Words: Lisa Jackson

RUNNING MY THS

Keen to try one of the most life-affirming activities on the planet but feeling a little daunted by the running myths you may have heard bandied about? We’re here to banish any novice nerves by dispelling a dozen of the most common misconceptions about running – so you can get off to the best possible start

Myth#1If you’re not fit, slim or fast you can’t run Before you first start running, you may believe all runners are faster or slimmer than you. But look more closely and you’ll see runners in all shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels. If you’re worried about your ability to run, by all means see your GP for a check-up. But unless you’re advised against running for healThreasons (or genuinely feel your joints can’t take the impact at your current weight, in which case start out by walking and, once you’ve lost some weight, progress to running), there’s no reason you shouldn’t run. If you need further convincing, attend a parkrun (free weekly 5K timed runs held on Saturdays in parks around the UK and the globe – parkrun.org.uk), or watch footage of the Virgin London Marathon where you’re sure to see people who are having heaps of fun and yet aren’t in the least bit fleet-footed or model-skinny.

|You may believe all runners are faster and slimmer than you. But look more closely and you’ll see runners come in all shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels. There’s no reason you shouldn’t run

Myth#2

You need to be fully kitted out to start

One can often spot newbie runners by their box-fresh kit – and how much of it they have. In fact, there’s a saying in the running world – “All the gear and no idea” – that sums that up.

When it comes down to it, you really don’t need a GPS watch that talks to you, expensive bone-conducting headphones, trainers that cost more than an air ticket and sports gear made from fibres developed for intergalactic space travel, so don’t let a lack of ready money stop you from starting running. All you need to invest in, really, is a good pair of trainers (research has shown expensive trainers aren’t necessarily better than cheaper ones) and a sports bra (jump up and down in it to check it’s supportive enough) and some shorts or leggings.

Sportsshoes.com and Decathlon are great places to buy bargainous gear, but when you’re buying trainers make sure you go to a specialist running retailer such as Run And Become, Runners Need, Up & Running, Run4It and Sweatshop, so you can get good advice and try on (and run in) numerous pairs before you make your selection. As for the rest, clothing you already own will do just fine: for example, it’s okay to wear bog-standard cotton socks and t-shirts (ones made from technical fabrics do a better job of drawing sweat away from your skin, but they’re not essential), and the watch you use to make sure you aren’t late for work will also, miraculously, measure how long you’ve been running for.

What you can’t run without, however, is a positive attitude, and the ability to keep pushing on when the going gets tough. Sadly those are things you definitely can’t buy online!

FACT

YOU CAN GET BY WIThTHE BARE ESSENTIALS

Myth#3

You need to run eyeballs-out fast

Think your running speed has to be quick-as-lightning fast, as if you’re running to catch the last bus home? Do this and don’t be surprised if you feel tempted to chuck in the towel after your first outing. The important thing wiThrunning is to be able to keep going, so setting out too fast is counterproductive and can leave you feeling discouraged. Always warm up wiThat least five minutes of brisk walking to gradually increase your heart rate, get blood pumping to the muscles where it’s needed and enable your body to adjust from being sedentary to moving, and to help prevent injuries such as pulled muscles. This will also allow your body time to start secreting synovial fluid, an egg white-like substance that reduces friction in your joints when you run.