Ep #285: How to Be Successful in Your First 30 Days of Running

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, your fat running coach. 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, runners. I have got a short and sweet episode for you today. This one is for all the new runners out there. Now, it is really easy to start running because you literally just put your shoes on and go. It is that simple. And then you run some, and you walk some, and you do that a bunch of times, and voila, you’re a runner.

But there are lots of things that nobody tells you about running that can, I don’t know, kind of come as a surprise if you’re not educated about it ahead of time. Like chaffing and shin splints, and why it’s important to get a proper shoe fitting instead of buying whatever is on sale at Dick’s. And how running is really fucking hard if you don’t know the secrets to make it easier.

So today, I thought we’d talk about your first 30 days as a runner and how to make everything smooth and easy and, I don’t know, maybe even a little fun. So it all starts with setting your expectations, and a lot of folks are surprised at how hard running feels their first time out. And I think part of the reason for that is it looks so easy when other people do it. So we’re like, okay, how bad could it be?

I mean, I personally see people just sort of gliding all over my neighborhood like they are part gazelle all the time. Like it is just no effort at all. And when you don’t see a lot of folks like me out there sort of chugging along in a not very gazelle-like way, you could get confused and think running is, first of all, always supposed to look super easy and that it actually is as easy as it looks. But it’s not, okay?

And the other reason that folks are surprised at how hard running is is because they assume that running means going at 100% effort all the time. So they start out full-tilt, and then soon after that, it’s like, hold up, I can’t breathe, my legs are on fire, and what do you mean it’s only been 20 seconds, right? So we’re going to set those expectations now.

First up, running is not as easy as it looks when you’re brand new. Those people that you see just gliding around effortlessly, they’ve been doing it for a while, okay? They didn’t just start last week. And that doesn’t mean that you won’t ever get to the point where you yourself make it look easy, but it is not going to happen in the first 30 days, okay? So kind of like dial that in right now, that running is not as easy as it looks when you’re brand new. And that’s normal. Nothing has gone wrong. It’s supposed to be hard. It’s supposed to be difficult.

Now, the second part of setting your expectations is instead of just starting out going as fast as you can because you think running is always going as fast as you can, which it’s not, by the way, is actually just starting out with the run/walk method. Don’t expect that you can just run for five minutes without stopping. Like, let’s dial that expectation back to maybe 15 or 20 seconds, maybe 30 seconds, okay?

And even if you’re already exercising a lot, running is a different sport, and it takes adaptation for your body, your joints, your heart, and your lungs. Like just being cardiovascularly fit does not mean running is going to feel easy, okay?

So start out with run/walk, and, by the way, you can actually keep doing run/walk as long as you want to. Forever even. It is a great way to be a runner. It lets you go farther, and often times it lets you go faster than you would otherwise be able to do. It’s easier on your body and your joints, and well, honestly, all of the cool kids are doing it.

So if you need help getting started with run/walk, I have several episodes on this, you’ve just got to scroll back through the podcast feed, and you’ll find them. I also have several episodes on proper running form. And if you are brand new to running, I highly recommend you check them out.

Now, so we’ve set our expectations. Running is going to feel hard, and you’re going to start out with run/walk. The next thing that we need to address to make your first 30 days as a runner feel a lot more doable is your gear.

So technically, yes, you can just put your shoes on and go. For real, you actually can do that. And in theory, running is a very simple sport. It’s a very inexpensive, simple sport. But getting yourself three basic pieces of running gear is going to make it so much easier for you to adapt, for you kind of find your groove, and I’m going to tell you what those three pieces of gear are right now.

So the first one is actual running shoes, all right? You’re not going to grab those converse with no cushioning that are in the back of your closet. You’re not going to grab flip-flops. I know somebody who runs in flip-flops. There is pain and suffering coming down the pipe for that dude, let me just tell you. Get yourself some proper running shoes.

And Sketchers, I know they make running shoes I have nothing against Sketchers, but they’re not proper running shoes. You want to go with a brand that literally has been making running shoes and workout shoes for years and years and years and years and years, okay?

So you’re going to go to a running store, and you’re going to get a professional fitting. That’s what I want you to do. It’s free. No running store is going to charge you for a fitting. If they do, do not buy anything from that store. Find a different store. But a professional fitting is free.

There’s no obligation to buy anything, but they will help you figure out the best shoes for you. They will measure your feet. They will talk to you about your training, like your history with exercise. They’ll probably put you on a treadmill and watch you walk and even run a little bit to kind of see how your feet move. And they will make recommendations, okay?

So please, do not buy the shoes that your best friend’s brother’s cousin says are the best ones, okay? Everyone’s feet are different. Go get fitted. And I know it might be intimidating to go to a running store. I totally get it. But I promise they want to help you, all right?

They want to sell you shoes. They want them to be the right shoes so that you fall in love with running and keep coming back to their store to buy more running shoes, right? It is in their best interest to help you find an amazing pair of shoes. So you march your fine ass into that store and get yourself some well-fitted shoes.

