Posts Tagged ‘running’

How To Get Off The Couch & Start Running

Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

Maybe it’s just me, but autumn seems to be the season of 5k’s, at least in the Southeast.  And I read recently that September is the new January — a time to revisit goals and go at them again with renewed vigor.

 

I’m all for that!

Let’s jump right in, with a plan for learning (or RE-learning) how to run.  First up:  hire a coach like Sherry Oswalt at DivasRun, if you can.  There are lots of do-it-yourself resources as well — places like Coolrunning‘s Couch to 5k Plan or Active.com have well-written plans.  Don’t be afraid of going it alone — as the Bioenergetics and Human Performance Research Group at the University of Exeter in England recently learned, you CAN teach yourself to run and improve on your own.  The New York Times wrote a great article about it here.

My advice* is to start small with interval training, and work up.

Tabata intervals are a great beginning — they’re short enough that anyone can do them but they pack one hell of a cardiovascular punch — check out this post on how to train Tabata-style and this one on intervals for new moms.

I also recommend getting social with your runs.

That can be something as simple as going for a run with a friend — or as high-tech as joining the online community at cMEcompete.  Support is a key factor in continuing any workout program, so make sure you include others.

Speaking of including others, how about those kiddos?  Get the whole family in on the action, for lots of reasons.  It’s good for them!  It’s good for you!  It sets a great example for lifelong health!   Kids can start just about the same way you do — try playing age-appropriate games in a Tabata format.  Preschoolers can jump FAST for 20 seconds and rest for 10….can you keep up?  Grade schoolers can sprint like crazy for 20-on and 10-off….can you beat them?

So, tell me:  what are your fitness goals — is running included?  How will you start?

 

*Who am I to give advice?  Good question.  I’m a double ACE-certified fitness professional (Group Exercise and Lifestyle-Weight Management Coaching) with 20+ years of experience.  I’m a self-taught runner — started around age 34, after many years of thinking that I “couldn’t” run because my feet splayed out duck-style from so many years of ballet.  And, just because I can’t get enough of this stuff, I’m specialty-certified in Muscle Management, Holistic Fitness, Perinatal Fitness, Golf Conditioning, Sports Nutrition, and soon to be certified in Youth Fitness. 

(Phew!  Yeah, I’m a bit of a fitness freak.  I’m ok with that.)

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Running is life; life is running.

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

Running as a metaphor for life (or business) — what do you think?

I’m working on a run-training program right now that has challenged me in ways that I thought I could not meet.  Surprise (most of all, to me)!  I have met those challenges head-on and tackled those sons of bitches.

While I’m running, I often think about my life and my work (and my life’s work:  family).  Facing that giant hill near the middle of my route, I forget about all that and fall prey to the screaming in my legs and lungs.  I almost always feel like stopping or at least slowing down.  That’s when I have to pull out all the cliche mantras:

  • One step at a time.  Just keep moving.
  • Yes, you can do this.  You can, you must, you will.
  • Go harder, faster, stronger.
  • Don’t give up now.  Never, never, never, never give up.
  • Quitting only cheats yourself.
  • If it was easy, everyone would do it.
  • Nothing worth doing was ever easy.

Once I’m back on level ground and have realized that I have not just survived that hill, but actually kicked its ass without slowing down, my  thoughts head back to work, life, family — and I realize that they’re the same as the hill.  The challenges in those areas may seem hard — they may seem insurmountable, but they’re not, so long as I keep moving.

Recently, the tables were turned on me.  I was working, feeling like giving up on this one particular project, when inside my head I heard the whisper, “You don’t give up.  This is just a hill and you will get over it.  Keep moving.”  I thought of the hill, and how many times I’ve been over it — and how every time was just a matter of one step after another.  I thought of the lessons I want my kids to learn from me — do I want them to learn that it’s ok to quit when something just gets a little tough?  And I thought of the message I want to send in my business — do I want to be known as someone who shies away from something difficult?

