I guess if I keep saying "this one is the most important", none of them become so important. But this one really is. No really! One of the things we constantly see with our new runners is this massive "need for speed"! New runners explode out of the gate at a killer pace (relatively speaking). They do the best 1/4 to 1/2 mile of their lives. Then, you know what they do? They walk for the rest of the - ahem - run. They've blown out the tires on the first lap of the race. Yes - we've said it before; the tortise and the hare. But it holds true.
Start out a slow and manageable base. Not only will you be building your base for mileage but you're lowing the likelihood of injury and pain. Moreover, this type of training builds up your cardio capacity - as opposed to taxing your heart and system with quick bursts of energy, you're telling it "hey, we're hanging out for a while now so just get use to it!". And it will.
So keep it slow, keep it low and you'll be amazed at how much further you can go. Wow, all this and poetry too....Here's the official tip
Beginner Running Tip 8 : Low Intensity
Another cause of problems with beginning runners is that they start at a too high intensity. They decide on a certain running route and measure their time on every run. Everything needs to be speed, speed, speed. If you are a starter, you are far better off doing low intensity runs for a number of reasons :
(Too) fast running is much more strenuous on the body. If you go too fast too early you will end up with injuries.
Paradoxically the slower you go in the beginning, the faster you will be in the end. Base building is considered to be single most essential part of your running. This means easy running (the pace where you could maintain conversation).
Eventually you will be able to go longer and further if you do your runs at low intensity.
You will avoid overtraining. If you tell yourself at the end of your running workout ‘I could have gone for a bit longer’ then you have been running at the right pace.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tip #7 - Listen to Your Body - And be sure to check out the pics!
First off, a couple quick reminders....
If you're reading this and your a Teens Run Yonkers participant (and I hope you are - student, parent, mentor, friends, etc), please be sure to check out the pics from last week's race on our website (www.teensrunyonkers.org) and Facebook page: click here for it - and be sure to "like" us if you haven't already.
Also, we will be holding our regular Saturday training run, Saturday (surprise) at 9:00 AM - and will be meeting at Tibbetts Brook Park at the flagpole. Hope to see lots of you there. We'll be starting to build and prepare for our next race which is an 8K on April 21st.
Last - but not least, if you are a parent of TRY student and want to get more involved in what we do, please let me know. It's been great to see lots of you and would love to brainstorm on ways to work together to support our students and their efforts. And I'd love your ideas on how to make this work for you - i.e. training, running tips, etc - so please let me know. Speaking of which we're on beginner Tip # 7 of Listening to your body.
Just to add my own two or three cents, this information is critical safety information. For TRY, we always emphasize for TRY that you should give a maximum effort. However, if a student is injured on something is hurting, he or she is encouraged to STOP. I'd also note that it's important to develop a sense of what is normal training strain - the stuff that means we're putting in the right amount of work vs. what is pain. It can be a fine line; hence, the earlier Tips about seeing your physician as well as a Walk/Run Program. Utilizing such a program can allow you to build up without putting unnecessary strain out there.
Finally - and I've now lived through this with my last marathon - sometimes your body is just screaming NO. Listen to it! It's saying that for a reason. In my case while doing a marathon in Miami, I was clearly dehydrated from the humidity and not enough pre-fueling. It was a difficult lesson to learn but proves that even after doing lots of these, there's always something new to learn....so here's the tip
Beginner Running Tip 7 : Listen to your body
Of course, 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, or when you experience pain in your chest area, your back or your legs, beware !
Take it real easy:
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 one of my beginner’s training schedules to avoid injuries. Even then, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY !
Learn to listen to your body and you will be your own best coach who can tell you to keep on going or to stop.
If you're reading this and your a Teens Run Yonkers participant (and I hope you are - student, parent, mentor, friends, etc), please be sure to check out the pics from last week's race on our website (www.teensrunyonkers.org) and Facebook page: click here for it - and be sure to "like" us if you haven't already.
Also, we will be holding our regular Saturday training run, Saturday (surprise) at 9:00 AM - and will be meeting at Tibbetts Brook Park at the flagpole. Hope to see lots of you there. We'll be starting to build and prepare for our next race which is an 8K on April 21st.
