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New Plodder Greets Warrior Runners
Hello fellow runners,
Having lurked for some time, I thought it was time to reveal myself... I began running some three months ago after my 42nd birthday, having not run since high school. I still remember vividly that first run - I was nervous and apprehensive and the 1100 metres I covered (2/3rds of a mile) left me so sore it was another 5 days before I could run again! Yes, I had read all the "run 90 seconds, walk 3 minutes"-type web pages etc., but for an impatient guy like me that all seemed so fiddly.
Anyway, despite ignoring the run/walk advocates, I took it slowly and carefully, and am stunned beyond belief that I am now regularly running 5 - 7 kms and enjoying it to boot!
I found Andy's web site early in the piece (think I did a Google search on "running" and "beer") and loved it and also this forum. It's full of pragmatic, real people that I can relate to, unlike the "pro" sites, which are excellent in their own way, but hard to believe sometimes. After all, when a guy who has run a marathon in 2:15 says I can run one too, I just wonder how he can possibly know that. But I know I can drink as much beer as Andy, so if he can, maybe I CAN run a marathon as well?? At least I know the training will be fun.
Speaking of beer, I live in Adelaide, South Australia, home of the world's best beer... Coopers! And I'm not being parochial, I knew about Coopers long before I moved to South Australia (I was born and bred in Tasmania). And yes, I have tried all the world's beer, so I know what I'm talking about. Sorry, that's a lie... I don't _really_ know what I'm talking about...
Anyway, in the best traditions of newbie runners, I have of course developed my own philosophy about running:
1) Start each run slowly. If you must go out fast, don't whinge about the excruciating agony afterwards.
2) Learn to love hills. Hills are like women - daunting, but worth the effort.
3) Never sprint. Sprinting hurts. Sprinting is for quadrapeds - bipeds jog.
4) When it's hot, don't run.
5) When it's cold, don't run.
6) When it's wet, windy or humid, don't run.
7) Ignore the above 3 points or you'll never run.
8) Compensating for a lack of running with beer and pizza is stupid, stupid, stupid.
9) Track work is OK... but only if you love excruciating boredom.
10) 4,000 calories is 4 hour's running. So unless you want to run a marathon after dinner...
I don't know if I really want to run a marathon or not, but there is one half-marathon that I would dearly love to do. In my home town of Hobart there is a half marathon that is run from sea level to the top of Mt.Wellington (1400m). I guess that is my goal, and also my qualifying entry to the League of Masochists. But if I could do that, I would be well satisfied.
Enough already. My legs are cramping with all this inactivity.
MLC Man.
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