Running Primer

So Sillychick posted something that made me giggle. Really. She's envious of me. Of me? Why, you ask? My running.

I'm not a runner.

At most, a jogger. Maybe.

What I would like to do is offer some advice on getting started. I'm really good at starting things, not so good at finishing. Usually.

Wear good shoes. Get fitted. This will save a lot of pain and heartache later.

Start slow. Not just the distance, but the speed. Sure, I'd love to run an 8 minute mile. I'm just not there yet. Maybe start by jogging a 12:30 or 13:00 mile - or less. It's not a race, at least not yet. If starting is running for 30 seconds then walking for a minute, then running for 30 seconds - that's ok. Try and get out at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes. Jog, walk, jog, walk, jog. In time, the jogging will last longer and longer, until you're not walking at all. If you do have to walk - that's ok. Really.

The Bra. I wear two. It's not that I haven't found one I like, I'm just not willing to pay $59. Yet. I'm getting close though. Also, I don't wash them in the machine, I hand wash them in the sink and let them air dry - better on the elastic. Usually, as I get in the shower, I fill the sink up with tepid water and a little woolite and throw the bras in. Let them marinate while I shower, then rinse them off when I'm done and hang to dry. If you're looking for a wide variety, try http://www.title9.com/ - they have a great return policy as well.

Set a goal. I have a hard time running just to run. I need a goal. If there isn't a goal, I'll just hike it on the elliptical for 45 minutes. If there's a goal. I'll run. Perhaps a goal would be to run for 30 minutes. Another great start would be a 5k (3.1 miles). There are a lot of programs out there. Most programs are 8 weeks long and start with a mile or so. www.Coolrunning.com has the "Couch to 5k" program. I haven't done it, but have heard a lot of good things about it. There's also a 12 week program that uses both minutes and miles. If you want a little more hard core, Hal Higdon has a 5k training program as well. There are a lot of sites that list races. A fairly comprehensive one can be found at www.runwalkjog.com listed by state.

Warm up and cool down. I like to warm up by briskly walking for a few minutes before starting out. Sometimes, I'll stop and gently stretch, and by then I'm usually ready to get going. When I finish, I walk until my heart rate gets back to normal. Then I spend 10 minutes or so stretching. I've found the cool down and the stretching are a vital part of my workout - I am so much less sore the next day.

Finally. I'm in my 9th week of marathon training, and I'm halfway there. I'm currently following Hal Higdon's Novice I training program, and creating some flexibility.

This week is supposed to be 3, 7, 4, 10.

Instead of 3 on Tuesday, I ran 4.

Yesterday, I thought I was supposed to run 6, not 7.

Today I'll run 4, and still have the same number of miles.

My point is that it's taken me nine weeks to get to this point.

The first week of 3, 3, 3, 6 - two of the 3's took me 45 minutes, and I did one in 40 minutes. The 6 miles took me an hour an a half. Those average out to just under a 15 minute mile.

Slow, slow, slow. But I did it.

Yesterday, I did 6 miles in 70 minutes - average of 11:40 minute mile.

Slowly but surely, I'll get there.

But you know what Sillychick, I'm really envious of Tree's running.