These days, it seems like joggers are everywhere. However, it’s not all sunshine and roses: worn-out shoes, severe misalignments, and in some cases, people clearly pushing themselves too hard. To help as many people as possible enjoy running, our running coach and co-owner of Tempo Sport, Carlos Cuenca, has put together the most important tips for beginners.

Guidelines for a fun running experience

• Start slowly; less is more at the beginning.
• It’s better to jog on flat terrain, such as along Lake Zurich, so as not to get your heart rate too high.
• Start step by step; consistency is key.
• Better to do it a few times briefly than a few times for a long time.
• If you want to devote more time to training, you should focus on core, strength, and alternative exercises, as well as stretching, at the beginning.
• It’s better to start out a bit too easy rather than too hard. Running can quickly lead to overexertion, especially (but not only!) for beginners.
• At first, it’s better to jog alone so you can run at your own comfortable pace.
• Breathing mainly through the mouth.
• Take shorter steps to avoid overexertion.
• Exercising on a full stomach isn't great, but it really kills the fun when you're out jogging! 
• Don't forget to use your arms. Keep your forearm and upper arm at an angle of about 45 degrees, and swing your arms parallel to your upper body.
• Deinen Lauf nicht mit einem "Zielsprint" beenden. Die Verletzungsgefahr ist am Schluss bei einem Sprint viel zu gross, da die Muskulatur und der Bewegungsapparat schon ermüdet sind.
• Do a quick stretch of your ankles before you start running. Then run at a very moderate pace for the first few minutes to warm up your body properly.

Running doesn't require a lot of sports gear. But the few items you do need are very important:

And to put it bluntly, that’s all you really need: the right running shoes. The rest doesn’t matter—you can even go jogging in your pajamas (okay, the right gear does make it a lot more fun ;-). Getting good advice on running shoes is a must, because whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you need to find the right pair for you from the endless array of models. The best way to do that is with a running shoe consultation like the one at Tempo Sport. And here, that’s naturally included when you buy running shoes!

A beginner's running plan might look something like this:

3x pro Woche 10 Minuten joggen und dann jede Woche 5'-10' steigern. Falls nötig, zu Beginn auch Gehpausen einlegen. Wenn man bei 30' durchjoggen angekommen ist, die Laufzeit erst nach zwei Wochen bei drei Trainings pro Woche weiter steigern. Wenn man 60' erreicht hat, gilt man spätestens nicht mehr als kompletter Laufeinsteiger(in) und kann mit leichtem Intervalltraining starten (sowie spätestens jetzt auch an einem unserer Laufseminare teilnehmen).

And last but not least:

Don't compare yourself to others (who are better). What matters is your own performance—and, above all, your well-being!

Have fun,

Carlos Cuenca, Tempo Sport Horgen (Zurich)

P.S.: Here are the most important technical exercises. Give them a try (carefully)