Common Misconceptions About Running

Below is a guest post from my running enthusiast husband Kris. You can see more of his thoughts and many of his amazing photos at: kmadaus.org. Enjoy!

Running is a funny sport. It almost feels odd to call it a sport because it is so simple. You just put one foot in front of the other. Many, many times. There’s not really a lot of skill involved. I have been a runner for a little less than five years. When I started, I never in my life suspected I would ever be a runner. Now, in less than five years, I am running almost daily, I have run in four marathons, I have run thousands of miles, and I am more surprised than anyone about it.

I have seen my own misconceptions about running dissolve slowly over time, and it becomes so obvious any time I am talking to a non-runner. Many of these misconceptions are so embedded in people’s minds. It almost makes me sad because they have shut themselves out of a sport that has brought me so much happiness. Here are a handful of them to ponder.

“I can’t run. My body is not built for running.”

This is usually incorrect, no matter what size or shape you are. I realize there is a stereotype that runners are tall and slender. I realize that I fit that stereotype. But I know many runners that do not. It doesn’t matter. Unless you have some major physical limitation, you are built to be a runner. All human are. There is evidence to suggest that early humans were persistence hunters. Humans were not as fast as a deer, for example. They would follow that for miles until the deer got too tired to continue. The humans persisted until they caught the deer or else they would not have had food to eat. If you were not a runner, you did not survive. We all evolved as runners. Read the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall to learn more. It is a very entertaining book.

“I can’t run. The last time I ran, I didn’t even make it one mile.”

Incorrect. True, you may not have made it even one mile the last time you tried, but you were doing it wrong. I guarantee it because I was doing it wrong too. You don’t start off by running one mile. You start off my running for maybe one minute then walking one or two minutes. You build up from there. I was a pretty fit person five years ago before I started running. I could run one mile, but I was in pain. So I started of very, very slow. Everybody has to start off slow. You need a plan when you start running.

In addition to a plan, you need to learn about pace. Proper pace is critical in running, whether you are a beginner or an expert. Most people start off by running way too fast. When somebody can’t make it one mile without feeling like they are dying from suffocation, it is always due to improper pace. The rule of thumb is you should be able to hold a conversation with somebody while you are running. If you can’t do that because you are breathing too hard, you are running too fast. In the beginning, that usually means you have to do a bit of walking. But don’t worry! That will change if you continue with your plan.

“I can’t run. My knees can’t take the pounding.”

Incorrect. Once again, this probably has to do with improper form. You should never be “pounding” your knees when you are running.

When I started running, I was under the impression that I had weak knees. What I found over the years is that I never took the time to exercise the muscles that support the knees. Instead, I would go out to climb a Sierra peak, literally pounding my knees for 10–15 miles when I did not properly strengthen the proper muscles. The plan I used when I started running was specifically geared toward injury prevention. (Check out “The Beginning Runners Handbook” for more details.) What I found during my first year is that running actually eliminated my knee problems as long as I followed the plan. I was able to climb Sierra peaks without any knee pain at all – the first time ever.

Essentially, this means you need to increase your mileage gradually – about 10% per week – and build rest weeks into your plan. This allows for the leg muscles to be pushed hard and then spend some time recovering. It is a tried and true plan for strength training. It will not only save your knees, but it will make you stronger all around. If you go from running five miles one week to running ten miles the next week, you will have problems. Once again, it is best to pick a goal and follow a plan to get there.

“I can’t run. It’s just too boring.”

Untrue. I have only heard this comment from people who spend most of their time indoors. The best part about running is that you can get outside and experience the world. I would never recommend anyone run on a treadmill because that is boring. When you get outside, you get to meet new people, breathe fresh air, see wild animals, play in the rain, watch the sunrise, listen to music, explore new places, smell the world you live in, and many other things. It is great!

Just in the last three days of running, I ran a trail through a historic mission, saw a bobcat, climbed an unnamed peak, spent time with my dogs, ran barefoot, saw a huge owl, took some photos, ran in the dark under a (almost) full moon, listened to a couple of good podcasts, and watched a beautiful sunset. If I had stayed at home and watched TV, I would have missed out on life. You gain more appreciation for the world you live in when you run. You see and feel things that you would never see driving in a car, and you can stop to get a better look any time you want. It is anything but boring!

