You've been thinking about taking part in a 5 - 10-kilometre race for a long time but haven't been able to overcome your own hurdles yet? Patrick Benz, a top Swiss triathlete, gives you valuable tips on how to reach your personal goal.
Your personal motivation is the only way to get started in running.
Motivation plays a central role in sports. Become aware of why you want to (re)start running. Every person's motivation is different. What is it for you? A healthy lifestyle? Optimise weight? Balance to everyday life? Performance and success? Or others?
Did you know? Running involves 112 ligaments, 26 bones, 33 joints, nerves, blood vessels and tendons working together and burning more than 10 calories per minute.
On the way to your goal
Once you have determined your motivation, it is important to set a clear individual goal. Without a clear goal, you will quickly lose your motivation. Therefore, try to formulate your personal goal as precisely as possible. The SMART formulation helps you to do this. Make sure that your goal is S: Specific, M: Measurable, A: Attractive, R: Realistic and T: Timed. A possible SMART formulation would be: "I would like to finish my first 10km running event on 31 October in a target time under 60 minutes".
But: Don't be too hard on yourself when setting goals, performance improvement takes time!
You should buy good equipment for running. Good quality should be your first priority. Find the best shoes for your feet. Specialist shops such as Powerlab offer running analyses so that you can find your perfect shoe. In addition to footwear, make sure you wear breathable clothing that is suitable for the weather. On colder days you should not run without a hat, as most heat is lost through the head.
If you're unlucky, then use PECH
Did you overdo it during training and injured yourself? Follow the PECH rule. P: Rest, E: Ice (cool), C: Compression (light pressure bandage), H: Elevate. Acute injuries can be prevented by regular stretching, massages and regeneration, as well as a constant build-up of muscles.
What you should definitely (not) do...

Why coaching makes sense
Is your time very tight? Train with the right quality anyway. In a coaching session, you will be supported in your planning and receive an individual training plan completely tailored to your needs. The training will take place periodically and always under regular supervision. A holistic approach is aimed at (nutrition, health and sport). Would you like to receive your optimal individual coaching? Then take a look at www.tricademy.ch. With the discount voucher supriseyourselfe21 you even get a 21% discount on your individual coaching.
Now what?
- Pack your running bag
- Plan a lunch run with your co-workers
- Have fun and enjoy yourself!