So I have been running for a few years now. Not too seriously to be honest. In the past year, I would run 3-6 miles a week, normally around 3. I do not enjoy running. I do not enjoy the feeling after I run. I only enjoy the fact that I accomplished something. And that, my friends, makes it all worth it.
When I was 17, I was a competitive swimmer with some knee problems. After doping up before and after every practice and trying ice, Ben Gay, and many other tricks, I finally went to an orthopedic surgeon. Consequently, it was the same physician that the Buffalo Bills used. After many tests and X rays, it was determined that I have a bad patella tracking issue. My knee caps do not sit on top of my legs bones properly. Basically, every time I take a step my knee cap rubs against the bone of my lower leg (I thin it is the tibia) After years of doing the breast stroke kick, sometimes during entire practices, I messed up the tendons which hold my knee caps in place. I was told that I had to stop swimming right then- after my junior year. Running and any other hard surface sport would clearly be out of the question. I went to physical therapy for a few years to try and strengthen those tendons but I am not sure it ever did much good. The reason I am writing this is to say- I KNOW RUNNING HURTS. It hurts everyone! My pain in bearable. I don't limp anymore. I do not know if this amount of running that I have been doing has strengthened other muscles in my legs.
All that being said, I have been training for a half marathon for the past 7 weeks. To even get to this point, I really haven't done a plan. I started running one mile. After 2 weeks, I forced myself to run 2 miles. After 3 more weeks- I ran 3 miles. Case closed. It was hard, again- I hated it...but that is how I did it. I recommend doing anything to get you to the 3 mile point. A lot of the couch to 5k apps seem to be great for many of my friends. To train for the half marathon, I am using the Hal Higdon plan. I follow it to the letter. I do exactly what my chart says. I think the best part of running is to find a partner to run with you. It is hard to recruit people and it seems everyone is busy. My long runs are normally with people who run better and faster than me. It is a challenge keeping up sometimes but I think it makes me a better runner.
I still do not consider myself a runner. Maybe once I put a 13.1 sticker on the van- I can say, "Yeah, I'm a runner."
Bottom line- get off the couch...push through the pain....be a good and healthy example to your kids!
When I was 17, I was a competitive swimmer with some knee problems. After doping up before and after every practice and trying ice, Ben Gay, and many other tricks, I finally went to an orthopedic surgeon. Consequently, it was the same physician that the Buffalo Bills used. After many tests and X rays, it was determined that I have a bad patella tracking issue. My knee caps do not sit on top of my legs bones properly. Basically, every time I take a step my knee cap rubs against the bone of my lower leg (I thin it is the tibia) After years of doing the breast stroke kick, sometimes during entire practices, I messed up the tendons which hold my knee caps in place. I was told that I had to stop swimming right then- after my junior year. Running and any other hard surface sport would clearly be out of the question. I went to physical therapy for a few years to try and strengthen those tendons but I am not sure it ever did much good. The reason I am writing this is to say- I KNOW RUNNING HURTS. It hurts everyone! My pain in bearable. I don't limp anymore. I do not know if this amount of running that I have been doing has strengthened other muscles in my legs.
All that being said, I have been training for a half marathon for the past 7 weeks. To even get to this point, I really haven't done a plan. I started running one mile. After 2 weeks, I forced myself to run 2 miles. After 3 more weeks- I ran 3 miles. Case closed. It was hard, again- I hated it...but that is how I did it. I recommend doing anything to get you to the 3 mile point. A lot of the couch to 5k apps seem to be great for many of my friends. To train for the half marathon, I am using the Hal Higdon plan. I follow it to the letter. I do exactly what my chart says. I think the best part of running is to find a partner to run with you. It is hard to recruit people and it seems everyone is busy. My long runs are normally with people who run better and faster than me. It is a challenge keeping up sometimes but I think it makes me a better runner.
I still do not consider myself a runner. Maybe once I put a 13.1 sticker on the van- I can say, "Yeah, I'm a runner."
Bottom line- get off the couch...push through the pain....be a good and healthy example to your kids!
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