5 Frequent Mistakes Beginner Runners Make

There's an adaptation stage for every new activity that you start, and it's normal to make some mistakes due to inexperience. This also applies for beginner runners.

Once you’ve made running a habit, you’ll become more competitive in it. New runners will start to become familiar with tricks to have more endurance, stay healthy and perform better. Nevertheless, sometimes they forget to keep in mind some important details.

As with anything else in life, it’s all about finding the perfect balance. New runners deserve to have a little help to know what to avoid. With these tips, you can achieve your running goals sooner rather than later.

Five things new runners shouldn’t do

1.- Not going to the gym to complement their running

Running is a great activity to clear your mind, enjoy the outdoors and renew your energy. Some runners believe that the legs are making all the effort when running. However, when you run, your arms, abdomen and core muscles are also engaged in the activity.

If you work on toning your core muscles, you’ll notice improvements in your running. This is easy to spot in runners who keep a relaxed stance as they run.

That’s why you shouldn’t avoid full-body training, be it at the gym or before going for a run. This way you’ll also avoid injuries caused by muscle imbalance.

2.- Not stretching after running

Stretching your muscles will not take you more than five to ten minutes. Stretching releases tension in your principal muscle groups, those that made the most effort during the running. This is a smart way to recover, relax and gain flexibility.

Both experienced and beginner runners must keep in mind that taking good care of their bodies will allow them to keep running for many years. Also, if you correctly stretch your muscles, you’ll reduce the pain after a run.

Remember, it’s not only important to stretch after you finish your run, but also to include it as part of your warm-up. This way you’ll avoid injuries.

3.- Not respecting the training process

It’s common to find new runners who just before a competition, double their training sessions. But what happens to your body when you go from running twice a week to six times a week?

When you don’t respect the natural physical process and don’t give your body enough resting time, your ligaments, tendons and cartilages can easily become injured. That’s when you experience knee pain, tendon inflammation and other types of injuries.

Overtraining is one of the most common mistakes that new runners make. Your body needs a prolonged rest when you start with this type of activity. Also, any minor injury can keep you away from training for as long as 15 to 20 days. This will delay your progress.

4.- Not getting to know your own body’s rhythm

Once you have some experience in running, you’ll learn that speed and distance must be increased in a coordinated and progressive way. You need to respect the training process for the sake of your muscles, bones and even your heart rate.

Many new runners sign up to marathons and train 5 miles per day as preparation for it. But, the trick to improving your endurance is not by running 5 miles faster each time, but by running further.

5.- Picking the wrong clothes

There are many factors to keep in mind when choosing your running outfit. First, the clothing must be loose enough so there’s no friction. Secondly, avoid fabrics that don’t allow your body to cool. The wrong fabric will make your body sweat excessively and won’t allow it to cool down.

There’s a myth that says that running with a lot of clothes on will improve your flexibility. This is completely untrue. The excess heat can make you become dehydrated pretty quickly.

New runners need to focus, not only on their running goals, but also on taking good care of their bodies. The benefits are not only physical but also mental, and you’ll notice it in your performance.