The 5 Worst Mistakes I Made as a New Runner and How You Can Learn From Them

I went from not running at all to running quite a bit in a very short period of time. With essentially no guidance or coaching, I pushed myself from huffing and puffing around the track to doing five half-marathons in less than two years. Sounds great, right? A total "started from the bottom now we here (at the half-marathon finish line)" kind of story. But I've had some painful setbacks because of things I didn't know as a beginner and had to learn the hard way.

For one, I got patellofemoral syndrome (runner's knee) in both my knees, particularly the left — it's something that hurts almost constantly, and I have to do physical therapy for it. I also learned that intense cardio, including running, can induce stomach pain, and I've ended up with some crippling stomachaches.

Here are the five pieces of wisdom I wish were bestowed upon me when I first laced up and began my running quest, things that may have spared me some unnecessary pain and made this process even better. You might have heard some of these, but you also might not know any of them (that's what I'm here for)! I hope my follies and learnings can help you avoid injury, discomfort, and curveballs that might keep you from pursuing running, because running is actually really awesome and life changing. Let's get into it!


1. You Actually Have to Warm Up

I wish someone told me that one, warming up is important, and two, how to actually warm up (because seriously . . . how?). When I was training with some Adidas prorunners at Kezar Stadium a few weeks ago, I got an epiphany-status piece of insight from them: "We don't run to warm up; we warm up to run."

It was the first time it finally clicked — running isn't a warmup, and I need to warm up for this workout just like I would for any other workout. Strengthening the legs, hips, and butt can have a significant impact on performance, stability, and injury prevention.

Try warming up with different lunges: reverse lunges, curtsy lunges, and side lunges. Stretch your quads, and bring your knees to your chest. Dynamic warmups and stretching can have a huge impact on your form and strength and on your body's ability to prevent injury.

Read the full article here: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Tips-New-Runners-43219419