Apart from strength and coordination, endurance is one of the main pillars of physical performance. Running is probably the most effective way to improve the stamina as well as the endurance of the leg muscles. Furthermore good running skills are required for many other sports such as soccer, triathlon, basketball, hockey and many more. That’s why not only runners but also almost every other athletes integrate some kind of running in their training. Moreover, 30 minutes of running burn 300 to 500 calories which makes running a good option to loose weight by creating a caloric deficit.
Firstly, I would like to share some general advice about running from my own experiences:
- start slowly – don’t overdo it in the beginning
- try different routes to have some variety
- find a training partner – it will help you to stay motivated
- buy good running shoes that fit your running style and distance
- be patient and consistent because it takes time until you notice improvement
Running is all about efficiency. The more efficient your movement is the more energy you save which consequently enables you to run faster. Thus, it is always worth analyzing your own running style and trying to improve it. Besides the aspect of efficiency, a good running style is crucial to avoid injuries. Firstly, it is important to find a steady breathing rhythm since running requires a high breathing rate to supply the muscles with oxygen. Usually trying to breathe in as long as breathing out helps to avoid getting a stitch. Secondly moving your arms makes running more efficient since they counterbalance the leg movement. They should be held at a 90-degree angle and stay as relaxed as possible. While running you should generally try to maintain a straight posture. Furthermore, the steps shouldn’t be too long. You can keep in mind that the foot shouldn’t be in front of the knee while touching the ground since that leads to more pressure on the joints and tendons.
In the world of endurance running there is a great variety of different events from 800 meters to 10k and finally the marathon. Depending on what event you are training for the training program can be very different. For instance, pro marathon athletes run up to 120 miles a week whereas an 800 meters athlete focuses more on explosiveness and sprint endurance. That’s why there is not a single perfect running program. Usually, 5k is a good distance to start with since you don’t need to be able to sprint and also don’t need to run too many kilometers per week.
So this is a basic 5k program for beginners:
- 3 runs a week
- 20 minutes of running with medium to fast pace
- Intervals: 5x running 800 meters in 4 minutes and walking 200 meters for regeneration (all in all 5k)
- 30 minutes of relaxed running
- 1x core training
- the other days are rest days
More advanced athletes can incorporate different workout types such as hill sprints, intervals, long runs, strength training, and drills in their training routine.
Source
https://www.runnersworld.de/training-basiswissen/lauftechnik-guter-laufstil/
