HOW TO START RUNNING

Hey y'all!

If you know me at all, you probably know I love running -- a lot! I ran cross country in middle school before getting injured, but later picked it back up and throughout college, I found a real love for running. It is a great way to stay fit and release stress/energy, which I'm all about!

I share a fair amount on Instagram about my running, and I often get questions about my training and running in general as a result. So today I wanted to share five tips if you are wanting to get into running or start a fitness journey! Of course, I am no expert so I want to preface this by saying -- always listen to your body and do what feels right for you! Everyone is different and fitness is no exception.

1. Get a buddy. One thing I love is finding a friend to run with. If you are trying to get into a routine, it helps to keep you accountable, and also gives you someone to talk to while you train! I actually have a weekly running date every Thursday morning with my friend Mady and it is such a fun part of my week that I look forward to. I will say, I wasn't always super good at talking while running but once you get that part figured out, it's great to run with a friend!

2. Sign up for a race. Something that always motivates me to get to training is to have a race in mind that I want to run. If you need extra motivation, go ahead and sign up and pay for the race, that way you are fully committed! Races usually aren't cheap, so it might be just what you need to kick start your routine.

3. Find a plan. Next after figuring out a race you want to train for, or a goal you want to be at, find a plan that will help you get there. I honestly just look at Pinterest for ideas and make modifications where necessary based of what I know works well for me and my body. There are also plenty of plans you can buy online. If you have a local running shop, they are often times great at putting together plans for customers as well! There are tons of resources, so you just have to find a plan that works for you and stick to it!

4. Treat yourself to a new workout outfit. Sometimes it just feels good to feel good -- and I think a new cute workout outfit is a great way to give you the confidence you need to tackle your workouts. It doesn't have to be expensive, either -- I find Target, Marshalls, Old Navy, etc. all have really great workout clothing that isn't super expensive, so you can treat yourself without breaking the bank.

5. Go slow/give yourself grace. Lastly, I think the most important tip I have is to go slow. I usually give myself 13-16 weeks to train for a big race. That's SUCH a long time! But it is so important to work up gradually to the level of endurance you want to have. Even if your goal is to run a mile -- start out by running down your street a few times. You have to give yourself plenty of grace to accomplish your goal. Its a marathon, not a sprint ;) ok, I just had to! But in all seriousness, pushing yourself too hard will usually just result in injury, which only sets you further back!

I hope you all enjoyed this post and found it helpful! Let me know if you have any other fitness related posts you would like to see, I would love to do them!