A Word of Caution

Do not attempt to do what I did last Saturday. I ran in a 5K without training for it. And boy my legs were sore for a couple of days. I knew it was going to happen. I just wanted to see where my fitness level was.

I recommend starting out slowly and easily. Start out by walking. Walk only as far as you can comfortably walk. Do this 3 or 4 times a week. Gradually lengthen the distance or time you walk. Once you have a comfortable routine, either speed up your pace or take running breaks in your walk.

Gradually and with little effort, you can get fit and feel better.

If you would like to start a walking or running program, please contact me and I will guide you through it.

5K Completed

It was foggy, relatively cool in Harrisville, West Virginia this morning. I got up, got dressed, walked to the registration table and put my 12 dollars down along with my registration form.

My shoulder still hurts. There are a lot of younger, fitter runners here. Heck, there are a lot of older fitter runners here. My shoulder hurts more. What am I doing here?

The race event staff is good, and friendly. Every question I have is answered. I warm up a little. I go to the bathroom. No port-a-potties here, we get to use real bathrooms in the basement of the Ritchie County Courthouse.

At 7:50, there is a brief welcoming announcement. Most of the people in Harrisville are still asleep. Then it is a half a block walk to the starting line.

The horn goes off, and I am dodging walkers and slower (yes there were some of those) runners up to the first turn.

I settle in to a nice, slow pace. At about 3/4 of a mile, I look over at a yard on my right and there is a turtle on it's back. I figure since I am not blazing the course, I need to help the turtle. I stop, walk two steps into the yard, gently flip the turtle right side up and continue.

At each of the three waterstops, I walk, drink, and thank the volunteers.

By the third mile we are back to Main Street. My legs are more rubbery than I remember them getting. My breathing is loud - at least to me. But there is a smile on my face. I have nothing left for a kick, and I don't care that I get passed in the last hundred yards. I did it!

Yes, my calves are stiff. Yes, my right hip aches a little. But it was worth it. Hey, I even won a door prize. So with the T-shirt, and the door prize, I actually came out ahead. And I feel better.

If I find the race results, I will either post them or put up a link.

My Last Minute Fitness Opportunity

I thought I was going to have a quiet weekend at the In-Laws house. But driving through the middle of Harrisville, West Virginia, there is a banner over the road. It is for the Ritchie County Primary Care Association 5K Health Walk/Run on Saturday, August 1st. Eek, that is tomorrow.

I haven't run too much lately. I have a swollen area around one of the nerves on the 4th toe on my left foot. I strained my shoulder two weeks ago. There are many reasons not to do the race. But there is only one reason to run it. I want to.

Hey, there is no pressure. I haven't trained months for this race. And it says WALK/RUN, so I don't even have to run if I don't want to.

I will have to get myself up in the morning, and walk to the starting area. This is way too convenient. I don't even have to wake anyone up here to do it. Who knows, when I get back I may still be the only one awake.

Wish me luck. When I survive, I will let you know (tomorrow sometime).

Consistency Is The Key

Consistency is the key to any fitness, weight-loss, or wellness program. You can't run 5 miles in one day, then not run for a month and expect to gain any of the benefits of the activity. Likewise you can't expect to lose weight if you are constantly "cheating" on a diet.

Again the key is consistency. If you are getting at least a half hour or more of physical activity a week great! If you miss one or two days, it isn't the end of the world. Just get back on track as soon as you can.

Likewise, with any changes you have made in your diet, if you stray, it isn't the end of the world. Just get back to what you were doing. You may temporarily lose a little ground. But in the long run, you will meet your goal.

A Fitness Opportunity

There is an opportunity to change your fitness level.

Freedom's Run takes place October 3, 2009. With a variety of running and walking events. I will be participating is some form or another and I would invite you to do so as well.

This event has something for everyone - a marathon, half-marathon, 10K, 5K, and Family Fun Run.

And you don't have to run any of them. You can walk if you want to. The point of Freedom's Run is not to be ultra-competitive, or go after big prize money - there is none. The point is to get out, enjoy nature and history, and get healthy.

If you would like more information, visit the website. If you need help in starting to get fit, leave a comment or email me.

Everyone on Track?

Remember back almost four months ago? Did you make a resolution to lose weight/get in shape? Are you still on track? Do you want to get on track? Contact me and I will help you. I am still at about 170 lbs (down from my max weight of 210 lbs eight years ago.) Let me work with you to meet and maintain your goals. I am not selling anything. And it will cost you nothing. So leave a comment or send an email.