Blog Post Two
January 14, 2024
I am a runner.
I started running last year, and began with 20 minute runs three times per week, and by the end of the year I had completed two 60 minute runs. One of them was a hilly outdoor run and the other was on the tread with one of my favourite Peloton instructors, Hannah Frankson. However, my biggest challenge will be running my first 10k. I wish I could say it had been my idea, but it was not. My beautiful and very athletic stepdaughter basically told my husband, stepson and I that we were doing this with her and her friends, and that was that!
I’ve never considered myself to be a runner because truly, I wasn’t. The most I had ever run prior about 3 months ago was a 5k. But your mind is a powerful thing. I’m reading The Power of Now and it talks a lot about this fact. Your mind is constantly playing tricks on you, and if you are not careful, negative self talk can take control and make you believe something that is just not true. So, first step to becoming a runner was to believe in myself. I AM A RUNNER.
Working out has always been an interest of mine. I make room for it no matter what. In fact, I often think that if I could put this same discipline towards other aspects of my life, like developing hobbies, building a community, or exploring my creativity I would feel more fulfilled. Fitness has been a way for me to relieve stress and feel better. However, it was when my husband and I were dating and he introduced me to weight lifting and strength conditioning that I saw a significant change in my body. I had been intimidated by the weight room and the various machines so I usually just stuck to cardio and core exercises. Once I started incorporating weights into my workouts, I finally started seeing a physical change in my body. I’ve learned that cross-training and consistency are key to peak physical health. (Of course, like the saying goes, you can’t outrun the fork. So in order to achieve peak physical health you have to start with a healthy diet but I can talk about that in another post!)
Anyways, in preparation for this race, I recently googled “training for a 10K” and found so many great resources on how to prepare for my big run. Some consistent messaging I read was:
Start by adding 1 long run per week
Focus on easy, steady mileage
Only add about 10% to your mileage each week that you are training
Focus on staying hydrated and eat enough carbs (50-60% of daily caloric intake)
I also found a 4 week schedule that I think I will follow as I approach the month of the race to help me feel confident for the big day!
Until then, I plan to stick to my normal schedule of rotating between running, biking and yoga classes. I typically run on Mondays, Fridays and one day over the weekend. Then, I do a yoga class on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and a bike ride on Thursdays. I incorporate a lot of light weight arm and core exercises regularly but I plan to incorporate more leg days over the next two months. I’ve avoided it for months and I know that I need to bring back this practice!
So that’s the plan. I am running a 10k at the end of April and luckily, I won’t be running alone. I’ll have my crew with me to help encourage me to cross that finish line strong!
Xo,
Leigh
