Get running ready after the winter lull

Our fitness expert, The Colonel, takes a look at how to bounce back after a quiet winter...
Its time to hit the road with warmer weather on the horizonIts time to hit the road with warmer weather on the horizon
Its time to hit the road with warmer weather on the horizon

The ‘beast from the east’ that battered the country last week seems to have passed and having entered March the smell of spring is in the air.

READ MORE: Give yourself a tasty boost...

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The more hardened runners will have been on the road since mid-December preparing for marathons but if you weren’t built for the cold, now is the perfect time to begin getting miles in your legs once more.

Before you’ve even set off on your journey make sure you have a suitable pair of sneakers. Running shoes are designed to cushion your feet and make impact with the floor easier on the legs and knees. So, head down to your local running shop to get a gate analysis to help you find the right running shoe for your type of feet.

For beginners and those of you have that been a couch potato in the winter months it may be best to start off slowly and build up the mileage to avoid injury. Increasing the kilometres can happen over time but injury or even a burnout will leave you spending even more time in front of the TV feeling lazy.

If your legs do start to feel the strain however, take some time off to recover and get on the treadmill every so often, rather than just running on the road.

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Treadmills are a lot lighter on the legs, causing less impact than road running.

Finally, drink plenty of water and eat more carbs. Running for more than 30 minutes two or three times a week will mean you sweat a lot, so getting water back into your system is important.

Equally, increasing the amount of carbs you eat means your body has more energy to use, which will fuel you for longer when you are running.