Do You Really Feel Like You Are Getting There?

Do you really feel like you are getting to where you want to go with your fitness?
If you haven't started the "How To Start Running" program, check it out. If you already have, you are on your way to getting to where you want to go with your fitness.

Do the run/walk program!
Lots of people do other sports to stay in shape, which is great. So many people think they can't run! They feel as though they are the 'watchers'. (The type of person who watches people jog in the park or cheer others at races.)

Silently they may think, "I wish I could do that!" or "I could never do that."



Every year just after New Years or when spring turns to summer, people from all ages and sizes start a running program... and then sadly they quit after a week of exhaustion.

Why? They did too much to soon.

Are You Running Too Much Too Soon?
Are you running...

• more than you are walking?
• exhausted after the work - out rather than being refreshed?
• with really uncomfortable aches and pains that are just not going away?
• and not enjoying your work - out?
• and quickly losing confidence and enthusiasm in your run/walk?
• or have you quit?

This program is a run/walk program right now because that is the FIRST step before you get to the running program. Sadly enough too many people - young, old, and experienced start their program as a running program.

I spoke with a long time runner today. This person has gone in half marathons to marathons. He had taken a few months off and is back starting on a run/walk program.

*If you don't end up quitting and you continue the program at a pace that is too much for you. What usually happens is you end up getting injuries.

So if you are turning towards quitting, try the How To Start Running program and you will get there...

400km from April 2009 until April 2010.

*Due to my father's illness I have not been able to run, but I hope that all of you are keeping up with your program and doing the running or run/walk! I should be able to fit in more this week!

The weather outside is super, so get out there and have fun. It is good to dress in light layers so you can take stuff off as you start to heat up.
I can't stress enough about your stretching. Make sure you don't forget...It is important.
Your body is going through wonderful changes... Your made a good choice to exercise with the run/walk program! You have now raised your metabolism, lowered your stress, decreased your fat and will keep this great habit for life!

Interesting Fact: When you are doing your program and feel as though you have reached a tough run, smile to get you through. Smiling helps bring back the balance and is a great way to make your body function better. Smiling tricks your body by relieving the stress making your body think life is great and there are no problems. Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. By smiling the natural drug enhances your confidence and lets you feel as though you can move on.

How do you feel? It is hard to be negative when you smile. So try the smile test and see if it works for you!! I know right now it keeps my stress at bay.

400km from April 2009 until April 2010.

Sign UP

Enter your Email






Preview Powered by FeedBlitz

My Mini You can create one too! She is getting READY!

You've Missed Too Many Work - Outs

Have You missed your run/walks lately? If you have, don't worry about it. This is your new sport and you are just getting into it. Are you having problems trying to make time?

Again...Don't worry too much about that either.

I just found out on Saturday that my father developed an pneumonia and is now with a ventilator in critical care in the hospital. We now know he is going to be OK...Thank Goodness! I've missed some runs and my schedule is off. The worst thing I could do is chastise myself for that.
I am on this running program for life, so losing a few days will not ruin my goals.
Do you know what will ruin my goals?
Getting stressed out about missed runs... I don't know about you, but the stress on it's own can completely turn you off running and then you find yourself quitting!

So it is important to not stress...It hurts you much more! Just remember to get yourself back, because that is the hard part. I usually make a promise to myself and set up a new schedule...



"I promise to do my run on Sunday."
It works... and you slide back into program!
Go back a week or continue where you were at. A few days really won't make that much of a difference.

I really want to let you know that running and learning to run is exciting. You aren't training for a marathon or even a race. That is for another time...You are learning a new habit that will change your life forever!

So if you think you've missed too many work - outs don't worry about it.
Just make a promise to yourself to get back!
Have fun in the 400km Plus Challenge

Signs and Symptoms of Burnout Work - Out

I have been running for over 20 years and have always loved it until...This last winter.

I took a 4 month break from running last winter ...It was a well needed one.

I have been running since I was in high school and I've always had a passion for it. But my running started to change last fall... Instead of feeling and seeing the great and wonderful benefits of running, I was instead feeling uncomfortable negative feelings. My tracked times slumped significantly, it was more of a struggle to get out and run, and I was actually gaining weight. I was losing a lot of confidence in the whole running thing. So in December when the snow just wouldn't quit...

My running shoes and I did...

I had know idea how long I was going to take running off, I just knew I was doing the right thing. Running was feeling like a great big scribble in my head. There was a lot I didn't understand about me and running anymore.

What I did learn was that I had hit a 'Runner's Burnout'. My mind was training me too hard - while I was trying to achieve personal goals. Instead of reaching my goals I was doing worse and normal simple training was getting harder! So, I trained harder and more often! Running made me frustrated, moody and confused and I didn't know what was happening. So in my mind I worked me even harder...Until I had enough.

