I started running a few times since then but time would get away from me. I am chubby and I'm sure it looks unnatural when I'm out there giving it a go! When I went away for a Girls' Weekend recently, I even lured two of my cousins into joining me!
I feel like I'm cheating though as I don't just run. I apply a Run / Walk / Run philosophy by Jeff Galloway. I use an app called Easy 5k which makes "running" doable for me. Find the app here on the App Store. Jeff believes that even the best of marathon runners should take a walk break for quicker recovery, motivate non-runners to run, improvement of overall run times.
When I first started running this go around, I started with the same ratio I used previously which was run (or in my case jog slowly) for one minute then walk for 30 seconds. My times were in the tank... slower than ever before! I kept at it though! I then looked up the various ratios to see what ratio I should be using for my per mile times. I was WAY off! I needed to be at run 10 seconds / walk 45 seconds. Say, what? Hardly sounds like a run at all! Looked more like a walk with run breaks rather than vice versa! I dropped 1 minute and 45 seconds to my mile time switching from 60 sec run / 30 sec walk! That moved my ratio to 15 sec run / 30 sec walk which dropped another 15-20 seconds to my mile time! Here's my view on some of my long run days! If that doesn't motivate me to run, I don't know what will?!
After a week or so at that ratio, it was time to switch to another ratio. I tried 15 sec walk / 15 sec run. WOW! That did not provide enough walk breaks so I switched back to 15 / 30 and then tried 20/40. After the 15/15 ratio, something happened to my calves. My next run two days later at 15/30 still caused pain to my calves. I took a few days off from running and tried it again. I could make it about a mile at a fairly decent time for my ratio and abilities but after a mile my calves hurt fairly badly. :( So I bought some new running shoes and new what I call "old lady" inserts. I've been using inserts in my shoes for a number of years due to pain in my heels. I used my new running shoes and new inserts last Saturday and my calves still hurt after just over a mile. After consulting some running friends, it seems as though I injured myself (clearly!) and that I wasn't giving enough recovery time before trying again. I also may need to bump back down to 15 / 30 until I know for sure that my calves are healed. Usually it's my lungs that give me a hard time but I've been fairly good about using my inhaler as I'm preparing to run. So here I sit, six days after my last run, longing to get out there again but don't want to be in pain. This getting old stuff is for the birds! (See what I did there? haha) I'm hoping to get out there tomorrow with my new shoes and inserts again! I really do enjoy it! It also somehow helps provide clearer thought to my mind after I've run.
So any non-runners or previous-runners want to download the app and join in on my fun? The fall is the best time to start running! I much prefer running in cooler weather than in hot weather! The first run is 15 minutes. You can do it!
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