Getting Started

Whether you are aiming for a specific time, training for a set distance or are one of the thousands of people who hasn't run since school, but is thinking about hitting the streets, the team at Lucozade Sport would like to help you achieve your running goals.

To help get you started here are some top tips and basic advice from our team of experts. Good luck and enjoy your run.

Kit yourself up

First things first. Make sure you have a good pair of running shoes which are comfortable and offer you support. You don't need to spend a fortune on them, but it may be worth speaking to a specialist running store. The kit you run in is important so think about how comfortable you are and it may be worth investing so that your running experience is enjoyable. Also make sure if you are running at dusk or dawn that you wear high-visibility clothes to make sure you are seen.

Eat right, get organised and run better!

To run well you need a balanced diet. All the training in the world will not make you the complete runner without understanding effective hydration and nutrition strategies. Your body is a machine and therefore you must think about what you are putting in to it. So every time before you run think about what you need to do before, during and after. Eat properly throughout the day if running in the evening, keep hydrated, and think about what you are going to be doing after your run. If running in the morning, think about what you need to eat the night before and give yourself enough time to digest your breakfast in the morning. If you plan ahead then it is more likely you will have a better running experience.

Designed to help provide you with essential electrolytes, carbohydrates and fluids, Lucozade Sport has a range of products to make sure you are perfectly prepared before during and after your next run. Make sure you find the right one for you by using our product chooser.

Gently does it

Don't be daunted by the prospect. If you put too much pressure on yourself at the start you might miss some of the early excitement and may be put off before you have given yourself a chance. Start with small runs on flat ground and don't be afraid to run/walk. Once you have done this a few times, start to increase your distance and time on your feet, maybe set yourself visual goals to run to, trees and lamp posts are a great way of spurring you on that little bit further.

Find a friend

Everybody is different, but some people find running with a partner or friend a real inspiration and can be the difference between making your scheduled run and watching TV. An extra step could also be getting support from your local running club; these cater for all levels of abilities and can add a great social aspect to your running.

Looking to the long term

We hope that you discover how exhilarating running is and that you want to learn how to challenge yourself and continually get more. One important aspect of achieving this is to make sure that you prevent unnecessary injury by performing a few simple stretches before you head off as well as when you return. Make sure you check out our recommended stretches by a top physio online.

Take the plunge

A great way of really understanding how far you have progressed in your training is to test yourself and enter into an actual event. For some, the notion of this will bring back memories of PE lessons and running endlessly around school fields; the reality is very, very different. Modern races cater for all levels of runners, and often see run/walkers finish with very good times, having a great time and uniting in their achievements. A great place to start your racing journey is by entering one of the fantastic free-to-enter parkrun 5K runs held across the country every Saturday, head to our events page to find out more.

Hopefully by following some of these points, you will feel a bit more confident about stepping out and joining the throngs of people also enjoying their running. Who knows we may even see you at one of our partnered events one year!