The best remedy for burnout is time-off.

Even a new runner can get burnout. That is why it is important when you are doing a program of any kind,(beginner to masters) that you follow a program gradually and hopefully with a trainer or coach.

The interesting thing is... You have within you a device that tells you when you have gone to far, too fast.
It is simple...
Your emotions.
How are you feeling about your run/walk program.
If you are not enjoying it, you are not ready yet to move on. You may want to go back a step and practice your routine walking it. That is OK! Because...One day you are going to be a great runner and you will remember the moments of learning. It is hard sometimes to get out there, but once you are it is a terrific feeling. You are a step closer to better health.

Burnout is a sign and/symptom of something that needs changing, it is not giving up. It is a sign to take a step back and reevaluate things.


3 Common Symptoms and Signs Leading Up To A Burnout:

Increasing distance and duration too much too quickly. (5-10%)/ 1 to 2weeks

Increasing work- out schedules in the week.

Moodiness and frustration about your work - out.

Your body is amazing and intelligent, it will let you know when something is not right. Usually if you just listen to you body and get in touch with how you are feeling, you will know how to avoid burnout.
There are other ways to take off stress and get in touch with how you are feeling some of the many are, yoga
meditation, martial arts etc.

Another Article on How to Relieve Muscle Pain

I hope your muscles aren't too sore...Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks to get used to the new exercise.
In the mean time you have to put up with the soreness...How to relieve muscle pain.................

Here are 10 ways to relieve the stress and sore muscles:

1. Message the area with nice even strokes, so that you get the blood moving.
2. Ice the area for 10 minutes and then put warm compresses on it for 10 more minutes.
3. Going for a gentle walk too get the circulation going...Maybe a walk in the park or woods.
   
4. Elevate the area in a rest position for a half hour.
5. Do some very gentle stretches, to get the circulation moving.
6. Incorporate another easy exercise that uses different muscles, sometimes that counteracts the stiffness and brings support to the sore muscles.
7. Keep exercises easy for right now...Increase work- out after your muscles have adjusted.
   
8. A warm or cool bath is soothing.
9. Eating foods with a mixture of protein and carbohydrates after your work - out . Studies have shown that these foods help to heal the muscles quicker.
10. Lastly...If you really feel you just can't stand the pain and need relief... Ibuprofen or something with aspirin will help.
    

*Note* If you are doing your run/walk in parks or woods please stick to the paths, so that wildlife doesn't get trampled.

Join The Challenge

Sore Leg muscles!

The Best Cure for Sore Leg Muscles!

So your feeling some muscle pain are you? Don't let that stop you from running and getting in good shape...read on....

Sore leg muscles in the beginning of an exercise program are a natural change. Usually the pain starts about 24 to 48 hours after you've exercised. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness.

If you have any stories on 'the best cure for sore leg muscles' please post a comment! You will be helping so many people!!

If you are an active person before you started a running program, you may not feel as stiff and sore the next day.
If you are a beginner to a new sport and you use new muscles, you could feel mild to extreme muscle soreness. When you haven't used those muscles actively before, afterwards you will feel the pain involving aches, stiffness and tenderness when you touch or move muscle. Walking around or getting up from a sitting position can be VERY painful!

Why?

As your muscles lengthen little tiny tears develop in the muscle fiber while you are strengthening. These tears can produce sore leg muscles that can last up to a week or more! Your muscles are going through a healing process; you treat your pain and healing just like any other healing. As your muscle go through this process they first break down and then build up again. After doing your workout sessions for a couple weeks or more your muscles will adapt to the change.

A Good Preventative

1. Start an exercise program gradually, in the smallest of increments so that your muscles can adapt better.
2. Do a walking warm up, gentle running on the spot or gentle jumping jacks for 5 minutes to introduce your muscles to exercise.
3. Stretch gently in the middle of your exercise program.
4. Follow a program introduced by a professional and stay with it.

Here is what to do to quickly heal:

• Rest... but also do an activity like a consistent like slow walk. Something like tennis would be very jarring on already sore muscles. It is also good to try to do the same exercise gently (run/walk or running) after a 3 day rest. If you spread your days too far apart you run into the same muscle soreness again.
• Try not to sit for too long...and if it hurts to get up off a chair - do some gentle stretches! This is good to get the blood moving in the area. If you have to sit for a long time stretch your legs every half-hour and get up and move around.
• Do a gentle message on the area with some deep rub sports cream. This also gets the blood moving in the area, make sure that it is gentle message.
• Ice or take a cool bath this helps stop the build up of lactic acid that is causing some of the pain. Doing this also prevents swelling.
• Some people say do the same activity a couple days later. Sure if you are not feeling too sore and you feel as though your legs are healing. If you are feeling any sign of excruciating pain, you should take more days off.
• Over the counter painkiller like Ibuprofen.
• Lastly, if the pain is really bad and you think you may have injured yourself, visit your doctor.

