New to running? This page is a really quick summary of how to get involved with running in Cambridge, whether you want to run for fitness or want to train up for a race!
Cambridge is a great place to run with many trails and country-side nearby. If you’re not sure where to go, here are our most common routes (most of them have convenient shortcuts if you want to do something a bit shorter), or better still join us for a run and we’ll show you around! We also have a lot of socials going on which are usually posted on the weekly email.
Social Running #
If you’re new to CUH&H and worried about training with the elites, the social running group is a great place to start. We aim to cater to runners of any experience and ability. To get involved sign up to the weekly club email and come along to our designated ‘social running’ runs. Normally during term time we also have a weekly Friday tea run (30 minute jog ending at a different college each week with food/drink – every so often actual tea!). Get in touch with our social running leaders to find out more.
New runners’ 101 #
Running is fun but there is always a risk of injury (as with every other sport). Here are some tips* to start running consistently, which is the best way to improve!
*Listen to advice from the physio first. This page is meant as an introduction and general guide only!
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Have fun!
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Fuel - your body needs enough food. That means calories in general, but particularly protein (to build the muscles you’re breaking down by training), carbs (to fuel your running) and unsaturated fats (necessary for nutrient absorption). Don’t think you need to “earn” your meals or snacks. If you’re concerned about your relationship with food, please speak to someone: e.g. the welfare officers, a college/uni counsellor, or another person you trust.
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Rest - get enough sleep, even if it’s hard. Take rest days. It’s the recovery that will let you see improvements, not just the training itself.
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Start Easy - take walking breaks if you need them. Run much slower than you think you need! (example: Julia can run a sub-19 min 5k (3:47/km) & her easy runs are around 5:40-6:00/km pace). This limits impact, builds aerobic fitness, and reduces your injury risk. Most runs should be at a pace that’s easy for you. Don’t compare your easy pace to other people’s easy pace, or to your easy pace on another day - it’s okay if it varies! You should end your easy runs feeling like you could have kept going for a while. If you can’t comfortably chat to a friend without gasping for air mid-sentence, you’re running too fast for an easy run.
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Get proper shoes for you – Up&Running is a dedicated running store in Cambridge with expert staff. You can ask for last year’s models to save money, or just tell them your price limit - they’re used to working with students on a budget! Ignore what the shoes look like - focus on what they feel like. Make sure you replace them once they’re worn down (that will depend on many things, like your mileage, your weight, your gait, whether you wear them for things other than running, and how often you run). If you run more often than every other day, it may be worth having a second pair of shoes to rotate - the foam then has more time to reset and that makes the shoes last longer overall. Also, wearing two different models means that the muscles in your feet/legs are worked slightly differently, helping to prevent injury.
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Run on soft surfaces (e.g. grass) - less impact, good for building stability. But make sure you can see where you’re running (holes in the ground in the dark are not your friend; high grass can be tricky!)
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Strength training - even a 15 min bodyweight circuit once a week featuring squats, lunges, side planks, glute bridges, and calf raises does wonders to prevent injury! One of the most important things here is single leg strength: running is a single leg sport and many of us have some imbalances - that’s normal but can lead to injuries. Single-leg strength training (e.g. lunges, single-leg glute bridges, side planks) work against this. Start with your weaker leg & don’t do more reps with your stronger leg.
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Don’t run through a niggle - no single run will make your training, but it may very well break it.
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Build up slowly - don’t increase the mileage you run, the fast mileage you run, and the days per week you run all in one go. Doing too much too quickly is a risk factor for both injury and burnout! As a rule of thumb, many recommend not increasing mileage by more than 10% week-on-week. If you increase mileage, don’t also increase the hard miles you run in that same week! Take down weeks every now and then - listen to your body!
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Warm up properly – before a harder/faster run or a session, do a few minutes easy running minimum, and ideally also a few drills (e.g. high knees, buttkicks, walking lunges) and dynamic stretches. Similarly, warm down by jogging for a few minutes. Foam rolling and stretching are great to add to your post-run routine (no, you very likely won’t always have time for it; yes, a little goes a long way).
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Wear reflective clothing in the dark, and maybe a headtorch too (you can get cheap ones from decathlon).
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Keep in mind why you are running - for general fitness? to feel good? as a social activity? to get faster? to get fresh air? All are equally valid reasons. Focus on why YOU do it and make it fit into your schedule accordingly. Again, this may be very different from how other people do it, and that’s okay!
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Take advantage of the free physio/sports massage sessions if and when you need them – but you must be a paid up CUHH member to use these.
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Speak to the committee and coaches – we are happy to answer any questions, ranging from training advice to welfare concerns.
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Come to CUHH socials & races if you want - everyone is welcome!