I like running. And so should you?

Not many people would guess I like running. I’m not the runner type. I don’t run fast, I’m a bit out of shape, and I smoked for about 10 years. But the truth is I’ve been a closet runner for nearly 20 years now. Not the real kind of runner who eats all the right foods and pees in their shorts to save time during a race. I’m a casual runner who has been sneaking out at night for a long time, trudging along the sidewalks in search for fitness. Oh sure, I took a few years off but who’s counting anyway?

In the past year I’ve gotten more serious about it. I’ve run 2 marathons, a half marathon and I’m signed up for 2 more. This post is for the wanna-be-runners like me. The kind of person who feels a certain kind of unexplained raw release when running in step to the music. I’ll share what has worked for me, and gear that I like in hopes that it may help you complete that long race on your bucket list.

THE TRAINING METHOD THAT WORKS FOR ME

As much as I love running, I could never go very long without having to stop. I used to feel guilty about taking walk breaks. And then in Spring 2010 I found The Galloway Training Program that promotes a run/walk method to avoid injury and help people finish marathons. The author of the program, Jeff Galloway, was an Olympic runner in the 1970′s who developed an injury-free marathon training program in 1978 to help people complete marathons at an impressive success rate. You can learn more about the program here: http://www.jeffgalloway.com/

The Gallaway Method allows you to find a run/walk ratio that works for your fitness level.  It may be run 4 minutes / walk 1 minute.  Or if you are starting out maybe run 30 seconds, walk 1 minute.  I ran my 2 marathons on a 3 minute run/1 minute walk cycle.  Lately I have found I can run faster overall doing a 2 minute run, 30 second walk and even a 1 minute run, 15 second walk.  It also only asks that you run 30 minutes twice a week, and one long run once a week.  I run with a group on Sunday mornings that starts at 3 miles and progresses to 26 miles a couple of weeks before the marathon.  It takes about 6 months.

There are people who call this run/walk method cheating or, ‘not real running’. These are some of the people that you pass somewhere around mile 18 because they run it too hard in the beginning of the race. It’s what works for me, and I’m still working to be a stronger runner. It takes me 4 hours and 45 minutes to run 26.2 miles. I hope to improve to 4:30 this year. I ran a half-marathon (13.1 miles) in 2 hours 3 minutes, which is the same time as the world record for a full marathon. For many people, running a marathon in under 4 hours is a goal. And many people run under 4 hours using the run/walk method. How fast I run is not essential to me, I just want to have an excuse to train and to be able to do it for many years without injury. And nothing beats the feeling of crossing that finish line!

THE GEAR THAT WORKS FOR ME

• iPHONE WITH RUNKEEPER APP: I like to rock out when I run. Nothing beats a great playlist or that perfect song to push you a bit further. This is a big step-up from when I used to run with a cassette Walkman with an extra tape in my pocket. Or when I ran with a CD player (and yes, I managed to put an extra CD in my pocket too). I thought that running with my iPhone would be awkward, but it has proved to be a fantastic tool. I use an app called Runkeeper Pro which uses the iPhones GPS to track my pace, mileage and tells me when to run and when to walk. It is much cheaper than a dedicated GPS unit and the accuracy is always spot on with the people in my group who run with dedicated GPS’s. It also gives you a map that shows your route afterward and where you hit your milage marks. If you don’t care for this method there are others options; such as an interval timer that you can clip onto your shorts.  Runkeeper app can be found here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/runkeeper/id300235330?mt=8

• iARMBAND OR BELKIN PRO FIT: The iarmband worked perfect for me for about 8 months until the Velcro stopped sticking and it started falling off all the time. It is much cheaper than the Belkin Profit which is what I run with now. The Belkin fits great, but you have to play with it to find a sweet spot to stay on.

• ROCKETFISH BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES: This is my favorite running accessory! If you run with an iPod touch or iPhone or anything else with Bluetooth, these are awesome! I don’t care for ear buds and the cords really get to me while running. The sound quality is excellent! And an added bonus is that it works with the phone. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t talk on the phone while I run, but it has been terrifically useful so my wife can call me while I am running a long race to see where I am on the course so she and family can position themeselves for me to run past them.  It also allows her to give me some food to keep my energy up.   http://www.amazon.com/Rocketfish-High-Definition-Headphones-Bluetooth-Enabled…

• AMPHIPOD HYDRAFORM HANDHELD POCKET: Staying hydrated is of course important, especially during this record breaking heat. I don’t care for the bottles around my waist because they bounce too much and drag on my clothes and create more chafing. This bottle straps to your hand and works well. It also has a pocket for your GU and keys. I tried the smaller size and quickly realized I needed the larger 20 ounce size. I train with it but also run races with it because I don’t like having to wait for the water stops to drink and really hate the wasteful paper cup use during races. I just run up to the person with the hose and ask for a fill-up. Available here: http://www.rei.com/product/750375/amphipod-hydraform-handheld-pocket

• CW-X RUNNING TIGHTS: Because I grew up in the 80′s, I had a lot of preconceived notions and issues wearing tights. But these things work! They aren’t cheap. But there is a lot of science behind these compression pants that actually seem to reduce fatigue and pain. You can check out the science here: http://cw-x.com/ExploreProducts.aspx?gender=mens&product=tights&by=activity&sub=run

• PRO-TEC PATELLAR TENDON STRAP:I started running with this lately because it helps alleviate a lot of pressure on the knees. Works well.  http://www.rei.com/product/704434/pro-tec-athletics-patellar-tendon-strap

• BodyGlide: Even though I run early in the morning to escape the heat, I still sweat a lot. And when I first started running, my shirt would be covered in blood from my nipples bleeding. The pain for the next week is unbearable. It even hurts to take a shower. I apply this Bodyglide in its liquid form all over my nipples before a long run, and it helps tremendously. Ok, chuckle, chuckle. I tried the nipple guards but those just fell off. I should try to run with my shirt off, but my sense of pride keeps my shirt on. It’s certainly in the best interest of others to keep my shirt on. Will Smith’s, “Get Jiggy Wit It” comes to mind. I’m working on my ‘jigginess’ though.   I joined a gym and am going every other day when I don’t run.  Maybe, just maybe I’ll be able to run someday without my shirt on. This works for other areas that may rub or chafe too. You may try the stick form, which is the more popular choice.   http://www.rei.com/product/800983/bodyglide-liquified-powder-skin-lubricant-16-fl-oz

FINAL THOUGHTS

If I can do it, anybody can. If you are worried about your knees, there are plenty of studies that show that runners do not have any more damaged knees than non runners. Continuing to run when you have an injury does make it worse, which is what many people do. So take it easy and enjoy it. I didn’t cover shoes or clothes because that all depends on your personal taste. Get whatever gets you down the road. But for the shoes I would recommend going to a store that specializes in running for someone to evaluate your stride and suggest the right shoes for you. Hope this helps if your on the fence about running. I’d love to hear comments or what works for you.

Happy trails,

Larry