i woke up this morning refreshed and ready for an active day. energy begets energy. kinda like money begets money but in my case got gobs of the previous over the latter. i had made plans to go for a run with another gym-goer, denise, who i saw lifting the other day with her boyfriend, trainer, pook, at the gym.
we met at the TRAIN parking lot at 745am and planned on running for an hour--turning around at the half hour point. running is not really fun--not like shopping at a 90% off designer shoe sale AT ALL. therefore, whenever i find someone who is halfway willing to run with me, i immediately schedule a time and place--not one of those 'ya, let's run....for sure....' and then the run never happens.
it was a chilly morning here in l.a., like 60's, which feels frigid here. i ran with my tennis outfit on (as i was hitting later) and a t-shirt; denise had on a hoodie and capri's toting a water bottle. i like to run minimally with only a good pair of running shoes (imperative!) that has with it one of those key pouches i bought for $8 that interlaces on top of your shoe. because it stretches, a credit card handily fits in! dangerous...yes, but very handy. anyhoo, no keys or credit cards needed for this run. it was just a quickie run and sorta testing each other's fitness level out--at least for me. it's important to find a running partner that's at your level. otherwise, you might as well be running solo.
i like to run slowly and steadily and learned from a previous BF that the key is to keep loose and keep the feet close to the ground. serious runners reading this may have more technically correct thoughts (chime in, please!) i just know that basically ANYTHING you do is better done when you're loose and relaxed (like sex!)
i like to run scenic (translation: eye candy, window shopping) routes too. so we ran west on melrose avenue passing urth cafe (very entourage), pacific design center up to santa monica blvd through beverly hills. denise had to stop and walk a bit after a running spell which gave me an indication of her running fitness (not very) but it was fine with me. i'm no major runner myself and i was just glad to have someone to run with and ya, ok, the walking rests were NOT TERRIBLE!
the most immediate sensation i got was the getting rid of the chill and actually ENJOYING the slight nip of the air. it just makes running that much more enjoyable. i could see myself running more this fall. trying to stay mindful during the run, i concentrated on my breath which i like to time with my cadence. i like to exhale audibly and then inhale with each 3 or 4 steps and then repeat. at the same time, you really smell your surroundings. most were pleasant--even the mulch that is seasonably spread around lawns at this time of year had that musty, organic smell that connected you with the earth. the only foul smell, really, was the exhaust fume of ONE car that likely needed a valve job or something. i also noticed a lot of other runners, many women, which made me feel a sense of community.
best of all, after our first joint run of maybe 2 miles, we felt GREAT. there's nothing like putting in a good cardio workout first thing in the morning to make you feel like you're capable of tackling ANYTHING that day. plus, one of the YOUNGER clients at the gym told her trainer, antony, that she wanted legs like mine! i could've kissed her!
so, some quick amateur tips to get non-runners to give running a go:
1) find a willing partner to go with you
2) assess that partner's running skills. ask him or her how often and how far they run...easy.
3) plan your initial run on a simple, straightforward, do-able, pleasant route. you gotta make it fun!
4) make sure you have GOOD running shoes on
5) don't overwear clothing; you'll warm up quickly
6) don't worry about toting water with you; hydrate before and after your run
7) if anything hurts in a distressing way, stop! walk it out
8) go slowly and steadily; it's not a race
9) keep loose and relaxed
10) stay mindful of your breathing, your surroundings
11) smile and know that you're doing something good for yourself
12) wait for the compliments to come!!!
13) feel great!
i'll post pix of my shoe thingy next time!~ denise and i loved our intro run this morning, we're doing it for the rest of the mornings this week. if you're reading this and you're near TRAIN, come join us! we'll start our run about 745am and be back in an hour.
