What Are You Doing To Help New Runners?
Photo Credit: Mike Baird's Flickr Photostream
There are some moments that really make blogging worth it. I just now had such a moment.
Katie from ‘Must Run’ excitedly reported on how she’s gone from one to fourty minutes of continuous running in just the last three months. How did Katie get to this wonderful point in her running career? By following the little table I made as part of my Top 10 Questions Asked by Beginner Runners post!
Thank you Katie for reminding me why I began blogging – to help newbie runners. What are you doing to help newbies learn how to start running?
Do you know of another newbie runner success story? Please let me know in the comments so I can get the word out!
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I provide a weekly group training session at a local running shoe store along w/a training guide for the week with workouts at different levels of fitness, and there are 3 other days during the week that people can get together to run from the group.
That, and I do the whole blogging and email newsletter thing too.
Blaine Moore´s last blog ..2009 Weekly Back Cove Race Series ยป Week 6
@ Blaine: Nice!
Hey Mark,
Your post popped up in my reader, and I had to respond. YOU got this runner started 5 years ago, and I wanted you to know she is still running:)
I often think back to Complete Running when there were, what, 40 of us? And how that group and members who joined after motivated and inspired me. My last half was two years ago, but I did run a 5K race over Memorial Day weekend. Thanks for all you did and do to help new runners! You’re the best!!
Though the question was “what do I do for new runners?”, it omits the fact that working with newbies seems to give back to me every bit as much as I give them! I serve as a mentor for the local track club’s programs that take new and returning runners through running their first 10K or half-marathon. Part of that work is immediately visible in the weekly or twice-weekly runs with the novices, and part of it is not: researching routes, printing up maps, putting out traffic cones and water stations. I’ve drafted friends and family into helping staff races. I send encouraging emails and IMs to those I mentor.
The payoff comes in sharing my addiction with people eager to share that experience (and sparing my non-running friends the details they have no interest in.) Researching some of the questions that newbies ask have in turn made me a better runner — or at least a better informed one.
On my weblog, you’ll see the story of Sophia, a 14 year old, 5′2″, 230 pound teen that I started with Couch to 5K this week. She is on Day 2, and she is over the moon. We do day 3 tomorrow.
She helps me, as much as I help her.
Fleet feet in Stockton rocked it. I brought her in there, and the manager (who I really like), took time out of his managing stuff in the back, to come out and personally work with her. He was fantastic.
Thanks!
Ms. V.
I’m pacing my running buddy in her first marathon.
Jon (was) in Michigan´s last blog ..My wee little Irish race
I’ve taught “Learn to Run” and “5k” clinics. As well I do motivation talks for other running clinics and I’m currently pacing a group of newbies. I remember what it was like when I got back into running as an adult so I give back as much as I can be it motivating others or volunteering at a race.
I’m a new runner and I’ve had a running friend kind of “guide” me along the way! Of course I can’t keep up on the distance but I’m getting there, I’ve started bringing other new runners with me and it really helps to grow together!
I’ve started up a website where I hope to encourage people to get out and run. Im a passionate runner and a average guy just learning about things like interval training and nutrition etc. I’ve been taking people I know who have never run before out and getting them up to 10k and some have even competed. Im just learning myself (about a 1+ years in) and Im hoping to take people on the journey with me.
Running is such a social sport and where I live I think its seriously neglected and people are more interested in hitting the gym, taking protein supplements unfortunately. Its motivated me to document as I learn in hope others will join in or spread my enthusiasm. I’d welcome anybodys advice if there are any tips they can offer me in my training or if there are topics they would like to suggest?
This is not a shameless plug by the way, Im a regular reader at completerunning.com and I learn quite a bit from this site. Its helped sort out some breathing issues recently and really find its suited toward people like me unlike some other sites where articles are influenced by product placement.
Theres my 5c, i just hope I can help and encourage runners new or old and make some friends along the way =D
Thanks, 6amrunner
6amrunner.com´s last blog ..Dublin Race Series 2009
A friend of mine used to smoke and came down with pneumonia (she quite nearly died). She was able to recover, but reported to me that no one at the hospital told her to quit smoking. On her own she started a walk-to-run program and has gotten up to 4.5 miles. I check on her weekly and ask about her running. I applaud her efforts and achievements when many of her family members don’t understand how important they are. We just talk running a lot and I think it helps her to keep going. She’s an inspiration to me.
Laura´s last blog ..The Art of Planning: The Beginning of the Countdown!
What Are You Doing To Help New Runners?…
Here are som inspiring stories about people helping new runners out. The article just got one story but read the comments and you will see many more….
just started running 10 weeks ago,need all the help i can get!!!! love this
julia´s last blog ..
I coached a 10K and a 1/2 marathon clinic at my former place of employment. Seeing how excited they were at discovering what their bodies could do was inspiring – I forgot what that felt like.
Janice @ Mom On The Run´s last blog ..How To Use Social Networking to Boost Your Reputation
That’s awesome! I’m the head coach for cross country and track and field at the high school where I teach. It often feels like all I do is work with new runners. The benefits are awesome! Sure, some don’t have the motivation or drive to get over the initial slump, but many are able to go from never having run before to running 40+ miles per week in just 2 or 3 months!
Branden @ FaithFitnessFinance´s last blog ..Back and Biceps
I need all the help I can get
mugs´s last blog ..Wake Up With Me
In 2010, we’re recreating how we educate new runner’s (and existing ones) on the need to carry ID “everytime” you leave the house & continuing to provide runner’s a tool in the Shoewallet that provides an easy way to do so (Free ID card included). To all the runner’s out there…Suggestions on spreading the word here?
Why is this important? The CDC, National Center of Health Statistics, reports that over 1,000,000 people a year, in the US alone, enter the ER either unconscious or are otherwise unable to provide any information, such as:
-Who they are
-Who to contact
-Allergies, medications
-Medical conditions
-Etc.
These are significant stats the impact runners (www.shoewallet.com/iddata). Make sense? So to answer the question, what are we doing to help new runners (an existing); it’s our goal to drop that 1,000,000 number down to 0. Suggestions on working with us to do this? Shoot us a note. Thanks! Brian Ouellette/Founder
PS You can see CNN’s Fitness Safety feature on us here, http://www.shoewallet.com/cnn
Ok so I need some help/advice. I am not a runner at all so what ever you can help me with would be great. I have to be able to run 1.5 miles within 14mins. Probably sounds easy to everyone but I get out of breath and my shins start to hurt, is there a way (smart way) to train my body?
Thank you.
I find just going out with newbie runners (like my hubby) motivates them enough. Hubby doesn’t want to join a club until he can run 5 miles without looking like he is going to die, but he doesn’t want to run by himself either.
So I take him out, and try not to look as though I’m not trying too hard – he’s got to 3.5 miles so far, which is great seeing as he couldn’t get to the end of the street at xmas!!
Wendy´s last undefined ..Response cached until Sat 13 @ 6:41 GMT (Refreshes in 23.56 Hours)
You ask what I’m doing for new runners. Well I organise several sessions which cover all abilities. For the complete newbies I have sessions in which I try to put the emphasis on “fun”. This way they don’t seem to notice just how far they run or the amount of effort they put in.
And boy do they improve. I’ve found though to prove this to most of them I need to make some measurements of their activities when they begin and then at regular intervals. This always surprises them.
So what does this do for me? I gain a great deal of satisfaction when I see the enthusiasm and also the self confidence grow.
Alex´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at