Running 101: A Beginner's Guide

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Words You Need to Know

Use this glossary to follow our running plans.

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)

How hard you're working on a scale of 1 (sitting) to 10 (sprinting).

RPE 4 to 5: Easy; you can talk with little effort.

RPE 6 to 7: Moderate; you can talk, but you're slightly breathless.

RPE 8 to 10: Hard; you can only speak a few words as you run.

Cross-train

Swim, bike, walk or do total-body strength training for 20 to 30 minutes. "Activities that don't tax running muscles are ideal," says running coach Scott Fliegelman. "If lifting, keep reps high, weights low, and make sure you're not overly fatigued for key workouts."

Strides

Short, fast intervals. Not a sprint, but running as fast as you can (RPE 8 or 9). Jog easy (same duration as stride) after each.

Off

Rest! "Following a strenuous workout, muscles need to repair their microtears," says Fliegelman. Twenty-four hours of R&R helps.

Originally published on FitnessMagazine.com, September 2006.

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abbypettis210 wrote:

Great article!!! I would also say some form of cross training is great to prevent injuries. I started doing Pilates and it really aided in my runner's hip pain. I found this article that forced me to join a Pilates studio: http://fusepilates.com/classes/the-benefits-of-pilates/. Has anyone found any other forms of cross training that were beneficial? I'm not sure how long I'll stay with Pilates...? Thanks! Abby

2/25/2013 11:43:04 AM Report Abuse

alice-stark wrote:

Thanks so much for the inspiration . i used to run and loved it needed the push to get back to that happy place now i feel i have the tools to achieve my goals .

6/25/2012 09:23:04 PM Report Abuse

motivated2move wrote:

This was a great article! My friends and I have been following a similar routine, but it was Motion Traxx that really got us moving. Running to music is always fun, but these tracks allow us to keep a consistent pace, yielding a more satisfying run. You can find their mixes on iTunes, and here is one of the albums we started off with: http://bit.ly/RunWalk2-1_iTunes

5/15/2012 02:22:23 PM Report Abuse

lancasterpter wrote:

Really nice begginers article! You could not be correct! Check also www.fromthecouchto5k.com, great advise also! Happy running, on my way to my morning 10k! Carrol

5/7/2012 11:32:19 PM Report Abuse

ambercholtz wrote:

It's the information I was searching for. Thank you Fitness Magazine!

4/17/2012 10:53:14 AM Report Abuse