Your running questions answered!

When I first started running, I had so many questions. Who am I kidding — I still have tonnes of questions. Lucky for me (and unlucky for those around me), I'm not shy about asking — no matter how silly the question might have been. Chances are, if you have a running-related question, I've already embarrassed myself by bugging another coach or mentor for the answer.

 

That's where #TPMomsRun comes in. If you're on Twitter, use the hashtag #TPMomsRun along with your running-related question (don't forget to include myself @jenpinarski and @Todaysparent). I'll answer your running question as best I can, and if I don't know the answer, I'll track down an expert who can. Every week I'll post the questions and answers here on my blog so all mother runners can benefit!

 

Here a few of this week's questions. Thanks everyone for participating!

 

Why do the bottoms of my feet hurt when I start to run? They're OK about 400m in from @SandraEMartin

The first culprit of foot pain is your footwear. Check your running logs to see how many miles are on your shoes. It could also be that your feet aren't quite warmed up. One of my favourite foot stretches is to pretend I'm tracing the alphabet with my toes. I do this a few times before I get out of bed in the morning. Running form cannot be overlooked either!

 

?I have never ran but would like to start. Any advice? from @OttawaMommyClub

My best advice is to be kind to yourself! Running can be a very frustrating sport — even for those of us like myself that are addicted. Start slow, with a minute of running and a minute of walking three times a week. Each week up the amount of time you are running by a minute, until you are up to 10 minutes of running and one minute of walking. Work up to three sets of this and you're fit enough to take on a local 5K race!

 

Here's one from my husband: How can he get faster? from @cheaty

To run fast you have to train fast! The big reason I'm not a terribly fast runner is that I don't like speed workouts, even though they are guaranteed to turn you into a faster runner. Runner's World has a great collection of speed workouts and pace charts. Just promise to leave me a few bagels and bananas when you get to the finish line before me.