The returning runner

Act 3 - Getting back into it!

Ok, last week we went over my basic return to running plan: 1) stay off concrete – run on trails and grass; 2) trot or walk the downhills; and, 3) to the extent possible, push the uphills. Oh, before we go further – prior to starting on any exercise routine, consult your doctor. I’m not a medical professional. The experiences described are just my own etc. You get the drift…

Ok, now back to it. First off, if you are substantially overweight, you can’t lose weight by running. It just won’t work. You will get injured long before you’ve dropped the pounds. The human body just isn’t made for it. So, before trying a running plan, lose excess weight first by walking, swimming, bicycling, elliptical, and other non-impact activities and adjusting to a healthy diet. I don’t have a specific number in mind but certainly if you are morbidly obese (generally 100 lbs over a healthy weight or with a BMI of 40 or more), don’t get into running! You aren’t ready for it. Now, a little on the chunky side, that might be a different story. Eileen Waters managed it and ended up setting a women’s world record for 50 miles.

Let’s say that you are at a reasonable weight and ready to give it a go. You’ve got to take it slow and short for a while.  For me, I was stunned. My minds-eye could easily visualize me cruising like I had as a teenager. Just didn’t happen - I was out of breath at 100 yards. I think of a typical runner’s condition progressing in 4 stages:

1.      Every workout is hard, and you have to push yourself just to keep moving;

2.      You can forget you are running and find that you have daydreamed the last 2 miles;

3.      You have daydreamed the last 3-4 miles, spy a steep hill ahead and decide to sprint up it for fun pretending you are on a dirt bike;

4.      5 miles into a workout you are sprinting up a steep hill for fun while teasing the elite runner sprinting next to you regarding some anomaly (anything is fair game).

If you are coming back from a lengthy injury or are just starting running, you are at level 1. Moving through time and space at level 2 or above is a gift from God, but you will need to take some time to get there…