Last - but not least, if you are a parent of TRY student and want to get more involved in what we do, please let me know. It's been great to see lots of you and would love to brainstorm on ways to work together to support our students and their efforts. And I'd love your ideas on how to make this work for you - i.e. training, running tips, etc - so please let me know. Speaking of which we're on beginner Tip # 7 of Listening to your body.
Just to add my own two or three cents, this information is critical safety information. For TRY, we always emphasize for TRY that you should give a maximum effort. However, if a student is injured on something is hurting, he or she is encouraged to STOP. I'd also note that it's important to develop a sense of what is normal training strain - the stuff that means we're putting in the right amount of work vs. what is pain. It can be a fine line; hence, the earlier Tips about seeing your physician as well as a Walk/Run Program. Utilizing such a program can allow you to build up without putting unnecessary strain out there.
Finally - and I've now lived through this with my last marathon - sometimes your body is just screaming NO. Listen to it! It's saying that for a reason. In my case while doing a marathon in Miami, I was clearly dehydrated from the humidity and not enough pre-fueling. It was a difficult lesson to learn but proves that even after doing lots of these, there's always something new to learn....so here's the tip
Beginner Running Tip 7 : Listen to your body
Of course, 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, or when you experience pain in your chest area, your back or your legs, beware !
Take it real easy:
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 one of my beginner’s training schedules to avoid injuries. Even then, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY !
Learn to listen to your body and you will be your own best coach who can tell you to keep on going or to stop.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Trending and Tracking Part 2 - even more
I guess I have a lot to say on the subject as it cut me off at a certain point - here's the remainder of what I had written
But there are tons of these - Daily Mile and many others. It doesn't matter which you choose, just choose. And by the way, the other cool thing is that this is another way to connect with other runners. Many have virtual teams that put you in touch with folks similar to you geographically, pace-wise and other ways. As I may have mentioned, I am part of Cardiac Athletes (although I've been a bit slack due to writing this) and we have a virtual team where we cheer each other on and measure progress.
Anyway, nuff said, here's the actual tip in addition to my long commentary. Oh and by the way, a pen and paper works too!
Beginner Running Tip 6 : Keep a running log
For many runners, keeping a running log is an excellent way to keep track of their progress. In a running log you enter basic information about your runs. For example : distance, time and type of workout. You can also be more comprehensive and regularly put in your weight and pulse.
It is extremely motivating to see your mileage increase and your weight and pulse decrease as your running program progresses !
Just a tip: don’t go off buying a running log. You can easily make up your own training log with pen and paper or in a computer spreadsheet.
But there are tons of these - Daily Mile and many others. It doesn't matter which you choose, just choose. And by the way, the other cool thing is that this is another way to connect with other runners. Many have virtual teams that put you in touch with folks similar to you geographically, pace-wise and other ways. As I may have mentioned, I am part of Cardiac Athletes (although I've been a bit slack due to writing this) and we have a virtual team where we cheer each other on and measure progress.
Anyway, nuff said, here's the actual tip in addition to my long commentary. Oh and by the way, a pen and paper works too!
Beginner Running Tip 6 : Keep a running log
For many runners, keeping a running log is an excellent way to keep track of their progress. In a running log you enter basic information about your runs. For example : distance, time and type of workout. You can also be more comprehensive and regularly put in your weight and pulse.
It is extremely motivating to see your mileage increase and your weight and pulse decrease as your running program progresses !
Just a tip: don’t go off buying a running log. You can easily make up your own training log with pen and paper or in a computer spreadsheet.
Tip 6 - Trending and Tracking - If you're doing better, make sure you know WHY?
Good morning (or afternoon or whenever you're reading this..)
Today's tip is one of my favorites as I am a bit of "tracking and trending" fanatic. I love following progress whether it's running, guitar playing (something I do but don't blog about), weight loss and just about anything. I'm a total junkie for seeing measured progress. I guess this may stem from working in finance (it sounds very glamorous to say Wall Street but I technically never worked on Wall Street). Anyway, you're always tracking trends for businesses, stocks etc. And that was the part I thought was interesting.
