Tips for beginners

Last 8 days of the year. You know what that means. Last 8 days of your inactive life. On January 1st a lot of people will resolve to get fit and flock to the gyms. Unfortunately, most of them will give up soon after. As someone who went from a very slow 20 minutes on the treadmill to an ultramarathon, I thought I might have some useful tips, but first an NYRR video to push those, who haven't made up their mind yet, over the threshold:

All pumped and ready to go? Good. Now the tips.

- Make sure you are healthy! Go to your doctor and ask if you should be running or maybe starting with something milder like walking. Physical exercise improves your body by stressing it. Make sure to apply a level of stress that won't break it.

- Start slow. I know everyone and their mother says the same thing, but it is really important. Most starters don't follow it, they try to run too fast, it will hurt during and after the run and they quit, because "They can't do it".
I don't think people ignore this advice on purpose. They go out too fast, because running slow doesn't come naturally. It requires mental effort and self control at every step.
One quick way to control speed is to start on a treadmill. You can set a comfortable speed and enjoy. Before you ask, no, the person on the next treadmill or that hot guy/girl passing by won't see your speed and judge you. If that is an issue, put a towel on the dashboard. In fact, cover the time indicator too, so that you are not looking down there every 10 seconds. If you can't see the time, it doesn't feel too boring.
Finding a running group for outdoors is a better option, because treadmill running can get boring and sooner or later you are going to need to move outside anyway (there are no races on treadmills). Your local running store probably has a group run and surely they will have a group that goes out at your pace. If they are too fast for you don't hesitate to ask, most runners won't mind slowing down a bit. Being in a group also provides the best pace control method of all, conversation. Your pace needs to be conversational, which means you should be able to chat with your fellow runners.
If you are still having trouble it might be time to give Jeff Galloway's run-walk strategy a try. There is nothing wrong with walking and it is a good way to keep your pace down and extend your workout without taxing the body too much.

- Keep a log. I am a bit of a number geek myself. So, the activity of keeping a log in itself is fun for me. You may not feel the same, but writing down a day's accomplishments will feel good. It is also entertaining to go back and make fun of your slow self.

- Race. Races are amazing. They provide you with a target, so your day-to-day running doesn't seem meaningless. Also, you end up pushing yourself to the limit. And finally, if you, like me, have never been good in athletics it is an amazing feeling to be cheered on to the finish.
If you are going to race, make sure to pick an appropriate distance. I started with a marathon and it wasn't a good idea. If you try to bite more than you can chew, you will risk burnout.
Following a program is also very helpful. There is a whole science behind preparing your body for different types of races (which I would definitely recommend understanding at least at a basic level). So, running x miles everyday, as fast you can will not necessarily get you the best time. There are websites, calculators etc. dedicated to calculate how fast and how far you should be running. I recommend Runner's World's Smart Coach. Also try to read a bit about the VDOT numbers.

- If you are trying to lose weight while improving your cardiovascular fitness by running, don't be disappointed if your weight loss stops all of a sudden. Plateaus in weight loss are normal. You will lose the first few really fast and then it will get harder. In fact I have noticed that running is more beneficial in maintaining weight rather than losing.
Even if you are not losing weight, running is good for you. Your cardiovascular system will still improve. So, don't get frustrated and don't cut down on pre-run fuel and post-run recovery food (chocolate milk is highly recommended). If you are eating junk food the rest of the day, try to decrease that.

I could go on, but these cover the main points. If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments. And welcome to the family of runners!