It’s no secret that running is one of the best ways to get fit and stay fit. But it’s not an easy habit to build. If you’ve always wanted to be a runner but don’t know how to get started, you’re in luck. The Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club has advice for beginning runners.
“The key to distance running is consistency,” says Ron Alford, President of the Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club and certified running coach. To begin running, you need to start gradually and build endurance over time by training several times a week. Alford says there are three things that will help you stay with an exercise program: a schedule, a training partner or group, and a goal.
A schedule keeps you from having to decide whether you’re going to run daily. Instead, you’ll know what days and times you plan to train. Otherwise, it’s easy to say “I’ll train tomorrow” until you’ve stopped training completely. A training partner or group draws you out, even on days you don’t feel like training—the social element makes it fun! A goal keeps you focused. Once you commit, you’re less likely to skip training days.
So come on—you can be a runner, too!
This content originally appeared on Island Scene.
