A Runner's Manual for Beginners

Editor's note: The author has been a runner for over 25 years, has run 5 marathons, and has basically run enough miles to circle the globe.

This article is for those of you who have been living a sedentary life, and want to get active. Maybe you are a couch potato and are worried about your health as you get older; maybe you work in an office and want to be more active. If you have been contemplating taking up running, or jogging, to get in shape, this article is for you.

There is an old saying “you have to walk before you can run”. This is very true for folks who want to start running for exercise; your first two weeks should be nothing but walking. You don’t need to walk with your arms flailing about like a power walker gone amok; you just need to walk with a purpose. Tighten your butt and your stomach muscles, and walk for one or two miles at a pace that pushes you, but doesn’t overexert you. Your leg muscles will experience some soreness the next day, but it should not be so bad as to keep you from wanting to walk again in a day or two.

After at least two weeks of walking, your legs should now be ready to handle light jogging. Start by jogging slowly over the same one or two mile course you have been walking the last couple of weeks. You should not be concerned with your speed or how fast you can run the course; the idea is to get cardiovascular exercise, not to try out for the Olympics. Try to find a pace that you can maintain for the whole course without stopping or over exerting yourself. You will notice that your speed will quickly increase over time as your body adjusts.

Now some tips that all runners should know and follow:

1) Do NOT run or jog on concrete surfaces, or sidewalks. Running is a high impact exercise, which means that every time your foot hits the ground it sends a jolt up your foot, leg, and hip. Concrete is very hard and has no give to it; it is preferable to run on asphalt. I always get weird looks from people when I tell them this, but it is true. If you take a hammer and strike concrete what happens? It will chip or shatter. If you hit asphalt with a hammer what happens? It goes “thunk”. That is because asphalt is much softer than concrete, especially on warm days. If you insist on running on concrete you may be looking at having a knee or hip replacement in a few years.

2) Run only with running shoes, not cross trainers. You don’t need one hundred dollar Air Nikes, but you should have a light weight running shoe. This will save you from developing very painful shin splints. When your shoes wear out replace them, or you will have the same problem.

3) If you run along the side of a road ALWAYS run facing traffic.

4) If you run at night always wear a reflective shirt or vest. Most running shoes have reflective strips on them, but that is not always enough to guarantee visibility.

5) Keep plenty of liniment handy. It will take months for your legs to get used to the pounding, and a good liniment (I prefer Flex-All 454) is invaluable.

6) Some runners like to stretch before running, but I never stretch. Most people do not know how to properly stretch, and will hurt themselves more by stretching than not. I prefer to have a half mile warm up walk before my run to get blood circulating and to loosen up joints and tendons. I also recommend a half mile cool down walk after my run to bring the heart rate back to normal in a gradual way. Locating your running course about a half mile from your home will help you accomplish both of these walks.

7) Bring a water bottle with you. I normally do not drink while running unless I am going long distances, but it sure is nice to have on your cool down walk home. I recommend that you throw a bottle of water in the freezer the night before, and stash it before your run, you will have ice cold water for your cool down walk.

8) Do not over exert yourself. If for any reason your heart rate is too high, or you become winded, start walking until your heart rate comes down to where you feel comfortable to run again.

Running is great exercise, and is also a lot of fun. Bring a radio with you or an i-pod if you wish, it can help you keep a pace and help take your mind off the exertion.

Have fun, and get in shape!

A Runner's Manual For Beginners

Editor's note: The author has been a runner for over 25 years, has run 5 marathons, and has basically run enough miles to circle the globe.

This article is for those of you who have been living a sedentary life, and want to get active. Maybe you are a couch potato and are worried about your health as you get older; maybe you work in an office and want to be more active. If you have been contemplating taking up running, or jogging, to get in shape, this article is for you.

There is an old saying “you have to walk before you can run”. This is very true for folks who want to start running for exercise; your first two weeks should be nothing but walking. You don’t need to walk with your arms flailing about like a power walker gone amok; you just need to walk with a purpose. Tighten your butt and your stomach muscles, and walk for one or two miles at a pace that pushes you, but doesn’t overexert you. Your leg muscles will experience some soreness the next day, but it should not be so bad as to keep you from wanting to walk again in a day or two.

