A Good Way to Start Running

There are natural runners.......

(Anderson really gets into running...)

(My husband and his sister after a race.)

And then there are those who know that running is good, want to try it, but just aren't...well...natural.

(Me (not a natural) and Carys (a natural) after my race.)

I, obviously, fall into the second category.  I don't just hop out of bed one fine day and decide I'm going to run a 5K, or even a 1K for that matter.  I have to build up.

A few years ago, I ran across a running plan in a Brazilian magazine.  I followed the plan and worked my way into being able to run for 30 minutes without stopping.  Of course, since then I've lost the copy of the magazine, but I remember the main idea of the plan.

Maybe there are some more "unnatural runners" out there like me, who would like to get into running.  Here is a way you can work your way into it.

1. Walk 5 minutes
2. Run slowly 2 minutes
3. Run fast 1 minute
4. Walk 2 minutes
5. Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 until you have done them 5 times.
6. Walk 5 minutes to cool down.

That's it.  After that gets easy to do, make it a little harder by reducing the walking time and increasing the running time.  Keep going until you don't need to walk anymore.

I am doing this right now with a friend of mine who hadn't run in a long time.  The first day she barely made it and had to stop several times.  After 2 weeks, running 3 times a week, she is doing this much more easily and is ready to increase the running.

It works!