Since then, I’ve been looking for hills.  I’m actively seeking them out, even planning a new running route to include more of them.  I’ve come to believe firmly that getting over the hills is a practice.  Like any muscle, the more you work it, the stronger it gets.

So bring the hills.

I came to run and I’m not stopping.  You?

 

 

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Posted in Health and Fitness, Small business, Uncategorized | 9 Comments »

Barefootin’ … in shoes?

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

Barefoot runners are everywhere these days.  Something that’s actually pretty ancient seems like a brand-new trend (and isn’t that always the way?).  But is it really as great as it’s cracked up to be? 

Barefoot proponents say that running shoes give us such an artificial construct that our stride is altered, which leads to chronic injuries.  Shoe fans say that running barefoot on our typical modern-day asphalt/concrete surfaces is too much shock for the body to absorb, leading to chronic injuries.  Who’s right?  Maybe both. 

It occurred to me this morning (yes, while I was out for a run) that the most highly-touted benefit of barefoot running can be achieved even while wearing super-cushy running shoes.  Barefooters advocate a midfoot or forefoot strike, which they say alleviates the shock of landing on the heel every time.  While running shoes typically have a built-up heel to absorb the impact, there’s no reason a runner can’t still reach and stretch the toes to land on the forefoot or midfoot.  In fact, this is a good drill to include in a run, even if only for a short distance — it activates some smaller muscles that get a little neglected in a typical stride.  These smaller muscles, as they strengthen, begin to take some of the burden off of the inflexible plantar fascia — which you know is a good thing, if you’ve ever experienced plantar fasciitis. 

If you wear a shoe designed and promoted to correct a certain issue, such as pronation, you may actually be more susceptible to that same injury — the theory being that your mind shuts down and allows the shoe to handle the pronation.  Instead, pay attention to your body mechanics.  Tune in to the proprioceptive feedback that you still have in shoes (even if it’s not as rich as in bare feet) and focus on using your body adjustments to correct the pronation. 

Why not give it a try?  Pretend you’re in bare feet, even while your soles are encased safely in a nice pair of shoes.  People may look at you a little sideways, but that’s no big deal, right?

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Running Unplugged – 6 Reasons to Try

Monday, August 8th, 2011

It started as an accident.

Most of the time, I run with all kinds of gadgetry: a pedometer, a heart-rate monitor, my phone for its music, its timer function (Tabata, anyone?) and for emergencies, and a flashlight (since I run in the early morning before it’s completely light).  That adds up, both physically and mentally. 

One recent morning, I was rushed.  It was a mad dash to get out the door at all, but I was determined to squeeze in a run.  I was addled — hadn’t slept well the night before and my kids were already awake, about an hour early.  My husband would be with them while I was out, so I had to recall and recite our daily routine to him as a reminder.  So, in all this hustle and bustle, I ran — literally — out the door without any of my usual gear.  Disaster, right?  I briefly considered going back inside to gather it all.  Instead, I just kept going. 

And it was grand.

I had not realized the mental weight my accessories added.  Without them, I was untethered, and it took a few minutes to become comfortable with that.  But once I did, I settled into the most relaxing run I can remember.  Imagine the things that can amuse you without all the gear and techno-distraction:

1.  The sound of your own breath and footsteps, making a steady rhythm, like The Little Engine That Could.

2.  The sunrise (if you’re early), or just the beauty of what’s around you.

3.  The birds and other creatures getting active and going to work.

4.  The way your legs feel as you push off, one to the other.  Springy and light?  Lead-filled and thick?  I never paid attention before I unplugged!

5.  Contracting and absorbing some of the impact in your core muscles – which helps with that “springy and light” thing.

6.  How it really feels to run — your breath, your speed, your strength.

So, what began as an accident has become a weekly devotional.  At least once a week, I leave all the gear at home and run free*.   Give it a try, and reply here to let us know what you discover.

 

*For safety, plan your route early and make sure a person close to you knows where you’ll be and when.

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