My friend has been gearing up for the London Marathon for a few months now; his third consecutive year of running it. Every year he says the same thing: ‘next year I’ll beat my time’. It's not that I admire him so much for doing something that I doubt I would ever participate in, (2-4 hours of outdoorsy activity? Not really my cup of tea! Else I’d probably look like the Amazon-esque woman in the photo), but I believe him when he talks about the exhilarating feeling of accomplishing something that he has fought so hard for.

Anyway, it dawned on me that not everyone will like running outdoors, but the excuses that I had created were both numerous and, frankly, ridiculous. ‘I don’t want to run outside, don’t want to run into anyone I know.’ ‘I don’t want to get 'bacne' (back acne) from the overload of sweat.’ ‘Carrying a water bottle during the journey is annoying.’ And on and on.

Running outdoors is one of the best exercises for the heart and for burning extra calories. As far as other fitness activities go, it’s probably the cheapest as well. All you need are basic shoes and a pair of comfy slacks. Still, as my friend revealed to me whilst preparing for the marathon, there’s a difference between running, and building yourself up, through a running program. So here are some core tips I’ve picked up as I try to get back into the game of running outdoors; simple but so easy to not take seriously.

Shoes

As stated, comfortable shoes that let you breathe are a great start and essential. Good shoes will ensure also that they give you enough support to avoid possible shin and foot injuries, on the different surfaces of the pavement.

Clothing:

Wearing the right type of running clothes will make a real difference, I am told. Simple pair of shorts and a tee shirt should be fine, but with this unpredictable Spring weather I’d probably stick to jogging bottoms. Alternatively, I might think about getting something that deals with sweat! I did a little research and found The Running Shop and you can buy online.

Choose suitable terrain:

Figure out your outdoor run route. Living in a small English town that has almost equal parts cobblestone path and actual concrete, it’s good to try and find a road that is made of compound dirt or asphalt which will be easier on the body. That’s one thing a treadmill is good for, if you’re into going to the gym.

Set realistic goals:

I’ve been told that as an amateur, ‘expect to be doing more walking than running’. Not just the first time, but during the first few runs. Great. Mind you, this isn’t setting low standards, it’s setting realistic standards that will make me feel like I’m on course and not hopelessly behind.

On that note, it’s best to start with a brisk 10 minute walk and then alternate 30 seconds to 1 minute running and walking. Do this for a set number of days per week. I would recommend 2 or 3 days a week. NOT everyday. This is just failure coaxing you, and your body won’t thank you. Also, speed is not the goal here, building endurance is.

Some more nuggets:

Don’t run on a full stomach – it’s possible that undigested meals will contribute to those pesky stomach cramps. So wait at least 2 hours after a large meal before any running. A good warm up where you stretch the muscles on your arms, torso, thighs, etc. will really help. I’ve made the mistake of ‘feeling up to it’ when I’d neglect warming up, and run as far as the traffic lights till I start to feel the cramp burns. To address the cramps, my friend has also recommended doing some ab and lower back exercises to strengthen the torso.

Music is the other essential factor! I don’t like the gym, but truth be told, I don’t prefer to run outside to reconnect with nature. No. I prefer to run outside because there’s nothing quite like cranking up some hiphop anthem to salute me on my journey of my personal marathon! So there you go. Very basic but very important key elements for the beginners’ running lifestyle! Wish me luck!