Running for Beginners: The Easiest Way to Start Running (7 page)

How to take your measurements:

You will need a dressmakers measuring tape that is flexible, measure yourself once on the same day at the same time every week. Accuracy is critical, and it is better if you can take measurements in front of a mirror so that you can check that the tape is aligned correctly. This will ensure that you always take the measurements in the same place. You will also get more accurate results if you don’t have any clothes on, as you are then making sure that you are measuring yourself and not the thickness of your clothes.

Chest Measurements

To measure your chest, place the measuring tape across your nipples and make sure that it is parallel with the floor.

Waist Measurements

Your waist should be the slimmest point of your torso - currently you may not have a slimmest point, so place the measuring tape over your naval and take the measurement from that point. Always take the measurement from this point making sure to keep the tape parallel to the floor as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 13.

Hips Measurements

Take your hip measurements at the widest point of your hips.

Thigh Measurements

Measure the widest part of your thighs, remembering to keep the tape parallel to the floor.

Upper Arm Measurements

Measure the widest part of your arm.

Keeping Motivated

It takes time to love running and I’m not going to lie to you, you will have bad running days - everybody gets them - they’re just part of running. Even when you do love running you are still going to have those days. When you are having one of those days there are a number of tips that I can give which will hopefully help you:

1. Some days you’ll wake up knowing that you’re going to have a bad run. You really don’t want to go out. You know that your legs are going to feel like lead and that your entire run feels like it is going to be uphill.

What to do?

Tell yourself that you are going to go out and just run 10% of what you were going to do.

Regardless of where you are in the program tell yourself that you’re going to get out of the door, do the warm up and just run the first interval of the days program or run just the first five minutes, whichever is shorter. I will guarantee that once you are out and have started your run, your mind will switch too “…well I’m out now, I may as well carry on…”

2. You’re getting into the longer running sessions of the program and it’s quite early on in the run, you’re beginning to feel fatigue creeping in…

What to do?

Tell yourself that this run is never going to come to an end. You would be amazed at the effect that this can have. By telling yourself that you are going to be running for a long time, you will begin to settle into a pace and pattern that you just come to terms with.

3. You’ve taken my advice – you went out running and it’s windy, really windy and you feel as though you are running up hill.

What to do?

Running in the wind is difficult, it is mentally very challenging. Your eyes and balance tell you that you are on flat ground but your legs tell you that you are running uphill. The best advice I can give you is to think about how good you will feel when you get in. The tougher your run, the more calories you will burn and the better you will feel later.

Good Luck, Take Your Time & Be Consistent

I sincerely hope that this book helps you on the road to becoming a successful runner, so that you can experience the same pleasure that I have experienced from running. Despite what some people say, if you don’t have the right knowledge, then getting started is not easy. I learned the hard way and started running three times before I succeeded. Hopefully armed with the knowhow and following the Running4B program, you can become a runner the first time you try.

Don’t forget to visit the
http://Running4b.com
website where there is a lot of support material that you can download and print out which should make getting out running much easier for you.

It takes time to love running, but once you’ve got ‘the bug’ it will be with you for life and you’ll feel fitter, lose weight and feel a great sense of mental wellbeing.

Resources

By visiting the
http://Running4b.com
website you can download and print out:

- Interval sheets to keep track of what you have run.

- The Running4B program so you can keep track of where you are in the program.

- Measurements sheet to track your progress.

You will need the password: m5x3rPu6n

You will also find:

- Links to running shoe manufacturers websites.

- Links to running bra manufacturers.

- A forum where you can ask questions.