5 Tips For New RUNNERS I Wish I'd Known Back Then

Summary

The speaker reflects on their journey from an overweight beginner to an experienced runner, sharing five key insights gained over the years. They emphasize the importance of simplicity in training tools, embracing slow runs for progress, the benefits of participating in group events, the impact of weight on performance, and the need to address discomfort in running. The script also cautions against comparing oneself to social media influencers and encourages finding a personal, pain-free running style.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ Start Simple: When beginning running, a basic watch is sufficient, and focusing on social media stats isn't necessary for a good run.
• 📈 Progress Over Gadgets: Progress in running can be motivating without the need for expensive sports watches or apps.
• 🚶‍♂️ Embrace Slow Running: Incorporating slow runs is essential for training, and they should be done strictly to maintain the right exertion level.
• 👟 Minimalist Approach: Running without pain is possible by addressing discomfort and possibly adopting minimalist footwear or techniques.
• 🤝 Joining a Community: Participating in group events early on can be beneficial for motivation and social support.
• 🏅 Competition for Self-Improvement: Engaging in races can provide a healthy form of competition and a benchmark for personal progress.
• 🏃‍♂️ Overcoming Weight Issues: Being overweight shouldn't prevent someone from starting to run, but losing excess weight can improve running performance.
• 🍩 Avoid Painful Running: If running causes pain, it's important to address the issue rather than endure it, possibly through different techniques or footwear.
• 👀 Be Wary of Social Media Influence: Not all online running influencers represent the average runner, and their methods may not be universally applicable.
• 🌟 Embrace Individuality: Everyone's running journey is unique, and it's important to find what works best for the individual rather than copying others.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial experience with running?

The speaker started running out of shape and unhealthy, making common beginner mistakes but gradually improved to become a proper runner.

How did the speaker's performance temporarily decline?

The speaker's performance declined due to a combination of injury and indulging in donuts, but it is fast returning.

What is one reason the speaker's running ability is recovering quickly?

The speaker's running ability is recovering quickly because they now know what to do and what not to do based on past experience.

What was the speaker's view on using a sports watch and tracking apps in the beginning?

Initially, the speaker had only a cheap Casio wrist watch and later upgraded to a sports watch with tracking apps, which became a trend to share on social media.

What is the speaker's current stance on the necessity of a sports watch for running?

The speaker believes that while a sports watch can be useful for tracking and motivation, it is not necessary for early stage progress and one can run with just a simple watch.

How does the speaker feel about slow runs now compared to when they started running?

The speaker now loves running slow, whereas when they started, they hated it and were obsessed with getting quicker by always running as fast as they could.

What was the speaker's experience with participating in organized running events?

The speaker initially delayed participating in organized events like park runs and later 10ks and half marathons, realizing they should have started sooner.

What is the speaker's advice regarding entering running events?

The speaker advises not to wait until feeling 'ready' to enter events, as participating among like-minded people is beneficial regardless of performance.

What is the speaker's perspective on the relationship between weight and running performance?

The speaker believes that while one can run overweight, running performance will improve with weight loss, and it's important to make an informed choice about one's weight.

What advice does the speaker give about dealing with running-related pain?

The speaker advises that running should not be painful and if there is discomfort, one should address it rather than ignore it, possibly by consulting a running coach or physiotherapist.

What is the speaker's view on emulating social media influencers in running?

The speaker warns against trying to emulate social media influencers, suggesting that one should be motivated by them but not attempt to copy their specific attributes.

What is the speaker's final advice for new runners?

The speaker's final advice is to be sensible about one's weight and health, to not run through pain, and to enjoy the process of running without the pressure of comparison.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ From Couch to Runner: Learning from Mistakes

The speaker reflects on their journey from being an unhealthy beginner to becoming a competent runner, acknowledging the many mistakes made along the way. They discuss the importance of understanding what to do and what to avoid in the process of improving. The speaker also touches on the overemphasis on technology in running, suggesting that while it can be useful, it's not necessary for everyone, especially beginners. They advocate for simplicity, like using a basic watch for long runs, and the value of slow runs in training, emphasizing the importance of not rushing progress and enjoying the journey.

