Running has been one of my life long nemesis. I’ve never considered myself a runner and I really don’t see myself becoming a hardcore runner in the future. My feet are flat, my back is wack, and I’m bored to tears by running. That being said, I’ve been pounding the pavement and putting on about 5 miles a week the last couple weeks. That might not sound like a lot but for me, that’s like running a marathon.
Tiff actually inspired me to start running. She was telling me about her training regime for her upcoming half marathon and it got my competitive sibling rivalry juices flowing. I thought, if she can run, then so can I. At least for a mile or two.
Surprisingly, I’ve been running every two days or so. With the extra time that I have now that school apps are done, what else do I have to do? I’ve gotten serious enough about my running that I bought an issue of Runner’s World magazine, bought a new pair of running shoes, and stole my mom’s yoga mat so I can stretch. Along the way, I’ve come across a couple of surprises.
Creaky knees: I’ve avoided running for the longest time because I was afraid of hurting my back. That was a legitimate excuse until now. My back is still funky, but turns out what hurts the most are my knees. Having banged up knees is the last thing that I want, so I’ve taken some preventative measures to protect my knees including adding more leg strengthening and stretching exercises and buying a pair of running shoes that fits my running style.
Don’t stretch: When Tiff told me that stretching before a run was bad, it was as if she was telling that the world was round. Ever since my first PE class, stretching was the first thing I did before exercising. How could it be that stretching can be bad for you?! I haven’t looked too much into Tiff’s claim but apparently there is some research that shows static stretching before running could lead to injuries. The jury is still out and the debate rages on. Regardless, I still do some light stretching before a run and some heavier stretching after.
Getting over the hump: It’s easy to think of running as a purely physical activity but the biggest challenge with running is getting over the mental road blocks in your head. I’m hungry so I’ll run after I eat. I’m too tired, I’ll just turn around and go home. I don’t have the right shirt, guess I’ll run next time. It’s easy to make excuses and avoid running but the challenge of getting over those thoughts, pushing myself to run instead of walk so I can get home faster to eat, taking another path that extends my run but allowing me t0 explore the neighborhood, are things that have made running enjoyable these past couple of weeks.
It’s TBD on how long I can keep this running thing going. I think one way I can sustain this is if I enter some races, perhaps a 5k as a starter. I might as well run for as long as I can because once school starts, I don’t think I’ll have the time or energy to exercise.

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