Derval O'Rourke: Expert tips for beginner runners

Plus my recipe for a delicious breakfast burrito

Derval O'Rourke: world-class runner's got beginner-friendly advice

This is the time of year when running or walking are the most enjoyable. I’ve been chatting to lots of people who are running and the same topics keep coming up so this week I’ll share the main topics. 

And what better way to finish off the weekend than with a yummy brunch recipe?

When I started putting together a 6-week running challenge I asked Andrew Moore from the Fitness Goose to help me out. 

I was conscious of the fact that as a professional runner, my approach might be a little too specific and I wanted to make sure the running was very doable. 

Andrew has coached hundreds of people and he shared his top tips with me.

Here are Andrew’s tips on getting it right :

· You should always be able to talk, out loud, while you run, at least a few words. If you can’t, you are going too hard.

· Try to run on a softer surface (such as short grass) to protect joints that might not be used to the impact.

· Run in a decent running shoe. You're likely not ready to try sock-shoes, barefoot running… unless you walk around barefoot most of the week.

· Don't run in flat trainers.

· If you are trying a training plan, Don’t worry about day one if it goes wrong - be happy and confident in your effort and know that you can repeat day 1 again.

For many reasons, you may not want to try running and if all you want to do is increase your movement, I’ve got you covered! Focus on increasing your step range.

How do I track my steps?

There is so much tech out there to help you track your steps! Most phones have a step tracking system built in or you can check out the wide range of step tracking apps that are available to download on your phone.

Another alternative and a big favourite amongst people I talk to are smart watches. These are great options as they can be worn at all times allowing for an even more accurate step count reading. I wear a garmin forerunner 45S, I bought it in the edge sports shop Cork and they were brilliant with advice.

How do I reach my step count?

A great way to increase your step count is by getting outdoors and walking.

• Instead of taking the car or bus why not walk to your destination? Factor in how long this will take you

• On your lunch break you can go for a walk to get some fresh air.

• Maybe wake 20 mins earlier to fit in some time for yourself to get outdoors.

• Ask a friend or family member to be a walking buddy to help boost motivation.

If you find you didn’t get as many steps in during the week as you would have liked then you can go for an extra-long walk/run on the weekends!

Wellness Tip: Write it down – try writing down what your goals are over the next two weeks. Then read them out loud to yourself each day. Ask yourself what you can do today to take a small step towards your goals. By writing down what you want to achieve will help you to realise your goals in a meaningful way.

Exercise Tip: If you want to try running, put Andrew’s great running tips into action this week and if walking is your thing, why not try to increase your steps every day by 100 more.

Breakfast burrito

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This breakfast burrito is one of my favourite brunch recipes

Servings

3

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• ½ an onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tin of mixed beans

• 1 tbsp butter

• 5 eggs, beaten

• 3 tortilla wraps

• 3 tsp spicy tomato salsa

• 75g cheddar, grated

Method

1. Preheat the grill to medium. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over a medium heat.

2. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.

3. Stir in the beans, reduce the heat and leave to simmer while you scramble the eggs.

4. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan and pour in the eggs. Cook on a low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until the eggs are scrambled but still nice and moist.

5. Remove from the heat. Spoon half of the bean mixture into the middle of each tortilla wrap. Follow with equal amounts of the scrambled eggs, salsa and Cheddar.

6. Fold the sides of the wraps over the filling, then roll the wraps up from the bottom to top to enclose the filling completely. Place the wraps folded-side down on a baking tray.

7. Place under the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes, until lightly toasted.