Running rookie?

Total beginners, take note – there’s no better time to start than now, and these tips will get you off to a flying start

Can’t even jog to the bus stop without feeling close to collapse? We all have to start somewhere. ‘The most common complaints when people start running are calf, Achilles and knee pain, which is to be expected if you try to go from zero to 60 quicker than Usain Bolt,’ explains O’neill. ‘Do prep work beforehand to promote mobility and activate the right muscles and joints. Try what I call “the world’s greatest stretch” – a lunge with an upper-body rotation. Start in a press-up position, bring your left foot forward outside your left hand, then rotate your chest towards that knee and raise your left hand towards the sky before repeating on the right – you’ll feel everything from your hamstrings and quads to hips and back warm up and become more mobile.’ Follow O’neill’s beginner’s tips...

1 Be sure to activate your muscles and mobilise your joints before each run. Try 2 x 20 reps of calf raises to promote blood flow to the working area. Follow that with 2 x 20 reps of banded hip thrusts to wake up the glutes and 5-6 reps per side of the lunge with upper-body rotation.

2 Progress at your own pace; running is about getting into your own rhythm, not following someone else’s.

3 Frequency is key, so don’t overdo it on day one. You want to be able to run again. Three or four runs per week is what you should be aiming for.

4 Literally, don’t run before you can walk. Set small goals – if you’ve only just started, signing up for a marathon is probably a little overambitious.

5 Once you’ve been running consistently for about a month, start setting weekly targets (eg, 10 miles per week). Break it up into three or four runs.

6 Download an app like Strava so you can keep track of your distance and pace per session. It’ll help you monitor your progress.