Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Calling all runners:

Ok, I am, well, was training for a 5k.  I started with two miles, and yesterday I didn't just hit my goal of 3.1 miles, I actually ran past it!  I'm now 5k ready!

I got a little spark of motivation at my "turn-around" goal and just kept going.  I know it's only four miles but for me that is a huge step.  It was the most rewarding feeling on the way back, but it was also starting to get really painful.  As I reached the 3 mile marker, the sides of my shins started to burn.  I don't mean like oh my calf muscles are starting to cramp up, I mean my bones felt like they were on fire.  Ouch.  I think it has a lot to do with the types of shoes I wear while running, so that leads me into the purpose of my post, I need advice.
  1. What types of shoes should I be running in? Anyone have any favorite types?
  2. I'm not a fan of bananas... I'm also not a fan of cramping up on my run, so I need some potassium, right?  Well, what else is good for cramping up, oranges have potassium... I think, help!
A little advice that I've found helpful on my journey thus far:
  1. Listen to music while you run.  I see people running with music all the time, I just haven't felt like it because I didn't want the headphones swinging around, and I didn't want to hold my iPod in my hands... no. Do it. 
  2. Bowman saw a cat on a run about a week ago, and he pulled so hard I almost fell into the road.  That's when I knew something needed to be done. I saw this on Claires blog, and decided to give it a try. It's called the Gentle Leader, and it's basically a miracle worker on leash training.  Bowman is over a year old, and until this little gadget he thought he was taking me for walks rather than the other way around.  When I say this leash works, I mean instantaneously this leash works.
  3. Stretch. Stretch stretch stretch.  I didn't think anything about stretching, I don't like it, it hurts, it takes more time-- I literally thought of every excuse not to stretch.  About a week into running I didn't stretch at all one Monday, went out for my normal run, and woke up the next day with the worst pain in my back. I could hardly breathe, couldn't lift my arm, it hurt. Alex gave me a "told ya so", and I've stretched since.
I'm officially 5k ready, and the run isn't until October.  Maybe I'll extend my goal to a 10k.  
Well, baby steps for now.


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