Running can be one of the most rewarding forms of exercise for those focusing on their fitness. It’s free for the most part, you don’t need a gym membership and it’s a brilliant way of getting your body moving while introducing fresh air and time outside to your fitness routine. However, as with all exercise, there can be a risk to your muscles, joints and more if you’re not taking care to ensure you’re looking after your body as you train.
The expert practitioners who work in-house at Supplement Hub, have shared their knowledge on getting the most out of running, tips for starting as beginners and how running supplements can help you ensure you’re looking after your body and reaping the benefits of this brilliant workout.
How Should I Start Running as a Beginner?
When introducing running to your exercise routine, it’s important to consider your body and its limitations to ensure that you’re getting the right workout, without damaging your body in the long run.
What is the 10% Rule in Running?
The 10% rule is a method beginner runners use when increasing their weekly mileage, that prevents muscle damage from pulled or overused muscles. The way it works is simple; don’t increase your distance by more than 10% week on week. For example, if you’ve run 5 miles consistently for one week, the next week you should only increase your total mileage by 0.5 miles.
What Pace Should a Beginner Run at?
A good starting pace for beginner runners is 10-15 minutes per mile. Pace isn’t too important when starting out as the perfect pace for you will be dependent on various factors such as personal fitness levels, lifestyle, etc. The more important things to focus on are things like posture, form and reducing injury during runs. We’ll discuss these in more detail below.
What are the Best Running Techniques for Beginners?
As we mentioned above, form, posture and technique play a huge role in perfecting your run, avoiding injury and getting the most from running. Below, our practitioners explain how to use your body to improve efficiency and reduce injury.
Relax your Shoulders
When running, try to relax your shoulders. Optimum shoulder position/posture is having relaxed, forward facing shoulders. Avoid hunching too far forward with your shoulders. Hunching can increase tension in your shoulders, increase the risk of muscle damage here, tighten the chest muscles increasing the risk of damage here as well as restricting your breathing during exercise.
Use your Arms Properly
Your arm movements and position are important in helping you run faster, run better and prevent injury.
Keep your arms by your side and avoid raising them too high and crossing over your chest. This is more likely to cause slouching which impacts your breathing and causes issues like cramping and stitches.
As you use your arms, make sure you’re swinging from your shoulders and not from your elbows; as this will cause your arms to raise up towards your chest/shoulders.
Adjust your Posture
Keep your head facing forward, you may feel inclined to look down as you tire but this can put stress on your neck and your shoulders and cause tension and muscle damage. Keep your ears in line with your shoulders, look straight ahead and focus on the ground ahead of you, not directly in front of your feet.
Keep Knees Loose
Keeping your knees loose when running is crucial for avoiding joint damage and sustained leg pain. Slightly bent, loose knees avoid you landing on straight legs and aid in the absorption of shock and contact as your feet hit the ground over time.
How to Avoid Running Injuries
Warming Up
A full warm up is essential before exercise to reduce the impact of the workout on your muscles and joints. Even with running, it’s important that you have warmed your body up, stretched your muscles and loosened your joints ready for a workout. Light jogging, leg rotations and leg swings as well as stretches like high knees, and butt kicks can all loosen your body, gradually increase your cardiovascular rate and stretch your muscles before a run.
Running Form
As we’ve mentioned above, a consistent and appropriate running form helps you prevent damage and injury to your joints, muscles, bones, feet and more. Remember to:
- Relax your shoulders
- Use your arms properly
- Adjust your posture
- Keep your knees loose
Cooling Down
As well as a good warm up to prepare your body for exercise, a cool down is just as important. ‘Cooling down’ helps the cardiovascular system reduce your heart rate to resting levels, as well as helping reduce stiffness and pain in the muscles after exercise. As opposed to the dynamic stretches you’d do during a work out, static stretching and gradually reducing movement are more effective for a cool down. For example, start off by transitioning your run into a steady walk and then try some quad, hamstring, calf or hip-flexor stretches to stretch out the muscles you’ll have been using during your run.
Fuelling with Supplements
As well as taking care of your body while you exercise, fueling your body properly before and after a workout can help your bodily systems perform better; reducing the risk of injury and maintaining the areas which you’ll rely on for running.
Running supplements can help reduce the risk of injury during running by strengthening bones and muscles, reducing inflammation, and supporting the body in recovering; reducing stiffness and tension.
The best supplements to take for running include:
- Collagen
- Electrolytes
- Whey protein
How to Take Supplements for Running
Supplements can be a brilliant addition to your running regime, helping support your body, avoid injury and even helping improve performance. Below, we’ve created a table which guides you through the best running supplements, how to take them and how these support your body.
| Supplement | How To Take It | How It Supports The Body |
| Collagen | • Take 10–20g daily, typically 30–60 minutes before exercise for best absorption. • Combine with Vitamin C (e.g., orange juice) to support collagen synthesis. |
• Supports tendon, ligament, and joint health, helping reduce injury risk. • May improve connective-tissue strength important for repetitive impact from running. • Can support skin elasticity and overall tissue repair. |
| Electrolytes | • Use during longer runs; lasting 60 minutes or more or in hot/humid conditions. • Mix electrolyte powder/tablets with water, adjusting strength based on sweat rate. • For long runs, aim for: 300–800 mg sodium/hour depending on perspiration and climate. |
• Replaces sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other minerals lost when we sweat. • Helps maintain healthy levels of hydration, prevents cramping, and sustains muscle function. • Supports stable energy and prevents dehydration-related fatigue. |
| Whey Protein | • Take 20–30g within 1–2 hours after running, especially after demanding or long runs. • Can also be taken during the day, alongside a healthy diet to meet protein goals. |
• Promotes muscle repair and recovery after running. • Supports lean muscle building; improving power and performance when running. • Provides fast-digesting essential amino acids (especially leucine) to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. |
High-quality, Trusted Supplements
At Supplement Hub, our expert team is backed by medical practitioners, who help shape the collection of supplements and vitamins we offer. We only stock trusted brands that have been vetted for quality, performance and safety by our practitioners, giving you peace of mind when you browse. Alongside our general collections, we offer our exclusive brands which feature collections such as Vitanica, Vital Nutrients and Designs for Sport. We strive to deliver quality and performance to all of our customers, helping you achieve your health goals with confidence and ease.