Teammates, Perfect Fitness is a sponsor of the Presidio10, a 10 mile/10k run across the Golden Gate Bridge (the picture above is from last year's race). Please join Team Perfect as we storm the Golden Gate! Mark your calendars: 18th April 2010!
Perhaps some of you are looking to RUN your first race! I'm going to re-run a blog from running expert and entrepreneur, Mr. Fire in the Gut himself, Tim Grizzell on how to segue from walking to running.
Start with a positive attitude! That is what will inspire you to sign up for a race in the first place and it will carry you across the finish line. I like to refer to it as “FIRE IN THE GUT!”
If running has not been part of your weekly exercise program for many years, you will want to ease into it. From a physical perspective, you need to condition your muscles, joints and tendons for running. The last thing you want is an overuse injury by jumping into it too quickly.
On the mental side of things, you do not want to lose your motivation and desire to run by doing too much at the beginning. I will say though that you are going to have to push yourself out of the comfort zone. Walking is great exercise and for walkers/hikers, running is somewhat of a foreign exercise. Yet – running will not feel as awkward the more you do it.
In terms of training tips for easing into running:
-After you have properly warmed up, run a quarter mile, walk a quarter mile, repeat. I would try to do this running program three days a week.
-Once you are comfortable with the above program for some weeks, I would try running a half mile, walk a quarter mile (or a half mile if you need it), and repeat.
-I would just keep doing this type of training until you have worked up to a program where you can run a mile without walking. Just try to continue to building from here and give yourself small victories.
-Eventually, running will not feel awkward and you will probably start to run and not want to stop.
I will finish by sharing some personal thoughts on running versus walking. When I am running, I am generally thinking about a number of things that have nothing to do with the environment around me. My mind tends to wander and I come up with a lot of creative ideas and thoughts. Also, I am an “endorphin junkie.” Walking, on the other hand, produces some different feelings. I tend to become more aware of the environment around me, especially if I am hiking in the mountains or along an ocean side cliff. Although my mind is free to wander when walking, it is not with the same intensity as running.
Fired Up!
Tim
Teammates -- follow Tim Grizzell on Twitter @timgrizzell or check out his website, Fire in the Gut. Some of Team Perfect will be running across the Presidio10 finish line wearing Fire in the Gut apparel!
CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Get Ready to Run a Race in 2010!
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1 comment:
This is great info. Notice the parallels between running and any other exercise. For example, to A. Mills, rowing is simple. It's work, obviously, but he could do it practically all day because he was a star in college and has kept his upper body in shape. Similarly, to a runner like T. Grizzell, he can run all day. Can Alden run all day? No. Can Tim row for hours? No. You have to work up to a reasonable goal if you're not a specialist.
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