Weight Loss Tips: 76 Resources for Runners– Train Smarter, Reduce Injury, Have Fun

We’ve busted all kinds of excuses for not running around here lately from lost mojo to “I’m too old”.

But one area still remains…the newbie phase.

The point where you are doing it, but not totally committed and not 100% sure if you are doing it right! Do you need fancy shoes? What does everyone mean when they talk about PR’s and how long is a marathon really?

Before I get going I want to make two incredibly important points:

Don’t get bogged down in reading too much, just get out there and go.
Celebrate every single milestone.

The gels, the shoes, the form that’s the 10% which will make a difference after you get going. 90% is just getting out the door repeatedly to allow your body to become accustomed to this crazy new idea you’ve decided to try.
76 resources for new runners - training plans, injury prevention, training apps, running motivation, sports nutrition and more While I put this together with new runners in mind, the truth is theses resources are great for any of us who need to stay on track with our training!

ONGOING TIPS
The following sites provide a lot of articles throughout the week that cover training, nutrition, gear, motivation and stories of real runners. Many also ensure that their articles are from coaches, long time runners or those with certifications in the area of the article. Best running websites for tips, advice and ongoing training motivation Photo from @CristinaIsabelRameriz

A couple of my favorite articles from these sites

Runners Connect – Can pickle juice really cure muscle cramps
Greatist – A huge round up of tips coming your way all the time and most are actually logical and useful, like what actually matters when shoe shopping and 5 tips for the perfect taper.
Competitor.com – How to loosen your feet with a golf ball
DailyBurn – Are you washing your workout gear all wrong?
The Active Times – 10 tips for surviving summertime marathon training
Active.com – Train your brain to help you run faster (and of course find a race to sign up for!)

INJURY PREVENTION
Step 1 don’t Google any potential injury. Step 2 learn from all those before you who neglected strength training and ended up injured.
Resources for injury prevention, cross training and rehabilitation for runners Photo by BreatheBrook

Sage Rountree – great resource for runners yoga from both the athletic perspective and how to embrace restorative yoga once you get deeper in to training.

Finish Line PT – They have provided a set of videos online that will help to improve mobility and keep at bay pesky issues like IT Band Syndrome.

DailyBurn – Great round up of posts here for ideas on speed, strength and foam rolling. They also have great programs with yoga and mobility training.

Phil Maffetone – Many of you know that I have found Low Heart Rate training to be a valuable part of my injury free running the last few years, but for new runners this is a phenomenal way to get started with building a true aerobic race.

Sweat Science – Break out your inner nerd and learn what happens in your body when you pop an Advil after running or how to what’s really in those vitamin drinks and is it helping you.

Running Physio – Real applicable advice from a physiotherapist and runner.

NUTRITION
Sports nutrition should be personalized to your body, your goals and your lifestyle. While I have been fortunate to talk with a number of certified nutritionists in the last few years, that wasn’t always the case. Here are some resources to help you start testing out different styles of eating and getting down the basics on food and supplements.
Top nutrition resources for runners Vega Blog – Of course I’m partial to the plant based lifestyle, though I don’t follow it 100%, but really what I love here is the variety of information from recipes to tips on making changes to details about specific nutrients. {Vega photo above}

Outside Online – Great article on nutrition mistakes of new runners {seriously read it}, which will of course lead you down the rabbit hole of other great articles on the site.

TriMarni – Not only is Marni a Registered Dietitian, but she is a 9 time Ironman finisher and extraordinary coach. She often shares recipes, fueling tips and more on her blog…but beware she LOVES her science so you may have to weed through that if it’s not your thing.

Hammer Nutrition – I like the variety of details provided from 5 signs of chronic dehydration to why you might reconsider honey as a fuel option.

Recipes – One of the keys to any of the above nutrition advice is always whole foods. Here are some great sites by runners, R.D.s and healthy eaters that will help keep you fueled.

The Lean Green Bean – A Registered Dietitian, athlete and mom with a real take on making food easy and delicious without labels.
Oh She Glows- Nothing but 100% vegan, whole food recipes here. From homemade taco seasoning to green smoothies. Recipes are a bit more complex and varied for you foodies.
The Healthy Apple – If you’ve started to realize food allergies are making you feel bad, this is a great place to learn more and find recipes that will leave you feeling great.
KalynsKitchen – Focused on eating lower carb, but still need enough to run? Checkout her whole food based recipes.
Pinterest – I have a boards I update almost daily with more recipe ideas

Logging Sites – Many runners also find it helpful to spend a little time tracking their food intake to see if they are in fact rewarding themselves a bit too much for miles run or missing out on eating enough protein, carbs and fat to fuel their workouts. I recommend one with an app so you never miss logging.

Free options: MyFitnessPal | My Plate

RUNNING GROUPS
Don’t be afraid of running groups. You are never too slow, too old or too anything to be welcomed by true runners. We LOVE when anyone wants to take up the sport. If one group doesn’t work, try another every group has a different dynamic.
How to find a running group in your area MeetUp.com – One of the easiest places to start looking for groups in your area is MeetUp.com, you’ll often find the beer run group, the speed work group and the run/walk group.