Now, here’s the hard pill to swallow, they probably won’t be cheap, okay? Good shoes can cost anywhere from $90 to $150. For me, most of my shoes fall in the range of about $120-ish, but they’re worth every damn penny, okay? It’s like the first defense against getting injured. Well, it’s maybe the second defense because the first defense is doing strength training, but we’re not going to talk about that in this podcast.

But it’s the second defense against getting injured. The right running shoes can make running so much easier and save you a lot of pain and suffering. Again, I know they’re expensive. It’s worth the investment. And if you want to make sure you get the most mileage out of them, do not wear them for anything except for running and warm-ups for running, okay?

So if you like to walk on your days off, wear an old pair of sneakers, okay? Don’t wear your expensive running shoes to the grocery store, don’t wear them to the mall, don’t wear them for anything other than running. You can wear other shoes for those other things. Save your running shoes for only running, and they will last a lot longer, okay? Because they are an investment, and you want to protect that investment. So running shoes are for only running.

Now, the second piece of gear that’s going to change your life is a good sports bra. And I’ll tell you, my friends, I am a 42G, 42H, depending on the brand, and I run with no discomfort whatsoever, okay? So my favorite is the Enell. They do fit up to a 52G. They’re very inclusive size-wise. But they are made for a C cup or higher. So if your breasts are smaller than a C cup, I recommend checking out either She Fit or Lane Bryant.

I don’t want you to mess around with wearing two sports bras. Just for fuck’s sake, just go get a good bra, right? For the cost of two bras, two sports bras, two shitty ones, you could get a good one that is rated for high-impact activities. It’s going to last a long time. Take really good care of it, okay? If money is tight, just get one and then hand wash it between runs. And by the way, when you hand wash your sports bras, they last a lot longer as well.

So you don’t need ten sports bras. You literally can only wear one at a time. So wear it, bring it home, hand wash it, hang it up, and it will be ready for you the next time. Or if you’re like me, you can have 17 sports bras. That’s totally fine. I’m proud to say I have the Enell in every single color they’ve ever made it in. That’s my favorite bra. But not everybody has the desire to have a collection of sports bras. So you really only need one. Hand wash it between runs, and you’re good to go.

The third piece of gear, and this is not going to be the same kind of investment as the others, but it’s still going to give you a really good benefit, is to get some high-waisted running tights with a little bit of compression, okay? They will keep the jiggle under control. If you get the high-waisted ones, they don’t ride down as much. They will help you avoid chafing. You do not want to experience chaffing if you can avoid it, okay?

They won’t ride up. They won’t give you a wedgie, like shorts. You won’t have to pick them out of your crotch, right, like shorts and yoga pants. They won’t give you the dreaded camel toe. Just go get some high-waisted running tights. If they have a little compression, that’s awesome.

Old Navy and Target have a ton of options, very cost-effective. Old Navy usually has sales. You may need to buy online for certain sizes, which I find personally very annoying because I know there are a lot of fat women out there that would happily march into Old Navy and buy the stuff if they would just keep it in store. But that’s an argument for another day.

So Old Navy and Target are great. JC. Penny and Kohl’s have great options as well, kind of all in that same price range. My personal favorites are either Skirt Sports or Athleta, or Super Fit Hero. Those are a little on the more expensive side. However, they last a lot longer. So I’ve got Old Navy tights that I bought, and after a year, they fall apart. I’ve Skirt Sports and Athleta tights that are several years old, and they’re still going strong. But it’s up to you, right?

So get yourself one, maybe two pairs of running tights. If we’re just talking about getting you through that first 30 days, you don’t need to go out and buy all the stuff, all right? But make sure you try those high-waisted running tights with a little bit of compression because they’re going to feel so much better than anything else, okay?

Now, once you have your gear, you’ve set your expectations, you’ve got your gear, and you’ve gone for that first run, right? You’re all excited. Maybe you downloaded my free 30-Day Running Start Plan, and you’ve gone through that first run. It is very tempting to go again the next day. And then again the day after that, and the day after that, right? Because you’re like, oh my God, this was so fun. I’m a runner. I love this. I want to do this every day. I get it. But this is a mistake, okay?

Very few runners run every day. Say high school and college track runners probably run five days a week, Monday through Friday, right, for practice. Olympic runners, professional runners, yes. The reason they can go almost every day is because they have been doing it for years and years and years and years and years. They are very experienced, and they have worked their way up to it.

When you are new, I want you to stick with two to three times a week to let your body adapt, okay? And then eventually, for most folks, the sweet spot is like three to four times a week. But for the first 30 days, please do no more than three times a week, okay? You will thank me later.

Now, in that first 30 days of running, right, you might also find yourself feeling some new aches and pains. And that might be during your run. It might be after your run. So self-care, runner’s self-care is very important. And it’s not anything complicated, okay? So you want to stretch after you run, and that can help you a lot with post-run soreness, as can taking a nice, warm bath.

