Whether you’re embarking on your first ever C25K, you’re returning to exercise after a break, or you have numerous parkruns under your belt, our 2021 guide to running will help you fall in love with, or rediscover your passion for, running

Words Tina Chantrey

We’d like to welcome to the most supportive and friendliest club on the planet. Whatever level of run experience you have, you’re now part of something really special; a community that will help lift you up to find a new inner strength, improve your health and your overall wellbeing, and open your eyes and mind to new goals and experiences. Just one warning: you’re about to experience endorphin highs that may change you into a mile-chasing segment queen who will run further and faster than you’ve ever run before – simply for the thrill of it.

One of the biggest hurdles to starting running is your own perception of yourself. This may involve negative thoughts such as: ‘I was awful at running in school’, ‘I’m not a real runner’, ‘I can’t join a running club as everyone will be fast and I’ll get left behind’, ‘If I have to walk I’m a failure’ or even ‘Running this slowly makes me feel like a fraud’.

We’d like you to shake these thoughts from your mind as you reset your focus before taking your first – or returning – steps as a runner. Whether you’re blessed to be able to run five-minute miles, or you’re working towards 12-minute miles, you are a real runner. Whether you finish a marathon in under three hours or over six, you are a marathon runner. Whether you walk, walkjog, jog-walk, jog-walk-run, or run, you are still a runner.

Right, now that’s cleared up and you’re channelling positive thoughts, there are a few pointers we’d like to share to make it even more comfortable, safe, enjoyable and positive.

1 Your feet

They do so much for you every day, but it’s likely you pay your feet very little attention. As a runner, this will need to change, as without the right footwear, your running career may be marred with injuries. Many people experience their ankles collapsing inwards when they run, known as pronation, and need specific shoes (known as support shoes) to counter this.

“Getting the right pair of shoes is important for comfort and enjoyment. Lots of shops offer gait analysis, to find out whether you pronate or not. This measure of the way your foot lands on the floor can indicate where you need support from a trainer,” advises Ebony Nieuwenhuijse, a shoe specialist at 361 (361europe.com). “If you’re used to running in old shoes that have been hiding away in the wardrobe for ages, the polymer foam in the sole may have degraded and stopped doing what it was designed for. A new shoe will bring a spring in your step and may help you avoid injury.”

What if you’re returning to running and have already got trainers? Why bother getting your running gait analysed? If you’ve never had it done, despite years or miles of running, it’s still worth considering. “Check the bottom of one of your well-loved shoes,” suggests Ebony. “Can you see some parts of the sole are more worn than others? This indicates where your foot strikes first, and hardest, and can give you free and easy insight into your pronation.” If you find very well worn areas, take the shoes to a good local running shop and see what they advise.

2 Your shoes

Once you’ve had your running style analysed in a shop, it’s likely they will recommend various brands for you to try. Most likely, your first pair of trainers may cost in excess of £100. Yes, £100. We want you to get the most out of your shoes – because £100 is £100! – so Ebony from 361 has some top tips: “When you run, your feet swell ever so slightly, which is exaggerated in hot conditions. This increase in size means that you’ll be more comfortable in trainers half a size larger than you would usually wear, particularly if you spend a lot of time on your feet for marathon training.”