Running - Getting Started

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard someone tell me they’re not a runner, they don’t run, or they just don’t have a runner's body, I’d have enough money to get myself new running shoes. And I’ll have you know, running shoes aren’t cheap. Running is something anyone can do. There is no such thing as a runner's body. I started running when I was in 3^rd grade, and I’ve been hooked ever since. However, for some the draw doesn’t come so easily. This is how you can get started.

Running is not something that is going to come fast, and it’s not something that is always fun. It is, however, something that doesn’t require very much time. In the book entitled “Marathon” written by Olympic athlete, Jeff Galloway, he says “Even if you have 60 minutes to exercise during the work week, you can start training for a marathon. The minimum is actually better for insuring against injuries. To start with the bare minimum, you run/walk 30 minutes twice a week"(Galloway 2). This is something anyone can make time for, and work up to. Jeff Galloway writes training plans for half marathons and full marathons. He is very supportive of the run-walk-run idea. A general overview of this type of plan is running for a certain amount of time, then taking a short amount of time to walk. You would then repeat this cycle until you've completed the distance of your run.

I have used this plan to run a half marathon before and must say, I am very supportive of the run-walk-run plan as well. His plans consist of 2 days of maintenance runs, 3 days of walking or cross training, and 1 day for a long run. Galloway describes a maintenance run as "Short runs taken twice a week and lasting no longer than an hour, that consolidate the endurance gains acquired during the previous week's long run"(Galloway 3). This general plan allows endurance to build without committing too much time to running.

When in training, I personally like to treat everyday like a training day. I like to eat healthy and do a form of cross training everyday I am not scheduled to run on. However, this is not essential to people who are trying to make running a priority in their life. Galloway is very supportive of not only running, but doing different types of cross training during your time of training (Galloway 3). Some ideas for cross training are swimming, biking, hiking, walking, weights, and leg or core exercises.

Question: Do you agree with Galloway's beliefs in doing a run-walk-run plan and cross training on off days? Why or why not?

Galloway, Jeff. Marathon: You Can Do It! Bolinas, CA: Shelter, 2001. Print.