This is 10 months late but since it’s the season of giving, I thought I would provide my input. Since there will probably be more outdoor runners this winter, here are the tips I have gotten from my near-decade of running (from coaches, other runners, experience).
1. Replace your shoes every 300 to 500 miles. To save money, buy insoles. They extend a shoe’s lifetime and are cheaper.
2. Get two pairs (or more) of shoes and alternate using them to allow the cushioning to “bounce back”, for lack of a better word. It prevents injury.
3. Lower your mileage or don’t run when sick -- how I got my lung issues
4. When it comes to distance:
a. Start off with low mileage and increase every week
b. Start off with only a couple days (with off days in between) and increase each week
c. Try not to stop as much as you can, even if that means shuffling your feet.
5. When it goes for speed:
a. Start off slow and go for distance instead of speed (at first). Train your body to run for a certain amount of time, not distance. Otherwise, when you increase your distance, it might be harder once you hit a certain distance because it’s what your body is used to
b. Look ahead in advance to run around people / to look out for cars
b. ASSUME CARS DON’T SEE YOU. Make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
c. Buy the appropriate clothing like neon jackets for the dark and good shoes to prevent injury.
d. Small, quick steps on uncertain ground (mud, ice, etc)
7. Always have at least ONE off day.
9. Posture > Distance > Speed
Intermediate+/Personal recommendations:
1. Small, quick steps uphill
2. Let gravity do the work downhill. Long strides, make sure your knee stays in line with your foot, etc etc etc..:
3. Use a weird spiral when you do long runs if you are tired. Basically find a center point, run to the farthest point out from the center, and run the circle. That way, you stay the same distance from your starting/ending point in case of fatigue, injury, or...”Other”
4. Run against traffic to see cars if you need to run on the street (passing someone, end of sidewalk)
6. Mask for high density places, of course.
7. Stretch, run the first mile, stretch, continue
8. onthegomap.com for mapping your runs online -- includes bike paths
Disclaimer: Don’t think I need to say this but — No hate. This is just what I have found true in my experience. I am not a professional. To each their own.
