• Ice aches and pains immediately.  A bag of frozen peas works well.
• Crummy shoes cause all sorts of problems.  You should be running on shoes that are no more than 6 months old.
• Forget the treadmill!  Get out in the fresh; run the waterfront, the greenway, or Knox Mountain.
• Never "assume" that a car sees you.  Be careful out there.
• Logon to www.mapmyrun.com and input your route details to find out how far you ran.
• If you haven't already, remove the words "can't" and "never" from your vocabulary.

Running is awesome cardio and can be enjoyable.   You can do it by yourself, with your own power.  You can do in any direction, as fast or slow as you want to run, as far as you want to go.

 

To mix it up and keep yourself entertained do intervals;  jog the first 5-10 minutes and when your warm alternate jogging and running between power poles.  Do one set of poles jogging and the next running and so on. 

 

Music can help- if you need something new "Bang Bang" by K'Naan gets me just pumped when I run!

Remember that your mind will always poop out before your body.  Your brain will ask you to stop but your body will ALWAYS keep going!!!  Knowing this should help you to push through those tough spots- because you can, and you will!!!  Get tough with yourself- you have to push to improve. 
 
 
Stacy
 
Personal Trainer & Nutritional Coach
www.beachbodykelowna.com
826 4FIT
 
Just do it!