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Running Again

I have decided to try running again. This is actually the 3rd serious attempt in the past 3 years and hopefully this time i'll achieve some goals. I actually used to run before. An hour, around 8-10km, three times a week. I also once did a 10k race and did it at around 45 minutes. I still remember the great feeling of the long runs and I would really like to experience that again. But that was a long time ago, like 25 years and a hundred pounds ago, back when I was still in high school. Today, I rate myself as less than a beginner. I haven't had any kind of regular sports activity for the past several years and I don't think I can run for more than 3 minutes straight.

My first try was when I got the book - The Complete Idiot's Guide to Jogging and Running. It was written by Bill Rodgers, a 4-time NYC and Boston Marathon Champion, who inspired me back in the early 80's to start running. In the book, he had a 0 - 30 minutes in one month program, and that's what I followed. I ran on a treadmill in a gym. I reached the 3rd week of the program and stopped because of the flu. I didn't go back to the gym after that.

My second try was after my wife and I bought a treadmill. I lost Bill Rodgers' book, but I found this article in Men's Health Magazine (Jan 2008 Philippine Edition, the one that had Aga Mulach on the cover) that featured Chris Carmichael's (Lance Armstrong's coach) Fit Man's Plan. It was a 4-week plan that cycles so that you get fitter after every 4-weeks. I even targeted a 5k race to join - the 2009 Earth Run in May. I also reached the 3rd week of the program then went on a road trip to Bicol for a week during the holy week. The road trip was really tiring and I got sick again when we got home. I didn't go on the treadmill again after that.

This is now my third try, and I'm doing the Fit Man's Plan again on the treadmill and I'm starting it today - Dec. 1, 2009. This time, I am blogging about it, because in the same article on Chris Carmichael, he said that ... "If you're going to get in shape, tell your family and friends. Start a training blog. Confide in a coworker. Once others know about your goal, you'll feel committed." Well, I've told my family, friends and coworkers, and this is my training blog. I sure hope it works this time.

Anyway, here are my short to medium term goals (within 12 months)
1. Be able to jog/run continuously for 30 minutes.
2. Run a 5k race.
3. Run a 10k race.

My longer term goals are (within 5 years)
1. Run a marathon
2. Lose weight - Today, I'm 215 lbs. Back in my running days in the early 80's, I was only 120 lbs. Getting back to a normal BMI would be great.

My dreams are (It's free to dream right? Before I die would be nice.)
1. Run a 45 min 10k
2. Qualify for Boston
3. Do a full Ironman Triathlon


Starting today, I'll be Just Another Runner like the thousands out there, wanting to get fit, dreaming of crossing a finish line someday, and enjoying the run.


We'll see how I do this time.
We'll see if this blog is still up a year from now.
(Update 12/1/2010: IT'S STILL UP!)

Comments

  1. Hi,
    I am a fellow runner. I am trying to start an online running store. I was hoping to use this domain name (www.justanotherrunner.com) I was wondering if you would let me have it since you don't use it anymore. If not, that's fine. Let me know - ogdendistancerunner@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

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