Random Rookie Runner Ramblings
03 Mar 2010 2 Comments
in Running
I know. Corny title. I just couldn’t help it. I’m on a jogger’s high. Call me giddy. I’m in the middle of my running club class, and I thought I’d share my random tips for other beginners who might be pondering a stroll around the block.
- Avoid cotton running clothes. While you don’t have to be as fashionable as Venus and Serena are out on the court, avoiding cotton will save your skin later. Find some decent dri-fit clothes and go for it.
- Save on the running clothes and put your money in on amazing running shoes. Find a store that will watch you walk or jog and help you find the right fit for the way you run. Yes, running shoes are expensive, but I figure it’s better to have a little pain coughing up the money now than it is recovering from an injury that could have been prevented. Personally, I heart Brooks.
- Mix up your training schedule. Don’t try to jog or run everyday; instead, alternate shorter, more intense jogs, strength training, and longer, slower distance runs.
- Never say never. I’ve decided most of the jogging limits I’ve put on myself over the years are just in my mind. Sure, it takes time to build up strength and endurance, but if I can do it, so can you. In junior high, I remember not being able to complete the mile test…I fell back away from the other kids in my class, hot tears of embarrassment spilling down my cheeks. Fifteen years later, I paid to join a running club.
VISA. It’s Everywhere You Want to Be.
17 Feb 2010 1 Comment
in Inspiration, Running
Warning: Reader, beware. Sappy post to follow.
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If you’ve watched any Olympic coverage, chances are you’ve seen the VISA commercials. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, these commercials are designed to inspire. Well, let’s be honest, they’re designed to inspire you to whip out that plastic and use it. But, all marketing lessons aside, I’ve come to stop the DVR fastforward every time a specific one comes on: the Dan Jansen commercial. As corny as it sounds, I’m not afraid to admit that this commercial causes me to tear up. Every. single. time.
Dan Jansen won a Gold medal in speed skating in 1994. His road to the podium wasn’t easy, and I’m sure most Olympic athletes share the same sentiment. I was young when he made his first attempt and fell, so I’m not sure if I saw it on TV or not, but I do know I saw him win gold in 1994. I stood in front of my parents’ TV, crying. I was just so happy for someone who had seemed to work so hard.
Tonight I started a running class, designed specifically for women and for beginner runners. As we ran our first mile, my chest cavity started to ache from all that wheezing and breathing I was trying to do. To Olympic athletes, what I ran tonight would be a breeze. To me, it was as elusive as their conquests for gold. But somewhere into the third lap, I thought to myself, “This is how you accomplish something. You take one more step.” Pretty soon one more step becomes one more lap. And one more lap becomes one more mile. And one day, I’ll cross the finish line on the race I’ve always wanted to run.
