Getting started with running, the easy way

I started running about a year ago. I had always hated the idea of it. I started anyway because I needed some exercise and running was the only thing I could practically fit in. No gym, no kit faff, no booking anything. Put shoes on, leave house. For the first six months I did it badly. Every run was as fast as I could, chasing PBs on Strava. I felt sick at the end of every run and kept picking up niggling injuries. The times improved for a while, then stopped. That wall was what made me actually do some reading. This is basically everything I wish I knew when I started. Kit Get fitted for proper running shoes. Runners Need do a free fitting, they put you on a treadmill, look at your gait, and recommend shoes that suit how you actually run. A decent pair is around £80-90. This is the single most important thing you can do to avoid injuries before you have even started. Skip the carbon-plated stuff, it is not for you yet, probably not ever. Get a watch that tracks heart rate. You will…