Becoming a Runner
Anyone can become a runner. Have you heard people say that? Do you think it’s true? I mean, barring any obvious problems, do you think most people with decently functioning legs and lungs can actually get good at running? Get to like running, even?
Someone told me you just have to do it consistently for three weeks. I’m not sure what was supposed to happen at the three-week mark but I’ve been running 5-6 days a week for five weeks now and let me tell you, it is NOT getting any easier.
Granted, my run is pretty pathetic. I run down my road to the nearest major intersection and back. It takes me seven minutes, tops. Sometimes my 6-year-old accompanies me on her scooter and that makes me go faster.
I don’t think seven minutes of aerobic exercise a day is really enough to do me any good, but I don’t know where to find the time, and especially the motivation to go longer.
I run at about 7 in the morning, right after pouring the girls some cereal–usually before Baby wakes up but if not, then the girls play with her for me while I go. (And I know I am fortunate to have my husband working from home, so he is just down the hall and I don’t have to get up at some insane hour to do this. Because I can promise you it Would. Not. Happen.)
Endurance. There’s something about building endurance. Supposedly I should be able to get the point where I can do more and more without collapsing in a heap on someone’s lawn? How long does this take?
For the record, I’m not really trying to lose weight or anything–I don’t really have the body type to retain a lot. (If I did I would be a WHALE with how much I eat, I am not even kidding.) I mean, there could definitely be some toning in various areas but mostly I just want to be healthy.
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On that note, some of you have asked about the sugar thing. I’ve read most of Potatoes, Not Prozac and I even kept a food journal for about a week. I stopped updating it here after a day or so, but if you could see it, I’m sure you would be floored to add it up and realize that in one day–ONE day–I ate two dozen chocolate chip cookies.
I don’t think I’ll ever go off sugar completely. I like cookies too much. (And cake. And donuts. And Rolos. And Frosted Mini Wheats.) I just want to get to the point where I can have a couple of cookies for dessert, or maybe a piece of cake at a potluck–without having to go and eat the entire pan, or have a taste of all sixteen desserts.
I also noticed while doing my food journal that I eat all the time. Seriously, I had no idea how often I am in the kitchen rummaging for food. Just by eliminating all the snacking, I could save myself hours of preparation and cooking time every day.
Some people say grazing is good, and that eating six small meals is better than three large ones. But DesMaisons says that people with “addictive body chemistry’s” (Hi!) should not eat like that. She says we need to learn how to START a meal and especially how to STOP a meal.
I can see the wisdom there. But honestly, I get hungry. I have a very hard time going more than two hours without food. I carry dry cereal to church, not for my kids, but for me.
So we’ll see what I do there. Aside from all the cookies, what I’m normally eating “between meals” is relatively healthy. Apples, peaches, carrots, raw almonds, homemade whole wheat bread (with butter, yes, but how can you not?) I’m thinking that might be better than starving myself and subsequently gorging myself.
Isn’t there some magical herb or pill I can take that will make me like running and hate sugar, all at once? Can someone invent one, pretty please?
Filed in: health | August 24, 2009
Natalie
Did you happen to read my response to your comment on my blog? I don’t want to repeat myself if you already did. That’s the only advice I have for running (that and work up gradually or your muscles will pull away from your bone and it will be EXTREMELY painful and you will hardly be able to walk, let alone run. It’s great.)
No advice on the sugar. I just bought a thing of Oreos, even when I told myself I wouldn’t buy anything sugar related, and ate 4 on the way home. And I do not have your body type so I REALLY shouldn’t be doing that.
grannie
thanks for the reminder…I bought almonds last Thurs after dropping J,T and B off at the airport. I went to the commissary and got cherries, grapes, bananas, Peaches, corn on the cob. I also bought Crunch and Munch (which I do not share). Like a drunk, I hide the box and snack whenever I get the chance. I don’t run anymore. ( i fall too easily). My cardiologist said to walk 30 min, a day. That I can handle.
Trina
The secret to love running is…a partner. Running is so much better with others. Every once in awhile I’m in the mood to run by myself, but it is so much more fun with others. The best way to work up to running for 30 min. is run walk run walk run, decreasing your walking as the days pass. Wish I could help you with the sugar thing, but I need help myself. I practically ate a whole pound bag of skittles in three days, plus gummy bears. Sugar is definitely my addiction.
nat
Hey Cathryn,
I stink at the blogging thing, but yours are always fun to read when I actually do get on. The secret to my running, is to go slow. Guess thats not actually running then eh? Guess I should say, jogging…Joe never wants me to go running because he says I look fine and would rather have me home with the kids, but I want to be healthy too, so I begged him to let me start running at night after we put the kids down. I just go across the street to the track usually around 10 and run about 4 miles. Joe thinks thats impressive but I didnt know how to drill it in his head that we are talking about 10 min miles. It takes me 40 minutes to do this, and with stretching before and a cool down lap after I get home about 50 minutes later. Not impressive. But I love to run. Not in front of people though, Im sure I look silly….As for the sugar thing, not sure what to tell ya. I have never been crazy about it. Breads and pastas and things are my weakness. What I do know is that the power of the brain is amazing. Joe’s sister went to a hypnotist to get off of diet sodas (thats all she was drinking) and now she finds it repulsive, many years later. I am not suggesting a hypnotist, but I do believe that you can change the way you think about sugar. For example I am pretty sure it is the single biggest culprit of anything bad that can happen to you, ex. cancer, obesity, diabetes, failure of any body part, bad teeth, (Now Im just making stuff up) lol. Am I persuasive at all?
Katie
I did this Couch to 5K program.
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
I never thought I could run. I was absolutely shocked to find out that I could. I was doing 15-17 minute miles (practically a snail’s pace), but I was moving in a ‘jogging’ sort of motion!
I ran once without the jogging stroller and did 12 minute miles (well, MILE, since I don’t actually go more than 1.5 miles).
I don’t know that I LOVE running, but I always want to keep going and keep trying. But I have to take all 3 kids with me, so I always talk myself out of it.
stephanie
Wow. Props to you Kate and all your running readers, of which I am not. No advice, but I’m thoroughly impressed.
What impresses me most is that you try, even though you don’t like it. That takes some gumption.
Rachel
I find that it takes me about a mile to get into a happy groove when I’m running, so maybe you’re stopping when things are about to get better.
One thing that worked for me when I started running in June this year: going for thirty minutes in a run/walk pattern. I started out running for three minutes, walking for four….and went from there. Now I can run thirty or forty minutes without stopping.
Another big help was getting an MP3 player. It’s very motivating to listen to music while running.
I CAN run! Also, Thank You. : Simply Mother
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