First things first, shoes!

Firstly, it is so important to make sure you have a good pair of running shoes that fit you well and are supportive for running. Having the right footwear for running can help with injury prevention and help improve your running performance. The shape of your foot, and how it moves when you walk/run, will determine the shoe that will best suit you. So, it’s best to get yourself fitted to find the right shoe for you!

Want to know what we’ve been loving lately? The New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v13.

What makes the 1080 unique isn’t just that it’s the best running shoe New Balance makes, it’s also the most versatile. The 1080 delivers top-of-the-line performance to every kind of runner, whether you’re training for your first 5km or you’re running to catch the train. The Fresh Foam X 1080v13 is available in a brand new colourway and it’s safe to say that we are OBSESSED!

Fuel yourself through your KICRUNs

It’s important to remember that you need to fuel your body to power through your runs. Whether that’s a pre-run snack, a big feed post-run or just meals to keep you going throughout the day, there’s plenty of options in the Kic app to help keep you powering on. Having a snack within 30-60 minutes of your run can be a great way to give you a quick energy boost!

Try Kic’s energiser smoothie or our feel good protein smoothie to feel sufficiently powered up for your KICRUN! For more recipe ideas of what to eat before, after and throughout your days of running, check out our blog here.

Know where to find your KICRUN warm ups and cool downs

Sometimes we can get a bit eager and want to jump straight into our runs without warming up (we’ve all been there, it’s okay!). But it is so important that we adequately warm up and cool down before and after our runs. Doing this will help with injury prevention to make sure you can safely Kic’ it on your run. You can find these in the app by doing the following:

• Open your Kic app
• Go to ‘Explore’
• Select ‘Move’
• Open ‘Warm up’ and select ‘KICRUN Pre Run Stretches’ for your warm up
• Open ‘Cool down’ and select ‘KICRUN Post Run Stretches’ for your cool downs

It only take 5-7 minutes, so make sure to make time for them in your KICRUN routine! We promise you, your body will thank you for it.

Check in with your mind, running is as much mental strength as it is physical!

We won’t lie, there will be some runs where the mental load will feel super heavy. Telling yourself you can do it and reach the distance can be a tough thing to build up, so it can help to work on your mind as well as your strength during KICRUN!

Meditations can be a great way to work on that mental strength, as well as breath work to help you keep calm during your run. We love ‘Morning confidence’ with Meg before a morning run to give us a bit more pep in our step. ‘Exploring the breath’ and ‘Diaphragmatic breathing’ are both great meditations too to help get your breath warmed up before a run.

Find your ‘why’ for running

At Kic, we talk a lot about finding your ‘why’ for moving your body. Most importantly, your ‘why’ shouldn’t be tied to your looks and aesthetics. For Laura, her ‘why’ for running is that it’s her mental health tool to help her keep calm and happy. Your ‘why’ for running could be because you want to try something new, you want the mental challenge of a new distance, or to keep you happy and healthy. Here’s some prompts from Laura to help identify your why and set your affirmations for your KICRUN program:

• Write a letter to yourself to read when you are struggling and need motivation
• Note down any limiting beliefs they have about running so you can let them go
• Write out an affirmation to reframe your self doubt about running
• Write down your ‘why’ for running and revisit this when you need the motivation.
• Visualise yourself running the final run of your KICRUN program, and write down the feelings that came to mind

Wanting more?

Check out our KICPOD Bonus Ep: Want to run 5km? From running techniques to understanding how to build up cardiovascular fitness, Steph & Laura speak with a physio, Hannah, about her running tips and tricks. Hannah dives into details on how to prevent and handle a stitch, how to warm up and cool down properly, how to progress in your running and how to find the motivation to run! Hannah also shares her advice on running during pregnancy for any mums-to-be.