I am kind of fascinated with seeing how something progresses and the ingredients that went into it. For example, if you have a business where sales are growing, what are you doing differently that's contributing to that? Is it new salespeople, new training, more foot traffic near a store - the list goes on. Or, hopefully some of our teen runners are reading this - - if you're grades are getting better, what are you doing differently? Was your ipod completely turned off when you studied for the test you just got an A in and before you were shuffling songs? Was getting some sleep the way you're father recommended - and yes, I am a father and yes, this happens with me- the ticket when you finally cracked the physics code you wanted to.
It really is the simplest rule in the world: Find out what works for you and then (surprise, surprise) REPEAT. REPEAT. REPEAT. REPEAT. And, while I am lousy at physics (my daughter is infinitely wiser here), if what you're doing isn't working (bigger surprise) STOP! Reverse course and review what was working.
OK, I'm making a big deal out of it. But it's worth it because too many times, runners, athletes, and all kinds of other people - and I am guilty as charged - live by the grass is greener rule. If you just get another or better pair of running shoes. If you just change you're stride. If you just.....Now I'm not saying down experiment in the beginning. By all means, do.
But (and the point of all this is) TRACK YOU RUNNING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. Know what was going on when you had that run that finally made you say "yea, this isn't that bad" or better yet "this is actually pretty cool". What was your pace? What was the weather like? Were you by yourself or with a partner? After you've gotten to the place where you're enjoying it, then start thinking about little tweaks. BUT YOU HAVE TO START BY KEEPING A RUNNING LOG.
By the way, so you know that I am sincere here, I will share that I keep all my runs logged on a sight called LogARun.com
Today's tip is one of my favorites as I am a bit of "tracking and trending" fanatic. I love following progress whether it's running, guitar playing (something I do but don't blog about), weight loss and just about anything. I'm a total junkie for seeing measured progress. I guess this may stem from working in finance (it sounds very glamorous to say Wall Street but I technically never worked on Wall Street). Anyway, you're always tracking trends for businesses, stocks etc. And that was the part I thought was interesting.
I am kind of fascinated with seeing how something progresses and the ingredients that went into it. For example, if you have a business where sales are growing, what are you doing differently that's contributing to that? Is it new salespeople, new training, more foot traffic near a store - the list goes on. Or, hopefully some of our teen runners are reading this - - if you're grades are getting better, what are you doing differently? Was your ipod completely turned off when you studied for the test you just got an A in and before you were shuffling songs? Was getting some sleep the way you're father recommended - and yes, I am a father and yes, this happens with me- the ticket when you finally cracked the physics code you wanted to.
It really is the simplest rule in the world: Find out what works for you and then (surprise, surprise) REPEAT. REPEAT. REPEAT. REPEAT. And, while I am lousy at physics (my daughter is infinitely wiser here), if what you're doing isn't working (bigger surprise) STOP! Reverse course and review what was working.
OK, I'm making a big deal out of it. But it's worth it because too many times, runners, athletes, and all kinds of other people - and I am guilty as charged - live by the grass is greener rule. If you just get another or better pair of running shoes. If you just change you're stride. If you just.....Now I'm not saying down experiment in the beginning. By all means, do.
But (and the point of all this is) TRACK YOU RUNNING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. Know what was going on when you had that run that finally made you say "yea, this isn't that bad" or better yet "this is actually pretty cool". What was your pace? What was the weather like? Were you by yourself or with a partner? After you've gotten to the place where you're enjoying it, then start thinking about little tweaks. BUT YOU HAVE TO START BY KEEPING A RUNNING LOG.
