Image: Pexels/Ketut Subiyanto

You might call me an expert beginner runner. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve started again over the past four decades. Through it all I’ve learned (and relearned) a vital lesson: Running is a great aerobic workout, but strengthening and stretching are critical to keeping the whole body strong, stable and balanced, reducing the risk of pain or injury.

The benefits of running are indisputable: better physical health, improved moods, a sharper mind and better sleep. Running, like any moderate or vigorous physical activity, significantly lowers the risk of death from heart attacks, cancer and all causes combined. It’s a natural human activity that’s safer than often depicted (it does not cause arthritis, for example). Yes, running injuries are unfortunately common, but the causes often involve over-ambition or stupidity.

So I reached out to three experts, each a longtime runner with relevant academic credentials, to get the latest scientific advice on how to start running, or begin again, safely and effectively, from picking the right shoes to taking that first step and then keeping the momentum going.

Go slow and steady

The quickest path to a running injury is doing too much, too soon, too fast, said George Kelley, DA, a professor at West Virginia University who studies the effects of exercise on the body. All experts agree.

When you start jogging or running for the first time or again, don’t worry about speed or pace, and don’t be embarrassed to alternate running with walking. In fact, you should be able to walk 30 minutes before you even try to jog, Kelley said by email.

“For beginners or returners, one may start by walking, and then walking and jogging or running in the same session, and then progress to jogging or running each session,” said Kelley, who ran 20–30 miles per week from his college days in 1976 until he turned 60, about five years ago. Now each week he cycles 150+ miles and walks and hikes another 15–20 miles.

However you go about it, keep the intensity in the moderate range, defined based on how you feel. “This is where you are breathing heavily but can hold a short conversation,” Kelley explained. “As one progresses, you can then increase to vigorous intensity. This is where one is short of breath but can speak a sentence.”

Counting your steps per breath can give you a sense of your pace. My “easy” pace is four steps per in-breath and four steps per out-breath. I maintain that level for at least the first few minutes of each run, which means if there’s a hill, I jog slower instead of breathing harder. After I feel sufficiently warmed up, it’ll be four steps on the in-breath and three on the out, then three/three, three/two, and if I’m seeking a really vigorous workout, two/two. I save one/one for the very end of an occasional interval sprint — not something you should do until you’ve been running for a few weeks.

Important: Never increase weekly distance by more than 10%, experts agree, even after you get in shape. Also, take periodic recovery weeks where you do less than normal. And avoid long strides and focus instead on short, efficient strides that reduce the force of impact.

I learned all these lessons the hard way. In my mid-20s, I committed to running my first marathon while I was in great shape, but only for 10K races. To prepare, I increased my mileage too quickly and got shin splints. Painful as hell. Don’t go there. The cause of far too many running injuries is not the act of running, but rather the stupid things we do and the mistakes we make. Take it easy.

Warm up and stretch out

Never hit the pavement at a sprint. Start all your runs with a warm-up of jogging or brisk walking for several minutes, until you’re breathing approaches the point where you are breathing heavy enough that you still talk but can’t sing.

And stretch out. While advice on stretching has see-sawed over the years, and there’s no absolute proof that it benefits running, experts widely agree it helps prevent pain and injury and everyone should do it, before a run and also on off days. Some experts recommend warming up before stretching, but the science isn’t settled on which order is best.

Bottom line: Warming up is crucial to avoiding injury. Meanwhile, there are no downsides to stretching when done properly, and likely it, too, will help keep you free of pain and injury. Check out my stretching how-to guide.

Work your entire body

Running builds strong lungs and loads the legs with endurance-generating muscle fibers, but it leaves much of the body pretty wimpy. To prevent injury, you need to strengthen other muscles, particularly in your core (back, stomach and hips). Kelley, for example, has done resistance training throughout his adult life. Resistance training can involve weights, stretchy bands or just body weight, as with push-ups.

If you skip strength training, you are more likely to suffer a stress fracture, ligament strains, or other injury, said John Higgins, MD, a cardiologist with UTHealth Houston and professor of cardiovascular medicine.

“If you skip core training,” Higgins said, “you may end up with back pain.”

Tell me about it. I quit running in my 50s due to chronic back and hip pain. Then I discovered yoga, and after about six months, I started running again (again!), shortly after my 60th birthday. Now I do a brief yoga session before every run, and longer yoga workouts on non-running days. My body hasn’t felt this good since my mid-40s.

If you need ideas for strength training, or aerobic workouts that don’t involve running, check out my no-excuses guide to physical activity.

Get lots of rest

One of the great things about running, or any exercise, is that it helps prepare your body to sleep better. Take full advantage. Only during high-quality, deep sleep does your brain truly get to work on rejuvenating your muscles, along with all the organs and cells throughout your body. Running won’t cause you to need ungodly numbers of sleep hours. Rather, it will help you get seven or eight of them more soundly and efficiently, giving you the energy and motivation to run another day. Just don’t run every day.

You need ample time off between runs, too, to allow your body to recuperate, relax and rebuild and repair muscle and connective tissue. If your body feels tired, no matter how much you ran or didn’t run in recent days, give it another day off.

Higgins, who has run 13 marathons, suggests running no more than three or four days a week, and always taking at least 48 hours off after a hard run. Never run twice in a day, he said.

