Now is the time, my people.

Run for the hills! Or run down the hills! Or run around the hills! Honestly, it doesn’t matter if hills are even part of the equation, just run!!

Running is quick, it’s simple and you carry it with you. Getting out and running allows you to avoid the dreaded Health Club Monster, it gets you out in the fresh air. And, heck, it may even get you socializing with a bunch of people that you never get to spend much time with.

“But Guru,” you say, “I am not a runner. That’s just not me or my body.”

Hesh your face, I reply. We’re all runners. I’m 6’2″, 200 lb. If anyone shouldn’t be running, it’s me. The only difference between those that run and those that don’t is……well……running.

The very WORST part of starting a running program is, without a doubt, starting a running program. Taking those first few steps when your body is rusty and out of practice has the potential for misery. Your mind will tell you not to, your body will ask you quite urgently to stop.

But once you get into the habit of running, the benefits are aplenty:

  • More energy and productivity in all areas of your life
  • Greater sense of self-enpowerment (if you can go from zero to 60 in your personal running life, seriously, what’s going to stand in your way
  • Stronger immune system and less illness
  • Weight loss and increased muscle tone

But, right, I forgot, running isn’t for you. You’re not a “runner.”

About 14 months ago my friend Kane asked me if I would help him train for the NYC Marathon. As I recall, he had never run more than two or three miles at any one time at any point in his life, but he had a calling and, dammit, he was going to run the marathon. If you have kept up with the blog, you know that Kane, as well as half a dozen other Gurites, successfully completed the marathon. And I just passed Kane the other morning as he was going out for his run. How far ya going, I asked. “I don’t know,” he said “Five or six miles.” And he took off with a big smile on his face.

Running changed the way he sees himself and it changed the way he attacks life.

And you could have the same wonderful experience.

So here’s how you begin:

  1. Spending money: Don’t. You don’t need fancy sneakers or $200 running pants. You are just starting. Throw on some old sweat pants and sneakers and hit the road. The only thing you should be buying from Nike at this point is their slogan: Just Do It!
  2. The important thing is to get out there and move. I suggest setting a time rather than a distance for yourself. Start with 20 minutes. Try alternating between running and walking. Walk for a minute, then run for a minute. Or whatever timing you like. It’s your run, not mine. Make it work for you. Slowly over time, you can go further, longer, and take more of the time as a run. But get out there.
  3. Track your progress. Keep a chart of your time, your distance and how you feel afterward. See how your mood changes as you progress over time. This way, you have a very definitive record of your progress.
  4. Stretch when you are done. The worst thing that you can do when you are just starting a program is finish the run and go right into the fetal position in your favorite chair. Your body will rebel on you. Not good. Stretch: stretch your calves, hamstrings, quads, even your upper body. Stretch it all out. And take your time. If you run for half an hour, take five to ten minutes AT LEAST at the end to stretch out.
  5. Find some friends who would like to do this with you. Many folks enjoy the solitude of a good run. But, if you are just starting out, you may find that having a community around you for support offers a great deal of added motivation.
  6. If you’re not into running with friends, put together a great music mix that will lift you up and inspire you to keep moving (though be careful: sometimes I take that a little too far and find myself dancing in the middle of the street…..bit embarassing….)

Lastly, enjoy yourself. Don’t beat yourself silly. Go out and get some fresh air and see your community.

Rock on!

(once you get going, start working toward Badwater…….130 mile run across Death Valley…….let’s DO IT!!!)