As I was on my biweekly run (I’m currently a Monday and Friday runner), I was thinking I’ve been an on-and-off again runner for over two decades now (I was a cross-country runner in high school) and might have some good tips for those who are looking to start running during this pandemic. It’s a great stress-reliever and endorphin-booster, and for many (including myself) it’s a form of meditation. If you’ve been thinking of taking up running, here are some of my tips for beginners.

Your first time jogging/walking:

Let’s be real, when we all start jogging, it’s more like a walk/jog. But that’s totally ok and how everyone starts. During those first few workouts where running for long periods of time feels difficult I suggest taking walking breaks where you can enjoy some nature. Since it’s spring now, I hope there are plenty of gorgeous flowers to gaze at (or stop and take pictures of, like I do). And when you are jogging, instead of focusing on time or endurance (all which will come with a running habit), I would focus on your form. Is your arm gliding alongside your body or crossing in front of you? Are your back and shoulders hunched? Are you expending energy going up and down or forward? How’s your breath doing? Going in and out smoothly? Here is a post about running form from my favorite running magazine (I used to be an avid subscriber in my teens when I was a “hard-core” runner). These are all foundations for your running practice and are essential so that you don’t hurt yourself with continued jogging.

Also don’t forget to stretch after your run. I rarely stretch before and I usually start off pretty slow. I don’t like stretching when my muscles are still “cold” since it can lead to a pull. But if you stretch after, your muscles are nice and flexible. If you do want to stretch before a run, just do a warm-up jog first.

Oh, and don’t forget to slather on the sunscreen! I also always wear a UPF long sleeve shirt from Lululemon (which I don’t see on their site anymore) as well as a cap and sunscreen all over.

After your first several weeks:

If you’ve kept up running for this long (even if it’s just 1-2x a week) good job! You’re on your way to building a running habit. Then I would encourage “investing” in the right gear. First and foremost, get a designated running shoe. This can be quickly overwhelming (even for me) since there are so many options out there. I prefer a neutral shoe (not one with a lot of cushioning in the heel) because I have knee problems and find that a neutral shoe helps. Things can get tricky fast but I would suggest observing your stride when you’re at a good jog. Does your foot hit the pavement at the midline of your foot or do run with your feet/heel hitting at the inner or outer side of your foot and then rolling towards the midline? My foot tends to hit at the outer side (thus I overpronate). Another way to tell is by looking at the underside of your shoes and seeing where it is worn down the most. If you have even wear down the middle then any shoe should work fine for you. This is all to say, if you’re serious about continued running, order a bunch of running shoes from Zappos and jog around the house until you find the right one for you. My favorite running shoes have been New Balance but I am currently wearing Brooks.

I would also recommend getting a running belt so you can run with your phone. I run with music and a tracker so I like to take my phone with me. I would also recommend bringing your phone along for emergencies. And speaking of a tracker, I use RunKeeper to keep track of all my runs (screenshots from the app below). It’s such a motivator to see how I’ve been improving on my runs. It also will give you audio updates in your ear (if you’re listening to music) on your pace, how long you’ve been running and your distance. And it' saves all your runs in a log along with a map of where your run took you. I’ve had this app for over 5 years and it’s kept my log since then. Also, if you have airpods I think they’re pretty great for runs. I used to run with earbuds attached to my phone and the dangling wire can get pretty annoying.

After a month+ of running can you call yourself a runner now?

I would say yes. Now that you’ve been running for a bit, here are my tips for better runs. If possible I would run off the sidewalk, whether that means any kind of trail, or if you can do it safely, on the asphalt road. Concrete is the worse for knees while asphalt has a little bit of give. I always run on asphalt when I can because of my knees, which have been worn by years of pounding the concrete. Of course if you run on the road please please please be careful (you do not want to go to the hospital right now). The first couple times you do it, I might advise running without music just so you can be aware of your surroundings. I would also recommend not running on main roads not only for the ability to run on asphalt but also to prevent from inhaling too many car exhaust fumes (air pollution is linked to higher covid-19 death rates and in general worse outcome of disease). You do not want to impair your respiratory system right now.

And considerations for running during this time

Whether or not you believe in the Belgian study about increased need of social distancing when exercising (this is not a scientific study from a peer reviewed journal, just a paper about modeling/simulation) I would still steer clear from running behind others even 6 feet away (if possible). If you have little choice, the best you can do is run alongside someone until you pass them. So I’ve been avoiding popular trails and have instead been taking smaller roads for my runs. And whenever I’m about to cross paths with anyone, I’ll run to the other side of the street. Who knows, I might be an asymptomatic spreader and breathing heavy in anyone’s air space is a bad idea. Also if you can run at off-times (not on weekends, etc.) then you end up having the road/sidewalk to yourself. If you live in a compact urban area, I’ve heard of other people driving to deserted office parks to get some exercise in.

Also when you do go for a run in your neighborhood, it doesn’t hurt to wave hello to the walkers/joggers you see. I’ve probably waved hi to more people running in this neighborhood than I’ve done my whole life. But these are tough times and we can all use a friendly wave nowadays.

Any other runners out there with tips?