The Essentials

So you want to be a runner? Well, we at least want to be. Obviously, to be a runner, one must have plenty of stamina and master the art of breathing. If you have that, you're definitely on your way to becoming a successful runner. But to become a marathon runner, it takes a little bit more than that. I have attempted to list a few more essentials that successful runners use.

First of, I can not STRESS enough how important a great pair of running shoes are. The most popular running shoes among avid runners are Saucony, Asics or Adidas. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT buy a pair of running shoes because they are cute. Take the time to go to a shoe store that specializes in running shoes. Of course, that depends on what part of the country you live in. I know in Houston, we have Fleet Feet and Luke's Locker. Through the power of the internet, though, you can research stores in your area that specialize in running shoes. These stores will not only measure your feet, the sales people will be able to tell you what type of shoe that will best fit your foot based on your arch and instep. Also, they'll watch you run and inform you what shoe is best for the way your feet move. For more on this, check out the link to your right: Beginners Guide to Running. Do not half step (no pun intended) and try to save money on a pair of running shoes. In the end, you'll end up paying for it through multiple injuries. Of course, you can always go to an Academy store, which has a full stock of great running shoes. The sales people in the shoe department are great and usually, a couple of them are avid runners and can answer all your questions.

*Side note: It's important to change your running shoes often, as well. As a runner, you wear out the shoes quicker than if you used them as your everyday shoes. Make sure to buy a new pair of running shoes every three to four months, or if you begin to get shin splints or sore ankles. Believe me, your body will tell you when you need a new pair of shoes.

Get a heart rate monitor. These monitors help you find your comfortable running pace, which is another important element in running. To run a successful marathon, you should be able to run a 7 to 9 minute mile. To place in the top 10, a runner's pace would be well under 7 minutes. You can purchase a heart rate monitor at any athletic store, Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreen's. So, in other words, they're not hard to find, so go out and buy one. They range anywhere from $29.99 to over a $100. Also, most monitors have a stop watch element that will allow you to time your run.

Women, please make sure you wear a sports bra. No, any bra will not suffice. A regular bra will not hold you properly and therefore, could cause great discomfort. If you buy a sports tank with the bra inserted in them, make sure it has good support. Most of them have pretty good support, but I've found that sometimes you usually have to buy a separate sports bra to wear under the tank.

So now you have the perfect pair of shoes, a heart monitor, and great support. What else is there? A killer outfit, of course. Yeah, I know, your going to sweat like crazy. Chances are your going to train in a pair of shorts or running pants and a t-shirt. But if you need a little more motivation, rock a great outfit. There's no reason you can't be stylish while running. Also, running is the ultimate cardio and a great way to burn fat. While doing all this training for a marathon, you'll be shedding away so much fat and and you'll want to show off your curves. Who knows, you just might find "Mister Right" on the trails.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Be sure to drink water at least 45 minutes to an hour before a run and drink plenty of fluids after your run. Running not only burns fat, you lose salt and electrolytes. So, you'll want to drink plenty of water and a sports drink like Propel, Gatorade or Powerade. They're basically all the same as far as replacing nutrients... pick the one that you find the tastiest. My favorite is grape Gatorade.

Stretch-2-3-4... The best defense against injury is stretching. Be sure to do stretches before and after your run. Check out these cool stretches courtesy of Cool Running.

I hope these tips are helpful and encourage you to run. Until next time, see you at the finish line...

--- The Write Stuff

My First Run

Great job, Ladywriter. I really liked the 5 points of power; especially number 5. I've actually had a couple of new outfits tucked away in my drawer. They were purchased months and months ago. At that time, I only dreamed of wearing them. They were simply incentives to do something with the cellulite on my butt and thighs. However, now that I'm becoming much more of the lean machine that I use to be, I will definitely be putting those on within the next couple of weeks.

I went for my first run yesterday after work. I did a 2-mile walk/run in about 20 minutes. I felt good about this first accomplishment, but boy do I have a long way to go. I felt soooo tired afterwards. I woke up this morning and it felt like little people had been in my bed beating my entire body while I slept. I ached all over. It's amazing how running will wake up parts of you that you didn't even know were asleep.

Aside from doing my daily ab crunches and push-ups, I took this afternoon off. I plan on hitting the track again tomorrow afternoon. I'll try to run every other day until I ramp up my endurance. I guess I'm hooked now, huh? Besides, these new Addidas running shoes weren't cheap! LOL!

Until my next post. . . . keep running my girls.

T_Gurrl

Learning the Craft...... A New Series

Anytime you're embarking on a new endeavor you try to find out as much as you can about it.  For us, this 'new' endeavor is running and not just running for the sake of running but building on that ability to run a marathon, specifically the Aramco Houston Half marathon. The Aramco Half Marathon is part of the Chevron Houston Marathon which takes place on January 18, 2009.  All three of us at some point have dabbled in running but quite honestly, it has been a while and never to this caliber.  And if you are reading this blog you are probably in the same boat as us. With that in mind, we welcome you to take this journey with us!

One of the many reasons people give up on pursuing their hopes and dreams is that they don't have all the tools necessary to make solid decisions. As part of Learning the Craft, each week we will profile a different aspect of running in hopes of providing you with as much knowledge about an area as possible. This week we will look at what you should consider when you begin a new running program.  In researching this topic, I found several websites that have good information as to how to go about doing this.  There are age appropriate sites like Kid's running, sites that speak to your style like Cool running and sites that are strickly serious like Strickly running . While the site you choose is ultimately up to you, the site that I like most and will probably refer to a lot on this post is Runner's World. In their article titled, The Runner's World 8-week Beginning Runner's Training Program, they suggest doing four things to prepare for a lifelong love affair with running. I have paraphrased it below but you can click on the article title to get the full monty. 

1. First and foremost, see a doctor before you begin any type of exercise program. 

2. Schedule your workouts. Doing this ensures you make time for them.  

3. Stick with the program. Don't let one bad workout take you out of the game.

4. Be patient.

The other thing you can expect to get on this blog is my two cents. That being said I would like to add something to the 4 tips above: 

5. Consider getting a new running outfit or two. Let's be serious, while scheduling and being patient with workouts is important, nothing beats the running blues like looking good doing it.

Til next time......

Lady Writer 

I Need Motivation, Baby!

So, today I decided to go out and buy a few things to jump start my new challenge in a positive way. I decided to buy a few new pieces of athletic gear... very cute. I also purchased liquid amino acid and flax seed oil to give my protein shakes a boost. And of course, I bought a new scale. Well, this scale is going back to the store tomorrow. It runs on a lithium battery (not sure if that really matters), but the darn thing gave me at least 6 different weight totals; so it's safe to say the darn thing is inaccurate. I really wanted to note my current weight today, but I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning when I get off of work. I'll also take the dreaded picture of myself, as well so I'll have something to look at to note my gradual progression. I've been eating better, though I still can't manage to drink enough water... I really need to work on that, especially if I'm going to be running. Yesterday I had two chicken wraps with rice pilaf and broccoli, and now I'm getting ready to eat baked fish with rice pilaf (leftover from yesterday) and cantaloupe. This is just the beginning, tomorrow, I start running, again. I didn't allow enough time to get in a run today, and after I eat I must sleep since I work at night. So until tomorrow, keep running! Or at least start...

The Write Stuff

The Road to Victory!

Today 3 beautiful, young women have decided to conquer something they've never done before. That something is to run and finish the houston half marathon. Today was just the beginning. Now the hard part starts. We must start training. This blog will follow our training, goals, gripes, downfalls, pain, progress and of course, our VICTORY! Wish us luck!

The Write Stuff