More About Running

Today I watched a video of a running coach explaining how to get started running if you're a beginner. I'm definitely a beginner. He recommended starting with 20 minutes of slow, easy jogging every other day. Well, I've already established that I am not able to run for 20 minutes (more like four to five minutes). But I am going to start running three days per week...every week...even if I don't want to...like today. Since I can't leave my arms out of the exercise fun, after a couple of weeks I will start doing a little weightlifting on my non-running days. Excuse me, I have to go run NOW. :)

Running!

My health has been a challenge for a long time. I've been able to finally start feeling stronger over the past six months or so, for which I am extremely grateful. After years of not being able to run due to health problems (knees hurting/giving out and lung issues: I would start coughing really hard & couldn't breathe when I started running), I finally feel strong enough to run, although it is going to be a very gradual process to get in shape. My goal is to eventually be able to do a half-marathon. It's a big goal. I officially started running last week. I ran (okay, very slowly jogged) about 1/3 mile. I didn't die, and I didn't even have any coughing fits! It was glorious. Once this week, after watching "Biggest Loser" and realizing that even extremely overweight people who hadn't been exercising regularly could run further than I can, I started feeling a bit sheepish about my ability (or lack thereof) to run. I wondered if I am just completely insane to think I can ever even run a mile, much less a half-marathon. I thought that 1/3 mile or 1/4 mile is nothing. But this is my goal, my health, and my progress. It is good enough for me.