After at least two weeks of walking, your legs should now be ready to handle light jogging. Start by jogging slowly over the same one or two mile course you have been walking the last couple of weeks. You should not be concerned with your speed or how fast you can run the course; the idea is to get cardiovascular exercise, not to try out for the Olympics. Try to find a pace that you can maintain for the whole course without stopping or over exerting yourself. You will notice that your speed will quickly increase over time as your body adjusts.

Now some tips that all runners should know and follow:

1) Do NOT run or jog on concrete surfaces, or sidewalks. Running is a high impact exercise, which means that every time your foot hits the ground it sends a jolt up your foot, leg, and hip. Concrete is very hard and has no give to it; it is preferable to run on asphalt. I always get weird looks from people when I tell them this, but it is true. If you take a hammer and strike concrete what happens? It will chip or shatter. If you hit asphalt with a hammer what happens? It goes “thunk”. That is because asphalt is much softer than concrete, especially on warm days. If you insist on running on concrete you may be looking at having a knee or hip replacement in a few years.

2) Run only with running shoes, not cross trainers. You don’t need one hundred dollar Air Nikes, but you should have a light weight running shoe. This will save you from developing very painful shin splints. When your shoes wear out replace them, or you will have the same problem.

3) If you run along the side of a road ALWAYS run facing traffic.

4) If you run at night always wear a reflective shirt or vest. Most running shoes have reflective strips on them, but that is not always enough to guarantee visibility.

5) Keep plenty of liniment handy. It will take months for your legs to get used to the pounding, and a good liniment (I prefer Flex-All 454) is invaluable.

6) Some runners like to stretch before running, but I never stretch. Most people do not know how to properly stretch, and will hurt themselves more by stretching than not. I prefer to have a half mile warm up walk before my run to get blood circulating and to loosen up joints and tendons. I also recommend a half mile cool down walk after my run to bring the heart rate back to normal in a gradual way. Locating your running course about a half mile from your home will help you accomplish both of these walks.

7) Bring a water bottle with you. I normally do not drink while running unless I am going long distances, but it sure is nice to have on your cool down walk home. I recommend that you throw a bottle of water in the freezer the night before, and stash it before your run, you will have ice cold water for your cool down walk.

8) Do not over exert yourself. If for any reason your heart rate is too high, or you become winded, start walking until your heart rate comes down to where you feel comfortable to run again.

Running is great exercise, and is also a lot of fun. Bring a radio with you or an i-pod if you wish, it can help you keep a pace and help take your mind off the exertion.

Have fun, and get in shape!

A Runner's Manual For Beginners

Editor's note: The author has been a runner for over 25 years, has run 5 marathons, and has basically run enough miles to circle the globe.

This article is for those of you who have been living a sedentary life, and want to get active. Maybe you are a couch potato and are worried about your health as you get older; maybe you work in an office and want to be more active. If you have been contemplating taking up running, or jogging, to get in shape, this article is for you.

There is an old saying “you have to walk before you can run”. This is very true for folks who want to start running for exercise; your first two weeks should be nothing but walking. You don’t need to walk with your arms flailing about like a power walker gone amok; you just need to walk with a purpose. Tighten your butt and your stomach muscles, and walk for one or two miles at a pace that pushes you, but doesn’t overexert you. Your leg muscles will experience some soreness the next day, but it should not be so bad as to keep you from wanting to walk again in a day or two.

After at least two weeks of walking, your legs should now be ready to handle light jogging. Start by jogging slowly over the same one or two mile course you have been walking the last couple of weeks. You should not be concerned with your speed or how fast you can run the course; the idea is to get cardiovascular exercise, not to try out for the Olympics. Try to find a pace that you can maintain for the whole course without stopping or over exerting yourself. You will notice that your speed will quickly increase over time as your body adjusts.

