You Might Think You Can't Run But You Probably Can

Today I am going to take a departure from my usual ramblings about news items. The news has been a source of great sadness and ire for me in recent weeks. This, combined with a lack of sunshine outside of my window is a good recipe for crabbiness. Therefore, I am going to talk about something that makes me happy. It has the potential to make you happy too if you aren't already familiar with its many benefits.

About a year ago I decided to start running. I had no reason to think that this time would not be like all of the other times in my life I had tried jogging many times before. I would ambitiously commit to running first thing in the morning, psych myself up with all kinds of positive self-encouragement, and then just start running. The problem was that I would always end up getting completely tired after about sixty seconds of running. I would go through about one week of huffing and puffing before I would decide that I simply could not handle this type of exercise. I tried to do it off and on over the years, convinced that I would not get tired if I could only discover the right way to breathe.

Well, this time really was different. How? I finally scrapped all the advice about breathing techniques, stretching, running shoes, etc. Instead I concentrated on building up to running very slowly. I did this through a program my husband discovered a called Couch-to-5K. We even found a podcast that gives instructions as you run and sets the running to music. At first the program doesn't even involve a whole lot of walking. It encourages you to run for very short bursts interspersed with longer periods or walking. The program does push you. It is set up to have you running a 5K in 9 weeks, but if you aren't ready to move on after a particular week, you can always repeat that week.

The important thing that I discovered was that it was this gradual building-up of the cardiovascular system that was the key to being able to run a much longer distance. Of course I would get out of breath and feel like I was going to keel over because my heart, lungs, and muscles simply were not used to working that hard. As soon as I realized this, I was able to concentrate on conditioning my body slowly and setting goals that allowed me to succeed.

Thanks to this method, I am still running regularly after a year and am able to run 3.1 miles three days a week. The other two days I run part of the 3 miles and walk the rest while slowly building up to running the entire route 5 days. When I reach this goal, I plan to start working up to running a 10K. In addition to running around the creek down the street from my house, I have now run 3 5K races for various charities and am planning on entering more this year. Maybe someday in the not to distant future I will run a marathon.

So why is this so worth doing? Because running is one of the best exercises you can do to keep yourself in shape. There is nothing that gets your heart pumping and improves overall circulation like running. Nothing else strengthens your leg muscles so well. Nothing makes you fill more energized during the other parts of your day.

I fully believe in one's ability to vastly enhance quality of life into old age by running. There used to be a school of thought that running put excessive wear and tear on the joints and muscles. Now we know that it builds strength in your legs that can help to keep you going longer and with less pain. I have seen 80 year olds running in every race I have entered, and these people look great. These are people that are statistically nearing the end of their life cycles, yet they are slim, toned, and look like they would have no trouble hiking up a mountain.

Another wonderful thing about running is that it involves such little expense and preparation You don't need a gym membership or any kind of special outfit or tool. You just slip on some old clothes and go. All of those pricey running shoes you see in the store are complete hogwash. All you need is a cheap pair of running shoes (about $30 or $40) that feels right on your foot and stays on. Professional runners have even been talking lately about the benefits of running barefoot. Also, stretching exercises before running are way overrated. A few quick stretches do the trick, and too much stretching can cause pain during running.

Running is also a great way to get yourself outdoors for some amount of time everyday, especially if you find some scenic place to do it. Things I often see while running include beautiful skies, a lovely pond, dozens of bird species, rabbits, snakes, and beavers as well as plenty of cats and dogs. Running can be done even in inclement weather. I have run in heavy rain, hail, and heat. And when the weather gets too extreme, there is nothing wrong with running in place in front of the television.

Here is the best part of all. There is absolutely no stimulant that matches the runner's high. It makes even a particularly difficult run worth the effort. No matter how I feel during the run, I feel fabulous within minutes of stopping. It is not something you can fully understand until you feel it. I can only describe it as a great burst of energy, strength, and mental clarity that stays with you long after the run is completed. In some ways it is similar to the feeling you get after a great cup of coffee, except you feel a serene, sense of well-being instead of the jittery feeling caffeine can bring on.

Here is something I would like to impart to others. If you want this, you can have it. I am disinclined to believe the vast majority of people who say that they cannot run. Maybe you don't want to run. Maybe you prefer swimming, bicycling, or playing tennis. These are all great exercises. However, if you want to run, but don't because you think you can't, you are probably selling yourself short. Barring a serious injury or health problem that a trusted doctor has specifically said could make running dangerous, there is no reason that someone cannot run. I thought I would never be able to breathe well enough. Now I can. Do you think you cannot run because of Plantar Fasciitis, a painful foot condition? That is also something I have on occasion. My husband has a much more severe case, but he is able to run by regularly wearing inserts in his shoes. Humans are built to do this all day long. As children we run everywhere, and for some reason we stop doing this after puberty.

If you want to run, there are three very important things you can do to get yourself going. First and foremost is to start slowly. You don't have to do the same program that I did, but you are going to poop out fast if you try to do too much at once. Even if you are doing nothing but walking at first, you are already part way there.

Also, have realistic expectations. Just because running is healthy, fun, and makes you feel great does not mean that it is easy. Great cardiovascular exercise always involves some degree of effort and hard work for the big payoff at the end. It is one of those things that does get a little easier the more you do it, but there will be days ahead that seem harder than others. Don't let these days ruin your whole routine. Your inner voice will tell you you can't make it all the way. Fight with it as much as possible, but if it sometimes wins and you can't meet your goal for the day, don't feel like a failure because something is better than nothing.

Finally, find a time when running feels right. A lot of experts recommend running first thing in the morning, but you can run any time of day. I find that I do best between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sometimes I will run later in the summer to avoid the heat. Other people like to run at 5 a.m. Still others like to run at midnight. You might find that varying the time of day works for you. It doesn't really matter. Just get out there and do it!