By the way, so you know that I am sincere here, I will share that I keep all my runs logged on a sight called LogARun.com
Monday, March 26, 2012
Congrats again to our 5K+ Finishers and back with Tip 5--
Hi All,
A couple quick things - -
First, Again, Congratulations to All of our finishers from Saturday's 5K+. I have to share that I was so thrilled to have such a great group with us there. We had our teen runners, mentors, some of our local Yonkers High coaches. I've been especially pleased to see more and more parents coming out and not just watching their sons or daughters but actually running and/or walking with them. This is so amazing and exactly why we do this. While Teens Run Yonkers (TRY) is a mentor based program where we help to develop relationships between students and mentors, we're equally about creating opportunities for parents to develop new and stronger bonds with their kids through running. There is no shared experience quite like the challenge of training for and completing a great run - and that's why we do this. So, parents - please keep coming and being a part of TRY.
Also - if you're reading this, first, thank you! Lots of blogs out there to read and you're reading this one and I appreciate it. Please, please join as a subscriber, add your comments, thoughts etc. My goal is for this blog to add value to the Teens Run Yonkers experience and the best for that to happen is to know what helps i.e. tips on running, suggestions for routes near your home, info on running gear? Please let us know -
Finally, back to our starter tips and today's is a pretty important one -
Running Tip 5 : Check your pulse
One of the most critical things - one that is often forgotten at the start of a running program - is your heart rate.
Running is a cardiovascular activity. It trains your heart. Your heart pumps blood through your body. A result of proper exercise is that your heart will be able to pump more blood through your body with every heart beat. So it will need less beats to do the same amount of work for you.
It's important to check your pulse with consistency and see if you are improving. For fair comparison you need to check your pulse under the same conditions whenever you're monitoring it
So the best moment is early in the morning, just after you have woken up, but haven’t gotten out of bed yet. Count the beats during ten seconds and multiply with six to calculate the number of beats per minute. You should see a steady improvement in your pulse. Maybe not from day to day. But you will definitely see your pulse improve over longer periods of time; i.e. weeks or months. And don't get discouraged if this happens slowly over time! All good things (like improvements) take time!
Important : if your pulse is higher (5 to 8 beats per minute) today than yesterday instead of lower this could mean you are overdoing it. Take a rest today and check your pulse again the next day. When it is back to its old level you are ready for your next hard run again.
By the way, if you want to get more sophisticated with this process, there is an infinite number of products you can buy from simple monitors to those that you connect to your chest and monitor as you run. I personally have found these to be rather uncomfortable but that's me. I've been content and felt that I was getting enough information by doing pre and post run testing. But there are folks that swear by 'em so see for yourself. Some of the better know and reputable companies that produce these items include Garmin and Polar - they can be a bit pricey and I imagine - although I haven't shopped for a bit - there are more inexpensive units to be found.
Enjoy and see you tomorrow
A couple quick things - -
First, Again, Congratulations to All of our finishers from Saturday's 5K+. I have to share that I was so thrilled to have such a great group with us there. We had our teen runners, mentors, some of our local Yonkers High coaches. I've been especially pleased to see more and more parents coming out and not just watching their sons or daughters but actually running and/or walking with them. This is so amazing and exactly why we do this. While Teens Run Yonkers (TRY) is a mentor based program where we help to develop relationships between students and mentors, we're equally about creating opportunities for parents to develop new and stronger bonds with their kids through running. There is no shared experience quite like the challenge of training for and completing a great run - and that's why we do this. So, parents - please keep coming and being a part of TRY.
Also - if you're reading this, first, thank you! Lots of blogs out there to read and you're reading this one and I appreciate it. Please, please join as a subscriber, add your comments, thoughts etc. My goal is for this blog to add value to the Teens Run Yonkers experience and the best for that to happen is to know what helps i.e. tips on running, suggestions for routes near your home, info on running gear? Please let us know -
Finally, back to our starter tips and today's is a pretty important one -
Running Tip 5 : Check your pulse
One of the most critical things - one that is often forgotten at the start of a running program - is your heart rate.
Running is a cardiovascular activity. It trains your heart. Your heart pumps blood through your body. A result of proper exercise is that your heart will be able to pump more blood through your body with every heart beat. So it will need less beats to do the same amount of work for you.
