Start Running with Olivia: June 2024

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Do you make these 5 common running mistakes?

5 Mistakes New Runners Make👇🏿

❌ Wearing random sneakers you’ve used for years.

❌ Skipping warm up and cool down.

❌ Starting off with a fast pace.

❌ Stop running when you’re uncomfortable.

❌ Deciding that you’re going to run every day— then totally giving up when you can’t maintain that schedule.

✅ Wear RUNNING shoes that are fitted for you feet and support for your specific needs. Change those shoes every 500 miles minimum. You can wear a Garmin GPS watch to keep track of your mileage.

✅ Begin with a short, simple warm up and end with a cool down to prevent injury. (I have IG reels of both. ❤️🎬)

✅ Start off slowly to prevent early fatigue and burn out.

✅ Pain is one thing but discomfort is another. It’s OK to be uncomfortable. You can always slow down and focus on your breath. You don’t need to stop. Walking is an option. You can also learn a lot from being uncomfortable so don’t fear it. Be open to it. You are safe. You are in control.

✅ I think doing anything every day besides eating, brushing your teeth, and praying is madness, but my options aside… You need rest days to allow your muscles to repair and grow stronger.

Have you done any of these things? What other mistakes would you add to the list?

Olivia Lovejoy is your run bestie who shares running tips, training plans and motivation online and offers one-on-one run coaching to help new runners achieve their goals. Based in Hastings on Hudson, NY but just a click and scroll away: Instagram | YouTube | Run with me | Email me | Subscribe to my email newsletter

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Easy 3-Minute Post-Run Stretch

🚫🙈 Don’t watch this reel if you enjoy being sore the day after a run.

If you have time to run, you have time to stretch. No excuses! One way to make sure you don’t forget to stretch is by combining it with the ritual of drinking your post-run water/ nuun hydration / whatever. Another trick I have is I don’t allow myself to take off my sweaty bra until I’ve done these stretches. It sounds cruel but that always keeps me from forgetting. 😉

Do this super easy 3 minute stretch routine after any run:

Quad (front of your thighs) stretch: Stand on your right leg with a soft bend to the knee. Grab your left foot behind you in your left palm. Flex your left foot and push it into your hand. Level your hips. Breathe. Hold. Pull your left knee back and down so that it gets closer to the right knee/ standing leg. You can hold onto something to go deeper or to support your balance. Repeat on the other side.

Hip-Opening Figure 4 Stretch:
Cross your left ankle over your right knee. Soft bend to your right knee. Level your hips. Belly button toward your spine. Push your booty back.
Breathe. Hold. You can lift up and down if you’d like. You can hold onto something to go deeper or to support your balance. Repeat on the other side.

Hamstring (back of your thighs) stretch: With a soft bend to your right knee, stick out your left foot about a foot’s distance from your right foot. Belly button toward your spine. Push your booty back. Breathe. Hold. Repeat on the other side.

Shoulders and triceps (back of arms) stretch: Roll your shoulders wide and down your back. With your chest open, reach behind yourself to grab opposite hands. Breathe. Hold. Repeat on the other side/ Alternate which hand is reaching up vs pulling down.

Morning stretch: Reach your arms up really high like you’re trying to reach the stars. Lean to each side.

Now do whatever else you need to do to feel good. 😀 Neck rolls and shoulder shrugs are nice. So are noodle arms/ swinging your arms without any resistance around your body.

Drop a 🌈 in the comments if you promise to stretch after your next run.

Monday, June 17, 2024

Do this simple running warm up

Ever feel like you’re going to die during the first 10 minutes of your run? ☠️ Do this 3 minute warm up first to begin your run feeling strong and confident. 😎

Watch the reel on Instagram.

Before you start: Do a breathing warm up. Inhale and exhale only through your nose for 2-5 minutes. (Watch my reel on How to Breathe When You Run for more details.)

OK, now do these things for about 20-30 seconds each:
Arm circles backwards (palms back)
Arm circles forward (palms forward)
Give yourself a hug 🤗
Shoulder shrugs forward and back
Neck rolls in each direction
Leg swings across your body
Leg swings back and forth
High knees
Kick your butt 🍑
…and whatever else you need to feel good.

Happy running besties! LMK in the comments if you try this.👇🏿

Sunday, June 16, 2024

How to Breathe When You Run

3️⃣ things you should pay attention to if you don’t want to feel like you’re dying when you run are:

1. Warm up your diaphragm. It is a muscle too. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your nose for 2-5 minutes. You can do this while you get dressed for your run or while walking to your run dest
ination.

Do this BEFORE you do the rest of your warm up. Yes, you need to do a full body warm-up before every run. That’s going to make a huge difference for your ease when it’s time to actually start running.

2. Use good posture for maximum airflow into your body. Keep your chest open. Keep your shoulders wide and relaxed down your back. Make sure you’re not hunched over. Drop your arms and let them swing— somewhat controlled, but absolutely comfortable—at your waist. Be easy. 😎

3. Start off slow. 🐌 So slow it’s embarrassing and boring. Definitely so slow that you could have a thoughtful conversation. Gradually increase your pace as your breath and your body warm up together.

Got it? Proper warm up. Posture. Pace. Pay attention to these things to keep breathing easy while you run. 😀

Tip: You can practice warming up your diaphragm and using good posture when you’re not running. I practice breathing all the time. It’s so relaxing!

Watch my How to Breathe When You Run reel on Instagram. Leave any questions or comments about breathing and running below. ❤️

Monday, June 3, 2024

Your Calendar + Your Workouts = Success!

If you’re trying to get in the habit of running consistently, you absolutely need to schedule it on your calendar. 🗓️

Start with running 2-3 days a week. Doing something new only once a week feels awkward every time and it’s hard to get momentum and progress. Every day is unrealistic and difficult to sustain in the long term. You will burn out once the novelty wears off.

Choose times where you can block off a full hour. This will give you time to run/walk for 30-40 minutes, plus have 20 min to warm up, cool down/stretch, and take a quick shower (or towel off and change clothes).

Be super respectful of yourself and your existing commitments when you plan this. Give yourself grace by picking a frequency and times that would be easy for you with very minor adjustments.

❌ Don’t say you’re going to get up at 4am and run before work if you are 100% not a morning person.
✅ Do see if you can find extra time and energy by cutting out activities that don’t support your goals— like going to Happy Hour after work or binging Netflix.

Put the chosen times on your calendar or whenever you keep track of your schedule/ appointments. This will eliminate decision fatigue throughout the week of figuring out how to fit in time to run. It will give you something to look forward to. It will also give you opportunity to make an easy, and clear choice to either commit to your goals or to blow them off.

Yes, life happens and things pop up so you can shimmy around the time as needed. But there’s a big difference between moving around appointments on your calendar and literally not having anything on it but expecting things to get done by coincidence. If you’re not a planner, this is a great way to ease into the habit of planning. (I swear, plans make the impossible possible!)

When are you running this week?