Running is one of the most accessible and natural forms of exercising out there. There’s no need for special equipment, a gym or an instructor. In running, all you need is a pair of training shoes, and off you go! No matter if you do it on a treadmill, in the nearest park, on a track or on the road, as long as you’re moving those legs, you’re good to go.

However, regardless of how simple running is, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no room for mistakes. In fact, there’s plenty of room to make mistakes while running. These mistakes range from not having a great impact on you to tremendous ones which might make you quit running completely.

Lucky for you, we’ve pieced through this short article on the common running mistakes. Read on to find out how to avoid them!

1. Running at all costs

Those who love running know how strange it is to go a couple of days without going for a run. However, this is exactly what happens from time to time. In case you go down with the flu or have a cold, it’s best you hit pause. Running won’t go anywhere! You won’t miss out on much, you’ll just take some time to heal and get back on track in no time. Well, as easy as it sounds, many people don’t act like that when they aren’t feeling well. Instead, they keep pushing themselves without realizing the fact that they are essentially making more damage to their health.

What’s more, the most common mistake among runners is ignoring their injuries. They want to run through the pain thinking it will make it go away. Soon enough they will realize that the only way to make the pain vanish is to take some time off from running and heal.

Skipping a couple of days of running, or even a whole week, won’t hurt your progress. In fact, ignoring the signals to take it easy might make you skip on a lot more. Therefore, instead of being forced to stop, do it willingly and run wisely.

2. More is better — you have to disagree

This mistake is common among beginners. Once they start running, they are excited and eager to do as much as they can. However, there’s a problem with pushing yourself past your limits in running. The truth is, overdoing it will eventually make you quit one way or another.

Firstly, if you start running every single day, your body won’t have time to heal and recover from the previous run. As a result, you’ll be more open to possible injuries and strains.

On the other hand, if you start doing too much too soon, the chances are your interest in running will fizzle out and you’ll give it up quickly.

So pace yourself, take days off, let yourself heal. Most importantly, give yourself a day or two to really get excited about your next run.

3. Set small goals

When we talk about goals, we usually see them as “wanting to lose weight”, or “wanting to get toned”. But in running, you’ll need to set some smaller goals, aside from the big ones.

For instance, you might want to set a weekly goal of the distance you want to cover. Or, you can even set a goal of running 15 miles every week.

These small goals play tricks with our minds. Essentially, you will have more motivation to achieve these smaller goals. And once you do that, you’ll feel amazing. That’s the feeling you’ll become thirsty for. So basically, that feeling will keep you going one run after another.

4. Run tall

People tend to think that all running is the same. You just move your legs, right? Well, that’s not quite how running works. In order to protect yourself from injuries and get the most out of each of your runs, you need to mind your posture. Keep your spine straight and tall. Let your chin lead and the rest of your body will follow. And most importantly, keep the gaze straight! Don’t ever look down. This one has a psychological effect, and it will make you run those miles with ease while enjoying the view.

Final thoughts

Alright, runners! We’ve come to the finish line of this article. Now you know what you shouldn’t do as a runner. Make sure you avoid making the mistakes we’ve listed in order to keep getting better at running every single time!