05:01

🏅 Embracing Competition and the Role of Community in Running

This paragraph delves into the motivational aspect of participating in organized running events and the benefits of being part of a community. The speaker encourages runners to join races not for the sake of winning but to measure their progress and draw inspiration from like-minded individuals. They also discuss the misconception that one must be in perfect shape to start running, arguing that being overweight should not be a barrier to beginning a running routine. The speaker emphasizes the importance of addressing weight issues for better performance and the need to separate running from weight loss goals, advocating for a balanced approach to nutrition and exercise.

10:02

🚶‍♂️ The Importance of Pain-Free Running and Avoiding Unrealistic Expectations

The speaker discusses the importance of running without pain, sharing their personal experience of transitioning to a midfoot strike and minimalist shoes to alleviate discomfort. They stress the need to address any pain that arises during running and not to dismiss it as an inevitable part of the activity. Additionally, the paragraph addresses the unrealistic expectations set by social media influencers, cautioning against trying to emulate them and instead focusing on one's own journey. The speaker encourages viewers to be motivated by others' achievements but to maintain a realistic perspective on their own capabilities and progress.

Keywords

💡Beginners' Mistakes

The initial errors made when starting a new activity, such as running. The speaker discusses making 'every mistake a beginner possibly could' when he first started running, highlighting the learning curve and the importance of experience in improving performance.

💡Sports Watch

A device used to track various metrics like pace, speed, distance, and heart rate during exercise. The video mentions transitioning from a basic Casio wristwatch to a more advanced sports watch, and reflects on the trend of using these gadgets for detailed tracking and sharing on social media.

💡Slow Runs

A training strategy involving running at a slower pace to build endurance and avoid injury. The speaker emphasizes the value of incorporating slow runs into a routine, describing how it helped him improve his performance and maintain a manageable exertion level.

💡Group Events

Organized running events like park runs, 10Ks, and half marathons. The video discusses the motivational benefits of participating in these events, such as surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals and using competition to gauge progress.

💡Overweight Running

The concept of running while carrying excess body weight. The speaker, who started running overweight, advocates for the possibility and benefits of running regardless of size, while also noting the performance improvements that come with weight loss.

💡Running Pain-Free

The goal of running without experiencing pain. The speaker shares his experience of initial discomfort and how changes in technique and footwear eliminated it, stressing that running should be natural and pain-free with the right adjustments.

💡Motivation

The drive to continue running and improving. The video covers various sources of motivation, including tracking progress with a sports watch, participating in group events, and avoiding comparisons to others on social media.

💡Social Media

Online platforms where runners share their statistics and achievements. The speaker criticizes the obsession with posting run data on social media, advocating for a more personal and less public approach to tracking progress.

💡Training Technique

Methods and strategies used to improve running performance. The speaker discusses different techniques such as slow runs, using a midfoot strike, and choosing the right footwear, highlighting their impact on reducing pain and enhancing performance.

💡Nutrition and Weight

The relationship between diet, body weight, and running performance. The video mentions the importance of addressing nutrition and weight management to improve running capabilities and overall health, while acknowledging that running alone is not the best method for weight loss.

Highlights

Transition from an unhealthy beginner to an in-shape runner by learning from initial mistakes.

Importance of understanding what to do and what not to do to quickly regain running ability and enjoyment.

The overemphasis on sports watches and apps for tracking can be detrimental to the running experience.

A simple Casio watch is sufficient for basic running needs, reducing dependence on technology.

The motivational benefits of tracking progress with a decent watch, especially for advanced runners.

Embracing slow runs and the transformation in attitude towards them from dislike to enjoyment.

The realization that incorporating slow runs can significantly improve performance in faster runs.

The psychological aspect of running and the importance of not being overly concerned with others' opinions.

The benefits of joining group events early in one's running journey for motivation and community.

The misconception that one must be ready before participating in running events and the importance of overcoming this fear.

The value of participating in races for self-competition and drawing inspiration from like-minded individuals.

The physical benefits of running, even when overweight, and the improved performance with reduced weight.

The distinction between using running for weight loss versus improving as a runner and the potential pitfalls of conflating the two.

The importance of addressing nutrition alongside running for better performance and weight management.

The revelation that running should not be a painful experience and the steps taken to eliminate running-related pain.

The individual nature of running techniques and the need to find a personal solution to avoid discomfort.

A cautionary note against emulating social media influencers and the importance of finding one's own running journey.

The final advice on not letting physical attributes or societal pressures dictate one's running experience.

