Making like Gump
May 13, 2010I’ve been running a lot. A lot. A lot a lot. The past three Tuesdays I’ve run a 10K before work. Not a competitive one of course, just to work out. Last Friday I ran 5.5 miles but had to quit because I kept getting side aches/cramps. Saturday I ran another 6.5 to get the miles up for the weekend. I keep trying to push up the miles for the upcoming half marathon in July.
So far I’ve got my 10k time down under an hour. I’m really hoping to finish the Bolder Boulder in under an hour this time. It will be a bit harder since I’ll be gaining a couple thousand feet right before the race. If I keep on my current training regiment I think I can do it.
The funny side-effect of all of this is that I’m learning a lot about running gear. Apparently you can shop for running shoes just like you shop for ski boots. You go to a specialty store, they check out your foot, watch you run on a treadmill and then find the right shoe for your foot shape and gait. Who knew? And did you know you’re supposed to replace running shoes after like 200 miles? I didn’t either. At my current pace, I should be ready for new shoes in another month. Of course I can’t afford to go to a fancy running shoe store to get new running shoes so I’ll just find the best reviewed shoes for people that have feet like me and go from there.
Anyway, I’ve never considered myself a runner and still don’t find a lot of enjoyment in it. I like that I’m in way better shape than I’ve been in a long time and that I can see/feel the improvement as I keep running. I’ll also like being able to say I’ve run a half marathon. After that, I’ll have to decide whether to spend the next year working toward a full marathon or find some other challenge to work toward.