Conclusion
As soon as your body becomes accustom to the activity the pain will fade away. This is a good sign that you are building muscle. Building muscle is what you want, so that you become a more efficient in your exercise program!
If you want add more to your running program you should check this out.
Runner's Yoga This is a great program to take away the confusion of how to stretch and build your core strength!

Good Motivation

I got an e-mail yesterday...One of my subscribers said that they were having difficulty getting out and running. They just couldn't go out and do it again. She wanted some advice to stay motivated.

If you tell yourself you can't do it, you won't! If you tell yourself that you can do it... It will all come together for you easily! It is hard sometimes to get going on something that is brand new and has never been a part of your life. Remind yourself that this is new and it will get better. Give your body time... Just walk for most of the next work - out and then... The last minute before you get to your destination, run... and run so that it is comfortable for you. You will see improvements, maybe not today, tomorrow or maybe not until next week... It will happen for you, I promise! Next work - out go back and try again the first stage work - out.

Enjoy your work- out today and keep thinking..."I know I can...I know I can..."

Stay in tune to your body and listen to what your body is telling you! Tell those negative comments that you're just not interested in listening to them today.



I found that using my Nike Mini is kind of fun...If you watch it, it tells you in short, to stay in tune and keep with it.
That's a good message, especially when all you are getting in your head is..."I can't do this, I gotta stop!" or "This isn't for me!"

Have fun and take care...

Are You Holding a Good Posture?

Are you holding a good posture? Good posture is important while you run! I know it is hard to think about when you panting away!
You are just trying to get there!
It really is easy...
Imagine a light shinning through the top of your head and it passing all the way through your legs to the middle ground. If that light can't pass through because you are hunched over... than you will not be feeling as good during your run. A lot of people when they are nearing the end of there run lose there posture and start to slump a bit the side.
Good posture prevents injuries and also opens your chest so that you can breath better.
Getting you some air so that you aren't gasping for breath.
Posture and good breathing will make your running easier and keep you improving.
* If you start out running with a posture problem, that posture becomes a habit that is more difficult to break in the future.
So for now think posture and you may be surprised how good you feel!
Please join the challenge 400kmPlus! If you haven't yet sign up!

Stretching and good posture are important steps in your running program. I found this to be very valuable for the program...You might want to take a look! It will help you today and tomorrow whether you are walking, learning to run, running and training for a marathon or just to use alone as your own fitness program.

The Nike + Challenge...

Ok...
So I was a little confused at the way the set up was. It looks like this little widget on the right will add on the teams mileage. So if you join over there, it takes you to the Nike site where you join my 400Plus challenge. Then you go for your run/walk or run and upload your ipod to your computer (itunes) and then it will direct you right to Nike.com.
This is pretty cool... Although, I thought originally it would just track me, now you guys get to add up the mileage!

Technology at it's best.

This is just for fun...Not everybody is going to run out and get an ipod and Nike + ipod kit, because you really don't need one. It is nice to have music on the run, but you don't even need that!
Just remember that tracking your work- out is an excellent way to see how you are doing.
Buy yourself a journal, I use that.
There is nothing better than seeing it on paper and writing a little blurb on how you felt for that day.
The exciting thing is you will be reaching goals that you thought were unattainable!
I can see you now...Your flipping through your little pocket book journal and you read something like. "I ran for a 30 minutes without stopping!"
OOOOOOOOh what a feeling!
Keep on moving guys...You are just dipping your toes in the runningmyspace river!

Talk to you soon...If you've got any questions just give me a shout!

Planning to Get Across That River

First...How did your first day go? I got lots of response in my inbox mostly that the run went really well. Remember don't be down on yourself if you didn't make yesterday your first day.
It is never too late to start getting out there. Walk the whole week if you still feel you need a pre-week to getting going.
Just make sure you find some time to put in the best hour of your day!
Planning to Get Across That River
If you think of it like a fast moving river and that you just got to get across because life depends on it.
This first week of 6 weeks is going to feel like that. You are just starting out and trying to get in there.
The first week your going to plan a direction so that by the second week...You will know what you are doing, because you have planned.
If your not ready to start and you need this week to plan, go for it. Make your plan and practice it with a daily 45 minute walk.
For those of you who are on your way, keep going and walk today for 45 minutes making sure that you pay attention to what you are doing for tomorrow.
Tomorrow brings you to the run/walk for 45 minutes.