It's important to check your pulse with consistency and see if you are improving. For fair comparison you need to check your pulse under the same conditions whenever you're monitoring it
So the best moment is early in the morning, just after you have woken up, but haven’t gotten out of bed yet. Count the beats during ten seconds and multiply with six to calculate the number of beats per minute. You should see a steady improvement in your pulse. Maybe not from day to day. But you will definitely see your pulse improve over longer periods of time; i.e. weeks or months. And don't get discouraged if this happens slowly over time! All good things (like improvements) take time!
Important : if your pulse is higher (5 to 8 beats per minute) today than yesterday instead of lower this could mean you are overdoing it. Take a rest today and check your pulse again the next day. When it is back to its old level you are ready for your next hard run again.
By the way, if you want to get more sophisticated with this process, there is an infinite number of products you can buy from simple monitors to those that you connect to your chest and monitor as you run. I personally have found these to be rather uncomfortable but that's me. I've been content and felt that I was getting enough information by doing pre and post run testing. But there are folks that swear by 'em so see for yourself. Some of the better know and reputable companies that produce these items include Garmin and Polar - they can be a bit pricey and I imagine - although I haven't shopped for a bit - there are more inexpensive units to be found.
Enjoy and see you tomorrow
Saturday, March 24, 2012
TEENS RUN YONKERS 1ST ANNUAL 5K+: CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FINISHERS
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR FINISHERS FOR TEENS RUN YONKERS FIRST ANNUAL 5K+! FANTASTIC JOB EVERYONE.
A great day for the Teens Run Yonkers community as we held our first ever 5K+ at Tibbetts Brook Park. We had 25 teens, mentors and parents who participated in today's run and gave it their all. Today's course took started with a half loop around the North Field that a nice incline up to the Old Putnam Railway Trail. Runners then doubled back to the Pool area and did a 2nd loop around the pool. All in, they competed 3.77 miles, a fantastic accomplishment. I was thrilled to be able to give all our finishers their medals and welcome them home.
We were also pleased to welcome several members of the Yonkers Track Team who joined us for today's run and did an amazing job. Everyone put in a 110% effort - and that's the most important part.
Over the next day or so, I look forward to having all times sent out to everyone who ran. Also, it was great that one of my neighbors whose son was running is also a photographer took lots of pictures - looking forward to having them posted soon as well.
Again, a big thank you and congratulations to everyone that joined us here this morning.
Also, please save the date - on April 21st at 11:45, we will be having an 8K run at Tibbetts - We will be kicking off the Yonkers On the Move Community Walk with our own run. Details to follow.
A great day for the Teens Run Yonkers community as we held our first ever 5K+ at Tibbetts Brook Park. We had 25 teens, mentors and parents who participated in today's run and gave it their all. Today's course took started with a half loop around the North Field that a nice incline up to the Old Putnam Railway Trail. Runners then doubled back to the Pool area and did a 2nd loop around the pool. All in, they competed 3.77 miles, a fantastic accomplishment. I was thrilled to be able to give all our finishers their medals and welcome them home.
We were also pleased to welcome several members of the Yonkers Track Team who joined us for today's run and did an amazing job. Everyone put in a 110% effort - and that's the most important part.
Over the next day or so, I look forward to having all times sent out to everyone who ran. Also, it was great that one of my neighbors whose son was running is also a photographer took lots of pictures - looking forward to having them posted soon as well.
Again, a big thank you and congratulations to everyone that joined us here this morning.
Also, please save the date - on April 21st at 11:45, we will be having an 8K run at Tibbetts - We will be kicking off the Yonkers On the Move Community Walk with our own run. Details to follow.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
First, thrilled to say that so many of our teens are showing fantastic improvements in their pacing, confidence and ability to challenge themselves. It's fantastic to see. I'll also put in a quick plug that this Saturday, we'll be holding our Teens Run Yonkers 5K+ in Tibbetts Brook Park. We'll start at 9:00 at the flagpole in front of the Pool House. We'll have t-shirts, finisher medals, and snacks for all participants. Hope you can join us
So in the continued quest to get you off the couch and running, we're at our next tip...
Use a running program
To me this is really all about goals. Lots of folks will tell you "Set A Goal". Well, yes, that's absolutely what you should do. But running, particularly when you're trying to hit distances - longer ones all the time - is all about setting a series of mini or weekly goals. And that's really what a running program delivers for you.
