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Five years ago I decided to to finally figure out how to run. At age 53, it was an ah-ha moment that running could be learned. Until then, I just figured you put sneakers on and leaned forward till your feet had to follow. How you ran was essentially a product of your biology and some of us were born for it; others not. This notion explains three things: why my boyfriend told me I ran like an egg beater, why I've always gotten shin splints, and why I never stuck with it. Fourteen years with a high school track star and this was all I got from him: "Your legs should be pulling you along." Uh huh. Kinda thought they were.
Well, if I was going to be a runner and not get hurt, I had to apply some scientific method to this. It began at Runners World. I got the high-tech gait analysis on the treadmill and discovered I had very high arches (you can see daylight under my feet from left to right!). Proper sneakers in place, off I go. Two weeks later...shin splints. OK, still determined to conquer this, I took a one day "Chi Running" class. They videotaped me running and horrors, I was a heal-striker!! Ever really watch kids run? They look like their pants are on fire and you're sure they are going to face-plant at any moment. Well, that's the main piece of advice I took away...run like kids run. Lean into it. More running, shin splints back, I found a medical clinic for runners that does videotaped gait analysis alongside medical advice for your running problems. Put some new ideas into practice, and lo and behold, I became an actual runner. Shin splints went away. I even began to enjoy it a bit more...enough to run some 5Ks.
So I've been running for five years and my sweet spot still seems to be 2 miles! I'm not getting better in distance or speed, but my heart rate bears the benefits and I may be able to keep my own joints into The Home. Running was a journey for me; I'm pretty sure it is for everyone who decides to take it up. My friend Tom Foreman has written a book about his journey and it promises to be pretty funny by early accounts. You can pre-order it on Amazon. I had the opportunity to run with Tom and his wife (my high-school friend Linda) a few weeks ago and he introduced me to trail-running. It's like regular running but with clean air, spider webs and the chance to meet a bear. I'm hooked.
Well, if I was going to be a runner and not get hurt, I had to apply some scientific method to this. It began at Runners World. I got the high-tech gait analysis on the treadmill and discovered I had very high arches (you can see daylight under my feet from left to right!). Proper sneakers in place, off I go. Two weeks later...shin splints. OK, still determined to conquer this, I took a one day "Chi Running" class. They videotaped me running and horrors, I was a heal-striker!! Ever really watch kids run? They look like their pants are on fire and you're sure they are going to face-plant at any moment. Well, that's the main piece of advice I took away...run like kids run. Lean into it. More running, shin splints back, I found a medical clinic for runners that does videotaped gait analysis alongside medical advice for your running problems. Put some new ideas into practice, and lo and behold, I became an actual runner. Shin splints went away. I even began to enjoy it a bit more...enough to run some 5Ks.
So I've been running for five years and my sweet spot still seems to be 2 miles! I'm not getting better in distance or speed, but my heart rate bears the benefits and I may be able to keep my own joints into The Home. Running was a journey for me; I'm pretty sure it is for everyone who decides to take it up. My friend Tom Foreman has written a book about his journey and it promises to be pretty funny by early accounts. You can pre-order it on Amazon. I had the opportunity to run with Tom and his wife (my high-school friend Linda) a few weeks ago and he introduced me to trail-running. It's like regular running but with clean air, spider webs and the chance to meet a bear. I'm hooked.