Recap:Do stretches before about 5 to 10 minutes
walk for a nice 10 minutes/pick up your pace to a jog for only a minute then go back down to a walk.----Continue doing this for a half hour and then walk casually for 15 more minutes.
Total workout is 45 minutes.
Go home and do stretches 5 to 10 minutes.

Need more info on stretching...Sign up here

Did you get everything you needed for today?

So today is the day, the start of your 6 week run/walk program...Do it and have fun.

400kmPlus Challenge

If you are a newbie...
Wait... I'm going to put that in capital letters, because you deserve it.
If you are a 'NEWBIE' take it slow and easy and enjoy!

If you are a novice than just go for it.
I'll give you your recognition too... Where are those capital letters??? Oh here: NOVICE ( You are the one who has run before!) Are you just getting back into it again or are you still running?
Go for it and run the 400 Plus!
Can you double 400km in a year or can you challenge 400km in a month? ...
What ever your goals... do it only having fun!

Remember to stretch!
Newbies sign up from my training program at runningmyspace.com ...You will get a weekly newsletter!

On Your Mark...

So this is how it's going to go...If you have an Nike Ipod Sports Kit that's great. I bet that most of you don't. So if you want to purchase a kit, it is not too expensive.
Some of you may want to just use a runner's watch that is fine too. There are plenty of gadgets out there that you can add to track your program. Don't be discouraged if you don't have the trendy gadgets, they pretty well do all the same things.

You basically want to know your:
Date - The day of your exercise
Time - how long it took to walk or run/walk
Distance - Km/Miles

These are optional:
Calories burned
Pace

If you do not have access to a runner's watch that's Ok. No problem...Just mark your distance with your car odometer. Do you know of a park or track that has the distances marked? Don't forget to check when you left, so you can time your run too.

So this is the plan for Monday- Newbie Runner - (has never run before) I want you to:

Do stretches before about 5 to 10 minutes - I will talk about next post-
walk for a nice 10 minutes/pick up your pace to a jog for only a minute then go back down to a walk for 2minutes.----Keep doing this for 20 minutes to a half hour and then walk casually for 15 more minutes.
Total workout is 45 minutes.
Go home and do stretches 5 to 10 minutes.

Things to watch out for:

If you are feeling light headed or a head-ache or any type of intense pain, STOP and go back to walking.
If you feel there is any concern, go to your doctor and talk about.

There are risk factors to consider while exercising, so I urge every one of you to get that MEDICAL check-up!:
Smoking
High Blood Pressure
High Blood Cholesterol
Over weight/Obesity
Diabetes
Stress
Alcohol

*Next Post*

• I'll talk about stretches
• clothing
• what to eat or drink before you head out
• the next level running routine

Are interested in adding a program to running. Runner's Yoga? is a great place to start! Check it outHere!

20 Tips On The Healthiest Ways To Eat All The Time

Interesting Facts

1.Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible.

2.If buying boxed or processed foods, look to see what the first ingredients are. If it is sugar...Put it back.

3.Shop in the outside aisles of your grocery store.

4.Eat three colours of vegetables for each meal.

5.Eat fresh fruit in the morning and/or fresh squeezed juice.

6.Eat a handful of baked walnuts or almonds with fruit in the morning.

7.Buy organic, chemical free fresh fruits and vegetables.

8.Read nutritional labels. If you have never heard of it...Don't eat it.

9.Do not eat fast foods.

10. Ask when eating at restaurants about there nutritional labels content for their foods.

11.Drink little alcohol, simple fruit drinks and carbonated drinks

12.Do not overcook meats or vegetables.

13.Avoid eating smoked, processed and preserved meats.

14.Canned food is OK, but pick fresh or frozen first.

15.Combine foods that feel right to you...Listen to what your body wants.

16.Avoid synthetic fats- Margarine, shortening and refined liquid vegetable oils.

17.Eat less white flour, white rice etc and eat more whole wheat.

18.Cook with palm oil,olive oil or peanut oil instead of refined oils.

19. Eat foods rich in essential fatty acids like avocado,eggs,walnuts,fish.

20. Supplement your diet with essential fatty acid nutritional supplements.

To make eating simple rate your foods on a scale:

Green

Yellow

Red

Green - meaning foods that should be consumed daily

Yellow - eating the foods sometimes

Red - eating foods almost never

*If you find you are eating more in the yellow category then try to eat more in the green category!*

If you are really confused about eating, you may need some extra help...This program clears your head from all the confusion that eating brings and lets you take off a few pounds too!