Ready. Set. Run.

Greetings! I hope this finds you doing great and enjoying this wonderful autumn we’re beginning to experience. It’s been gorgeous in the Indianapolis area, and with great weather comes the opportunity to be outside more, enjoying the changing scenery of nature. Below you will find a portion of a post I wrote a couple of weeks ago. I never published this as I didn’t want to come across as negative, but as I thought more about the necessity of being real and sharing with others the realities of my weight loss journey, I decided to share this with you. In my weight loss journey there have been times where I’ve had to be honest with myself about myself in order to move on, and what I’ve written below is an attempt at just that.

[Originally written October 29, 2009]
I don’t mean to be negative from the beginning, but in my pursuit of being realistic and sharing with you where I’m at on my weight loss journey, I want to take just a moment and be real. This month has been one of the hardest months to stay on track with my weight. Thank goodness it’s coming to a close (not that november and december will be any better, eh?). It seems like every weekend this month I’ve had something that has gotten in the way of my constant goal of making healthy choices and losing weight. If you take a look at my progress page, you’ll see that I’ve lost about 7 lbs this month. There have been weeks when I’ve lost 7 pounds! But rather than focusing on a number, I need to remember that this is my life and there will be months like this where it’s extremely difficult to make the choices I know I should be making.

….And once I had that out of my system – I was ready to move forward with this entry. Ta-Da!

Loved This.

Last weekend I went to visit my parents in Missouri, and while I was there I had the opportunity to hike a portion of The Ozark Trail. The Ozark Trail is more than 300 miles long, spanning across multiple regions of the State of Missouri, and is really well developed for how young of a trail it is. As I continue to try new activities and push myself, it’s activities like these that remind me that the discipline of eating right and exercising constantly are totally worth it. There were multiple times during the trail where I challenged myself to do things I wouldn’t normally do. Whether it was balancing on a fallen tree, jumping over 4′ wide creeks or doing seated push ups off of a log in the middle of the trail – it was a reminder that challenging yourself is always possible.

As fall brings a change of pace (and climate) it’s easy to swing back into a sedentary lifestyle. The sun goes down earlier, the foods you crave get heavier and making yourself go to the gym can be quite the task as we all desire to be at home in our sweats. But fall is actually a great time to get active and pursue the healthy activities that cooler temperatures bring. Whether it’s going for a hike or running around your neighborhood, cooler temperatures make it much easier to enjoy outdoor activities, which can also be good for those who need to stick around the neighborhood.

As I’ve talked about in previous posts, I’ve long been envious of runners. It’s a task that is seemingly so simple, yet realistically so demanding on your body. While I’m a very young runner and have only been pursuing this challenge for a couple of months, I’ve learned a thing or two about running that I wanted to share in hopes that it will help those of you who are thinking about or just beginning to run more yourself.

1. Pay more to protect your feet
Like I’ve said before – you need to invest in a good pair of shoes. It doesn’t really matter where you go to purchase them, but be prepared to invest a bit more than you normally would. When it comes to running, you truly do get what you pay for. So don’t eat out for a week or skip your daily Starbucks run in the morning—do whatever you need to do to afford a bit extra so you can not only protect your feet but keep them comfortable, too. And don’t forget to grab a great pair of socks, these work hand-in-hand with the shoes to protect your feet no matter how many miles you go.

2. Set realistic goals that you will accomplish
Growing up I always thought in order to be a good runner I had to run fast. The truth is, the more regular of a pace that you establish for yourself, the more endurance you will build. This allows you to enjoy activity longer and ultimately prepare you to meet the goals that you set for yourself. The first goal I set for myself was to be able to run for a mile straight. I started at 5.5 speed then gradually increased my speed and distance. This taught me how to push myself and accomplish goals, allowing me to set new ones. You don’t have to start with anything crazy, just make it measurable and something you know you can accomplish.

3. Get a Running Partner
Whether it’s your dad, dog or iPod, get someone to join you as you begin to integrate running into your routine. Having someone by your side not only promotes your desire to achieve, but also acts as a good support system and accountability. If you’re like me, my iPod is my constant running partner, so make sure you have it loaded with music that will not only encourage a consistent pace, but will keep you motivated enough to finish. If you’re running with another individual, make sure they’re going to be able to run with you for most of your routine. It’s no fun if you’re out running them or vice versa the entire time – try and run side by side as often as you can, chances are you’ll go farther than you think you can.

4. Finish Strong and Be Proud
No matter how far your running course may be, push yourself at the very end of your workout by upping your speed or finishing with a hill. As if finishing a workout isn’t exciting enough, make it better by showing excitement for what you’ve accomplished. You’ll want to get a drink of water, but don’t guzzle it down, take small sips—and when you’re ready, give yourself a little snack to help your body bounce back.

I’m not a doctor, and I’m not a licensed trainer, so if you have questions or concerns, don’t bring them to me… but if you have questions about what it was like for me starting out or any advice that you’d like to share with other readers of this blog – PLEASE – don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. I will post it! Running may not be for you, I completely understand that, but no matter what you choose to implement into your life, start today and remember that small changes equal huge results. I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

post script: I know I’ve said it before… but please know that from here I will be making a great effort to update this blog weekly. This is becoming a habit like anything else – and, well, it’s just taking a bit longer than expected. Thanks for reading!