How many of you ever feel like you somehow accomplish motivating yourself to go for a run and spend the entire workout feeling as if someone put lead in your shoes?
That was me today.
If I could go back and change one thing about my growing up (and it's pretty much the ONLY thing I would change) I would have participated in more athletic opportunities. I feel strongly about running and staying in shape, but I wish I would have established those habits younger. Since becoming an adult, I have gone through several phases of athletic ups and downs. Before I got pregnant, I was running a couple of miles a day and feeling pretty good about it. I vowed that once I became pregnant, I would continue to run through my entire pregnancy, so that recovering from pregnancy would be a piece of cake.
That lasted two weeks. Morning sickness and running... yeah right.
So now I am back in the saddle and training for my first 5K. (November 12th, 2011) I'm sure to many of you, that sounds incredibly easy, but I will be honest, I have never actually felt as though I was capable of running one. This is a big deal for me. For anyone interested in training for a 5K, this is a workout schedule I have found very helpful:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
Today I finished week 4!
Here is the link to the 5K my friend Bree and I will be running in November. Anyone in the area (or anyone who wants to come visit the area :)) is welcome to join us on 11/12!
http://pinnaclesecurity.com/securinghope5k.php
I am still learning all the strategies I can to successful running, but the two things I HAVE learned are these:
1. Invest in good shoes. I got mine here:
http://www.runnerssoulspokane.com/
They have made a world of difference for me!
2. Pace yourself. I often times use a treadmill, at least when I am starting out because I have found I am horrible at pacing myself. I seem to keep increasing speed, which only leads to a (very) fast burnout.
Tell me your suggestions on successful workouts. What does your workout routine consist of? How many times a week do you try to exercise? What alternatives to running do you enjoy? What successful ways have you found to pace yourself better? How do you find motivation on those inevitable days of lead feet? What other tips do you have for making running/exercising easier and more enjoyable?
I am excited to hear your suggestions!
Good shoes are a must, I am bad about getting new ones as I get up in the mileage. I have been training for a marathon and my program consists of 3 runs a week. I supplement that with core training, biking, and hiking. Good tunes make a big difference for me. I have a hard time on treadmills, so I try to take advantage of being outside whenever I can regardless of the weather and try to find a nice trail to go on. Good luck to you, have fun that is all that matters. Oh yeah, and make sure you stretch well before & after to avoid injuries.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, Em!! I'll probably comment way too often just cause it's fun! :) Like you, I wish some time earlier in my life I had been able to stick with a physical fitness program- but it's been pretty hard for me to do. This running thing I'm doing is as good as I've ever been at working progressively at getting in shape. I used a couch-5K program to get me started, then I tailored it to my needs after a few weeks. Right now I'm doing 3 days a week for about a half hour (including warm up/cool down). I find that the most helpful things for me seem to be 1)deciding the night before that i WILL go on a run and setting out my gear (if I'm iffy the night before, I don't go), 2)running time goals instead of mileage goals- that way I'm not speeding up to try to get to the destination faster, I'm pacing myself to wait out the time till I can stop!! 3)having a realistic goal that I can meet in a relatively short period of time (right now mine is to run 20 minutes consecutively- anything more and I don't think I'd have enough motivation to ever get up and run). And...this is a novel...so can't wait to hear more musings on your blog! :) Love you!
ReplyDeleteHaving a running partner (or a couple) is VITAL for me. I have three girls that I run with on MWF and knowing they are waiting for me, gets me out of bed on mornings that I probably woudn't otherwise.
ReplyDeleteAlso, when I'm running with other people, I go farther and run more than I would by myself.
Great advice! Thanks!!
ReplyDelete