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Before you Run
It will not always be a great day for a run.
Take the prevailing weather conditions into account – whether it is very hot, very cold, especially windy or miserable and wet.
In hot conditions you should think about protecting your body from the sun and dehydration. That will mean plenty of sunscreen, possibly a hat and certainly lots to drink (water if you are tackling a short distance and energy drinks for longer runs). See the NUTRITION AND HYDRATION section for more information. Remember that your body will be warmer than it usually is and this might reduce the amount of exercise it can comfortably cope with. It might be necessary to reduce the length of your run, the speed you run at, or both.
In cold conditions you will need to spend more time ensuring your muscles are adequately warmed up, and you may need to think about extra layers of clothing. If there’s snow or ice on the ground, you will also have to take that into account. Running on ice is treacherous and not recommended.
Your choice of clothing is important if it’s wet or windy. It’s a good idea to have a complete change of clothing so you can get out of wet gear and put dry clothing on after your run.
Be sensible. Remember that one day is just one training session out of many and it only has only a small effect on reaching your overall goals. The key is consistent training over a period of time. Any mishaps that occur as a result of trying to do too much when the weather is not conducive to training, may mean more time off training than if you had simply skipped one day.
The human body is amazing and can absorb all sorts of stresses and strains – the training plans on this website are designed to ensure you progress efficiently and safely from your current level of fitness to a more active, healthy, fitter lifestyle that will hopefully include running as a regular, enjoyable activity.
Even if you consider yourself to be badly out of shape right now, following a training programme will ensure that its benefits will soon become apparent. Sometimes, results will be seen very quickly, but at other times it may take a longer to notice a difference. The Goal Setting advice contained in the BEFORE YOU RUN section provides some useful advice on how to build up your targets.
Have faith in your training plan – it will deliver the results you desire if you are patient and stick to it. By all means attack your running programme with purpose and commitment, but always try to follow the guidelines set. The programme has been devised to ensure you get the most benefit from exercise.
It’s recommended that you always warm down after exercise, as described in the WARMUP, STRETCHING & WARMDOWN section.
Also, try to look after your body’s nutritional needs after a run.
Ensure you are well hydrated – perhaps take a specialist carbohydrate drink immediately after your training session if you can, or just some water. It’s best to eat something within an hour of your run. Most people will not feel like eating a meal straight after training but a banana, or something else high in energy but light on the stomach will enable your body to start to recover when it is most ready to do so (for example, straight after training). For more detailed advice have a look at the NUTRITION AND HYDRATION section.
