Whether you have never been for a run or are building up to a marathon, sometimes the biggest challenge is just getting out the door. Here, running coaches share their tips on everything from mindset to avoiding injuries \u2013 but mainly how to find joy in running.<\/p>\n
Find your motivation<\/p>\n
\u201cI absolutely hate getting out of bed and going for a run,\u201d says Jo Wilkinson<\/a>, a former GB and England athlete who has been a running coach for 10 years. \u201cIt takes me a good 20 minutes to get into a run, and then I quite enjoy it. Motivation ebbs and flows in all of us.\u201d Wilkinson suggests arranging to run with someone to make yourself get out \u2013 \u201cIt\u2019s much harder to let a friend down. There\u2019s a sense of obligation to turn up\u201d \u2013 or find a running club to sign up to.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re running after work, my top tip is: do not sit down,\u201d she says. \u201cWalk in the front door and put your running clothes on. If you sit on your sofa, you will not get up again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are going to be days when you don\u2019t want to do it,\u201d says Thomas Craggs, who leads the World Class Endurance Programme for UK Athletics, which includes Keely Hodgkinson and Emile Cairess. \u201cPeople think these guys wake up every day and love what they do. They don\u2019t. But they do it anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n double quotation markMost people would be less prone to injury if they took longer to build up their running<\/p>\n Craggs says he got into running as an \u201coverweight, sedentary adult\u201d and quickly became a mass participation marathon runner. For those who feel nervous about running in public for the first time, he says: \u201cBeing self-conscious is normal \u2013 you are not the exception. You are going to have to embrace a period of discomfort to reach the point where running feels comfortable. But one of the joys of being a new runner is that progression can be quite rapid, so you go from struggling to do 30 to 60 seconds\u2019 worth of running to being able to run for 30 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Start slow<\/p>\n \u201cCouch to 5K<\/a> is probably your best bet to start, because then you have a little cheerleader on your phone,\u201d says Allie Bailey<\/a>, an ultrarunner, coach and the author of 31 Days: A Zero Bullsh*t Mindset Masterclass for the Modern Runner<\/a>. The app involves a mixture of walking and running to get you going. \u201cAnd when I say run,\u201d says Bailey, \u201cI mean run a bit faster than walking, because everybody goes off and sprints like they are at school \u2013 you don\u2019t need to do that. If you can jog and hold a conversation, that\u2019s a good pace to start.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be afraid to walk, agrees Wilkinson. \u201cPeople think they have got to run continuously. I walk all the time,\u201d she says. \u201cMost people would be less prone to injury if they took longer to build up their running.\u201d So don\u2019t feel bad about taking your time to reach 5k.<\/p>\n Choose shoes that are comfortable rather than performance-enhancing. Photograph: Xavier Lorenzo\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Emma Kirk-Odunubi<\/a>, a running coach and author of Find Your Pace: How Running Changed My Life and How It Can Change Yours Too<\/a>, recommends having your gait analysed, especially if you can get it done at an independent running store. \u201cThen they can give you impartial advice on what shoes will work best for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFind a pair of shoes that are comfortable rather than performance-enhancing,\u201d says Bailey. Don\u2019t forget: \u201cYou\u2019re a hobby runner, not a professional athlete.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019re more of an experienced runner, is it worth buying those carbon-plated shoes \u2013 the kind favoured by record-breaking athletes \u2013 to get a PB (personal best)? \u201cThere is good evidence that they do make a significant difference,\u201d says Wilkinson. \u201cYou just have to be aware that they don\u2019t have much stability, so don\u2019t wear them for every single run, as it could create problems down the line.\u201d<\/p>\n Prioritise comfort<\/p>\n Comfort is also key with what you wear, says Kirk-Odunubi. \u201cWe can get to the nitty-gritty of synthetic materials and the breathability later on, but to start with, the more comfortable you feel when you\u2019re running, that\u2019s already one barrier broken down \u2013 you feel good before you head out the door.\u201d<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to spend a fortune on kit, either. Bailey gets hers secondhand: \u201cI buy from Preloved Sports. You can get everything \u2013 T-shirts, shorts, bras \u2013 really cheaply. The most sustainable kit you\u2019ve got is the kit you\u2019re already wearing.\u201d<\/p>\n Sign up to racesParkrun is for all ages and levels of fitness. Photograph: shapecharge\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Work out what your goal is. This could be, \u201cI want to be able to run continuously to that lamp-post in six weeks\u2019 time, or I want to go to a parkrun in six weeks\u2019 time,\u201d says Craggs. Signing up for a race or an event can be the best motivation you need to keep training, and there is perhaps no better place to start than parkrun. Although it can seem intimidating, says Wilkinson, \u201cThere are people of all shapes and sizes, ages and levels of fitness. Walking is encouraged as much as running.\u201d<\/p>\n Find a running routine<\/p>\n