If you’re feeling sluggish, there’s a question that may pop into your head that you ask yourself, and it sounds a whole lot like – “I wonder if I should start running?” Because almost everyone can run. Or at least jog. You buy a pair of shoes, walk out your front door, and go, go, go.
But, beyond that urge to just get out and move your bones and get your heart rate up, if you associate a few different goals or ideas, you’ll have a bit more of a focused target, and that will give you a better chance for success, as well as reduce your chance for injury.
The Marathon Goal
One of the first serious goals for a new runner to think about is the idea of running a marathon. This is not an easy feat. It takes hard work to train for a marathon. But the people who achieve it do great things for their fitness along the way, and can also be proud of the fact that they’ve done something that takes effort, skill, planning, and willpower.
Buy the Right Shoes
Buying shoes for running is actually a particularly personalized experience. You have to know your basic foot type, how your run, how long you’re going to be running for, if there are any weather considerations (like wet terrain or dirt or. concrete), and the ever-present consideration of money and budgets. The right shoes should help you perform to your capability; the wrong shoes can cause you great pain and prevent you from progressing toward your goal, even to the point of causing permanent injury.
Use Tracking Devices
In the past, working toward fitness goals with regard to running took a bit of guesswork. You’d know sort of how far you went, and sort of how fast you went, but it could be really difficult to track more exact progress. But now, you can install running trackers on your phone, and get detailed feedback about every part of your run, every time you run.
Balance Out Other Exercise and Nutrition
And to be the best runner that you can be, you don’t just run. You also do other exercises to balance out your body, as well as eating the right foods. If you’re burning a lot of calories doing your cardio, you have to eat more of the right kinds to keep your energy level up.
Create Your Soundtrack
And more of the more personalized aspects of running, especially with regard to the fun aspect, is choosing your soundtrack. Find a good pair of running headphones, get a setlist of your favorite energetic tunes, and let the world fall away around you while you’re running.