Ask anybody why they run, and you’ll get a whole heap of different answers. Some do it for weight loss, most do it for fitness and others use it to keep themselves mentally fit. Whatever your reason, running (or jogging) can help.

If you’re a complete beginner, the trick is to take it slowly. The old adage “it’s a marathon, not a sprint” is so true, so grabbing your trainers and heading out for a swift 8-miler is likely to put you off for life!
Here are a few tips to help you out:

• Make sure you’re prepared – comfortable trainers, comfortable clothing and a sports bra (for the ladies!) are really all the kit you need in the beginning. Getting bogged down with times, pacing and Garmins too early on can take away some of the enjoyment of getting out into the fresh air.
• Let someone know you’re going out, or take your mobile with you.
• Have a rough idea of the route you want to go. It doesn’t have to be miles, but having a route in mind really helps.
• Don’t be afraid to walk! Walking will help you to recover during the hard times, and will give you an aim to focus on next time. A great place to start is 1 minutes of walking followed by 1 minute of jogging. If you repeat this 10 times that’s 20 minutes done and, chances are, you wouldn’t been able to jog for 10 minutes straight off. Increasing your jogging time each session is achievable; adding 10 seconds is an improvement!
• Keeping a log of your runs helps with motivation, and shows how far you’ve come. It doesn’t have to be too detailed to begin with, maybe just the fact you went for a run. If you set a stopwatch going, note the time (you can try to beat it next time!).
• If you miss a run, don’t give up!

Seasoned runners will be quick to give you advice (or even write a blog about it…..), but always remember the reason you started and keep that in mind when the running gets harder.

If you’re looking to start running and need some advice, feel free to get in touch: sallymillspersonaltraining@hotmail.com