In this piece, I will share my own insights on getting started in jogging. Which, I’m hoping, may inspire some of you to really get out there and start running, if you’ve been contemplating it but have been too nervous to actually do it.
I’m 53 years old and have been running for over 30 years, both as a man and a boy, and I’d love to share what I’ve learned in the hopes that it would encourage you to take those first, exciting steps toward a lifetime of health and happiness. As a first step, be sure you’re physically capable of jogging and not hindered by any preexisting conditions. I would advise getting a checkup and green light from your doctor before proceeding if you are unsure.
The second thing you should do is go out and buy yourself a quality pair of jogging shoes. There are many options out there (I wear Nike Air), but it’s important to get a pair of shoes that fits well and is designed for jogging. Jogging shoes, because they are made to lessen the impact running has on your body. You don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds on tops and shorts because you’re going jogging and not on a fashion show. Make sure they fit well and can handle the weather or terrain you’ll be jogging in. And if you’re going to splurge on anything, make it your running shoes, but there are plenty of affordable options if you look hard enough.
We have been given the green light by our doctors and have acquired a respectable set of jogging shoes (not basketball shoes). You can start running indoors on a treadmill with some guidance from a trainer, or you can join us when we take things outdoors. Let me quickly go over a number of matters concerning fitness centers and treadmills. Gyms are fine (if you can afford them) and so are treadmills; I’ve used both many times over the years. However, in my opinion, it is much simpler to use a treadmill than to go out into the open and run; I would advise starting with a treadmill and telling yourself not to worry about what the neighbors think or about anyone else while you focus on your goals. While I don’t expect you to go running up the side of mountains, I have seen too many people at gyms jogging on treadmills in a flat straight line, which really isn’t achieving much unless they incline the equipment to copy the outdoor terrain.
We’re raring to go now that the weather is nice enough to run outside. Start by doing some simple stretching exercises to warm up your muscles; I suggest picking up a book on gentle warm-up activities from your local library. At the end of your training session, you’ll also need to follow a regimen to warm down. Even while this is an essential component of your running practice to avoid muscular strains and other injuries, you can still expect the occasional soreness because you will be using muscles you have never or seldom utilized before. A mile-long course should be sufficient, so the day before the event, perhaps you can take a stroll to figure out the layout. You’re only going to jog 30–50 yards the first time out, so pick any two landmarks you like (trees, park benches, etc.) as your starting and finishing spots. Choose an activity that you enjoy and stick to flat surfaces; for example, if you prefer to jog on concrete but there is a grass verge, use that. If it hasn’t already, the softer surface is the one you should run on to keep your knees healthy. You should never run while injured; even if you have to strap anything, waiting a few days or a week is preferable to risking further damage and developing a permanent aversion to jogging.
After jogging slowly for 30 to 50 yards, we’ll walk for the next 30 to 50 yards, and so on, until we’ve completed our mile-long (or shorter) training run. I should add that, especially if this is your very first time, you might still feel a little out of breath after running a few yards. This is quite normal; but, if it bothers you, simply slow down until you feel more at ease. If you’re still having trouble, try breaking up your run into 30- to 50-yard bursts of jogging followed by 30- to 50-yard stretches of easy walking before working your way back up to a full 30- to 50-yard run. The goal is not to train you to run the London Marathon but to get you out there jogging so that you may reap the rewards. Using this method, you can work up to running a whole mile with ease. A couple more bits of advice from my personal jogging
experience are as follows: don’t go out every day, try to start 2-3 times a week; just because you start to feel better, you may easily overdo it, and we don’t want that to spoil your fun; focus on increasing the distance rather than the frequency. Last but not least, once you discover you can run a whole circuit, I urge you to never stop and walk, even if you feel tired; if this happens, simply slow your running stride to a snail’s pace; this is a psychological thing that trains your mind never to give in, which is all too easy to do, and allows you to keep going; you will feel the benefit and achievement.
Jogging has become an integral part of my weekly schedule, and I hope you find the same success. When you are on vacation, take it easy and enjoy yourself; I never run or do any other form of exercise when away from work. I hope to run into you somewhere and say hello.
I’ve only recently started writing articles about topics that have personally affected me, but I’m eager to share what I’ve learned in the hopes of assisting others. I’m a former advertising media buyer based in the United Kingdom. I have a third-degree black belt in Shotokan karate and studied the art for a long time with the late Sensei Enoeda, who was a ninth-degree black belt. I’m a devoted family man with four kids and eight lovely young grandchildren.
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