Transcripts

when I started running a few years back

I was out of shape unhealthy and just

didn't know what I was doing so I made

every mistake a beginner possibly could

make but gradually I got the hang of it

and I went from being an obese very slow

newbie to an inshape not that slow any

more proper Runner now recently a

combination of injury and donuts to see

my performance go backwards but it's

fast returning and I realized that one

reason I'm getting my running ability

back so quick and enjoying doing so is

that this time around I do know what to

do and what not to do so here are five

things that I wish I'd known all those

years ago when I first stuck on my

trainers I've gone full circle on this

one when I started running I had nothing

but just a cheap Casio wrist watch and

then as soon as I could I got myself a

proper sports watch and then had it

hooked up to some app or other to just

track everything my Pace my speed my

distance heart rate the list goes on and

over the years as I was doing that the

trend to stick all that information up

on social media took off to the extent

that some people now if they watch died

on them midun they'd regard that run as

almost not even having happened if they

can't stick the stats up on Instagram

what was the point as a result of that

thinking I'm on a couple of forums for

new Runners yet the most common question

after what trainers should I get is what

watch do I need what 800 900 computer do

I need to strap on myself to start

running and really what you need is

nothing more than a cheap Casio if that

at least once a week that's now exactly

how I run normally on my long run

typically I just use that original watch

that I first went running with it's a

route that I know takes me between an

hour and two hours I'm not going to get

lost I don't need GPS that old Casio

does fine and it is great to just plot

along not caring about what my heart

rate may or may not be or what my pace

is it's my long slow run so as long as

it feels like it's nice and easygoing it

will be going just great now that is not

to say that a decent watch doesn't have

its place obviously and tracking and

seeing progress can be very motivating

and sure as you progress and get a bit

more advanced than being able to see

exactly what you are doing is going to

lend itself to training in lots of

different ways it's just worth

remembering that to progress in the

early stages and even some of the later

ones doesn't mean you have to spend a

fortune on a fancy watch and if you

choose not to wear one it doesn't mean

that what you're doing is somehow no

longer exercise and talking of slow runs

I now love running running slow

ironically when I could only run slow I

hated it my obsession was getting

quicker and I would attempt to do that

by always running as fast as I could no

matter how slow that actually was and

then after a while of always running 3 4

5 6K at most I went and did a 50 km run

that forced me to run slow because it

was about five times further than I'd

ever run in my life the next time I went

and did a 5k I was faster than ever so

right now getting back into my running I

am super strict about any slow run being

slow if I need to add a walk into my

longer runs in order to keep the overall

exertion level where I want it I'll

happily stick in a Walk In fact when I

was in the best shape possible and

running 100 kmet ultramarathons I would

do them by running and walking if I

tried to run the whole thing I'd never

have got them done so incorporate slower

runs and be really strict on yourself to

make sure they are slow do not worry if

other people are out running going past

you no one cares what you are doing and

if they do care what you're doing why do

you care what they care about this is

the one that pretty much prompted this

video I was well aware when I began

running that I spent far too long

running on my own before entering a

group event back then it was park run

that was the thing that I started with

but then progressed to doing 10ks and

half marathons and so on and I always

said I should have got to that stage of

doing organized runs sooner so it

occurred to me recently why haven't I

entered something in months and my

answer to myself was as it was back then

I don't feel ready yet so I gave myself

a metaphorical slap around the head and

I've now booked in a bunch of events it

does not matter how I do in those events

I could come last I won't come last what

matters is that I surround myself with

other people doing the thing that I am

doing which is not a thing that most

people do most people are not out

running around the wall behind me all

the medals that's just one 18 month mon

period from a couple of years ago and

it's a great example of this none of

that is representative of any ability on

my part Beyond being able to book an

event in fact some of those I might have

even come last at when they come last

it's not about performance it's about

surrounding myself with like-minded

people and drawing inspiration from that

and also wherever I came in those it is

competition if only with myself and

competition is a good thing measuring

where you are at is exciting to do in

day-to-day life there's actually few

opportunities to do it to put yourself

among others and see where you stack up

despite that being something that we do

have a natural tendency to want to do as

a result we often put forward proxies

for ourselves instead we see where our

car or our house or our holiday Stacks

up against others why not go into a race

see how you stack up and what you then

do with the information that you gather

is down to you whether you take from it

that you stack up pretty well because

most people didn't even bother to go to

an event so you're ahead of all of them

or you take it that of all the people