Now some tips that all runners should know and follow:

1) Do NOT run or jog on concrete surfaces, or sidewalks. Running is a high impact exercise, which means that every time your foot hits the ground it sends a jolt up your foot, leg, and hip. Concrete is very hard and has no give to it; it is preferable to run on asphalt. I always get weird looks from people when I tell them this, but it is true. If you take a hammer and strike concrete what happens? It will chip or shatter. If you hit asphalt with a hammer what happens? It goes “thunk”. That is because asphalt is much softer than concrete, especially on warm days. If you insist on running on concrete you may be looking at having a knee or hip replacement in a few years.

2) Run only with running shoes, not cross trainers. You don’t need one hundred dollar Air Nikes, but you should have a light weight running shoe. This will save you from developing very painful shin splints. When your shoes wear out replace them, or you will have the same problem.

3) If you run along the side of a road ALWAYS run facing traffic.

4) If you run at night always wear a reflective shirt or vest. Most running shoes have reflective strips on them, but that is not always enough to guarantee visibility.

5) Keep plenty of liniment handy. It will take months for your legs to get used to the pounding, and a good liniment (I prefer Flex-All 454) is invaluable.

6) Some runners like to stretch before running, but I never stretch. Most people do not know how to properly stretch, and will hurt themselves more by stretching than not. I prefer to have a half mile warm up walk before my run to get blood circulating and to loosen up joints and tendons. I also recommend a half mile cool down walk after my run to bring the heart rate back to normal in a gradual way. Locating your running course about a half mile from your home will help you accomplish both of these walks.

7) Bring a water bottle with you. I normally do not drink while running unless I am going long distances, but it sure is nice to have on your cool down walk home. I recommend that you throw a bottle of water in the freezer the night before, and stash it before your run, you will have ice cold water for your cool down walk.

8) Do not over exert yourself. If for any reason your heart rate is too high, or you become winded, start walking until your heart rate comes down to where you feel comfortable to run again.
Running is great exercise, and is also a lot of fun. Bring a radio with you or an i-pod if you wish, it can help you keep a pace and help take your mind off the exertion.

Have fun, and get in shape!

Spring Is Here

Spring has sprung. Spring is everyone’s favorite time of the year. Everything that was brown, or white, is now green. The trees that were barren now have new leaves and blossoms. The robins are back singing their songs of happiness, and the world is filled with love.

Spring is not only a time of renewal, but it is also mating season. The birds are building their nests in preparation of their new arrivals, and the critters are getting together in order to propagate.

After a long cold winter of being cooped up indoors, people are happy to venture back outside. Joggers litter the sidewalks, golfers are gleefully chasing their little white balls around, and softball, and soccer players are filling up the parks. Springtime is filled with plants, animals, and people rejoicing.

Perhaps not everything about spring is positive; the flies and mosquitoes are back as nasty as ever, and sun burns are on the rise. Most people though will gladly put up with these trifles in order to get as far away from winter as possible.

Since everyone is enjoying spring with a skip in their step, and a song in their heart; I thought I would like to share my favorite song of spring with you. It is by Dr. Tom Lehrer, who happens to be a mathematics professor at Harvard. Enjoy!  (This post will not be complete unless you click on the link and listen to this great song of spring.)

Happy Spring to you and yours!

A Runner's Manual For Beginners

This article is for those of you who have been living a sedentary life, and want to get active. Maybe you are a couch potato and are worried about your health as you get older; maybe you work in an office and want to be more active. If you have been contemplating taking up running, or jogging, to get in shape, this article is for you.

There is an old saying “you have to walk before you can run”. This is very true for folks who want to start running for exercise; your first two weeks should be nothing but walking. You don’t need to walk with your arms flailing about like a power walker gone amok; you just need to walk with a purpose. Tighten your butt and your stomach muscles, and walk for one or two miles at a pace that pushes you, but doesn’t over exert you. Your leg muscles will experience some soreness the next day, but it should not be so bad as to keep you from wanting to walk again in a day or two.

