Uphill Rush: Running for Newbies

Perhaps I’d have been a little more enthused about running if I hadn’t insisted on wearing a ten-year-old pair of Dunlops to pound the treadmill. Fortunately, a few weeks ago, I discovered that my size four feet meant I could get away with a pair of kids' trainers for less than 30 quid. While this has afforded me infinitely more joy when it comes to putting one foot in front of the other, I’ve still not braved the – whisper it – outside world.

In an attempt to tempt myself outside the safe haven of my gloomy gym, I decided to seek advice from those with a little more experience. You can thank me when you’re sweating your bottom off running the High Peak Marathon.

So, let’s get the hardest bit out of the way first: getting your feet out the front door. Marathon runner and Mind campaigner Ilona Burton, and running hobbyist Nicholas Rezzouk both agree. Though neither offers the magic solution as to how to conjure up that motivation, Burton recognises that, for her, “running for charity definitely helps with the motivation... To know that I'm raising money that will help others makes all the struggles worthwhile.”

Of course, we can’t ignore the most compelling reason to run: it’s free! As Rezzouk says, “I started seeing this as a cheap and easy way to maintain a certain level of fitness, as well as [it] proving beneficial for my psyche.” Luckily for him, he says that “it must have helped that I grew up next door to a forest where it feels good to fill your lungs with clean air.”

If it’s fresh air you’re after, then we’re ideally placed in the Northwest to participate in a spot of fell-running. Enthusiast Emma Pond started fell-running to embrace “the views, the freedom and the fresh air" – less so the "herding sheep or running from adders that you’ve accidentally disturbed.” While the latter may sound a little scary, Pond assures us that “the hills aren’t that bad – and it doesn’t have to be as extreme as the running magazines can make it out to be.” If you’re ready for the challenge, her key advice is to get a decent pair of snug shoes, and most importantly, “ease yourself in. I definitely had to slow down [when I first began]”.

If you’re already a seasoned runner, Pond’s favourite route is worth a go: “try Win Hill from Ladybower Lake in the Peak District," she says. "You get lovely views and you run through woods, on moorland and bag a ‘summit’ all in one go. The route I usually do here is only around 10km so it’s not too scary. While the hill at the start is practically un-runnable, the flat run along from the top is lovely – then it’s all downhill!”

For those searching for that extra bit of inspiration, running blogger Sarah Crandon recommends turning to your fellow runner: “Things like @UKRunchat on Twitter [offer] a great running community where people often ask questions and support each other. Try running with a local group; [it] helps with the motivation, means you don’t have to think about a route, keeps you going when you want to stop and lets you meet up with other runners.”

Sold yet? If you’re all for easing yourself in the fun way, try the Manchester Color Run (5 July), a 5k that showers its white-clothed participants with powdered colours and counts 60% of its participants as first-time 5k runners. If you’re already itching for something a little more hardcore, we recommend keeping your eyes peeled for next year’s Rock & Roll Marathon in Liverpool (14 June 2015) – endurance running with musical accompaniments.

The Lakeland Trails also offer a varying distance of runs across the Lake District, and you can find a whole host of organised fell runs across the UK on fellrunner.org.uk.

And me? I’m off to hunt out my white leggings from the late ‘90s...