Let's Get on The Road to a Better Life....August 2009

Let’s Get On the Road to a Better Life

As our nation wrestles with the dilemma of ever escalating health care costs, the most obvious solution is a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, our national overweight and obesity rates have climbed to an astounding two-thirds of all Americans, and we have the worst health of any industrialized nation. But the solution could be as simple as strapping on a pair of Nikes. The encouraging news is that lots of folks are catching on as we are experiencing a running boom. This year, popular races like Beach to Beacon and the BAA ½ Marathon sold out in just one day!

Presuming you are in reasonable health (of course, consult with your physician before embarking on any new exercise regime), you probably fall into one of the following categories – “Not a runner; I’m a beginner; I love to RACE; I’m just a kid”.

Taking the leap from the non-runner status means taking on the forces of nature…bodies at rest tend to stay at rest. Perhaps the most important first step is to make a commitment to your health and a promise to follow a consistent plan for a minimum of ten weeks. After ten weeks, you’ll be a changed person, but keep in mind that there will be lots of your non-exercising friends that will put negative pressure on you. I chuckle to myself when an old acquaintance asks, “Are you still running?” with that sad tone like they were asking if I still had a rash. Be committed and don’t let the naysayers dissuade you. Here’s what you need to do.

Carve out 30 minutes every other day that cannot be taken away from you, go outside and jog or walk briskly. You need to go outside because when you were a kid, that’s where you went to play, and you need to think of this as your time to play. If it’s raining, go anyway – you did that when you were a kid! Increase the quantity and speed of your walk-to-run by no more than 10% per week. By the end of ten weeks you will have increased from 105 minutes per week to 210 minutes and you’ll be a hooked jogger! Now the forces of nature will work with you – bodies in motion tend to stay in motion.

While hooked on a healthy lifestyle is the primary goal, many joggers make the leap to the next phase – pinning on a race number, a wonderful passage for many. It’s far less intimidating than imagined, it is wonderful social event, and it’s a real kick to tell your friends that you competed in a race. They will look at you differently, and you may even begin to look at yourself differently.

Almost everyone who runs their first race loves the boost in self-confidence and fun. The health benefits are still important, but bettering your best race time can become the new goal. It’s a very exciting phase in a runner’s life – every race is a personal record (PR), and as the goals get loftier, how do most try to get faster? More running and harder running will solve all the problems….except for the inevitable overuse injuries that typically follow.

While there is no sure-fire way to prevent running injuries, the good news is that proper coaching can minimize the likelihood and coaching services are readily available at a modest expense. Many running clubs like MVS offer coaching services but, you should be sure the program encourages runners at all levels so that you are able to train with fellow runners who are at your pace. Log onto http://www.merrimackvalleystriders.com/ to investigate their program which spans from “walk to run” to hard-core racers.

There is one more key ingredient to a successful running program that most runners ignore – strength training.

I believe there is no more efficient way to loose weight and get in shape than running, but to be a healthy, long term endurance athlete requires respecting your body and its overall wellbeing. A good strength training plan minimizes injuries and builds the overall strength we should all have. Again, proper coaching is important. One of the great programs is offered at the Andover YMCA on Monday evenings. Additionally, the YMCA offers an endurance strength training program during the day that will balance your healthy transformation.

But what about our kids? As adults, we have no more important role than to be good examples to the kids we love. We need to lead them to a lifestyle of fitness through fun. One of the best ways to get kids of all ability levels fit is, of course, through running. But, parents, don’t try to do it by yourselves – have them join a youth running program to get them started. They’ll love it and learn the wonderful sense of accomplishment of physical activity. If they have never been in organized sports or are budding scholastic stars, a running program can boost their self-esteem, their strength, and the love of a lifetime sport. MVS has a children’s running program as do many running clubs. Get them on the road to a lifetime of physical fitness, and you’ve given them the gift of a better life.

So, as the Nike ad suggests, “Just do it!”