there you were slightly below average

and next time you'd like to be slightly

above it there is always something that

can be had from that sort of competition

and acting on it will be aund times

better for your physical and mental

health than trying to get competitive

through holiday

photos I started running at about1 pound

overweight and I did fine I was slow but

I did fine so I've always said that

being big should not stop most people

running in some way maybe it's run a bit

walk a bit or just go real slow it can

be done and obviously I say most people

if you're 600 lounds need a paramedic to

get to the fridge I'm not a doctor but

then you're not most people so be

sensible so bit heavy shouldn't put the

brakes on you wanting to start but I've

also always said that I ran way better

when that1 was gone this time around I'm

aware from day one of getting back onto

it that the weight needs to go if I want

to go as far as fast or feel as good

about running as I used to now I know

there are plenty of people some with

very big followings that will say you

can be fat and you can run and it's all

good now that's true but if you are

doing it on Earth with you know gravity

and physics it will not be great it

certainly won't be your best now you may

decide that you enjoy your size or more

likely doing the things that result in

your size being the size it is and

you're going to stay that way that's

cool just know that if you are

overweight with excess body fat you will

be able to run better without it and

then you can make an informed Choice as

to how you want to proceed do not be

thinking well losing this weight

wouldn't really make much difference

anyway if it's excess weight it will

make a difference now the reason I

mentioned this point is I see a lot of

new Runners on new Runner groups and

forums online where they are

understandably very keen to separate

running from weight loss and that's good

using using running as a means of weight

loss instead of Simply as a means of

just being a better Runner has the

potential to create yourself all sorts

of motivational dead ends for example if

you're not losing the weight then is the

running really working is there any

point to it they are two separate things

and running isn't a particularly great

way to lose weight anyway not compared

to addressing what you eat so I

understand the benefits are separating

the two but also know the reality which

is that working on your nutrition and

your food in the right way will have an

impact on your running if your weight

needed to be

addressed talking of denying yourself

Donuts running should not be a painful

experience physically when I first

started running the very first week at

the end of it my knees hurt my ankles

hurt my hips hurt my feet hurt toes hurt

a quit then I read the book Born to Run

I started using a midfoot strike a

different running technique to one I had

been using I started wearing a different

sort of training shoe to the type I had

been using and suddenly Nothing Hurt I

was still wearing 300 lb in weight to

anybody looking at me I probably

appeared as though everything should be

hurting but it didn't and I learned that

running shouldn't be painful so now when

I go out for a run if I do get a pain a

discomfort I don't mean fatigue I don't

mean sore muscles from exercise I mean

an actual that doesn't feel right

sensation I don't just shrug it off as

because I'm new to it or because I'm

heavy I'm a human being so should be

within my abilities to jog along nice

and slowly without pain when it does

occur I address it I'm not going to tell

you how you should address it for me yes

it was Minimalist Shoes it was barefoot

style running that was just for me

though I'm not you your solution to your

running painf free may be different than

mine talk to a running coach a fysio an

expert my point is not this is how you

should run my point is you should be

able to run without problematic

discomfort and if you have some fix it

don't run through it running should be

pretty natural like anything else you

should just be a able to do if it hurts

to eat you'd probably go talk to your

doctor you wouldn't just shrug it off as

being inevitable because you got chubby

cheeks okay and a bonus point it's very

easy because of the nature of stuff like

YouTube to get the sense that the people

that you're watching here are regular

people they're not movie stars or Elite

athletes they're just regular folk who

set up a channel could have been anybody

that did that know it probably couldn't

have been not if they got any degree of

following if that is the case and there

is something about them that does put

them in an incredibly tiny percentage of

people copying them in the hope that you

could be like them because hey they're

just regular folk is going to end

negatively sure be motivated by people

you see here but take that motivation

and use it to fuel your journey to where

that takes you and value that and don't

forget the attributes that people need

to do well on social media they're

really quite specific to just doing well

on social media think of it like this if

you go and watch a 7- foot basketball

player you might well find find

entertaining to watch them do what they

can do because they're a 7 foot

basketball player it might even motivate

you to go and do something sporty

yourself you don't go home from the game

wishing you were a 7 foot basketball

player when you see a jacked narcissist

on here just treat it the same way be

entertained be motivated but do not get

bogged down trying to emulate them

because a you're as likely to end up

like them as you are a 7 foot basketball

player and

B I just think we have enough Jack

narcissists already

oh

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