As the weather has become warmer and people have started to head outside, one of the most common activities people want to pursue in terms of exercise is running. It’s convenient, requires little to no equipment, and can be done at your own pace and time. Yet for some people, running itself can be a struggle whether it’s in terms of motivation, physical capabilities, or obstacles preventing running from being as enjoyable as it should be.
Being a person who has not enjoyed going on runs for many reasons, I can totally relate to all of you out there who simply don’t want to do it or for whom it can be a big deal. In my case, I’d found that any time I went on a somewhat successful run, I’d feel some sort of pain or discomfort afterwards that would discourage me from running again. However, being a competitive junior tennis player, I knew running was an important aspect of my fitness routine that I needed to incorporate no matter what. So, I talked to people, did some research, and experimented with some solutions to figure out how to solve my problems and give myself the best shot towards making running something for me to look forward to. Hopefully, at least one or some of these tips can help you as well!
Wear Proper Shoes…
I know this sounds pretty basic and somewhat obvious, but wearing actual running shoes while going on a run may itself be the solution to any potential discomfort or pain you may have while running. Running shoes are specialized to provide comfort to your foot while giving your arch support. They will help your running performance as well! Mostly all sports companies that sell shoes should have running shoes as well, such as Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Diadora, and more. Try different brands to see which feels best for you!
…And Wear Your Shoes Properly!
Again, this could seem obvious, but tying your shoes properly and making sure the tongue of the shoe is pulled all the way out is so important. Not only can it make your feet feel more comfortable while running but it can also prevent injuries as well. By tying your laces tightly, you’re providing more security towards your ankle, which is under a lot of stress while running. If you want even more security in your laces, try a runner’s knot:
Warm Up Your Feet
Warming up your feet before any run can potentially be the difference between feeling or not feeling discomfort before a run. There are so many little bones and muscles in your feet that are often ignored when it comes to warming up and exercising. Additionally, your feet are under extreme stress while running. So, it’s important to activate all kinds of muscles and ranges of motion possible before exposing your feet to this kind of stress. My foot warm-up consists of walking on my heels, walking on my toes, walking on the outsides of my feet (be careful with this one!), and finally, trying to walk on the insides of my feet (put pressure on the insides of your feet while walking). Try lifting from flat on your feet onto your toes as well to get those muscles nice and ready for your run.
Stretch
Dedicating a solid 10-15 minutes before your run to stretch your muscles is ideal and necessary. Now, this includes not only your feet and calves, but your hamstrings, quadriceps, hips, and glutes as well. Oftentimes, especially with the legs, tightness in certain areas, such as your hips, can cause injuries or discomfort in other smaller areas like the calves and feet. Thus, by making sure we are giving enough attention to every part of our bodies, we are offering the best injury prevention possible.
One area of our bodies that I’d like to highlight that is a little more difficult to stretch but extremely involved in running is our hip flexors. A light stretch/activation of our hip flexors can be done with some “open the gates”, but I feel that especially for running, a deeper stretch is necessary to provide the greatest mobility and flexibility possible. One stretch that I like to do is shown in the following:
Walking/Jogging First
Going back to activating and warming up your muscles, try to start your actual run once your muscles are already warm. Making your body go from 0-100% is a recipe for disaster in terms of injuries and overall performance. Jog for a little bit or go at a faster-paced walking speed before putting your body through intense exercise. This is a part of any athlete’s pre-practice or pre-match routine as well, so it should not be excluded while running.
Start Small
If you are someone who does not consistently go running even if you participate in another sport, it may be a good idea to shoot for an easier distance or time when running before going for something more ambitious. Going back to the 0-100%, if we have never run before, especially to a certain distance, with a certain intensity, or for a certain time, it will take some time for our bodies to adapt and become comfortable. If your goal is to ultimately run 2 miles at a fairly steady pace (perhaps 16 minutes total), try splitting up your run into two 1-mile segments at first. Or, maybe aim for 20 minutes total and work your way up to your 16 minute goal. Be patient with your body!
Be Careful Of Your Running Surface
While many people (including myself) tend to go running in their own communities and neighborhoods, this can be risky especially for your feet and ankles. The surfaces of sidewalks and roads are rather hard, especially concrete, so exposing your feet to such a hard surface can potentially hurt them. Not to mention that sidewalks most of the time are not completely even, so you may be placing your feet in different kinds of directions that can put stress on various parts. If you can, head down to a track to do your run, because track surfaces are built to be suitable for running. At the same time, I know running in our own communities is convenient, so by all means, do not stop doing so! But just be aware of the surface you are on and give a little more care towards your feet and ankles while running.
Jog from Heel to Toe
These last two tips were for me, most critical in making running a more enjoyable experience for me. Firstly, while jogging, make sure your heel hits the ground first and your weight is then transferred to the front of your foot when you push off the ground again. Running on (almost) your toes is really only done while sprinting or running at much faster paces. When I began practicing running from heel to toe while going on my longer runs, I found that running was much more comfortable for my feet, and I was able to improve my time as well. If you already knew about this before, that’s good! I am surprised I never had this cleared up earlier, though this was always a lingering doubt in my mind. Continue to practice running the right way! It will take you great distances (no pun intended).
(BONUS) Wear Insoles
I am a flat-footed individual. This means that while most people have natural arches in their feet, I do not. So when I’m running, I have to do a little more to give my feet the best support I can so as to prevent injuries. I have a pair of customized insoles from Road Runner Sports that I wear in my running shoes and one that I wear in my tennis shoes. At the location I go to in New Jersey, the shop has a section dedicated to insoles where an associate will measure all kinds of things like your current arch, foot size, and desired comfort level to provide an insole just for you. This may be more useful for flat-footed individuals, but nonetheless the store is filled with all kinds of running equipment you can experiment with.
Running reaps great rewards, so hopefully for those of you out there who have struggled with running in the past, some or all of these tips can make your running journey easier. One last piece of advice that helped me the most in my journey is to always trust my instinct. As I mentioned, I had always had a lingering doubt that the way I was trying to run (see tip #8) was not right, and when I talked to some people and did my own research I found that I was right. Once I tried running the right way, I found my running experience to be more satisfying. This may not be as much of a life-changing tip for you, but by listening to your body and doing what you feel is best for you, you may find your own life-changing tip along the way.
Happy running!
