Today I woke up early on my day off to go running with my trainer at 7:30am. That in itself was a feat because I never would have considered doing that before.
I'm considering (hypothetically) changing my blog title to Learning to Love Running because that is what it seems like I'm doing lately. I am not spending much time at the gym, but I am getting my workouts in elsewhere.
Today's goal:
Run 1.5km with my trainer and learn what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong.
Outcome:
Walk/ran 1.5km outside in intervals of 1 min running, 1-2min walking. I even went uphill! It took me 13min 55sec which was a little disappointing as I guessed it would take me 12 minutes. But, the longer time was a result of focusing more on my form than on my speed.
Insights:
1) My strides are good. Chris told me I should aim for one step per sidewalk square, I can do 1 for every 3/4 of a square. Running with my trainer she told me I need to do shorter ones than that so it was an easy change to make.
2) I am fairly relaxed with good posture for running. With few self-reminders I stay loose, I swing my arms at 110 degrees, I don't twist my upper body, and I keep my torso upright. Apparently I am "built to run" according to my trainer. It's just a matter of time before my heart and my breathing agree.
3) I slap my feet when I run. This is something I need to work on, but it was an improvement from running on the balls of my feet. It take a lot of focus for me to think about runnning through my my heel to my toes.
4) I run too fast for where I'm at currently. I need to slow it down and keep a pace that won't have me keeling over at the halfway mark. I need to work on running longer, not faster.
5) 1.5km goes by way faster than I thought it would when running outside.
Questions:
1) Somebody's blog I read discussed a foam roller. Where did I read that? I need to start using one.
2) I am having a hard time with the reality that I need to purchase good (expensive) running shoes when I am only starting out. Will proper running shoes really make that much of a difference?
Yes! We had this discussion when I bought my shoes last year.
ReplyDeleteHaving had good and bad shoes, I can assure you that:
ReplyDelete1) Good shoes will help your running because what you put on your feet affects your whole body. Whenever my knee starts aching, I have a small checklist of if the ache is caused from over-doing it, not enough stretching, or old shoes. You'd be amazed (as I was) at how good shoes will solve a lot of the little aches and pains.
2) If you go to a good running shoe store (Running Room, Sports 4 in Ottawa, etc), go with about 10 minutes extra, because they will give you their time to watch how you walk, how you run, and advise you on the best shoe for you. Don't be afraid to ask for a consult, they're always happy to. Also, know your foot - if you have a high arch, like soft soles, have any recommendations from a doctor (not necessary, but in case), this can help them help you choose the right shoe.
3) If you put money on shoes, there's a very good chance that you'll want to get your money out of them. Therefore, you'll look at your snazzy good shoes, and think, "Those look awesome. I should go run in them!"
Also, don't just toss your old shoes to the dump - a lot of sports stores will take old running shoes and send them to Africa, or recycle them into other useful products like gym floors.
Cheers!
Jelly, who runs off at the keyboard