Brush it off! Your Running Shoes

It can be daunting to start a new habit and keep it going. The stick-to-it part is the hardest for me. I encourage you to not only get out there and try, but to think about why you want to make this change. Finding your own personal motivating factors can push you much closer to your goal.

Running for Fitness

It seems like every news story I hear and every article I read says I need to exercise more for my health and I believe it. I do! I worry about it all the time! But now is the time to do more than worry. So I’ve been perusing the shelves of the Health Information Neighborhood at the library and I found just the ticket for starting out at Dewey number 613.7 through 613.718:  exercise DVDs and even walking DVDs I can use at home. Leslie Sansone has a whole series called Walk away the Pounds and even George Foreman has a walking series.

Running for your Well-Being

Enjoy the solitude and shake off the worries of the day when you step outside.

So now you’ve gotten started, but maybe you’ve discovered that exercising inside can be a little boring. This is the perfect time of year to enjoy our fabulous (and, I admit, unpredictable) Kansas weather and head outside. Not only will the change of scenery reinvigorate your walking and encourage you to pick up the pace, it can bring you some much needed time to reflect and even meditate.

The Spirited Walker by Carolyn Scott Kortge tells me that the act of walking can parallel our desire for forward movement in our lives. Our need for change, a fresh point of view, new challenges, and greater self-awareness in our personal life can be radically affected by a simple walk.  You might get more than you bargained for when you look inward on your walk.

Running to Race

Running can be a serious business and I know quite a few people who do the M word. Yes, marathons. It sounds more like torture to force myself to run 26.2 miles at one time, but many people live for that rush as they push themselves to the edge of their abilities. Dewey gives us running as a sport at call number 796.42 where you can learn about training, running for older adults, and, yes, marathons. You might even run across the DVD Running the Sahara which documents ultra-marathoners running in extreme conditions.

Take Flight

If you haven’t already put those shoes on, I’m here to say,
You Can! Here are a few more tips:

• Walk with a friend
• Join a club
• Try out different trails
• Walk through different neighborhoods
• Give yourself a concrete goal

Do you have a favorite walk or hike in Shawnee County?
Please share in the comments!