For The Love Of Running: A Guest Post By Teri Of A Foodie Stays Fit!

It’s guest post time, y’all! It’s been a while since I’ve done this on my blog, and I’m happy to be getting back to it with today’s post. Today, you’ll have the pleasure of reading a post by Teri of the blog A Foodie Stays Fit.

Fun fact: Teri was one of the very first friends I made when I moved to Winston nearly seven years ago. She and I were connected by a college bestie of mine who had gone to high school with Teri in Utah. What a small world. (Thank you again for that intro, Olga!) Now, Teri and I aren’t just friends, we’re also on the same Beautycounter team, which has been so much fun. We live pretty much around the corner from each other, too. (Oh, and our husbands really love each other, making double dates pretty great. Speaking of…we need to schedule that cooking class, Teri!)

Teri’s also an amazing runner, which is what I’ve asked her to talk about in her guest post today. (Confession: I’ve always wanted to love running, but have never gotten to the point that I do. Anyone else feel that way? Perhaps Teri’s tips will help us!) She’s very qualified to give advice, having run the Boston Marathon this year. (SO impressive.)

Okay, now that you have a bit of context, on to Teri!:

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Hey peeps! I’m so happy to be a guest post on Anna’s blog! (You can read her post on my blog today and how we met here!) I’ve been running for 20 years (CRAZY) and I vividly remember the first time I ran more than 5 miles – I was 15. Since then, I have run over 50 races and recently ran the Boston Marathon.

Today I’m sharing five tips to get started if you’re a new runner, and if you’re a runner too, I’d love to hear in the comments what advice YOU would give a new runner. We all learn from each other’s experiences! And if you’re a newbie yourself, let me know what stuff you have questions about or are nervous about. I’d love to try to help you fall in love with it since running has brought me so much happiness over the years!

5 Tips to Get Your Run on (and love it)

1. First things first. The first thing I tell people when they want to start running is to get fitted at a running shoe specialty store – not some big box general sports store. You need a store that specializes in running, filled with employees are runners themselves. (If you’re local, Fleet Feet is wonderful.) When you go, be sure to take in an old pair of flat shoes that you regularly walk in; this helps the store clerk analyze your stride. They’ll also likely analyze your gait by watching you run, assess any injuries (or risk of injuries) and help you pick a shoe to accomplish your specific goals. (And no, you can’t just use any ol’ sneakers in your closet. That’s a recipe for injuries.)
2. Start running. And walking. Okay, now that you’ve got the right gear and are laced up in the right shoes, it’s time to get to it. You’ve got this! When getting started, I recommend you start slow and keep it easy. Keep your focus on time, not distance or speed. And remember, it’s okay to walk! Just keep moving. And don’t compare yourself to others, ESPECIALLY others who’ve been running for MUCH longer.
3. So you wanna be a morning runner? One of the most-asked questions I get on Instagram is something along the lines of “How do you get up so early to run?!” or “I want to be a morning person! How do I do it?” or “How do you get out of bed?” My short answer is, I JUST DO IT. That’s the bottom line – you just HAVE to do it.  I do have 5 tips help you get up, but when it’s all said and done, it comes back to this: don’t hit snooze, get UP when your alarm goes off, and don’t get back in bed. And if you enjoy running at night or in the middle of the day and that works better for your schedule, do it! You don’t have to be a morning runner just because it seems like everyone else is! (P.S. Not everyone else is.)
4. Motivation is running low. Quick fix? Get a running buddy or find a local running group. It sound intimidating, I know. The key is to find one that’s at your same level. Ask the specialty running store when you get your shoes if they know of a group. They’ll keep you accountable when you feel like skipping a run. And, your running buddy doesn’t have to be local but it has to be someone who won’t coddle you and tell you to skip a run, that it’s okay, that you can skip today…and tomorrow. Find a friend you can text when motivation is running low who will encourage you to get out the door and then follow up to make sure you did. I have two great running friends that I text on the regular for motivation– one is in FL and one in CA.
5. What’s your favorite xyz for running? I have all of my favorite running gear posted on my blog here, but what works for me may not work for you (especially when it comes to shoes!). For clothes, just be sure to avoid cotton and get technical fabric to help wick sweat away from your body. I really like Athleta’s stuff and you can find great deals on activewear at TJ Maxx, too.

Okay, now you’re off and running! Ha! Running jokes… 🙂

If you want more tips about running (including fueling advice, tips to stay motivated and injury prevention tips), be sure to sign up for my running newsletter and get on the waitlist for Running 101 here!

Thanks for having me, Anna!