Running

I have officially entered the blogosphere. I have decided to start a blog to keep track of my (meager) attempt at many things in life. At the moment, that's running! Yes, running. No, I have not actually started running, but I have thought about starting a running routine. And that's the first step, right? I have even gone so far as to create an account on RunnersWorld.com and download their beginner's running plan. To hold myself accountable, track my progress and share with the world one woman's attempt to run, I have started this online journal.

So, the plan starts on a Monday. Today is Thursday. I will begin on Monday. But which Monday will that be? ;-) The goal is to begin this coming Monday, November 10. Right now, I have the motivation and the drive and I do believe I'll actually follow through. ...but we'll hold off on the "Go Me's" until I do it.

My ultimate goal in this attempt at running is to run a marathon. And maybe not an actual marathon. That would be cool. But I want to at least be able to run the length of a marathon at some point in my life. I know that my Dad participated in two marathons when he was younger and I have always admired that about him. Maybe, one day, we'll share that same "life accomplishment."

I know that I'm not going to run a marathon next month. Please, I'm starting from like -100 when it comes to running and running abilities. That is why I'm going to break it down. My first mini goal is to run a solid mile. ...and we'll go from there.

Below is the training schedule I will be following for the next two months. I will update each day with my time, running location, distance and any other interesting information from my running (or walking) experience. **Remember, this schedule is credited to RunnersWorld.com.

If you are a novice runner, like myself, feel free to comment and we can begin this journey together.


Week 1
"Sit as little as possible. Give no credence to any thought that was not born outdoors while moving about freely."
--Friedrich Nietzsche
Wk
Mon
Tues
Weds
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
1
Run & WalkRun 1 minWalk 2 minRepeat 10X
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 1 minWalk 2 minRepeat 10X
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 1 minWalk 2 minRepeat 10X
Run & WalkRun 1 minWalk 2 minRepeat 10X
Rest
Training tip: To fuel up for your workout, have a piece of fruit or an energy bar about 2 hours before you lace up your shoes. An hour later, drink 8 ounces of a sports drink. The drink will ensure that you are fully hydrated, and also that you have sufficient sodium and potassium for a healthy workout.

Week 2
"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."
--William Faulkner
Wk
Mon
Tues
Weds
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
2
Run & WalkRun 2 minWalk 1 minRepeat 10X
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 3 minWalk 1 minRepeat 7XRun 2 min
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 4 minWalk 1 minRepeat 6X
Run & WalkRun 4 minWalk 1 minRepeat 6X
Rest
Training tip: Always walk 2 to 3 minutes for a warmup before you begin your workout, and walk another 2 to 3 minutes as a cooldown afterward. Don't stretch before running. Save it for after your workout or in the evening while you're watching TV.

Week 3
"Obstacles are those frightening things that become visible when we take our eyes off our goals."
--Henry Ford
Wk
Mon
Tues
Weds
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
3
Run & WalkRun 5 minWalk 1 minRepeat 5X
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 5 minWalk 1 minRepeat 5X
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun6 minWalk 1 minRepeat 4XRun 2 min
Run & WalkRun 6 minWalk 1 minRepeat 4XRun 2 min
Rest
Training tip: Hold your arms comfortably at your sides while running, aiming for maximum relaxation. Bend them 90 degrees at the elbows, and move them forward and back at your waist. Bend your fingers into a relaxed grasp, and don't let your hands sway back and forth across the middle of your torso.


Week 4
"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
--Theodore Roosevelt
Wk
Mon
Tues
Weds
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
4
Run & WalkRun 8 minWalk 1 minRepeat 3XRun 3 min
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 9 minWalk 1 minRepeat 3X
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 10 minWalk 1 minRepeat 2XRun 8 min
Run & WalkRun 11 minWalk 1 minRepeat 2XRun 6 min
Rest
Training tip: In hot, sunny weather, wear sunscreen, sunglasses (to relax your facial muscles), and a visor or cap to keep the sun off your face. Expect to run slower in particularly hot, humid weather, and take more walking breaks as necessary. Run in the early morning or late evening if you can.

Week 5
"Sweat cleanses from the inside. It comes from places a shower will never reach."
--Dr. George Sheehan
Wk
Mon
Tues
Weds
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
5
Run & WalkRun 12 minWalk 1 minRepeat 2XRun 4 min
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 13 minWalk 1 minRepeat 2XRun 2 min
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 14 minWalk 1 minRepeat 2X
Run & WalkRun 15 minWalk 1 minRun 14 min
Rest
Training tip: On occasion, skip your running and walking workout and do a cross-training workout instead. Bike for 30 to 40 minutes, try the elliptical trainer in a gym, or join a circuit weight-training class. The break from running will refresh you, and you'll learn new skills while developing new muscles.

Week 6
"You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, if you hold that desire with singleness of purpose."
--Abraham Lincoln
Wk
Mon
Tues
Weds
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
6
Run & WalkRun 16 minWalk 1 minRun 13 min
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 17 minWalk 1 minRun 12 min
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 18 minWalk 1 minRun 11 min
Run & WalkRun 19 minWalk 1 minRun 10 min
Rest
Training tip: Running is a great way to build strong bones, but you also need plenty of calcium--1,000 milligrams a day, or 1,500 milligrams if you're over age 50. Drink a glass or two of low-fat milk per day, or enjoy a cup or two of low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese. Dark green, leafy vegetables are another great calcium source.


Week 7
"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go."
--T.S. Eliot
Wk
Mon
Tues
Weds
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
7
Run & WalkRun 20 minWalk 1 minRun 9 min
Run & WalkRun 20 minWalk 1 minRun 9 min
Run & WalkRun 22 minWalk 1 minRun 7 min
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 24 minWalk 1 minRun 5 min
Run & WalkRun 26 minWalk 1 minRun 3 min
Rest
Training tip: Beginning runners often develop shin splints or sore knees. These pains should pass quickly if you treat them immediately with ice packs after your workouts. Put a bag of frozen peas on your shins or knees for 15 minutes. If the pain persists, take several days off before beginning your training program again.

Week 8
"One cannot consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
--Helen Keller
Wk
Mon
Tues
Weds
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
8
Run & WalkRun 27 minWalk 1 minRun 2 min
WalkRun 20 minWalk 1 minRun 9 min
Run & WalkRun 28 minWalk 1 minRun 1 min
WalkWalk easy 30 min
Run & WalkRun 29 minWalk 1 min
Run & WalkRun 30 min
Rest
Training tip: For clean air and healthy lungs, try not to do your workouts at the side of a busy street or during rush-hour traffic. Find low-traffic streets where any exhaust will be dispersed quickly. Even better, as often as possible, try to run in greenbelts--in parks, on bike trails, around reservoirs, and the like.Success may come quickly to you as a beginning runner, but the race is never won. Run for life.