4W-5K: Getting Started

Check the bottom for a cool running tip!

Getting Started.
Contrary to what Tom Petty thinks, the wait isn't the hardest part. Getting started is.

Hopefully by now, you've already jumped in and gotten active. If not, no biggie. Like I said, getting started is hard. This post is all about just getting started, but you can expect new tips and pointers almost daily from here on out since our time is quickly dwindling.

This will be a bit long but that's only because it's important, foundational type stuff. It's also just common sense.

Step #1: Get your mind right. 
If you think of Moonlight Miles (or any upcoming 5K) as your destination, it's going to be harder on you. You'll want to be too far along in too short an amount of time. Maybe you'll give up if you're a week out from the race and not where you want to be. In other words, if you think you're going to run a 18 minute 5K on your first outing -- and you're not a superfreak with amazing Tarzan-like abilities -- then you're just setting yourself up to fail.

So get your mind right because that will make it easier for you to succeed. How's that? Think of Moonlight Miles as the start of something for yourself, not the goal, not the destination. It's just the first step, the first landmark on your way.

That means you can be more forgiving of yourself, measure your successes in appropriate relation to where you're coming from and where you're ultimately headed. Push yourself, yes, but don't disable yourself with expectations that are not realistic. Remember, right now, you're doing SOMETHING and that, my friends, is better than NOTHING.

Step #2: Set an appropriate AND tangible goal.
It's cool if you say, "I'm running because I want to be in better health," or "I wanna lose weight," but I'd encourage you to pick something that might mean a little more to you.

For example: I wanna be able to play with my kids/grandkids longer. Or: I want to walk up the stairs without getting winded.

Or: I want to finish the Moonlight Miles.

"Hey, wait a minute! Didn't you say not to make that my goal?!" No, I said, don't make it your destination. As your fitness level improves, you'll have to set new goals. Maybe this year, you finish the Moonlight Miles by walking half of it and next year -- or your next race -- you make your goal to run the whole thing.

Making your goals tangible can motivate you. Yeah, it's fun to daydream about getting that beach body for the summer, but if you don't set more tangible and obtainable goals along the way, it'll be hard for you to get to that beach body without giving up.

Be specific and shoot for things that can make your life better, that make your day more enjoyable, that make all the hard work seem worth it.

Step 3: Know yourself. Know what you're getting into.
They say sports is 90% mental but when your muscles are burning and sweat's rolling down your face, it seems a lot more physical. You know what gets you through all that? A tough mindset.

You have to know when to -- no, I'm not quoting Kenny Rogers -- push it and when to call it a day. If you don't push yourself hard enough, you don't get enough from your workout. If you push yourself too much, you can get hurt and that's never fun.

For those of you that don't know, when I first started, I was a two-pack a day smoker. My intent had been to simply go for morning walks with the woman that is now my wife, but the competitive side of me took over so when she suggested we run, I said, "Sure, bring it on." But I hadn't run regularly since I was in high school. Long story short, those first "runs" were a struggle, punctuated with lots of wheezing profanity and some roadside puking.

But I quickly figured out what I could do and what I couldn't do. I'd run as long as I could manage it and then I'd walk until I'd caught my breath and then run some more. I learned that I usually had a little more to give than I thought and I learned when I didn't have anything left in the tank, it was time to quit.

It's an important lesson and one you'll have to discover for yourself. When you do -- when you can push yourself a few extra steps, another minute or another mile after your whole body is screaming "STOP!" -- you'll not only reach your goals for running, but you'll push yourself more in other areas of your life.

A week before my first 5K, I was able to do three straight miles without stopping and I was elated. Yeah, so it took me three months to get there. I was there and I haven't turned back. Last December, after more than a year of saying I'd never run more than three miles at a time, I ran my first marathon. I'm running my next the weekend before Moonlight Miles. Why? Because I like running now. It's 90% mental, which is good because I'm pretty mental myself. 

Step #4) Have fun.
I started running because I had a crush on Heather, the woman who became my wife. But as I eased into running -- having picked some simple, tangible goals to get me started, learning my limits and abilities -- I began looking forward to it. Now, when I've got a lot on my mind, I go for a run instead of grabbing a pack of smokes or loading up on Little Debbies and Red Bull (don't ask).

I'm not into yoga and meditation because my brain is always buzzing with something. If you're like that, running might be perfect. It's the opposite of mediation. Instead of trying to quiet your mind, you let it roam free while your feet carry you. At the end, you might be physically exhausted, but your brain will probably thank you. (Plus, there's all those awesome endorphins that exercise produces!)

Regardless, if you look forward to running instead of dreading it -- like anything else -- it's much easier to actually do it. Don't think of running as some obligatory barrier you have to hurdle. Accept the pain and the suffering. When you do, you'll be able to see past that stuff pretty quickly. After all, you aren't running to feel the pain and the suffering so why are you focused on that? Think about the good stuff it gives you: a longer life, more energy, a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Homework -- Recommended Reading:
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

This book is incredibly engaging and utterly fascinating. It's a friggin' adventure and if it doesn't make you want to run, little will. McDougall goes in search of the Tarahumara who live in the badlands on the border between the US and Mexico. They are a people who routinely run 100+ miles at a time... FOR FUN! As cool as that is, there are a host of great stories and interesting characters, and all of it makes you realize that humans have always been runners, that we are practically raised to give it up (think about how much running around you did as a kid). It also makes you realize you can really enjoy running. Great book.

Runner's World magazine
This month's issue is jam-packed with great stuff for beginners so if you're ever going to buy a copy, now is the time. That said, we just splurged on a subscription because ever issue has a great variety of tips for every level, which is good because Heather is literally miles ahead of me so I can use all the help I can get! They offer everything from coaching help to shoe reviews and nutritional advice.


TODAY'S TIP: How to catch your breath without stopping.
Sorry I made you wait this long for what I think may be the greatest single secret to running EVER. Okay, I'm sure there's other stuff, but this was, for me, like that moment at the end of The Matrix where Neo could see everything in binary code. I mean, this is where I just "got it."

When you're trying to transition from mostly walking to mostly running, do this: Jog really slow. Sounds simple but it took me FOREVER to figure that out. In the beginning, I'd just stop running to walk so I could catch my breath. But you can slow down enough to catch your breath (mostly) and then speed up again (or take it easy at this slower pace). The difference is that you keep your heart rate up AND you score a mental victory because YOU DID NOT STOP!

Granted, this is probably not going to help when you're first starting out, but once you've put a few miles behind you, this is a great way to make a big leap forward in your training. And you wanna know what? I do it all the time. There's no way I could've gone 26.2 miles without stopping if I didn't have my little friend, Mr. Slow Jog. (Ain't no shame in my game!)

Alright, that's that for now. Stay tuned for more and as always, if you have a specific question, shoot me an email or leave a comment below. If I don't know the answer, I betcha I can find someone who does.

Later!
- Chris