“I can’t run. I don’t have the time.”

Not true. Everybody has the same amount of time. You choose how you use it. If you are really honest with yourself, you will probably find that much of your time goes toward disposable things like checking your Facebook status, watching TV, oversleeping on a weekend, playing video games, or taking on projects for other people. Before you know it, these low priority items end up feeling like an obligation when they are not. The truth is that you can choose how you want to spend your time. You just have to find out what is most important to you and sacrifice the rest.

Some people have certain preconceptions in their mind about time and running. Here are some:

• I get home after dark, so I can’t run.
• I have kids to take care of, so I can’t run.
• It’s raining outside, so I can’t run.
• I made plans with so-and-so, and I can’t break that commitment.
• Running takes a lot of time that I don’t have.

The list could go on and on, but none of these things are true. Here’s why:

• It’s easy and fun to run in the dark. You could always get a headlamp if you need one. They are inexpensive.
• Kids can take part in your running. They can ride bikes next to you as you run. You spouse can take the kids on your run days. Many options are out there for those that really want to find them.
• Running in the rain is one of the most rewarding experiences. You get to throw away all of society’s limitations and just get wet! Shoes will dry. Run free! Enjoy!
• Commitments with people are fine, but you have to make a commitment to yourself. If you are following a plan to reach your first 10k, marathon, or half marathon, is that important to you? If your friends are true friends, they will understand and support you in your training. If not, screw them. You can probably meet them after your run anyway, and who knows? You might even be able to talk them into joining you.
• Running doesn’t have to take a lot of time. You can spend 30 minutes a day three days a week running. That’s better than nothing. Can you spare three 30 minute intervals per week? You should be able to. If not, look honestly at how you spend your time. You are sure to find places to cut.

Running is not for everyone, but it fits most people better than they think. It might fit you. If you are not interested in running, try biking, swimming, hiking, kayaking, or anything else that gets you outside. There is a long list of the benefits of an active lifestyle. Just don’t let these common misconceptions hold you back. Running can change your life. Literally.

Where is THAT Girl!! Mayor's Marathon Part 6

I did not see the girl in blue for a long time! I thought I had lost her. I figured to catch her, she would have to take a long break at one of the rest stops or I'd have to hope she went out too fast in the beginning and would gradually run out of steam at the end. As it turned out, she did the latter.

We were at about mile eight and a half when I finally spotted her! She was way ahead of me still. We were on a bike path along the ocean side and going through a beautiful park land. I realized rather quickly, she was slowing down! Woo hoo! Here was my chance!!


I still had to be careful. We were still five miles out. That would be plenty of time for to catch me again if I sped up at this point to pass her and then ran out of steam myself at mile 11. She could totally rally and pass me on the finishing stretch if that happened. 


So instead of passing her now. I vowed to keep her in sight and follow behind. Then I would over take her in the last half mile and come in ahead of her. 


That was the plan. 


But as I followed behind, she kept slowing. I realized I was going to have to pass her. Which is ok as long as she doesn't rally. So the pressure was back on to stay in front of her. 


As I passed, I gave a little greeting about how nice the weather was. She turned to look at me and I was stunned!! This was the first time I really saw her face and she was just so pretty!!! Her eyes were so big and blue and her perky ponytail was just bouncing behind her. She smiled back at me and I melted at the sweetness like sugar in the rain! Such a totally barbie cutie! 


I must come in before now! My ego demanded it! (Ego is such a b/tch!)


So I pumped my arms and kept pressing forward hoping my steam would hold out!  

On the Trail - Mayor's Marathon Part 5

I love running on trail. I also love racing because in the back of the pack you meet so many nice people. The ones in the back of the pack are slow. We are not in any hurry! And so it is common for people to talk to you as you go by. Some of them go further than the quick greeting like "beautiful day eh?" or "Keep it up!"

I was running at a good clip and did not want to stop to chat. As I passed a man he saw my team singlet and asked, "Where are you from?" I, as chipperly as I could, replied "Santa Maria. In California."

He kept talking. I didn't want to seem rude and not reply. But I did not want to stop to chat. The girl in blue was God-knows how far ahead. I already had to knock down to the half course from the full; I did not want to suffer another disappointment in not coming in before the girl in blue. So I saw only one option.

