Inspired by the incredible feats of 40,000 runners at the London Marathon? Whether you've always dreamed of taking part or you fancy your chances at racing a shorter distance, here are 5 top tips to help you find your feet at running.
1. Sign up to an event
Entering a race will give you a goal to work towards and kick your feet into gear when motivation's flagging. Organised events will give you the buzz of joining others and the cheers will keep you going all the way to the finish line. You can also choose to raise money for a charity and make a huge difference to peoples' lives in the process.
2. Make a plan
Before the week ahead, set the time and days when you'll workout that week, that'll fit around your other plans. Put out your shoes and kit the night before your running days and prepare your meals in advance so you'll have no excuses when it's workout time.
3. Relax
Ultra marathon runner and running technique coach, Shane Benzie, explains how with elite athletes, "everything about their motion is based on total relaxation". When running for longer time periods, he says "having good posture and running tall (avoiding lean or hinging from the hips) becomes incredibly important".
4. Stay strong
Although racking up the miles is essential to improve your running, throwing in other training methods gives your overall fitness a huge boost. Low-impact workouts, like swimming and yoga, give your bones and joints a well-earned rest and helps prevent injury.
5. Build it up
Use the treadmill at your gym to ease into running, as they tend to be gentler on the legs than running outdoors. As you gain confidence, you can up the incline to get used to steeper sections and mix this up with training outside.
Running through the finish line of an event gives you a huge sense of accomplishment, that you'll carry with you for the rest of your life.