While it's exciting, powerful and can be considered the classic SMART goal to say "in 6 months I will run a marathon", in reality you're saying for the next 24 months, I will increase my long run to 6, then 8, then 10 etc. They are all the mini goals you need to hit in order to hit that 26.2 in six months. Again, training program.
There are running schedules all over the internet. And they're all pretty good. The bottom line on all of them is that they will do the following:
Increase your fitness
Help you lose weight - if that's what you're looking to do
Give you a slow and sound build-up thereby reducing the risk of injuries
What's really critical is to NOT do too much too quickly. Many beginning runners try to do too much running too soon and stop within weeks because of injuries. You don't want to do this! Particularly on long runs, you want to find "your pace" - that's the one that just feels right (you know you can breathe and everything). In easy terms, it's that conversational pace that would allow you to run and still carry on a conversation. Bottom line, slow steady build ups will let you complete your best race.
By the way, Teens Run Yonkers uses a fairly easy to follow training schedule based on starting in mid-March. If you want to look at it for reference, you can find it here: http://www.teensrunyonkers.org/events.html - just click on "Half-Marathon Training Schedule.
So, as the old well-worn saying goes, have a real plan because (yes, you've heard it before) IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, THEN YOU PLAN TO FAIL!
So in the continued quest to get you off the couch and running, we're at our next tip...
Use a running program
To me this is really all about goals. Lots of folks will tell you "Set A Goal". Well, yes, that's absolutely what you should do. But running, particularly when you're trying to hit distances - longer ones all the time - is all about setting a series of mini or weekly goals. And that's really what a running program delivers for you.
While it's exciting, powerful and can be considered the classic SMART goal to say "in 6 months I will run a marathon", in reality you're saying for the next 24 months, I will increase my long run to 6, then 8, then 10 etc. They are all the mini goals you need to hit in order to hit that 26.2 in six months. Again, training program.
There are running schedules all over the internet. And they're all pretty good. The bottom line on all of them is that they will do the following:
Increase your fitness
Help you lose weight - if that's what you're looking to do
Give you a slow and sound build-up thereby reducing the risk of injuries
What's really critical is to NOT do too much too quickly. Many beginning runners try to do too much running too soon and stop within weeks because of injuries. You don't want to do this! Particularly on long runs, you want to find "your pace" - that's the one that just feels right (you know you can breathe and everything). In easy terms, it's that conversational pace that would allow you to run and still carry on a conversation. Bottom line, slow steady build ups will let you complete your best race.
By the way, Teens Run Yonkers uses a fairly easy to follow training schedule based on starting in mid-March. If you want to look at it for reference, you can find it here: http://www.teensrunyonkers.org/events.html - just click on "Half-Marathon Training Schedule.
So, as the old well-worn saying goes, have a real plan because (yes, you've heard it before) IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, THEN YOU PLAN TO FAIL!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tip #2 - Start Smart - See A Physician
Hi again,
I promise this is the last time I'll say it but I want to give credit where credit is due. As the starting point of this blog, I am sharing - for your quick convenience - great tips from beginning runner, an excellent site; you can view the whole thing at: http://www.best-running-tips.com/beginner-running-tips.html.
So perhaps you're saying "Why is he doing a blog and just repeating someone else's stuff". Good question. Well, first it's a fairly common social networking technique. Unfortunately, it's usually left at that i.e. I blog about, re-tweet, put up on Facebook etc someone else's stuff. And you're supposed to be impressed by that. Don't be...
Since Teens Run Yonkers is all about getting teens (and adults too!) to do their very best and always give 110%, what I hope to do by sharing (and fully crediting) this site is
1) Encourage you to START running
2) Share valuable information that will assist, support and enable you to do your best (i.e. smart starts like what's discussed below) and
3) Add my own commentary, experience (both good and bad) that hopefully adds some value.
