Barefoot running is something we do nowadays maybe once in a while in the garden, on a beach vacation or at home. Otherwise, our natural running style is constantly cushioned and suppressed by shoes. Even running shoes often have heavy cushioning and support elements, resulting in a completely unnatural running style that relies entirely on artificial support. It is only recently that running shoe manufacturers have started to reflect on the human anatomy again. So, in order not to have your running style completely destroyed, you should follow a few basic rules. When jogging, do not place your foot too extremely over the heel, but rather flat on it. Push yourself dynamically off the ground while running. Your hips and upper body should remain stable, and your arms should swing along loosely.
Day 9: Running break
Running alone is too monotonous for you in the long run? No problem, because there are many sports that can not only complement running training, but even optimize it. Swimming, for example, mainly challenges the upper body, which tends to be neglected when running. In addition, you protect the joints in the water and still train the endurance. Cycling also offers a promising alternative. As with running, you can work on your fitness without putting too much strain on your knees. 45 minutes of cycling are roughly adequate to 30 minutes of running.
Day 10: Run for 15, then 13, then 12 minutes, with a three-minute walk break in between.
Try a new running route today. Go ahead and take a drive to the nearest forest, run cross-country, uphill and downhill, on different surfaces, sometimes on forest, sometimes on meadow, wood, asphalt, or gravel paths. The variety is not only good for your endurance and natural running style, but it also makes the workout more exciting. By discovering the nature around you, you are doing something for your health at the same time. This way, you’re guaranteed to find today’s workout workload easier than doing the same boring lap around the block over and over again. If you want to lose some weight, vary not only the route, but also the speed. If you repeatedly insert small intermediate sprints, the body does not get used to the load and thus burns more energy.
Day 11: Run twice for 15 minutes, with a three-minute walk break in between.
Take an mp3 player with you today as a small motivational aid. Groovy party music immediately lifts your spirits and carries your thoughts far away from aching legs and shortness of breath. An exciting radio play can also work wonders. After all, if you want to know what happens next, you need to keep walking or get out as soon as possible. If you don’t want to carry a device around with you, you can find a running partner. With this, by the way, it is also easy to find out the right speed. As long as you can still talk comfortably, the pulse is in the optimal range.
Day 12: Running break
You have now accomplished a large part of the training plan. To stick to regular running sessions in the future, there are a few simple tricks. Get your running clothes ready in the evening already. If you get right out of bed and into your sneakers, you can go to work relaxed and refreshed and enjoy the good feeling of having already done your workout all day. If you can’t even bring yourself to do it in the morning, take a bag of workout clothes already to the job and just jog home. Also, it can help to make a date with a friend or a running group. Finding an excuse for yourself against working out is always easy. Leaving your sports partner hanging requires more effort. Put five euros in a piggy bank for every run you complete. At the end of the month, treat yourself to something for the money, such as a pair of new running shoes or a figure-hugging dress.
Day 13: Run for 30 minutes at a time
The time has come. Today you run for the first time 30 minutes without a break. Thanks to the intensive preparation, this should now no longer be a problem. You can now count yourself among those athletes whom you were admiringly looking after just two weeks ago. You’ve made the start, which is the hardest part, and it would be unwise to stop running now. In order to stay on the ball, you should immediately set yourself the next challenge. Set yourself a new training goal, such as running for an hour at a stretch or eight kilometers in 45 minutes. Or sign up for a competition right away.It doesn’t have to be a marathon. Even small city runs of five or ten kilometers will awaken your ambition and help you stay on the ball. In general, you should increase your training workload slowly and not overexert yourself. In any case, you should continue to maintain the rest break of at least one day between training sessions to give the muscles the opportunity to regenerate and grow.
