Get Up and Get Running
by Debbie Pettit, Lady Fitness Health Spa

Ever wanted to start running for fitness but just didn’t know how to quite start a safe, progressive program?

Ever wanted to run for fitness but didn’t have the confidence to be a runner?

Ever thought you would love to run for fitness but didn’t think you had it in you?

Well, if you’ve answered yes to any of the above questions we have a plan of action for you to be up and running 20 minutes in 10 weeks and doing your first 5K, April’s Run by Saturday, September 25, 2010. (www.aprilsrun.com)

What are the benefits of running?

• One of the most obvious reasons to get into running is weight loss. Running is widely recognized as one of the best methods to work off the pounds.
• Another one of the great benefits of running is that it is a superb way to get into shape and look better. Once you start running the fat in your body will make place for muscle. Now, be aware, muscles are heavier than fat. So it might even be that you don’t experience weight loss immediately or in as big steps as you hoped for. But your toning will improve. At the same weight you might already be able to fit into a smaller size!
• One of the long-term benefits of running is that you’ll live longer and look younger than a sedate person. You are simply a lot healthier.
• Running strengthens your immune system, and reduces the risks of sickness and disease.
• Running strengthens your cardiovascular system (heart and lungs).
• One of the side-effects of running is that it will make you improve your diet. Acting healthy makes you want to eat healthy as well.
• Regular running is associated with psychological and mental benefits as well, such as reduction of insomnia and generally better sleeping patterns. This, in turn, improves your concentration throughout the day. And did you know that running is also prescribed to treat some psychological disorders like clinical depression?

I have a run/walk plan that allows you to start slowly and build up your distance gradually. At first, you’ll walk more than you’ll run. When you advance to each new level, the time you spend walking decreases while the time you spend running increases.

Things to know before you start your program:

1. Welcome to the starting line. This might be your first try at running, or an attempt to improve on what you already do. Whether you are a beginner runner or experienced runner our goal is to maximize improvements and minimize injuries. You win by improving. You lose by getting hurt.

2. Buy the right shoes. They are the biggest equipment expense for runners, so it’s important to get it right. Spend wisely by buying well-made shoes from a major brand. Search out a model that fits you properly, and is designed for the surface you’ll run on most often-roads, tracks, or trails. If you’re not sure which shoe will work best for you, shop at a running-specialty store staffed by veteran runners and shoe experts. After you buy your shoes, remember that even the best have a limited lifespan. Plan to replace them after about 350 to 500 miles of wear.

3. Make a plan. The two basic raw materials of a running routine are time and space. And the two main reasons given by those who don’t run? "I don’t have time for it," and "I don’t have anywhere to do it." Let’s dissect those excuses. You can run well and get in great shape with as little as a 20-minute session every other day. Think of it as the time you won’t waste by watching a sitcom rerun. As for finding places to run: Anywhere that’s safe for walking is also fine for running. Off-road routes (parks, bike paths, high school tracks) are better than high-traffic streets, and soft surfaces (grass, dirt) are better than paved ones, but any choice is better than staying home. Major suggestion: Map out the best courses in your immediate neighborhood. That saves time, solves the "place" issue, and makes it much more likely that you’ll actually do your planned runs.

4. Get F-I-T. It’s important to run your efforts at an easy, comfortable pace. Think of yourself as the Tortoise, not the Hare. Make haste slowly.

5. Find your pace. Okay, so I’ve told you to make it comfortable. Sounds simple. The problem is that most beginning runners don’t know what a comfortable pace feels like, so they push too hard. Result: They get overly fatigued and discouraged, or even injured. Listen to your breathing. Breathe in and out through your mouth when you run, your muscles need oxygen to keep moving and your nose simply can’t deliver enough.  Deep belly breathing allows you to take in more air, which can also prevent side stitches. As a beginner, try to run at a pace at which you can breathe easily. Use the “talk test” to figure out if your pace is appropriate.  You should be able to speak in full sentences, without gasping for air. Slow down or walk if you’re running out of breath.

6. Remember to warm up and cool down. Don’t confuse a little stretching with a good warm-up. Stretching exercises generally don’t make you sweat or raise your heart rate, which is what you really want from a warm-up. A proper warm-up begins with walking or running very slowly to ease your body into the session. My recommendation: Walk briskly for 5 minutes, then start your program. (Don’t count the warm-up as part of your workout time or distance.) When you finish your run, resist the urge to stop suddenly. Instead, walk another 5 minutes to cool down more gradually. Then comes the best time for stretching--after your run when your muscles are warm and ready to be stretched a little.

7. Don’t hesitate to walk. Walk is not a four-letter word for runners. Pausing to walk during a run is not a form of cheating, but a common practice among experienced runners. It is a form of interval training that breaks a big piece of work into smaller pieces, making it more doable. Mix running and walking in these ways: when you’re starting to run for the first time; to regain fitness after a long layoff, injury, or illness; to warm up before a run, and to cool down afterward; to make your fast running faster, which is the classic use of interval training; to make long runs longer; and to make easy runs easier. You’ll find that walk breaks work best when you walk for at least 1 minute but no longer than 5 minutes.

