Shoes

Okay - I love shoes!!! When it comes to running I want the best. For my style of running I love Asics GT 2130 to be exact. These shoes have been around for about 12 years and beside for a few wee modifications they have stayed the same. Asics will general change the colour but other than that - why change a good thing. Shoes are a runners equipment - like a bike is for a cyclist.

I use to turn my nose up at getting fitted for a shoe - until that is, I actually got fitted for a shoe! Never again! I always visit The Shoe Clinic and get a full run down on my feet, shoes and running style. Even though not much changes there are some tweaks that can always be made depending on where I am running at the time. For example if I am running on hills and mountains I need a technical shoe that with lots of stability and shock absorbency - to be kind to my knees and joints. When I am running on the sand dunes I generally wear my older Addias shoes - a great shoe for running on softer terrain.

Good shoe hunting!

Run Training Plan

I know - I can hear you!!! I can't run you say - RUBBISH! The only reason you can't run is because you don't want to. This is something I learned the hard way, I was sabotaging my own health, fitness and weight loss.

What needs to be said is I CAN ...... I CAN RUN I CAN RUN I CAN RUN!!
That's what I kept saying to myself and my runs became easier and longer.

This is my training plan:

Warm Up - walk for 5 minutes at a steady pace
Run - 2 mins (if you can't run for 2 mis then run for 1 min and work up to 2 mins)
Walk - 4 mins
Run - 2 mins
Walk - 5 mins
Run - 2 mins (you are now done with the running portion!)
Walk - 15 mins

Complete this plan for 5 sessions over 10 days - eg have a 'rest day' in between each run/walk day. Once you have successfully completed this section of training we can move on to more running and less walking.

Don't worry about your eating plan - we will get to this. Don't think that in one day or one week you are going to magically shed 10 kilos! If you stick to this plan it will happen - not overnight - but it will happen!

GO ON YOU CAN DO IT - GET UP AND GET MOVING

Get Moving!

So that's what I did - I put on my shoes and I moved. I worked up to running for two minutes at a time; it was tough; I'm not going to tell you that I took to running like a duck to water. It took hard work, perseverance, motivation, dedication and me, believing in myself and believing that I could do it.

Making running desirable also helped - I bought an MP3 player and put all my favorite songs on it, this made it easier for me to get into the groove! It was great to get out of the house for half an hour and just listen to music and think (while trying to run!) I loved it.

At the time my children were small, aged 2 and 3, so I found getting out of the house difficult and easy; easy to leave and have time to myself; difficult to get out period, as my husband worked shifts. I had to get creative about timing my runs which meant getting up at 6am to run if I had to. Now previously I would of used excuses like - I don't' have time; there is no one to look after the kids; kids kept me up - I'm tired; its dark raining ... the list of excuses does go on! I envied people who had the motivated to get up and go, just do it, no procrastinating, no excuses. Up until this time I was the queen of procrastination!

The key for me was setting small achievable goals - having a go to see what I could do; then based on that information I would set goals for myself. Like I previous said - when I started running I couldn't run for 2 minuets and in previous exercise plans I would of given up on the first day because I would of been demotivated by not being able to run around the block on the first day. This time round I decided to be kind to myself, give myself the encouragement that I needed. When I reached my two minuet goal I rewarded myself with new running pants and then set a new goal.

By setting achievable goals I was able to reach gave me the encouragement and motivation I needed to move on and set new goals. In the back of my mind I was thinking about loosing weight which came off naturally with getting my fitness levels up. But it was never my main focus; as it had been in the past and I had failed miserably every time I tried to loose weight. I concentrated on feeling great, getting fit and strong. I was also encouraged my the thought of being able to run around with my kids; it made me feel great when they would ask where I was going and I would say 'out for a run'. I also felt good about showing them how we can live life fit and healthy.

My first run

I never thought I would be sitting here talking about my passion for fitness, especially running.

Now I was one of these people who HATED EXERCISE; I had this great line that went something like this ... "I can't run because ....." or "I can't (do any form of exercise) because ..." generally I would think up some lame excuse ...I was to tired, didn't have enough time, couldn't do this, couldn't do that, I don't like running, walking, cycling, swimming, I didn't have the right gear; the list goes on! Really I couldn't do anything because I couldn't be bothered.

So this particular day when my husband came back from his run, I did something that I have never done before, I pulled on my old running shoes and a pair of track pants and walked out the door. I didn't really have a plan, I thought I would just see what I could do, so I walked out the door and started running. I took a couple of steps and ran to the post, then realized I was buggered. My feet hurt, the muscles in my legs were burning, I could hardly breathe. I couldn't even run for 2 minutes! I think that first day I ran for about 90 seconds then walked for 5 minutes to get my breath back, I did that three times; I made it around park (not a big park at all!). Once I had made it all the way around I thought to myself that I can run - even if it is only for 90 seconds at a time, at least I did it. The point is, that once I changed my thought process into I CAN - I realized that I actually could!!! That day changed my life.

I had a rest day the next day; but the day after that I pulled on my running shoes and track pants and hit the road again. I still couldn't run for two minutes; I found my 90 second run a little easier (only a little!) but I kept telling myself that I could do this. Mentally I felt so much better - I was beginning to like myself, even though I was a red cheeked, sweaty mess gasping for air. I made it twice around the park that day - I would run, then I would walk. I felt great! Better than I had felt in years .

When I got home after that run, I made my first running goal - I wanted to run for 2 minutes! I was going to stick with running until I could run for 2 whole minutes. Of course I had dreams of running around the block, but I never really thought any further than that. I had to conquer the 2 minute goal first.

Fast forward 3 years - I have lost 20 kilos and completed two mountain runs The Flagpole Run-up and The Avalanche Peak Challenge. I want to share with you how I achieved this, how I went from not being able to run for 2 minutes - to being able to run for 5 hours up a mountain. Now I can say -

I LOVE RUNNING!