Sculpting a toned physique, staving off stress and achieving personal goals. These are just a few of the reasons so many women pull on their running shoes every day. But perhaps what draws people to the sport more than anything is that anyone can do it. You don’t need special skills, expensive gear, athletic ability or even good genes. All running requires is a good pair of shoes and a little determination. Still, it can be intimidating, so we came up with this fail-safe plan to get you started and keep you on track.

The Perks of Pavement Pounding

Anyone who has hung out near the treadmill area of a gym or watched a road race knows that runners have hot bodies. It takes a ton of effort to move your body weight without assistance, which is why running burns more kilojoules per minute than pretty much any other exercise, according to Dr Lisa Micklesfield, an exercise physiologist and Women’s Health fitness expert. Case in point: the average 65kg woman who runs at 10km/h for an hour burns about 2150kJ. Compare that to an hour spent doing Pilates (1605kJ), walking (940kJ) or swimming (1875kJ). Torching all those kilojoules sheds body fat to reveal the lean muscle below. So not only do runners have enviable legs, but their entire bodies look trim and toned.

The benefits of running extend beyond just looking great – you’ll also live longer and stay healthier. Researchers at Stanford University discovered that adults who run regularly are 39 percent less likely to suffer an early death compared to healthy adults of the same age who don’t run. “Almost every system in your body benefits from running,” says Micklesfield.

Study after study shows that running can help prevent cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and even cancer. Most recently, a 2009 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that running is as good a bone-builder as strength training.

In addition to giving you a physical edge, running improves your mental health. A 2008 study found that areas in the brain associated with mood are flooded with endorphins – those coveted feel-good hormones – after exercise. This is especially true for running. “When you run, it’s just you, your body and the environment,” says sports psychology consultant Dr Kristen Dieffenbach. Your arms, legs and breathing fall into a rhythm that eventually lulls your brain into a meditative “no-stress zone” in which bills, boyfriends and bosses fade away.

The Truth Behind the Bad Press

Despite its many advantages, running has its share of critics, who say the relentless pounding ruins your knees, leads to chronic back pain and causes wrinkles. But experts say the rewards of running far outweigh the risks. A recent review in the Journal of Anatomy found that running doesn’t increase your risk of osteoarthritis, the cartilage decay that causes pain and inflammation in hip and knee joints. Nor does it wreck your back, according to a research review in the Southern Medical Journal. Researchers suggest that, because running builds stronger muscles and ligaments, it actually has a protective effect on these areas.

As for whether all that pavement pounding causes gravity to take its toll, resulting in sagging, wrinkled skin: it’s not true, says exercise physiologist Tom Holland. “The reason runners may appear weathered is that they’re thinner – low body fat makes fine lines more visible – and they spend more time out in the sun.” Slather on a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 half an hour before your run to avoid the leathery look.

Stuff You Need

Shoes and Sports Bra

Shoes
Expect to shell out between R800 and R1200 for a good running shoe. Shoes that don’t meet the needs of your foot type and running style can lead to Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis (heel pain), knee pain and shin splints, says Micklesfield.

Sports Bra
According to one study, running can cause your boobs to fly up and down as much as 20cm. Ouch! A bra that holds each breast in a separate cup will reduce bounce and support better than a shelf bra that wraps around both breasts. When trying one on, run in place, jump up and down and swing your arms in circles to test how supportive it will be. For a list of sports bras we love, click here.

Get Started

Attention, beginner runner: it’s safe – and smart – to start out slowly. Really slowly. “Easing into it helps your muscles and bones get used to the repetitive impact of running and helps your mind acclimatise to the effort,” Micklesfield says.

She recommends following a run/walk programme like the one here three times a week (not on consecutive days). Begin and end each session with a five-minute warm-up walk. Repeat a week if you don’t feel ready to move up. When you’re able to run consistently for at least 30 minutes, you can start adding more distance.

Week 1: Run 2 min, walk 3 min; repeat 6 times
Week 2: Run 3 min, walk 3 min; repeat 5 times
Week 3: Run 5 min, walk 2 min; repeat 4 times
Week 4: Run 7 min, walk 3 min; repeat 3 times
Week 5: Run 8 min, walk 2 min; repeat 3 times
Week 6: Run 9 min, walk 1 min; repeat 3 times
Week 7: Run 30 minutes

Or

Try our six-week online walk/run programme.

After you’ve been running for at least six weeks, add intervals to continue building fitness and shedding kilos. Intervals are short bursts of speed that engage the muscle fibres that make you go fast. (Bonus: research has shown that sprints trigger a fat-frying response in your muscles.) To do intervals, warm up for six minutes with an easy jog. Then run faster for 15 to 20 seconds. Slow down to an easy pace for three minutes. Repeat the cycle three to five times, then cool down with a six-minute jog. Do intervals once a week and increase your sprint length by 10 seconds each week until you can go all-out for 80 seconds.

Keep it Up
Nothing bursts your bubble faster than an injury. Take a few simple precautions and you’ll rarely – if ever – be sidelined.

Increase your runs gradually. Increase your running time by no more than 10 percent a week, Micklesfield says. That means if you run a total of 10km one week, aim for 11km the next.

Shore up the rest of your body. Weak muscles are prime targets for injury. Strengthen them with a 20-minute strength-training session that targets all your major muscle groups twice a week. Try the total-body plan Tone Zone.

Stay flexible. “Running makes muscles short and tight, which can compromise your form and result in injury,” Micklesfield says. Stretch after a warm-up, then repeat after your run (stretching when your muscles are cold can lead to injury). Find great stretches here.

Stride Right
Running with good form will keep your body happy and out of the doctor’s office. Plus, you’ll look like a real runner. Click here, for how to stride right.