Slow Progress is better than no progress
By no means am I a competitive runner. At least in the sense where I am unable to set a goal of being in the top 10 or even top 50 runners. I’m okay with that. I can even go on to say that I do not enjoy running. However, I do appreciate others hard work and how dedicated they can be to the sport. I admire it and I strive to one day be that way too. For now, I will have to fake it until I make it.
I definitely enjoy signing up for runs, training, and going out and feeling the satisfaction of accomplishment when the run is done and I am awarded a medal. Who doesn’t? To get there though, training is definitely a must. If you are interested in knowing what I do to help get into shape before a run, then please read on…
The first resource I go to is Pinterest of course! The infographics are great and there is sure to be a plan that works for you. Whether you are a beginner or advanced. In this case, I am between a beginner and moderate. Only because I have done a few other races including one-half marathon.
So I like to divide my days of going to the gym by cardio and weights. So when I am going to hardcore train for an event coming up like the Carlsbad 5000, then I usually spend at least 4 days out of the week at the gym. For this particular race, I did 4 days of a 25-minute treadmill work (below) out as a warm up and then moved onto weights. If I was really not feeling like going to the gym, then I would just do this warm up to say I went and worked out extra hard the next day. For me, the important thing is to not restrict myself or go to hard on myself because I will just not want to go anymore.
This really helps with just getting into a routine and building endurance. When I feel comfortable with this, then I move onto setting a realistic goal of what I want my time to be on race day. Do I want to aim for a 12-minute mile? Or what time do I want to finish by? If this is your first race, then I suggest not going to aggressive with your goal. Enjoy the first experience and get a little more aggressive with the next one.
Moving onto weights, I have been specifically targeting my legs. However, there are plenty of infographics on Pinterest to really help you find what you want to focus on. Here is the one I use:
So far I am only in my fourth week of going to the gym, but going makes me feel so much better about myself. It really helps center your way of living. Know some good work out or tips to stay motivated in going? Let me know if the comments! I would love to hear!
XOXO,
Allison Leider
Allison Leider 