Run for Your Life
Although I was a pretty active child, I never liked to run. I loved riding my bike, playing basketball, baseball, even swimming. It wasn't until a year ago, I realized I actually liked to run. My first exposure to running was on a treadmill in my local gym. The treadmill is a great place to start for beginners because the electronic interface helps you develop a pace (or cadence) along with speed, time and distance. Like most workout routines, you should always start with a warm up and end with a cool down.
- Warm Up-Typically your workout should be 40% of your top speed for 10% of your total running time.
- Cool Down- This portion of your run should be 20% of your top speed for 20% of your total running time.
A lot of people avoid running because it is "boring". Here are some great ways to avoid boredom or to freshen up your running routine:
- Get off the treadmill. With the weather getting warmer, hit the pavement. You will burn more calories, traverse entertaining terrain and hopefully meet some neighbors. You can a whole new perspective when you run different routes. Try to find a safe location that is well lit if you are running at night. Avoid areas of broken pavement or sidewalks to prevent injury.
- Change your intervals. This can really make running a workout. I love running at different intervals. After your warm up, try sprinting for a 100 yards and then slow down to 50% of your normal running speed for five minutes. Sprint again and repeat the "jog" cycle. There is no exact science to interval running. Just make sure you mix up your run with bursts of speed for a couple of minutes, followed by a slower pace for a period of time.
- Get off road. Check out http://www.trailrunner.com/. This site is a treasure trove of trail running routes conveniently organized by state. Running on trails is a little tricky at first and you may want to consider investing in a pair of trail shoes that provide extra grips. If you live near the coast, get out to the beach. There is no treadmill in the world that provides such an incredible experience as running during a sunrise or sunset. Mix it up by running on the hard packed sand close to the water and then workout it out in the softer sand further up the beach.
There are some other excellent resources on the web to help beginners (and pros alike). Anybody who loves fitness should make running a part of their overall program. It is a great cardiovascular exercise, costs little to no money, can be done at almost any time (wear reflective clothing at night) and requires little to no experience. Let me know how you got started running or any ideas you have to keep your running routine fresh.
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