Free Running for Beginners: The Easiest Way to Start Running by Simon Adams Page B

I wanted to lose weight and I chose running because I knew that it would fit in well with my lifestyle.
     
    There were a number of other ways to lose weight, that didn’t involve running, which also appealed to me. I could have re-joined a gym, taken up swimming or started cycling again. When I was younger I used to do a lot of cycling, I had the freedom of time but later in life with responsibilities, I found cycling to be far too restrictive. By using cycling as a means to lose weight it would mean that ideally I’d have to go out in daylight hours, I’d have to own a bike and have to spend more time cycling than I would running in order to lose the equivalent amount of weight. If I’d have joined a gym or taken up swimming it would have cost a lot of money and also meant that once I got in from work I would have had to have gone out in the car again. I found that I didn’t have any of these restrictions with running; if I was late back from work, away on holiday or just busy, I could always fit in a run because all I needed was a pair of trainers.
     
    Everybody has their own personal reasons for wanting to start running and you should make your own list of why you want to run. Write a list that has five good reasons why you want to start and put it somewhere prominent to remind you why you wanted to start running in the first place. On days where you are feeling reluctant to run, read through that list to motivate you.
     

What to Wear
    Other than a proper pair of running trainers, some socks and if you are a lady a good running bra, there is no other clothing that you need to buy. However, I cannot stress enough how important the correct pair of running shoes are, they are critical to your success and health.
     

Clothing
    Many runners choose to run in shorts, track suit bottoms or tights, usually in that order of preference depending on what the weather is doing and what time of year it is. The bottom half is usually the least problematic to clothe as your legs don’t tend to suffer too much from the cold or warmth. If you choose to run in tracksuit bottoms I would recommend getting a pair that are fairly fitted around the ankle and shin area as wet jogging bottoms flapping around are never a pleasure to run in.
     
    In terms of what to wear on your top half in the summer, many people will choose a T-shirt. Although there are many ‘technical’ fabrics on the market, my personal preference for running in the warmer weather is a simple 100% cotton t-shirt.
     
    If however, you are running in cooler weather, you should be looking at layering the clothing. Layering is a tried and tested method of dressing for active sport and there are number of principles behind wearing multiple layers:
     
    1. It is easier to regulate your temperature by simply removing additional layers of clothing.
     
    2. Layering clothes traps air and will keep you warmer than if you were to wear just one thick layer.
     
    3. Based on the last principle, this means that you can wear two or three lightweight layers and be as warm as wearing a single thicker and heavier layer, consequently you’ll be carrying less weight with you out on your run.
     
    The traditional method of layering is made up of three layers; a base layer, a mid layer and an outer layer. As fabric technology has advanced each of these layers has evolved to not only act as insulation but to perform different functions.
     
What does the base layer do?
    The base layer is typically a tight fitting top. Its purpose is to wick sweat away from the body in order to keep you comfortable. The tighter this layer is the better it will perform. The base layer is one of the most important layers you wear because it will help prevent chaffing and skin irritation which can occur on longer runs. Chaffing and irritation tends to happen when the skin is moist, so wicking the sweat away helps to prevent this from happening.
     
What does the mid layer do?
    The purpose of the mid layer is