After at least two weeks of walking, your legs should now be ready to handle light jogging. Start by jogging slowly over the same one or two mile course you have been walking the last couple of weeks. You should not be concerned with your speed or how fast you can run the course; the idea is to get cardiovascular exercise, not to try out for the Olympics. Try to find a pace that you can maintain for the whole course without stopping or over exerting yourself. You will notice that your speed will quickly increase over time as your body adjusts.

Now some tips that all runners should know and follow:

1) Do NOT run or jog on concrete surfaces, or sidewalks. Running is a high impact exercise, which means that every time your foot hits the ground it sends a jolt up your foot, leg, and hip. Concrete is very hard and has no give to it; it is preferable to run on asphalt. I always get weird looks from people when I tell them this, but it is true. If you take a hammer and strike concrete what happens? It will chip or shatter. If you hit asphalt with a hammer what happens? It goes “thunk”. That is because asphalt is much softer than concrete, especially on warm days. If you insist on running on concrete you may be looking at having a knee or hip replacement in a few years.

2) Run only with running shoes, not cross trainers. You don’t need one hundred dollar Air Nikes, but you should have a light weight running shoe. This will save you from developing very painful shin splints. When your shoes wear out replace them, or you will have the same problem.

3) If you run along the side of a road ALWAYS run facing traffic.

4) If you run at night always wear a reflective shirt or vest. Most running shoes have reflective strips on them, but that is not always enough to guarantee visibility.

5) Keep plenty of liniment handy. It will take months for your legs to get used to the pounding, and a good liniment (I prefer Flex-All 454) is invaluable.

6) Some runners like to stretch before running, but I never stretch. Most people do not know how to properly stretch, and will hurt themselves more by stretching than not. I prefer to have a half mile warm up walk before my run to get blood circulating and to loosen up joints and tendons. I also recommend a half mile cool down walk after my run to bring the heart rate back to normal in a gradual way. Locating your running course about a half mile from your home will help you accomplish both of these walks.

7) Bring a water bottle with you. I normally do not drink while running unless I am going long distances, but it sure is nice to have on your cool down walk home. I recommend that you throw a bottle of water in the freezer the night before, and stash it before your run, you will have ice cold water for your cool down walk.

8) Do not over exert yourself. If for any reason your heart rate is too high, or you become winded, start walking until your heart rate comes down to where you feel comfortable to run again.

Running is great exercise, and is also a lot of fun. Bring a radio with you or an i-pod if you wish, it can help you keep a pace and help take your mind off the exertion. Have fun, and get in shape!

Sliding Down the Razor Blade of Life

When I was a young lad, my life was one game after another; not figuratively, but literally. During the baseball season my friends, and brothers, and I, played baseball everyday. During football season, we played football, and during the winter we played hockey. It was a great childhood. When I got older, I played sports in high school. I wrestled, played football, ran track and cross country, and even lettered in golf. Those were good years also.

When I went to college I still played some inter-mural sports, but because I was paying my own way through school, I also had to work. My sports career ended on a bad note, when during a co-ed broom ball game, I caught a broom stick in the mouth by a girl who didn't know you can't throw high sticks. With two real teeth less than before, I started my working career full time.

Life has been kind of down hill ever since. Not that it has been all bad, I've raised two great kids; but now I have to face the pressures of being a grownup...everyday. My life is like a pinball machine, I bounce from one challenge, to another, to another, ad infinitum. As soon as I fix one problem, sure enough, another one comes along to take its place. I seek a respite, a break in the action, but I'm too old to play anything except cards and my TV remote.

Fortunately, I have two outlets to help me stay young in body and mind. I still run, (not as much as before 9/11, when I could put five miles in during lunch time, until airport security got too restrictive); and I still log between 12-20 miles a week. I also write a blog. Between thinking about what the hell I'm going to write about, and thinking about what the hell I'm actually writing, its a great way to get my mind off today's problems.

Well, Doc, I see my time's about up. Time to get off your couch until our next session. Thanks for listening to me, I'll see you in a couple of days.