You can add Epsom salts into that bath to make you feel even better, but they’re not really necessary. They’re awesome, but they’re not necessary. The warm water alone will really help you with that post-run muscle soreness. Drinking lots of water after your run will also help you with the soreness. Okay.

So it is normal if you are just starting out as a runner to feel some achiness the day after or maybe even two days after. It’s okay, all right? Nothing has gone wrong. But this is another reason why I don’t want you running seven days a week. I want you to let your body heal up from that soreness for a day or two before you go out again. And I promise; eventually, you’re not going to feel it anymore. And if you start out and you don’t feel it at all, that’s awesome. You’re still only going to run two to three times a week for that first month.

Now, if you’re feeling those aches and pains during your run, I want to give you some preventive measures to try and help avoid that and then some guidelines on what to do if it does happen. So I want you to do a proper warm-up, and that is at least five minutes of walking, maybe even ten minutes, okay? Where you’re walking, you start out kind of casually, and then you get a little faster and faster.

And by the end of your warm-up, you’re doing kind of a brisk walk. Then you can start your dynamic stretches. So you’re going to walk to warm up for like five to ten minutes. And then I want you to do a dynamic stretching routine, okay? These are moving stretches, rather than the ones you do at the end of your run, which are static stretches. And those are the ones where you just hold a position for 20 to 30 seconds.

So dynamic stretches are part of your warm-up. Sometimes they call it a dynamic warm-up. So you’re going to walk, you’re going to do some dynamic stretches. I teach all of the stretches that you need, by the way, in Run Your Best Life, they are a game changer for my clients. I even have gotten my husband to do them, which is amazing.

Really, that stretching routine before, that warm-up routine where you’re walking and you’re doing some dynamic stretching, is going to make the first mile feel better than it does if you just like start running cold with no warm-up. And then the post-run stretches are going to help you with the soreness afterward.

Your running form is also important, okay? Your running form will make a difference. If you’re running with too long of a stride, you might end up with shin splints. Also, if you’re running in the wrong shoes, you might end up with shin splints. If you’re not warming up enough, you might end up with shin splints. Shin splints suck. They’re really, really uncomfortable. So we want to avoid them.

They’re not the end of the world, right? Usually, they kind of work themselves out. But let’s avoid them if we can. So your running form is important for that; make sure you’re paying attention to it. Of course, running form is another thing I teach to my Run Your Best Life clients, and it’s been a game changer for them.

If you’re noticing any knee pain or hip pain that kind of persists throughout your run, I want you to set up an appointment with a sports doctor or a physical therapist so you can get some exercises to address it, all right? Most of the time, knee pain and hip pain are not a big problem.

It’s just an indicator that something is a little off with your strength or with your running form, and you’re going to hook up with a sports doctor or a physical therapist to kind of get some exercises to address it, and you will be absolutely fine. So don’t panic if you feel a little pain in your knee or your hips, all right? You need to get it sorted out, and then you get to continue on, okay?

So that’s really it, right? Running is not complicated. These are like the high notes of what you really need to be focusing on during that first 30 days, all right? You’re going to set your expectations so that you know I’m not going to be like running hard out the gate. I’m not going to be running for five minutes, ten minutes without stopping out the gate. I’m going to know it’s going to be hard, and I’m going to start out with run/walk intervals.

You’re going to get fitted for running shoes at an actual running store, where that’s what they do. They only do running there. You’re going to get a good sports bra. You’re going to get some high-waisted running tights. You’re going to run two to three times a week, all right? Give yourself plenty of time to rest and recover between those runs. And then you’re going to implement some basic runner’s self-care, right?

And that means a walking warm-up with some dynamic stretches to get you ready to go. And then, at the end of your run, you’re going to do some static stretches. And then, if you’re kind of achy, you can take a warm bath, maybe throw some Epsom salts in. If you’re feeling any knee or hip pain that kind of persists throughout your run, you’re going to go see a sports doctor or a physical therapist.

It really is all that simple, okay? So that’s it, that’s your first 30 days. And I really hope I see you out there on the trails, my friend, because running is such an amazing, joyful, powerful, confidence-building experience that I personally think everyone should do it. I’m here to convince as many people as possible. So I hope you’ll give it a try. I hope you implement these.

If you do implement some of this stuff and it works for you, I want to know about it. Email me at support@notyouraveragerunner.com, and let me know if this worked for you. Or even better, share it on Instagram. Tell people to listen to this episode. This is your first 30 days of running, all right?

That is it for this episode, my friends. I love you. Stay safe, get your ass out there and run, and I’ll talk to you next week.

Real quick, before you go, if you enjoyed this episode, you have to check out Run Your Best Life. It’s my monthly coaching program where you will learn exactly how to start running, stick with it, and become the runner you have always wanted to be. Head on over to runyourbestlife.com to join. I would love to be a part of your journey.