"You might think 'I want to go and run 5k' but it is actually important to build up to that, because otherwise we are going to see people pick up injuries along the way"
Friday 27 March 2020 11:15, UK
Start small, warm up properly - and you can have an experience which is great for your physical health and mental wellbeing.
That's the advice from coach Anna Harding to anyone thinking of taking up running, while we are in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In order to prevent the spread of the disease, the government has instructed the public to stay at home if at all possible.
However, we are allowed to go out once a day to get some exercise and that has prompted some first-timers to take their initial tentative steps into the world of outdoor running.
The prospect can be quite intimidating though, so Sky Sports requested some tips for beginners from Harding - a veteran of seven marathons and four ultra-marathons.
She said: "It's been great to see so many new runners have been out and about.
"I have seen so many more people running since this all started so, first of all, great to see so many people out [running].
"If it is daunting but you are considering taking the leap, then what I would say is start off small, don't expect grand things.
"Certainly don't go from nought to marathon in a week, because that is not going to happen.
"Give yourself time to build up, so you could do some walking and running at intervals. You don't have to do a whole big run, all in one go.
"Try timing yourself rather than measuring distance.
"You might think 'I want to go and run 5k' but it is actually important to build up to that, because otherwise we are going to see people pick up injuries along the way.
"As part of that, a warm-up is really key as well - marching on the spot, doing some high knees, just get your heart rate going and start your run sensibly."
Harding is effusive about how running can enrich your life - and so naturally she backs the decision to allow people to get some outdoor exercise at these difficult times.
"We all breathed a sigh of relief as runners when the Prime Minister said we were allowed out for one exercise a day," said Harding.
"I am coping fine because it means I can still go out and run - which is great for your physical health but also your mental wellbeing.
"I run five or six times a week and it has transformed my life - I was never sporty before but it gives me a sense of achievement, a sense of wellbeing, and I cannot say how much running has done for me.
"There are so many positive benefits - you can set goals, finishing marathons is a feeling like no other, and you meet incredible people.
"That is the hard thing at the moment, you can't be social with the running, so I started the hashtag, 'solo run selfie'.
"It is a solitary sport to all intents and purposes but the sense of community is what is so special about running."
