Exercise is important for helping to keep your body and mind fit and healthy. However, some ladies are a little bit lax about working out – citing the fact that gyms are expensive or a lack of time.

Running is one of the easiest workouts you can do: it’s free, it’s right outside your door, you can go for however long you like and you can set your own pace.

Here are four tips for the beginner runner:

Slow and steady
For your first run, go slow and steady but remember to slightly challenge yourself. Don’t expect yourself to do 5km the first time – give yourself a chance – and go at a slow, steady pace.

Run/walk
If you haven’t run since primary school, it might be a good idea to go at a run/walk pace. When starting, run for 4 minutes and walk for 1 minute. As you get better, increase your runs and decrease your walks.

Deal with stitches
Even the most experienced runners get stitches, so expect it. If you do get one, simply slow down and breathe deeply.

Listen to your body
Your body may struggle at first but while you do want to challenge yourself, make sure you listen to it if it starts to hurt – you don’t want to end up with an injury after you have just gotten into the swing of it.