I ran backwards.   

This way, I could keep running in the right direction and chat a little with the guy thus preserving the camaraderie and friendliness known to us "back of the pack-ers".

It's really stupid to run backwards. Especially on a trail with uneven surface as well as rocks and such. But I was also hoping that my running backwards would also cue the guy into the fact I wanted to keep moving. It helped. He asked a couple more questions which I answered cheerfully. Then I was able to gracefully turn around and kept moving forward. 

Something scared me though. I still hadn't caught sight of the girl in blue. "Damn!" I thought, "She's probably a 'dirty girl'". (A dirty girl (or boy) is someone who likes to run on dirt.) This was bad news for me. Some runners don't like trails and actually slow down on dirt. The fact that I love trail running was a small advantage I had in this race. But if the girl in blue is also a trail runner, it didn't matter. Crap!

It was afraid to push my pace because I knew the critical factor would come down to who had enough juice in their tank at the end. Especially because I knew the toughest hill on the courses was in the last mile. I needed to be sure to get to the top of that hill first if I was going to have a chance at beating her. And I would need juice to tackle that hill. Ugh! I wasn't sure what I should do. 

So I just made sure I pumped my arms and checked my form to try to be as efficient as I could. Then I made sure my pace stayed just where I could keep it up without running out of breath. The only other thing left to do was to keep scanning ahead praying I'd see a flash of blue!

Hi. My Name is Jill and I’m a Big Girl Athlete

I’ve posted before that I haven’t considered myself an athlete for most of my life. Mostly, because of my body size. I don’t look like an athlete. But there’s no denying that I am. 

My trainer mentioned the other day that a friend of hers (who happens to be a big girl) gets frustrated when people act surprised that she’s an athlete. I see where she’s coming from. I mean, you don’t have to be tall and skinny to be an athlete. I can totally understand someone getting frustrated that someone assumes they’re not an athlete because of their size. Don’t judge a book by its cover. (You should read me first. I have a great plot line; and a surprise ending!) 

But I happen to enjoy watching the surprise on peoples’ faces when they find out I run marathons. It kind of fun to watch the expressions pass over their face as they: size me up, try to decide if I’m joking. Then the eye brow raise when they realize I’m not, followed by the smile of awe that a big girl can run marathons. 

I like breaking people’s stereotypes. But even more, I like being an example of what people can do. After they say, “Wow.” I say, “Yeah, I love it. So what do you like to do?”

Rarely, do I get the answer of, “I run too.” Or any activity for that matter. I do sometimes get, “Well, I wanted to start running  but....” But I find it odd that I don’t know a lot of people who have a passion for an activity. 

Why do I care? I don’t care so much what people do with their time. But when you have a passion for something, you don’t want others to miss out on the joy you experience. You know what I mean? Like, if you are really into stamp collecting, then you want others to know how fun it is because you are sure they’ll enjoy it as much as you do. 

Of course, not everyone will enjoy stamp collecting. But it’s hard to understand that when you are a hard-core philatelist. 

So it’s hard for me to understand why other people aren’t into regular activities either. People will tell me they don’t have time, they are too old, too fat, they have kids, etc etc. But I keep thinking if they knew how good it makes you feel and how fun it is, they will make time for it, not worry about their age or weight and they would take their kids with them to enjoy the activity too. 

I know it’s hard to move from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one. But for me, it was just about finding the activity that made me feel good. The trick however, is to give activity a fair chance to hook us. After listening to me expound about the joys of endorphins for about the millionth time, a friend of mine went to a cardio class. He came back and told me, “I don’t know what you are talking about! I sweated for an hour in that damn class and the endorphins never showed up!” 

My husband and I chuckled. Endorphins usually don’t show up the first day. The first day your body is just trying to survive this new assault on its status quo. It doesn’t know what is happening or what to do about it. It’s not until you repeat this process several times that the body realizes you are going to keep doing this crazy thing. So it better do something about it. That’s when it starts pumping out the endorphins. That’s when you get hooked. 

It’s like budging a boulder downhill. It takes a lot of effort at first. But once you get it rolling, there’s no stopping it! 

So go out, try something. Give it a good push!