I recently ran across WHEE, and offered to contribute my experience in becoming a runner since the first of the year.
WHEE (Weight, Health, Eating and Exercise) is a community support diary for Kossacks who are currently or planning to start losing, gaining or maintaining their weight through diet and exercise or fitness. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are working on your weight or fitness, please -- join us! You can also click the WHEE tag to view all diary posts.
My interest in running began when the Missoula Marathon was chosen as the number one marathon by Runner's World magazine (January 2010 issue):
Missoula? This race may not have the name recognition of marathons like New York City or Big Sur, but if our survey respondents have their way, it will. ...from the west to the heart of this university town, past mountains, the Clark Fork River, and forests. ...The town puts out a warm reception, with signs welcoming runners and residents cheering them on. There's a nice spread at the finish that includes pasta salad, watermelon, and frozen juice bars. Missoula also boasts green touches like cloth goody bags and shirts made from bamboo and recycled polyester.
It sounded like a great experience, but I didn't run, I had never run for fun, and was concerned that I wasn't fit enough to try running.
I began with Hal Higdon's 30-30 training for beginning runners, with modifications. It is a 30-day, 30-minute-a-day training schedule that requires walking for the first 10 minutes and the last 5 minutes, and easy jogging-running-walking for the middle 15 minutes. I ended up doing a'60-30', the 60-day, 30-minutes-every-other-day plan. I started soon after the first of the year.
I did almost all of it on a treadmill, because I had no desire to be outside running in winter, and I didn't want to buy both indoor AND outdoor exercise clothes. (One of the few times I ran outside was during a vacation in Florida; what a blast, even in the rain!)
I started running more, with the goal being serious half-marathon training. In order to be ready to train for a half-marathon, I needed to be able to run 3 miles, but I wasn't able to reach that level of running in the time required to start training for a half-marathon. I still can't run that far, except on 5k (3.12-mile) race days, but that's okay. As Jeff Galloway says :
The seed of exercise - if you don't crush it - will survive periods of moisture and drought. Just when it seems to be drying up, it will spring to life, rejuvenated, and propel you further down the road. Don't be discouraged, even if you've stopped. Tomorrow's another day. Many beginners stop and start again 10 or 15 times before they get the habit established. Beginners who don't put pressure on themselves seem to have an easier time staying with it. If you simply walk/jog 30-40 minutes every other day, you'll find yourself gently swept along in a pattern of relaxation and good feeling. Your workout starts to become a special time for you. As you make progress you find within yourself the strength and security to keep going. At first you're "just visiting" that special world when you go out for a run. But gradually you begin to change. You get used to the positive relaxed feeling. Your body starts cleaning itself up, establishing muscle tone, circulating blood and oxygen more vigorously. One day you find you're addicted, and the beginner becomes a jogger.
So what I did was sign up for a 5k race in mid-March to run with a friend. I didn't realize it at the time, but there are 5k training schedules out there. My training consisted of walking-running 2-3 miles ever other day, with more running than walking. Two days before the race I ran-walked 3.1 miles. I rested the day before the race. I ended up running the entire 5k on race day, although I ran by myself because my friend ran faster than I did. My goal was to finish the race, and I did. And I found that it really was fun.
I have since run in another 5k, but that one was not as much fun. I had planned to run with a friend, but he wasn't able to participate, so I ran alone. I also started out too fast, resulting in having to walk partway. That's certainly not a crime, but it prevented me from getting a good rhythm going, and I was exhausted by the end of the race. (Even so, I ended up with a new pb [personal best], about 20 seconds faster than my first race.)
Things I learned about running and about myself, that may or may not help you if you're thinking about running:
- Until I become a (more) hardcore runner, I am not going to run races around here in the spring. I don't enjoy running in snow, wind, cold (conditions during both of the races I participated in). It might be more fun with different running gear, but I am not going to fiddle with it right now.
- Running shoes are important. Everybody says so. Nonetheless, I did not buy the most expensive shoes out there, and my feet are comfortable. I have wide feet and wear orthotics (which I wear while running because they correct a problem with my gait), and I was able to find a comfortable pair for less than $50.
- Avoiding injury is important. I am not an expert, so anything I say here is not to be taken as a recommendation. I looked online for information; there are many websites that address this. What I did at first was ice (knees, ankles) and use advil on my off day.I took advil about an hour before running and soaked in a hot bath right before running on my running days. I had to do this for a week or two until the soreness was bearable. Stretching is very important. When I run, I warm up by walking for a few minutes, then pause to stretch before I start running.
- While I may come across as cheap (and I AM cheap), part of the fun of running was getting new exercise clothes. Target has relatively reasonably-priced running gear, but I live in such a run-crazy town that things get picked over pretty quickly. Likewise, running in races is fun because you get new gear as part of the racing promotion: in the races I have run so far, I have gotten a beanie and a t-shirt, and I won a pair of socks and a running hat in a post-race raffle.
- I am average weight, and was somewhat physically active last summer before starting to run the first of the year. But I had been quite sedentary since last fall (I no longer work, and had not had any outdoor activity for at least 3 months). I also have serious health issues that I have to work around. The upshot is, if I can do this, I think you probably can too. All the on-line links say to check with your doc before running. I checked with my docs, but not until after having run my first race, which was probably careless of me.
- Diet is an important topic on WHEE, and I feel there are other participants who can talk about that with more authority than me. Race training sites talk about eating an hour before running. If it's breakfast, I love granola with yogurt. If it's lunch I'll have a sandwich with meat, cheese, and veggies. My favorite after-running food item (besides water) is an odwalla bar. Bananas are great, too. My diet in general is pretty good. Lots of fresh vegetables, some fresh fruit, try to reduce carbs somewhat for my husbands weight loss and blood sugar control diet, protein (I try to keep it to 4 oz/serving at dinner), and no desserts.
- I like running and training by myself, but some people don't. My husband exercises, and he has added running on the treadmill as part of race training for a 5k race later this month. It would be great if he and I were able to race together, because I think we could be compatible running partners once he builds up a little bit more stamina.
p.s. I wrote much of this diary when the weather was unusually cold and rainy/snowy in western Montana, but beginning yesterday conditions have improved a lot. Yesterday I walked for two miles, and today I walked/ran for 2. So in spite of my saying I wont' race in spring, I am now thinking I may sign up for that race April 24 with my husband. Wish me luck!
p.p.s.I was getting html errors for all my links, so deleted them...sorry!