8. Run safely at all times. The biggest threat you’ll face as a runner on the road, by far, is the car. Traffic zips past you at just about a yard away. A moment’s attention lapse from either you or the driver can bring disaster, and you’ll be the one to suffer, not the well-protected driver. The best way to lower this risk is to avoid running on roads. But for many of us, this is a near-impossibility. Or it’s an approach that adds time and complexity to our routine (if we have to drive to a park, for example). So most of us just learn to be extremely cautious when we run on the roads. We try to find low-traffic roads with wide shoulders; we run on the left side of the road, facing traffic; we obey traffic signs and signals; and we follow every road rule our parents taught us by the time we were 7. Every runner should run as if every car is a lethal weapon. Because it is.

9. Use pain as your guide. Runners get hurt. Of course, we rarely hurt ourselves as seriously as skiers and linebackers, but injuries do happen. Most are musculoskeletal, meaning that we recover rapidly when we take days off or other appropriate action (like ice treatment). And most are self-inflicted. We bring them on by running too far, too fast, too soon, or too often. Prevention is often as simple as a change of routine. Use pain as your guide. If you can’t run steadily without pain, mix walking and running. If you can’t run-walk, simply walk. If you can’t walk, bicycle. If you can’t bike, swim. As you recover, climb back up this fitness ladder.

10. Pay attention to your form. Running form is as individual as a fingerprint and is too inborn to change very much. But, with practice, you can make minor modifications to become a more efficient runner. Run "tall" and upright, not with a pronounced forward lean. Look toward the horizon, not at your feet. Run faster by increasing your stride turnover, not by overreaching with each stride. On up hills, shorten your stride, and drive more with the arms. Try to maintain even effort, not pace. When running downhill, let gravity work for you by leaning slightly forward.

11. Eat and drink the right foods. Sports nutrition is too big of a topic to cover thoroughly here. But, in general, the rules for good nutrition and fluid consumption are the same for runners as everyone else. Three areas of special interest to runners: (1) control your weight, as extra pounds will slow you down; (2) eat lightly an hour before training and 2 hours before racing; (3) drink 8 to 16 ounces of water or sports drink an hour before running, as dehydration can be dangerous.

12. Add a little stretching and strengthening. Running is a specialized activity, working mainly the legs. If you’re seeking more complete, total-body fitness, you need to supplement your running workouts with other exercises. These should aim to strengthen the muscles that running neglects, and stretch those that running tightens, which means strengthening the upper body and stretching the legs. Add a few minutes of strengthening and stretching after your running workouts, because that’s when these exercises tend to do the most.

Before you start your running program, pay a visit to your physician. This is always a good idea, but especially in case of the following conditions:

• Overweight
• Heart problems
• Completely untrained
• Breathing problems
• Chronic fatigue
• Age over forty

And here is your beginners running program…

If you’re starting from a low fitness level, we recommend you begin with several weeks of walking for 20 to 30 minutes at a time before attempting Week 1.

To be successful with your running program:

Schedule your workouts. You won’t find time for them unless you make time for them. Put them in your PDA, computer, daily appointment planner, on the front of your refrigerator, or wherever else you keep your schedule.

Expect bad days. Everyone has them, but they pass quickly, and the next workout is often better than the previous one. So stick with the program.

Training tips:

Beginning runners often develop shin splints or sore knees. These pains should pass quickly if you treat them immediately with ice packs after your workouts. Put an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas on your shins or knees for 15 minutes. If the pain persists, take several days off before beginning your training program again.

When you run you are bound to get tired and experience muscle pains afterwards. That’s fine to a certain extent. However, when you, during or after your run, feel dizzy, experience pain in your chest area, your back or your legs, beware! Take it real easy and do the following:

• Immediately stop running and rest or walk for a bit until you feel better.
• Cut back on your training load or stop it until the pain has ceased.
• Check with your physician if you keep on experiencing pain or if you are feeling unsure about anything.

Take care of yourself. You only have one body and one life. Running is a great healthy activity, but in your enthusiasm (too much too soon) you can harm yourself. Follow the training schedule to avoid injuries. Even then, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!

For more information about running, whether you’re a beginner runner or not, or if you would like to join the Lady Fitness Running Club or Walking Club, go to the Lady Fitness Facebook Fan Page and send a message to us or call us at 856-769-5166.

About Lady Fitness Health Spa
Lady Fitness Health Spa in Woodstown, NJ is a health club for women. With a very friendly, non-intimidating environment that is designed to meet the needs of today’s woman, Lady Fitness offers a variety of high-quality, safe and fun fitness classes. Lady Fitness has been voted "Best Women’s Fitness Center in Salem County" in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. For more information, visit www.LadyFit.com.