Running Coaches Share Tips for Beginners and Marathoners

Expert running coaches offer practical guidance for new runners and those training for marathons, emphasizing sustainable habits over performance. Running three times a week is a good starting point to give your body a managed stimulus, mixed with appropriate recovery time. Jogging at a pace where you can hold a conversation is ideal for beginners, and walking during runs is not only acceptable but can reduce injury risk.

Programs like Couch to 5K are recommended as they integrate walking and running. Signing up for a local event like parkrun can provide motivation; it encourages walking as much as running and welcomes people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels. Enlisting a friend can also help maintain consistency.

Gear and preparation

Comfort should be the priority over performance-enhancing gear for most hobby runners. Having your gait analysed at an independent running store can provide impartial shoe advice. While carbon-plated shoes can boost performance, they lack stability and are not recommended for daily training. For clothing, synthetic, breathable materials aid comfort, and buying secondhand kit is a cheap and sustainable option.

Training progression and injury prevention

Building up running volume slowly helps avoid injury and the need for extra recovery days. While apps and training plans are useful, listening to your body is essential. Fitness plateaus may require increased volume, intensity, or interval training, but high-intensity work must be managed with proper recovery. Using a watch can be helpful, but judging your pace without one is a valuable skill that preserves enjoyment. If running causes an injury, more running will not make it better. Running through pain should be avoided if day-to-day activities are interrupted, and skipping a session due to fatigue can be more beneficial than pushing through.

Fuel, recovery and strength work

Carbohydrates are the most efficient energy source and should be consumed regularly. Good pre-run fuel includes toast with honey, porridge, or a banana. A pint of cow’s milk is recommended post-run for its mix of protein and carbohydrate. For recovery, stretching is beneficial only if held for more than one minute; short yoga or pilates routines are better than token stretches. Strength and conditioning work, however, is more important than stretching for runners. Muscle mass and bone density decline with age, making strength work key for long-term running ability. Recommended exercises include lunges, split squats, single-leg calf raises, and low-level plyometrics like hops and pogo jumps.

Marathon-specific guidance

For marathon training, consistency over time is better than amazing long runs followed by weeks off due to overtraining. Nutrition, hydration, and sleep are key preparation factors. A longest run of 16-18 miles can be sufficient for a great marathon performance. Doing a shorter race like a 10k or half-marathon first helps rehearse race day logistics like fuelling. On marathon day, leave plenty of time to arrive and queue for toilets. Starting the marathon more slowly than you think you should helps avoid regret from going out too fast. As coach Jo Wilkinson notes, her personal best is 2 hours and 37 minutes, and she ran 3 hours and 48 minutes the previous year. She adds, "It takes me a good 20 minutes to get into a run, and then I quite enjoy it."

Thomas Craggs, who leads a world-class endurance programme, offers reassurance to those feeling self-conscious. "Being self-conscious is normal, you are not the exception," he said. Ninety-nine percent of people will not judge you on your time or even know what it means. The core principle remains: building up running volume slowly helps avoid injury and the need for extra recovery days.