Building a solid running base is the key to successfully building mileage and training for races! This week you’ll learn the exact steps to build your base and have fun doing it.
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Full Episode Transcript:
Welcome to the Not Your Average Runner Podcast. If you’ve never felt athletic, but you still dream about becoming a runner, you are in the right place. I’m Jill Angie, and I help fat women over 40 to start running, feel confident, and change their lives. I have worked with thousands of women to help them achieve their running goals, and now I want to help you.
Hey there, runner. I’m your coach and running BFF Jill Angie, and I’m here to get you running safely and confidently, no matter your size. Now, today’s warmup topic is one that is essential to every runner and that’s whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro looking to hit that reset button. It’s all about building your running base.
And if you’ve ever wondered how to set yourself up for a successful running journey or training program or how to get back to basics after a break, this episode is for you. So what exactly is a running base and why the heck is it so important? Well, essentially it’s the foundation of your running fitness.
So your running base is that consistent, manageable level of running that you can maintain without overdoing it. And I want you to think of it as your running comfort zone. It’s the place you can always return to and build from. And here is why having a strong base is important. The first is injury prevention.
A solid base helps prepare your body to handle the increased mileage or intensity of a race training program without getting hurt. The second is that it builds endurance, right? It gives you the stamina. stamina to tackle longer and faster runs down the line. And then finally it builds your confidence because when you know you can comfortably handle a few miles, no matter what, it makes the idea of training for bigger goals, a lot less intimidating.
Now your running base is not flashy. It is not sexy or exciting. It is not about speed or distant records. It is about consistency. consistency and keeping things manageable so that you can build on it over time. So good luck. How do you even build a running base? Well, let’s break it down. First is I want you to start where you’re at, where you are, and this should go without saying, but please don’t compare yourself to other runners or even to where you were a year ago or six months ago.
If you’re just starting out, your base might be walking with the Or it might be walking with very, very short intervals of running like 10 seconds at a time. Um, if you are returning after a break, same thing. You’re going to ease back in. Now the key is to begin at a level where you do feel a little bit challenged, right?
It’s a little bit out of that comfort zone, but you’re not overwhelmed. Okay. That’s how you’re going to build consistency. I want you to aim to run three days per week. That is the end goal. Okay. So three days a week is a frequency that gives your body enough exposure to running to build endurance while also allowing for recovery.
But, if you are brand new to running or if you’ve been off of running for six months or more, I want you to start with two days a week and then sort of gradually add in that third after that two days a week feels comfortable. Okay, now you’re also going to focus on time, at least in the beginning, not distance.
When you are building a base, the time you spent running matters more than how far you go. So instead of saying, I’m going to run three miles, I want you to say, uh, I’m going to run for 20 minutes, right? Like I’m going to start out with a 20 minute goal, or maybe even we start out with 10 minutes, Okay, because this mindset removes that pressure of hitting a specific face and, and, um, it helps you focus on your effort.
An easy effort here is everything. Okay. Building a base means most of your runs. I’m going to repeat that most if not all of your runs should be at an easy conversational pace This is not the time for speed work. It’s not the time for sprinting or Super intense efforts. You should be able to talk while you run and if you are gasping for air, you’re going too fast Now, you know you start out with that couple days a week Maybe it’s 10 minutes or 20 minutes per workout.
But how do you progress? Well, we’re gonna do it today super gradually, right, follow the 10 percent rule so you can increase your total running time by no more than 10 percent per week. So, for example, if you ran for 30 minutes three times last week, you can add three minutes to one of your runs this week, okay?
I mean, seriously, Super gradual because We’re not in a rush here. Okay, we want to build a base that you can grow from and that serves you so Take your time To get to that place where you feel like okay. I got this Now, a common question, of course, that follows from that is, well, how long should I spend?
Is it a matter of weeks? Is it a matter of months? And the answer kind of depends on your goal. So if you’re planning to train for a race, I want you to dedicate at least four to six weeks to base building before you start a formal training plan. If you are not training for a race, your base can just be your running routine indefinitely, right?
There is no reason to progress from that. You can just hang there and, and just. That can be your practice. Um, but if you are starting from zero, and you want to run a half marathon, okay, so we’re not talking about training for 5k or 10k, you want to run a half marathon, your base building should be more like three to four months before you start that formal training.
Okay, I’m very serious about this because otherwise you are going to open yourself up to injury and there is no rush. So build a strong foundation now. It’s going to make everything easier later on. If you jump into that high intensity training without building a base, you are setting yourself up for frustration, for burnout, and for, you know, overload.
Worst case, injury. So, that is how you build the base. That is how long you’re going to take to build the base. Now we need to talk about your mindset. Because building your base is not glamorous. I said this before, it’s not sexy. Um, you’re not going to see dramatic improvements overnight when you add, uh, three minutes to one of your training runs, right?
It might feel boring at times, but this is also the phase where the magic happens. So here’s how you stay motivated during your base building. The first is you’re going to celebrate those small wins, right? Maybe you ran an extra minute today. Maybe you didn’t skip your planned run. Right? Maybe that consistency is, uh, a struggle for you and you actually stuck with it.
And yay! Those are victories, okay? Huge victories. Maybe you ran the same amount of time as last week, but it felt easier, okay? So, celebrate those small wins. Find joy in the process. So, use your runs to clear your mind. Get rid of, you know, any stress or anxiety that you might be feeling. And Maybe use it to explore new routes, listen to your favorite podcast like this one, have some fun with a running friend, and just find some joy in the process of running because this part, the boring part, is actually where you don’t need to stress about, oh, I gotta run this distance, or I gotta run You know, I got to keep up this pace.
You’re just building the base and you get to relax and have fun with it. And then finally, remember your why. I say this all the time, but why do you want to run? Why do you care? What is in it for you? If you’re a runner, do you want to feel stronger? Do you want to finish at 5k? Uh, do you want to be an example for your kids, whatever it is, keep that reason front and center.
And that’s going to help you stay focused and motivated during this phase. And the other thing I want to tell you. Building a base is part of being an athlete and that is what you are. Okay, so embrace it, my athlete friend, and own it. Now, if you are ready to start building your base, but you’re not sure where to start, I do have you covered.
My beginner course will guide you through your first 30 days of running, so Step by step, you get a complete plan, video lessons, and support to build your base the right way. And when you finish, you will have the confidence to keep going. And this course is part of the Run Your Best Life program, and it also comes with weekly group calls and an awesome community of women just like you.
You can check it out over at runyourbestlife. com or check out the link in the show notes. All right. Okay. My athlete friend, that is it for today. And it is time for you to start that interval timer and begin your run. So if this episode helped you get in the right mindset for today’s workout, please don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review and maybe even tell your friends and I will talk to you next week.
Real quick, before you go, if you enjoyed listening to this episode, you have to check out my seven day jumpstart plan. It is a free downloadable guide. That will teach you exactly how to start running safely and confidently in the body you have right now. Head on over to notyouraveragerunner. com slash jumpstart to grab it.
That’s notyouraveragerunner. com slash jumpstart. I’d love to be a part of your journey.
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