This weeks blog post is about a question that I was asked this past week. Please keep in mind that I am not a coach or a doctor and I am not giving any kind of coaching or medical advice. I am only sharing my personal experiences and nothing more. The question posed to me was, "How do you start running?"
Anyone that has went back to the very beginning of this blog knows how I got started and how far I've come from the very beginning. I always answer the question the same way: "Start out by walking." I started out walking and just worked my way up from there. My main goal was to lose weight but I soon found that I enjoyed going for that walk too. When I first started, I could hardly make it a mile. My legs would hurt bad because they didn't normally have to do that much work. After a while, I began to put some running into my walks. The runs don't have to be long. Some people try 10-15 seconds. I think I just ran until I couldn't breathe and then walked until I caught my breathe again. It was hard but looking back, it has all been worth it.
As you probably know, there are tons of resources on the Internet that will help you get started and give you all kinds of advice. I remember the first piece of advice I got from Amy when I started. "Don't skimp on shoes. It's the most important thing you will buy." I have taken her advice and am on my fourth pair of shoes. My "go to" place for advice is one of the locals and then online I go to Runner's World. Here is a great article from the site about getting started. Just click here.
I had a really good running week again this week except for my Thursday afternoon run. I went out and I just wasn't feeling it and ended up with just 4.25 miles. I covered 15 miles Saturday on Highway 350 and the ridge road. Sunday morning I got up and Jamie and I went out for a nice 4.25 mile run. I ended up with 23.5 miles for the week. Also, I have covered as many miles this year already as I did all year last year.
Jan-Dec 2011 550 miles
Jan-Sep 2012 553 miles
That's going to do me for this week. Hope you all have a great week and I'll will see you again next week.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Tie 'Em Up
I thought a lot about what I was going to write about this week and just couldn't come up with anything until Friday when I was walking from my truck back to the house. Most of the time I wear a pair of New Balance 730s. They are my favorite shoes to wear because there isn't much to them. When I put my running shoes on they sometimes feel like boots. One problem I have with the New Balance shoes is keeping them tied. I normally have to tie them a second time before they will stay tied. One of them came untied on my way back to the house and that is how I came up with this post.
After almost two year into my journey I found an article that told me that I had been tying my shoes wrong. My shoes did sometimes come untied but it never occurred to me that I might be tying them wrong. I was browsing around Runner's World a couple of weeks ago and came across an article that showed the correct way to tie shoe laces where they wouldn't come untied and would actually get tighter. Here is a link to the article on Runner's World. There is also a video on there.
My running week was good. I got in on Thursday afternoon and went for a nice 5 miler. Met Jeff on the course and we had a nice visit/run for about a mile and a half. On Saturday, I was back out there on 350 for a 10 miler. Joanna and I decided to take the "ridge road" instead of the highway after the water stop. She had never been that way and it was only my second time. Once you get past that first hill it is mostly flat. Sunday morning I got up and ran 10 more miles. That made my total for the week 25.3 miles and my total for the month 64.1 miles.
Thanks for stopping by this week and hope you will come by again next week.
After almost two year into my journey I found an article that told me that I had been tying my shoes wrong. My shoes did sometimes come untied but it never occurred to me that I might be tying them wrong. I was browsing around Runner's World a couple of weeks ago and came across an article that showed the correct way to tie shoe laces where they wouldn't come untied and would actually get tighter. Here is a link to the article on Runner's World. There is also a video on there.
My running week was good. I got in on Thursday afternoon and went for a nice 5 miler. Met Jeff on the course and we had a nice visit/run for about a mile and a half. On Saturday, I was back out there on 350 for a 10 miler. Joanna and I decided to take the "ridge road" instead of the highway after the water stop. She had never been that way and it was only my second time. Once you get past that first hill it is mostly flat. Sunday morning I got up and ran 10 more miles. That made my total for the week 25.3 miles and my total for the month 64.1 miles.
Thanks for stopping by this week and hope you will come by again next week.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
For the Love of PB
Last week I told you we were going to feature a blog by another runner from the group that I run with on Saturday morning. Her name is Tammie and she write The White Dish blog. When I first found out about her blog she had posted a recipe about a fruit dip made with peanut butter. If you know me, peanut butter is one of my favorite foods. I went to the grocery store and bought what I needed for it and it was so good. I ate some on a banana and a bunch of it on my newly discovered fruit, strawberries. I like the dip on the strawberries best.
Along with the recipes, Tammie also blogs about fitness. She has two post about her love for running and what she loves about running. If you love to cook and are looking for some healthy recipes, then be sure to check out Tammie's blog. I'm sure you'll find something there that you will want to try.
This past week was a very good one. I had three good runs and all of them were 8+ miles. My first one was on Monday and it was 10 miles. I didn't get to run again until Saturday and then I ran with the group. On my way, I was going to turn the GPS on on my watch and it told me that it had a low battery. It had been on the charger all night and I couldn't figure out why that happened. I ended up running with my friend, Joanna, and we had a great 10 miler. We did have a couple of times that the rain was misty and then we felt the cool air. By the time I got back to town it was raining pretty good but then cleared off for the rest of the day.
On Sunday, I went out to run and met Jeff on the Coke course. We ran about four miles together and I ended up with eight miles. The weather couldn't have been any better. It was cool and I ran an 11:18 pace. That is the best that I've ever run in a long distance like that. I ended my week with just over 28 miles.