You can be the judge of whether or not I'm doing this and I strongly encourage you to provide feedback i.e. this was helpful, not helpful, interesting, boring, funny - you get the picture
So here's the 2nd tip (and my edits/adds)
Before you start a running program, visit your Doctor. By the way, for anyone that starts with us for Teens Run Yonkers, we ask that you get a physical before starting the program. While you don't have to be a world-class athlete to run with us, we just want to be 100% sure that you're physically up to the demands of the training
It's always a good idea, and especially important if you have the following conditions:
Overweight (this is not at all a reason why you can't run, we just want to be sure we start you off with appropriate stretch goals that will help you lose - if that's what you want to do - at a healthy rate)
Heart problems (again, not a deal breaker in the last; in fact, I am proud to share that I am a fully recovered former cardiac patient. I had fully corrective open heart surgery when I was 10. And also, as a bit of a plug for another great organization, I'm part of a wonderful group called Cardiac Athletes - we blog, do races together and provide a general support system for each other- check out their site at www.cardiacathletes.org)
Completely untrained - self explanatory - that's why you're here and reading this. Congrats on taking the first step!
Breathing problems - Similar to heart issues, asthma and other problems, this is manageable but needs to be considered. We (TRY) had a wonderful runner with us this summer that had athsma and did an amazing job completing a 5k and then on to a 1/2 marathon.
Chronic fatigue
Age over forty - Hello! Ironically - interestingly, many start their running (careers - or endeavors) at this age. Not sure why that is but as noted yesterday, if you look at the finishers for the majority of open races (i.e. no qualifying time, you just need to pay for your bib) most of them are over 35. And by the way, I can't tell you how many times I've been blown away when I've had the chance to run some miles with folks that are running their 20, 30, 40th etc marathon and their in their 50's, 60's, 70's and on it goes. When you run in a race, slow down (or speed up) and always make sure you get the shane to talk to some of these young at heart warriors. You'll hear the most amazing stories and be incredibly inspired.
Anyway, that's the scoop for today. So, call the Doc (I know it's everyone's least favorite call to make) but it's worth it. Happy 2nd Day of Spring
I promise this is the last time I'll say it but I want to give credit where credit is due. As the starting point of this blog, I am sharing - for your quick convenience - great tips from beginning runner, an excellent site; you can view the whole thing at: http://www.best-running-tips.com/beginner-running-tips.html.
So perhaps you're saying "Why is he doing a blog and just repeating someone else's stuff". Good question. Well, first it's a fairly common social networking technique. Unfortunately, it's usually left at that i.e. I blog about, re-tweet, put up on Facebook etc someone else's stuff. And you're supposed to be impressed by that. Don't be...
Since Teens Run Yonkers is all about getting teens (and adults too!) to do their very best and always give 110%, what I hope to do by sharing (and fully crediting) this site is
1) Encourage you to START running
2) Share valuable information that will assist, support and enable you to do your best (i.e. smart starts like what's discussed below) and
3) Add my own commentary, experience (both good and bad) that hopefully adds some value.
You can be the judge of whether or not I'm doing this and I strongly encourage you to provide feedback i.e. this was helpful, not helpful, interesting, boring, funny - you get the picture
So here's the 2nd tip (and my edits/adds)
Before you start a running program, visit your Doctor. By the way, for anyone that starts with us for Teens Run Yonkers, we ask that you get a physical before starting the program. While you don't have to be a world-class athlete to run with us, we just want to be 100% sure that you're physically up to the demands of the training
It's always a good idea, and especially important if you have the following conditions:
Overweight (this is not at all a reason why you can't run, we just want to be sure we start you off with appropriate stretch goals that will help you lose - if that's what you want to do - at a healthy rate)
Heart problems (again, not a deal breaker in the last; in fact, I am proud to share that I am a fully recovered former cardiac patient. I had fully corrective open heart surgery when I was 10. And also, as a bit of a plug for another great organization, I'm part of a wonderful group called Cardiac Athletes - we blog, do races together and provide a general support system for each other- check out their site at www.cardiacathletes.org)
Completely untrained - self explanatory - that's why you're here and reading this. Congrats on taking the first step!
