My tips from a journey of a non-runner to my first ultra-marathon.

I’ve always found running tough, and for years I have worked under the assumption that I’m just not a runner. Until recently, I had firmly concluded that jogging was just too dull and too difficult.

However, recently, spurred on by the free time provided by the UK lockdown, I have started to enjoy it, and truthfully I now can’t imagine my life without it. It has even gone so far that I’m embarking on my first 50km ultra-marathon this Saturday. I appreciate that an ultra-marathon is niche and not everyone’s idea of fun, but the principles below apply to all levels of runners.

Start Slow

I realise now that my previous attempts to try and run were too fast, and I didn’t give myself a chance to enjoy it. I’d run myself to a point where I was so tired; all I could think about doing was stopping. Once I had then planted that thought seed, I would inevitably grind to a halt and head home. The key to avoiding this is to run slowly, super slowly.

The most straightforward running pace to aim for is “medium intensity”, where you would be able to hold a conversation for the entire run. This pace will be different for everyone, but it uses a principle created by Matt Fitzgerald called the 80/20 rule. The idea is to run slowly and within yourself for 80% of the time and push yourself for 20%. This allows your body to recover and, significantly, adapt. With time, metres will turn into kilometres, and your first 5km will be achievable. There is even some good research from Stephen Seiler to back this up. Seiler studied the training logs of elite endurance athletes in multiple sports, such as running, cycling and cross-country skiing. Seiler found that the training methods were different in many ways but shared one common factor: 80% of the work was done at very low intensity, while only 20% was high. This means that even the pros spend most of their training running slowly. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.

In applying this advice, I started out at what felt like just over a walking pace but tried to do it regularly, at least 3x a week but no more (rest is also essential). I then surprised myself by finding that my times and distances were really improving without much effort. After building this base, I was then able to learn more about how I could adapt my speed. This is a reminder of a fundamental point usually missed: most results come from long-term consistency and practice.

If you are brand new to running or coming back from injury, the NHS has a great app called Couch to 5k. This uses a similar principle of graded exposure, building people up by having walking’ rest periods’ over several weeks. I used to find myself afraid of walking while trying to run as I felt like its cheating. However, adding some walking into your running can really help to build your stamina.

Set Goals

This Saturday’s ultra-marathon was put in the diary for one purpose: Motivation to run over the long, wet and cold winter months. Whether it’s 5km or 50km, setting yourself a goal gives you something tangible to work towards. Just having an end goal will give your running practice some meaning.

Think Happy Thoughts

Another great book that really helped my running was Endure by Alex Hutchinson. The key concept is that our brain or “central governor” is in control of our effort and ability to endure discomfort. Hutchinson suggests using a bit of positive self-talk and mental encouragement to trick yourself into going a bit further. In the darker moments of a run, I have found that a few happy thoughts and attempting to smile allowed me to go a lot further.

Reward Yourself

One of my favourite aspects of team sports is the beer after with mates who you have just worked hard with. In fact, I’d argue that the reason I play sport is to enjoy a few beers after a good win. This can be true for running, so try rewarding yourself with a treat after a tough run. Usually, the thought of a cold beer or a good breakfast was enough to get me to lace up my shoes and finish some runs. Maybe that post-run beer isn’t quite as good as a post-match beer, but it’s a close second.

By no means am I the quickest runner, but I’ve discovered that perseverance and practice is the key. Now, if I can manage to run 50km, I’m confident that anyone can become a runner in no time.