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We are thrilled that so many Longhorns have taken that first step and registered for the Longhorn Run! Some of you might be wondering now, how do I start? You are not alone! Arguably, the hardest part about training is getting started. Here are some tips from our student committee to help you get into your training routine. 1. Check Your Shoes Before you even start running it’s important to make sure your running shoes are in good shape. A common reason runners experience painful shin splints are due to the fact that their running shoes have put in too many mile and aren’t offering enough support anymore. One way to know if it’s time for new shoes is the “Twist Test” – if you can easily twist your running shoe, this is an indication that the mid-sole is worn out and you need new shoes.  2. Tell Your Friends You’re Training Training with friends is one good way to stay motivated but it’s also important to tell your friends and family about your training plans or goals. This will provide you with a much needed support system, and the accountability gained when telling your friends about your training will help you stay motivated. Bring that friend along for our training workouts and keep each other motivated!  3. Follow a Training Plan Some of you might be experienced runners and know how you should train for a 5k or 10k race. However, if you’re like most of us, you might have NO idea where to even start. We have created a comprehensive training plan that you can easily download to your phones and follow. This training plan not only tells you how many miles to run, but includes target paces for different runs and strengthening cross training workouts. You can find this year’s 5K and 10K training plans below: 5K Training Plan(s) 10K Training Plan(s) 4. Be Realistic Setting goals is extremely important and an exciting part of training for a race. However, it is important to stay positive and understand that it will get hard at times. Don’t get down or be too hard on yourself! Your body is doing its best to adjust to your training routine and it can definitely take time. 5. Vary Your Workouts If you follow our Longhorn Run training plan you will be varying your workouts to include important cross-training workouts. This is extremely important for recovery and injury prevention, but another important benefit of varying your workouts is not getting bored or tired of the same thing. Change up your running routes, running partners, and music playlists. Try a yoga class, do a strength training workout with a friend at Clark Field – anything you can do to keep working out interesting and new will make it easier to get out there every day!  6. Eat, Sleep, Stretch, Drink Water We all know that these are important for our health but it’s easy to forget that increasing your daily activity will probably mean needing to get a few extra hours of sleep, stretching more regularly, and eating plenty of food and drinking plenty of water. Listen to your body and fuel it as best you can for the best results.  Comments are closed.
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