I took a break from running years ago – and I wrote my story on why I did that break. It can happen to us all. And it’s nothing to be shamed of, I will say. I just fell out of love a little with it. For whatever reason, my gut was telling me I needed to step away for a while.
But once you’ve had the break, sometimes for a week or two, sometimes for several years, how do you start up again? How do you get back ‘out there’? Well I’m no Mo Farah, but I’ve done x2 half marathons and I run pretty regularly and have done now for years. So here’s my advice.
What’s the best way to start running again?
1. Just do it
It can be easier to plan it all in your head and then find a reason – ANY reason – not to do it. You’ll be scared or a little embarrassed maybe you’re not as fast as back then. If you’re a runner, you’ll probably have experienced some kind of procrastination. That’s okay. But the best way to get back into running after a long break, is to just do it.
Jump on the treadmill, or get outside. It doesn’t have to be long. Start with 10 minutes if that’s easier. Start with something. A bit like writing – another one of my loves, you can edit or improve a blank page. And it’s the same with running. You’re not going to be perfect the first time you jump back into the laces. You need to warm back up that muscle memory.
Start with something.
2. Run for the sake of running
Not to have a ‘goal’ or desired pace might seem odd to those of you who are into a habit of running. I’d want to strive for something. Like a good 5K pace or something. But if you’ve taken a break from running, you need to get back into it first. Run for the enjoyment of it. Remember what it feels like. And allow yourself to settle back in first. Get that adrenaline going before you start setting goals.
Otherwise it might feel far harder, and it should be about enjoying it!
3. Celebrate every milestone
If you’re starting from scratch again, this is super important. Find a way to celebrate every single milestone. Not been out in over 6 months, and then you go and do a run (of whatever mileage)? That’s amazing! Seriously, your body won’t be used to that. Even if you’ve been active, through strength classes or walking etc, running is a sport entirely to itself.
So every win needs to be acknowledged. A 5K race, going from couch to 10K, just getting started and running outside! They all deserve recognition. And not for the speed – pace doesn’t matter when you’re starting after a long break. Please remember that, otherwise you’ll beat yourself up. Which you will, because running is hard. So if you need any motivation, check out these funny running quotes for when you need a little pick-me-up.
4. Slow down!
It might be tempting to start out suuuuuper fast… Don’t! Go slower than you think. Yep, even slower than that. It’s far easier to pick up speed (a little!) if you feel good and comfortable than it is to slow right down because you’re not as fast as you used to be and now you’re struggling to keep that pace.
It’s not a weakness to run slow to run fast. It’s a strength! Know your body, but also knowing how running works. It comes back to that muscle memory again. If you used to be able to do an 8 minute mile, that’s great – but you used to be able to do that. Likely with regular running, and maybe some strength training, great nutrition and good sleep.
So, slow down. Forget about pace. In fact, when I got back into running, I wouldn’t track it on my Runkeeper app. Because I didn’t want anyone – even digitally – to tell me I’m “slow”. Because I knew I would feel like I’d failed on the first run. But actually, it’s a huge win to be back doing that first run!
5. Put some feel-good music on
When you’ve not run for a while, you might feel a bit heavy, a bit sore, and not too light or nimble. But go with the first two tips, and just run for 10 minutes. Find a good running music playlist – specifically choose one that’s been made for slower runs so you don’t burn out after the first song (see point 4!). Enough to give you a reasonable tempo to find your feet to, but not too fast to drain your cardio battery too fast!
I always try and make sure I’m happy with a rough tempo of the general playlist before I start running again. Otherwise, you’re 2 minutes in after a 2 year break, and your music’s not giving you the right tempo – not what you want!
Here’s a slow running playlist on Spotify that might help. Start slow and ease yourself back in.
That’s my advice on how to start running again after a long break. Welcome back to the club – try out these tips because you might feel rubbish, deflated and unnecessarily disappointed if you don’t!
Written by Katie McDonald
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