I'm in my final week of the Couch to 5K program. It's going pretty well. I'm slightly frustrated that I'm not faster and that my breathing is such a mess, but I'm still managing the 28 minute runs without too much trouble. I mean, I'm slow as molasses at the end, but at least I'm running!
With the longer runs, I got bored and had to branch out of our neighborhood. The trail around the neighborhood is too dark for my comfort at 5:45 in the morning. So, I'm running around the neighborhoods next to ours. Turns out, that means some slight hills. Boy was that fun last week. Ha!
I usually run in the street because our neighborhood is so quiet. After two mornings, I knew which houses had people leaving early and other than that, I only saw the newspaper delivery car. Now, in the other neighborhoods, there are some larger thoroughfares so I'm having to use the sidewalk more. Want to know why I avoid the sidewalk? I'm clumsy. Yesterday morning, I almost went face first in to the sidewalk after tripping on the curb. The only thing that saved me was the fact that I was running and the momentum meant I got one extra step in so I caught myself. Thank god... it would not have been pretty for my face or my arms.
Only one close call in 9 weeks, though? That's remarkable. And I've only had a couple itty bitty run-ins with wildlife. I haven't injured myself. I haven't quit. I only repeated one week. And I'm running for nearly 30 minutes at a time. I am astounded by my progress some days.
I started running with a goal in mind. The only thing I had was a shiny new pair of shoes and the socks that the guy at the running store recommended. I don't have a great deal of experience, but I thought I'd share my favorite beginning runner things. If you're looking to start out, these few things will make your life a bit easier, I think.
- Get good shoes! Comfy socks, too. If your feet aren't happy, you're not going to last long.
- Invest in a good sports bra. Glamorise has fantastic options.
- I held my phone for the first few weeks. Once you're running for a big chunk of time, that gets old. Get an armband for your phone. I have one, but never remember it so I just tuck my phone in my bra. I need to use the darn armband!
- Headbands make everything less annoying. My hair still gets in my face on windy days, but the headband keeps it from being plastered to my sweaty face.
- I love this Camelbak water bottle. I use it when I get back to the house. I like to use it around the house and in the car to make sure I'm drinking enough water. Get yourself a fun color or fun design so you'll be more inclined to keep it around and use it.
What are your essentials for running? Or your favorites, even. I love to see what everyone else is using and hear tips and tricks.