Don’t try to be your former self

Goals are always helpful to maintain motivation for any sport or physical activity. But if you’re beyond age 30 or so, accept the fact that you’ll never be as fast as you used to be. The trick is to set goals based on where you are now, and avoid any comparisons to other people or your former self.

Set small goals at the outset, based on what you can do now, and celebrate your achievements. If you can jog a half mile, aim to jog a mile by some certain future date, and don’t worry about your pace. Once accomplished, you can then fixate on shaving a few seconds off your personal record (PR) at that distance.

If you struggle with motivation, setting short and longer-term goals — perhaps participating in a 5K race a few months down the road — can be a big help. Finding a compatible running buddy is a proven motivator, too. Check out my article on finding your personal mountain and getting out of your comfort zone to climb it successfully.

Make it interesting

I hear people say running is boring. It can be, if you let it. Especially until you reach the point where you’re fit enough to stay out there long enough to generate the venerated runner’s high (yes, it’s real, and it’s a big motivator). I keep it interesting by running different routes, including on trails instead of just streets, and my distance and pace are never the same from one session to the next.

“Mix it up,” Higgins suggested. “Have some speed, some slow, and some in-between.” Intervals are a great way to improve your speed over a period of months, he said. Intervals involve running a certain distance at a faster-than-normal pace, followed by a slow jog or walk of roughly the same distance, then repeat once or twice. A good interval distance can be any modest fraction of your normal run distance.

I have a favorite 0.2-mile interval stretch of pavement between two manhole covers. Once a month or so, I do three “sprints” from cover to cover, and time them. Also every month or two, I run 1 mile a little faster than normal (after a half-mile warm-up jog) to see if I can set a PR.

You can mix things up any way it suits you, perhaps simply one longish jog each week and one shorter, faster run. Or spice up a run now and then by climbing some stairs or stadium seats or a steep hill.

Always include a weekly recovery run, which is notably shorter and slower than the others. Force yourself to go at your easy jogging pace, and think of it as a reward for all your hard work.

Upgrade your shoes (but don’t sweat your socks)

If you haven’t bought running shoes in a few years, it may be time.

“Almost any name brand of running shoe on the market today is good enough, and likely exponentially better than what was available 10 years ago,” said Gary Liguori, PhD, dean of the University of Rhode Island’s College of Health Sciences and editor-in-chief of the American College of Sports Medicine’s journal, Exercise, Sport, and Movement. “So, if there is a shoe brand you are loyal to, and they make a running shoe, that might be a good place to start.”

Years ago, minimally-cushioned running shoes were all the rage. “Now ‘max cushioning’ is the thing, which may also be too much for most casual runners,” said Liguori, a lifelong runner who ran competitively in high school and college. The improbably wide soles of these newfangled, fluffy beasts look like they’re made of marshmallows.

When I tested some running shoes in the REI store recently, running on said marshmallows felt strange, as though I was floating just above the ground and not really touching it. I opted for a pair with less loft, but still squishier than my old running shoes, and I love them.

According to Liguori, I probably paid too much.

“Top-of-the-line running shoes today are around $160, but you can easily get away with half that if you shop around,” he told me. “And all brands make shoes in a wide price range (and don’t hesitate to buy sale shoes of older models).”

Among the notable improvements in modern running shoes: wider toe boxes are not standard, and extra-wide widths are more commonly available. This is a big deal. Cramped feet and running don’t mix.

Picking out good running shoes doesn’t have to be difficult. “Comfort and cost are two of the most important variables to consider,” Liguori said. (He has more advice on the finer points of running shoes — including what you might want to know about weight, “stack height,” and stability features — so I posted the long version here).

Choosing the right socks is even easier.

“There is no ideal sock, regardless of what the salesperson might try to tell you,” Liguori said. “Personally, I run in the least expensive sock I can find that fits my needs. Socks can be thick or thin, ‘blister-proof’, ‘no-seam’, fitted (designed for left and right foot), and a myriad of other features. Find whatever you like, but make sure to have that style with you when you try on your running shoes, as the wrong socks might be the biggest mistake when trying on shoes, then getting home and using your usual socks, and wondering why the shoe feels so different.”

More safety tips

Some final advice from the experts:

• Avoid daytime heat by running in the morning or evening.
• Hydrate well before and after a run, and during any run lasting more than about 30 minutes. Unless your runs last more than an hour, water is all you need.
• Concrete sidewalks are often flat and level, which is good, but concrete is the least forgiving of surfaces. Asphalt is slightly easier on the body. Grass or dirt trails are even better, if you have stable shoes and feel confident about avoiding ankle-twisting obstacles.
• Don’t run at night, when you’re more apt to sprain your ankle on an unseen obstacle.
• Wear loose clothing that breathes well, but don’t waste money on fancy running gear. I run in 20-year-old shorts and whatever T-shirt I’m already wearing on a given day. Nobody would accuse me of setting any fashion trends, and I couldn’t care less.
• Never run through pain. If you experience any twinge, stop and give it a rest. If any pain persists after a day or two of rest, seek medical attention.

Running is my absolute favorite way to get physical activity, but by ignoring the need for whole-body fitness and otherwise doing stupid things, I’ve robbed myself of the pleasure far too often. Don’t be that guy.