I also signed up for another half marathon during the weekend. It is only two weeks after my first but my goal for both of them is to cross the finish line. The second half is the Shakerag that is in Tupelo. I had such a good time at the Tupelo Marathon that I didn't want to miss this half.
That's going to do me for this week. Hope to see you again next week.
Along with the recipes, Tammie also blogs about fitness. She has two post about her love for running and what she loves about running. If you love to cook and are looking for some healthy recipes, then be sure to check out Tammie's blog. I'm sure you'll find something there that you will want to try.
This past week was a very good one. I had three good runs and all of them were 8+ miles. My first one was on Monday and it was 10 miles. I didn't get to run again until Saturday and then I ran with the group. On my way, I was going to turn the GPS on on my watch and it told me that it had a low battery. It had been on the charger all night and I couldn't figure out why that happened. I ended up running with my friend, Joanna, and we had a great 10 miler. We did have a couple of times that the rain was misty and then we felt the cool air. By the time I got back to town it was raining pretty good but then cleared off for the rest of the day.
On Sunday, I went out to run and met Jeff on the Coke course. We ran about four miles together and I ended up with eight miles. The weather couldn't have been any better. It was cool and I ran an 11:18 pace. That is the best that I've ever run in a long distance like that. I ended my week with just over 28 miles.
I also signed up for another half marathon during the weekend. It is only two weeks after my first but my goal for both of them is to cross the finish line. The second half is the Shakerag that is in Tupelo. I had such a good time at the Tupelo Marathon that I didn't want to miss this half.
That's going to do me for this week. Hope to see you again next week.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
I Need a Hug
I'm going to go ahead and get my stats out of the way for this post because I want to get right into my experience at the Tupelo Marathon. I got to run two days this week. On Wednesday afternoon I ran 5 miles in the 92 degree heat and then a few of us that weren't running the Tupelo Marathon, went to Shiloh and ran on Saturday. Jeff and I ended up with 10 miles.
On Sunday I got up early and made my way down to Tupelo to volunteer at the marathon. My friend, David Whiteside, was the race director. There wasn't much going on at first. Right before the start, I hitched a ride with a guy over to a water station between miles 11 and 12. We knew we had plenty of time to get some cups filled and waited on the runners to start showing up. Somewhere around 6:15 the first runner showed up. Then some more and then they started coming in waves. We had about eight people working at the station and we were handing out water & ade as fast as we could. I was filling cups and was scared I was going to get behind but didn't.
As runners, we know that no event could be successful without the volunteers that take time to work at various points. Even though it seems insignificant, volunteers are an important part of it all. I'm glad the runners came out but the runners were glad we were there too. A lot of the runners expressed their appreciation that we were there as we expressed ours that they came out too. It was fun being "on the other side" watching and helping.
As much as I enjoyed cheering the runners on, the best part was seeing the ones that I run with on almost weekly and yelling at them and cheering them on. I missed Tracy but I did see Koach, Joy, Jody, Angie and Janet. They were all looking strong! Angie won first place in the 29 & under with a time of 2:06:01 in the 14.2 race. Congrats Angie!
I did make it back to the finish line in time to see Jody cross it. I think one of the highlights of the finish was "the hugger". There was a lady there that was hugging everybody when they crossed the finish line. I even saw her chase a few of the runners down to hug them. It was funny. Apparently, they will take applications for that position next year.
A Personal Note
David, thanks for a great race! I appreciate you letting me be a small part of this event and letting me give back to the sport that I have come to love and enjoy. I have made some great friends and look forward to making many more. I can't wait until next year.
That's going to do me for this week. Next week, we are going to feature a blog by a fellow runner that post some great recipes and is also sharing her journey in running. Hope to see you then.
On Sunday I got up early and made my way down to Tupelo to volunteer at the marathon. My friend, David Whiteside, was the race director. There wasn't much going on at first. Right before the start, I hitched a ride with a guy over to a water station between miles 11 and 12. We knew we had plenty of time to get some cups filled and waited on the runners to start showing up. Somewhere around 6:15 the first runner showed up. Then some more and then they started coming in waves. We had about eight people working at the station and we were handing out water & ade as fast as we could. I was filling cups and was scared I was going to get behind but didn't.
As runners, we know that no event could be successful without the volunteers that take time to work at various points. Even though it seems insignificant, volunteers are an important part of it all. I'm glad the runners came out but the runners were glad we were there too. A lot of the runners expressed their appreciation that we were there as we expressed ours that they came out too. It was fun being "on the other side" watching and helping.
As much as I enjoyed cheering the runners on, the best part was seeing the ones that I run with on almost weekly and yelling at them and cheering them on. I missed Tracy but I did see Koach, Joy, Jody, Angie and Janet. They were all looking strong! Angie won first place in the 29 & under with a time of 2:06:01 in the 14.2 race. Congrats Angie!
I did make it back to the finish line in time to see Jody cross it. I think one of the highlights of the finish was "the hugger". There was a lady there that was hugging everybody when they crossed the finish line. I even saw her chase a few of the runners down to hug them. It was funny. Apparently, they will take applications for that position next year.
A Personal Note
David, thanks for a great race! I appreciate you letting me be a small part of this event and letting me give back to the sport that I have come to love and enjoy. I have made some great friends and look forward to making many more. I can't wait until next year.
That's going to do me for this week. Next week, we are going to feature a blog by a fellow runner that post some great recipes and is also sharing her journey in running. Hope to see you then.
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