Local stores - Most local running stores from the large chain likes Fleet Feet to your single store have at least one weekly group run.

Charity Teams – Charity teams like Team in Training or World Vision are a great place to start a they will have a coach and immediate accountability.

CoolRunning.com – Not sure about a group yet? Try an online forum like Cool Running, you’ll find tons of support and plenty of experienced runners answering questions.

MOTIVATION
I’m a reader at heart, so I’ve probably shared some of these with you before…but the focus here is once again on free! Inspirational runners on Instagram and Blogs Photo by GoKCenarkian

Rich Roll – His podcast will certainly introduce you to people doing extraordinary things and give you time to think about your food choices impacting your life, running and mood as well.

Library – Check with your local library, many magazines like Runners World are available online to be checked out for up to 7 days. Plus you’ll find many of the audiobooks for runners that I love.

Blogs - I am a fan of reading blogs for motivation, so here are just a few that I’ve followed over there years to remind me of the wide variety of runners out there.

Tina Muir – An elite runner sharing her journey
ShutUpandRun – Hilarious stories of the moments we all share from a woman who would pass most of us on our best day
RunEatRepeat – A runner who just has fun with life and running
NoMeatAthlete – He’s created community around plant based eating and tons of detailed tips for training
MIss Zippy – As a coach and runner who has battled her way back from injury, Amanda has a lot of great info to share and kick started my journey with Low Heart Rate Training
Sweat Once a Day – Emily stopped blogging for a bit and I admit to really missing it because she is 100% hard core committed to pushing her limits and loving the journey
The Runner Beans – Trust me you’ll want to be her friend within seconds of seeing how much fun she has, plus lots of great tips that will keep you going.
{photo above from her fun group!}
Lifting Revolution – If you want inside the mind of a trainer, Kindal holds nothing back from the highs to the lows you’ll connect with her and want to push your limits.
BexLife – This one is totally on the other end of the spectrum! I love Bex for her 4 minute meditations and reminders that life is about so much more than how far we can run.

Instagram - Beyond blogs, I am HUGELY motivated when I scroll through my Instagram feed everyday and see people who are crushing their workouts, having a blast with running or sharing seriously rough patches, but still showing up. Here are just a few of my favorites:

KatiesFitScript – She truly is what got me back on track with strength training
JennaMMcHugh – Bright beautiful photos that don’t require a watch shot to let you know she’s fast and loving it.
The Athletarian – She’s just enjoying life, a little goofy and totally dedicated
FueldByFrosting – Again she’s just another woman out enjoying the run on her own, with friends, with a pup doesn’t matter. {see dog photo below!}
SarahSeads – I just recently found her, but every post makes me want to trail run.
INPYN – This nutrition coach is also a phenomenal athlete with inspiring words.

TRAINING PLANS
I’ve discussed how to build your own training plan and the benefits of a coach, but if you are just starting out and unsure of how many miles to run to get going a free online plan can be a great way to start learning what’s too much and not enough.

Galloway – Run/walk training plans
Hal Higdon (every possible distance and level for free)
Jenny Hadfield – long time coach with realistic plans for busy people

76 top running resources for training, motivation and nutrition gathered by @runtothefinish #RunChat

RACING
Once you’ve gotten your plan, the best way to stick to it is to put a little money and pride on the line by signing up for a race. Here are a few websites to help you find one in your area or maybe enjoy a racecation {my personal favorite}.> Resources for runners including best places to find races Photo by Tattooedandrunningit

Running in the USA – any distance broken down by state
MarathonGuide.com – includes race reviews
MudRunGuide
RunLocator
HalfMarathons.net

FREE APPS/TOOLS
No need to go out and spend tons to get started, there are some tools you have access to from day 1 for tracking your miles or figuring out how far you ran or how far to run!

MapMyRun – No GPS watch, no issue. You can map out a run to see your distance after you finish. It’s also a fantastic tool for figuring out runs when traveling.

C25K – A free app that will get you from the couch to your first 5k!

Free music – No need to download tons of songs to find out what works for you. Try Spotify or Songza or any of my favorite podcasts for running.

Free tracking - LogYourRun, Daily Mile, there are tons of great free online tools – If you like sharing it with others to get support and feedback then checkout DailyMile, prefer to keep your numbers to yourself then LogYourRun might be better.

McMillian Running Calculator – Not sure if you have what it takes to hit your goal time? This pace calculator will help give you an idea along with training paces

DC Rain Maker – Not an app, but this should be at the top of your list for places to go once you consider making a big fitness purchase because he has probably reviewed it in serious detail. If you are ready to buy a treadmill then I definitely recommend the in depth reviews on TreadmillReviews.net.

SPECIFIC TOPICS
Following are some articles and topics that answer key questions, but may not be an entire site devoted to all things running.
Answering your top running questions from how to start running to how to run with a dog to carbo loading