Pace Yourself
All my life I’ve wished that I could run long distances without difficulty. The reality is that I’ve always struggled to run even short distances without becoming very winded rather quickly. Its not that my muscles tire or my legs hurt, but rather my heart rate gets out of control and I’m unable to breathe. Maybe I’m forgetting to breathe properly or I try to push myself too far too soon. Its probably a combination of the two. What I have learned though is that it can get easier progressively if you start slow.
A few years ago when I weighed a lot less and was in much better shape than I am now, I had begun training myself to run. I would go to the local high school track every day. I walked the curves of the track and ran the straights. I started very slow, but each day, I pushed myself a little bit farther than the day before. The more I did this, the easier it got to run and eventually I found myself running up and down the bleachers too.
I’m no where near in that shape now, but I’d really like to get there again. I found a plan that may help me do it too. Yesterday, I was reading Amy Cremen’s blog. {Amy was on the Biggest Loser last season.} She posted a program that eases you into running at a reasonable pace.
Getting started: Warm up your joints and muscles before each running session with an easy 3–5 minute walk. Do each workout below 3 times per week for at least 3 weeks before progressing to the next level. Listen to your body: Moving on before you’re ready can cause aches and pains.
Weeks 1 through 3: After every 3–5 minutes of walking, run for 30 seconds–2 minutes; repeat for a total of 30 minutes. Not into numbers? Run until you’re tired, then walk until you’re bored.
Weeks 4 through 6: Alternate 3-minute stretches of walking and running for a total of 30 minutes. If that leaves you winded, try cutting the intervals to 90 seconds, then gradually build up your time.
Weeks 7 through 9: Alternate running for 4–5 minutes with walking for 1–2 minutes; repeat for a total of 30 minutes.
Weeks 10 through 12: Run for 8–10 minutes, then walk for 1–2 minutes; repeat for a total of 30 minutes. Or run 1 mile, then walk for 2 minutes; repeat 3 times.
Week 13 and beyond: Try to run 30 minutes straight. If you have to take a midrun breather, don’t despair. Keep trying, and soon you’ll be sailing through your run, no walk breaks needed!