Breathing problems - Similar to heart issues, asthma and other problems, this is manageable but needs to be considered. We (TRY) had a wonderful runner with us this summer that had athsma and did an amazing job completing a 5k and then on to a 1/2 marathon.
Chronic fatigue
Age over forty - Hello! Ironically - interestingly, many start their running (careers - or endeavors) at this age. Not sure why that is but as noted yesterday, if you look at the finishers for the majority of open races (i.e. no qualifying time, you just need to pay for your bib) most of them are over 35. And by the way, I can't tell you how many times I've been blown away when I've had the chance to run some miles with folks that are running their 20, 30, 40th etc marathon and their in their 50's, 60's, 70's and on it goes. When you run in a race, slow down (or speed up) and always make sure you get the shane to talk to some of these young at heart warriors. You'll hear the most amazing stories and be incredibly inspired.
Anyway, that's the scoop for today. So, call the Doc (I know it's everyone's least favorite call to make) but it's worth it. Happy 2nd Day of Spring
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Start today (and starting today)
Hopefully this won't confuse things. And if it does, we'll figure it out along the way. As some (1 or 2 of you at least) know, I've doing a blog called 110DaysRunning and it's chronicled (wow that sounds important my 110 Day Running Streak. Well, thrilled to say about to reach that milestone in 2 days.
So with that coming to an end and, happily, new schools and runners starting with Teens Run Yonkers (TRY) community, I will be transitioning to using this blog to share some tips, humor, ideas, fun and other stuff with members of the TRY Community. And as I've been doing, I'll share it across multiple channels i.e. facebook and twitter. While this may cause some temporary hiccups crossing over from the personal to the organizational - and I could have done a lot of analysis and thought every possibility out - I wanted to just START. And that's the theme of the first day of this blog. JUST START - TAKE ACTION!
I wish I could say I'm clever enough to think of all this great stuff but I found a few great sites that share running and coaching tips and the first one that struck me offered the following:
Beginner Running Tip 1 : It is never too late to start running
Whatever your age: exercise is good for you. Regular exercise gives you the following benefits:
You will have more energy
You will decrease your chances of getting a heart disease
You will decrease your chances of getting cancer
You will sleep better and feel more rested
You will lose weight
And the list does not stop there ! So put on those running shoes and your running clothing and go for it !
(and for the parents and adults reading) By the way, ever checked the number of so called veterans in race results ? The vast majority of the running pack consists of people aged 35 and older. It is never too late to start running !
So, it's no big secret, this comes from http://www.best-running-tips.com/beginner-running-tips.html
And I couldn't have put it better myself. Whether your first run is 5 minutes, .10 miles or whatever, it's 100% better than not getting going. So today is your day. See you outside
So with that coming to an end and, happily, new schools and runners starting with Teens Run Yonkers (TRY) community, I will be transitioning to using this blog to share some tips, humor, ideas, fun and other stuff with members of the TRY Community. And as I've been doing, I'll share it across multiple channels i.e. facebook and twitter. While this may cause some temporary hiccups crossing over from the personal to the organizational - and I could have done a lot of analysis and thought every possibility out - I wanted to just START. And that's the theme of the first day of this blog. JUST START - TAKE ACTION!
I wish I could say I'm clever enough to think of all this great stuff but I found a few great sites that share running and coaching tips and the first one that struck me offered the following:
Beginner Running Tip 1 : It is never too late to start running
Whatever your age: exercise is good for you. Regular exercise gives you the following benefits:
You will have more energy
You will decrease your chances of getting a heart disease
You will decrease your chances of getting cancer
You will sleep better and feel more rested
You will lose weight
And the list does not stop there ! So put on those running shoes and your running clothing and go for it !
(and for the parents and adults reading) By the way, ever checked the number of so called veterans in race results ? The vast majority of the running pack consists of people aged 35 and older. It is never too late to start running !
So, it's no big secret, this comes from http://www.best-running-tips.com/beginner-running-tips.html
And I couldn't have put it better myself. Whether your first run is 5 minutes, .10 miles or whatever, it's 100% better than not getting going. So today is your day. See you outside
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