Training in Earnest

It officially begins. 

I have started kicking it into higher gear to prepare for my first half marathon of my running season, which is six weeks away. 

It is still excruciatingly hot and muggy. No bueno...but no excuses!

August was a bad month. Oh, I still did a lot of stairs, walked a lot of miles, ran some more, did some Piyo. But August typically is - and was - the nadir of my clinical depression. It's hard to motivate when you are summoning energy to breath. 

Ah, but September! Already I feel the abyss hissing away it's retreat. I'm excited to get back to the discipline and peace of my runs. 

Just a short three years ago...I walked my first 5k. I was recovering from an exacerbation of my back woes, so it took me 53 minutes. But I did it! At a pace that didn't hurt me. And I had fun. 

As I've mentioned before, I am goal oriented. I don't have enough discipline to just run. If I know I've  paid for a run, I'm going to train. 

Start somewhere. 

If you want to start exercising and you are a couch tater like I was, here's what to do. 

1. Go to your doctor. Get your baseline health status, if you don't already have it. Talk to them about what you want to do. They will let you know what is recommended or feasible for where you are. 

2. Go on www.active.com, or a similar site, and peruse the opportunities in your area. Pick something within your capability and interest. If you want something fun, look for color runs or zombie runs or music runs - you will see that exercising with a big bunch of folks is fun!  Or pick a cause run - one that raises money for a responsible charitable organization. You will help others while you're helping yourself.

4. Buy good shoes. Go to a running store - even if you are a walker - and be evaluated for the proper shoes.  They look at how you walk, where you land on your foot, and they pick the right shoe. Yes it will cost more  - but they last longer, and the right shoe will make or break you. You can avoid a lot of injuries by doing this step. 

3. Begin! If you need direction, like this rookie did, get it. Running stores have classes for beginners. There are tons of programs for your phone that will keep you moving. Running clubs also are great - everyone has to start somewhere. 

I walked just over 4 miles this morning, starting with the Jeff Galloway half marathon training.  It was miserably humid. But I concentrated on my great uplifting music, and the beauty around me. I exclusively run/walk outside. I need the sights sounds and smells to keep my mind occupied. But a treadmill or elliptical or bike or tread climber - whatever. You pick what you like, get informed, get a goal, and GO!

😍 

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