Last year, if I would have described myself as a runner, it would have been a stretch of the imagination. I had run on occasion but not enough to be interested and engaged by the activity. In fact, the thought of running more than a block or so was uninteresting and overwhelming. However, from April 2009 to October 2009, as I prepared for one of the biggest fitness goals I had ever set, running the Army Ten Miler, something changed about my interest.
After my first long run, my back was killing me and my legs seemed disjointed. If I could barely get through 3 miles, how the heck was I going to get through 10? (Doesn't that heifer Self Doubt always rear her ugly head at the worst times?)
Something had to change: I was looking down much of the time, shoulders hunched and legs flailing aimlessly through the DC streets. Many people forsake form because they want to run faster, or simply get the run over with, but paying attention to the following tips from Runners World will help you a ton whether you run a 1/4 mile or 14 miles:
The Perfect Form
Sounds good and want to attempt to take it to the next level? Jack up your next run by engaging proper form in a barefoot run. Yup! You got it. Check out the following NY Times video and keep an eye out for February's FitScapade where I will be attempting a barefoot run --- no pretty orange sneaks for me. Who's down?
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/10/04/health/1247464987589/barefoot-running.html
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