Oh I’m so proud, I’ve been diligently helping spread the running infection. Last night I ordered my cute little high school friend a pair of running shoes. I’ve been working on her for months, when she told me she wished she could be a runner.
“Be a runner?” I said, “Anyone can BE a runner.” That’s the funny thing, most people think you either pop out with your Nike running shoes on or you don’t. The ones who don’t are sadly shunned from society, left to wallow away through life sans any endorphins via miles. 😉 Just kidding.
The cool place all runners get to hang out.
But I told her anyone can become a runner, at any age, and regardless of starting fitness level. Probably the greatest thing about our sport, regardless of genetics, if you are consistent with your running you WILL improve and get better.
The beauty of running a PR (personal best for any of you newbie runners) can be felt by ANYONE. You just have to work for it. Earning that sweaty, glorious time is tough but so worth it. It becomes tougher the longer you run, the improvement curve doesn’t always sky-rocket away like it does soon after you become a runner. That just means you have to work harder AND smarter. 😉
Back to my friend though, I’ve been so proud watching her go from barely making two miles and now busting out 6 miles. I was, however, APPALLED…I mean appalled at the raggedy-@$$ shoes she was running in.
When I say I was appalled, I’m not in ANY way judging her or disappointed in her AT ALL. Most new runners just really don’t have any idea how crucial it is to have the right kind of shoes. Also the age of their shoes. “My foot kind of hurt after my last run, I think I need a new pair…I love these shoes but maybe a year and a half is too long to still be using them.”
A YEAR AND A HALF!! My mind freaked the freak out, only because I know how much a ‘dead’ pair of running shoes can turn into an injury bomb. Granted, she did other things and wasn’t logging mega miles in them, but still. A pair of shoes should never be out there on the mean streets logging miles if they’ve seen 500 miles or more. Time for a new pair, baby!
So I assessed her foot type and we’ve gotten her squared away with dem new running shoes. We also got to talking about things that make running go by faster and what makes those miles feel like an eternity:
1) The Scenic Route: Per minute, running on the treadmill feels like about 10 minutes. 😉 Just kidding.
2) Training Partners: Having a training partner makes those miles zip by quicker too. I mean that figuratively AND literally if the workout for the day are repeats or a hard run. Working WITH someone and getting ‘towed’ along during intervals will wind-up with faster splits that ‘feel’ easier than if you were running alone.
3) Being fitter. The reason most non-runners think they can’t ‘be’ a runner is because running a few minutes feels KILLER and they don’t understand how anyone could run multiple miles. The reason is because they just aren’t fit enough. The body adapts, it grows stronger, cardiovascular fitness and endurance improves the more CONSISTENT you are with your running. Eventually you get to the point where 2 miles are easy because you’re comfortably able to run 4 miles, then 4 are easy because you’re regularly running 6 miles. You get the picture.
So now it’s your turn. Keep spreading this running thing across the lands…prove to the non-believers that ANYONE can ‘be’ a runner…they just have to try. 🙂
1) When did you start running? What caused you to try?
I sucked at all sports requiring an ounce of coordination. I can turn left.
2) Is there anyone you have inspired to become a runner?
3) What’s one thing that makes your running go by faster?
I started running a few years ago. I lived in a small town and no team sports, so it was a way to get outside and exercise. I ended up losing a bit of weight from it… then I started racing and when I was bit by the bug, I didn’t stop!
I just got new running shoes yesterday, I was having a few aches and pains but sometimes I think, as athletes, we are quick to chalk it up to our training. Like “Hey, I’m training for a marathon, things hurt sometimes.” Yeah, turns out I ran the 26.2 in neutral shoes when I needed stability. And I’ve been running for years and looks like I still have things to learn!
BTW, I have a giveaway going on on my blog if you’re interested :).
so funny, i love the timing! glad u’re breaking in dem new kicks. yea, there’s a difference between normal aches and shoes-are-dead aches. 😉
This will sound bizarre but NOT doing an “out and back ” or loop course makes running fly by. Something about running from one destination to another makes it seem not quite as far. I love running A to B. but I save the “can you pick me up from my run ” card for the really long ones and suck up the loops etc for most of my training. 🙂
haha…no bizarre at all! i actually am not the biggest fan of out and back’s either. i have this weird thing where i think on the way out all the landmarks i pass are ‘taunting’ me at how few miles i’ve run, until i flip around. then on the way back i’m thinking, “suck it, now i’ms up to XX miles.” yea, i beat u in crazy. 😛
I always ran growing up, but it was never just running. It was running for soccer conditioning, running after a soccer ball, running for dry land training for swim, and the dreaded Mile Monday for high school field hockey. But freshman year of college is when I got into running to run, and ran my first half marathon/first road race ever.
I got my husband back into running. He ran XC in HS, but had quit running. When we started dating in college, I got him back into it 🙂
Running with a friend is what makes a run fly by the most for me.
i too used to DREAD the PE mile…but we had it on friday. 😛 woot woot, way to get ur hubby back into the runner groove! 🙂
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