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Running
By Scott Harrup | July 8, 2008
Maybe you’re like me, and every now and again the running bug bites. You drag your battered shoes from the closet, hit the trail or the road or the sidewalk, and hope your blisters will quickly transition to callous.
I’ve sporadically slogged some miles since junior high school. This year I started running again on Memorial Day. I’ve been pretty consistent. I run 2 miles Monday through Saturday. No one would accuse me of marathon ambitions, certainly, but those 12 miles a week already appear to be helping my cardio numbers.
I’m discovering that running at 43 is a whole different program than running at 13. For one thing, I’m hauling about 60 pounds of additional weight around the neighborhood. For another, my knees are still talking about my afternoon run at bedtime.
So I went online to do a little research on running, and discovered there are ways to fine-tune your running style to help alleviate joint pain and increase running efficiency. You can read about some of those tips here. If you have any other ideas for me, feel free to leave a comment.
Once I get my system in place, I hope to crank out 8-minute miles. Maybe 7s? (At this point, some of you avid runners are shaking your heads and thinking I should retitle this piece “Walking Fast.”)
But I’ll also try to remember to do more than watch my watch. Because anytime I can enjoy the beauty of peaceful surroundings and give a wave to my neighbors, I’m blessed. Something as simple as an afternoon jog reminds me that many people around the world can’t take their safety for granted or trust the kindness of their community.
Topics: Family Life |
