Preparing for running

[The League Champ]

If you have never ran before and want to start, or it has been a long time since you have been able to go for distance this might be able to help. Try this for one month before beginning running daily.

To be able to run long distances you need good cardio and good leg strength both. To build your cardio while also working out your legs start out working on a stationary bike. Start with 20 to 30 minutes daily or every other day in the beginning, practice breathing deep breaths in your nose and out of your mouth. Every other day work out your obliques (the muscles on your sides, which is often the love handle area) by doing either side bridges for 20-45 seconds or by doing twists with a bar.

During the second week, and on through the 3rd and 4th as well, start lifting your legs 2-3 times per week (monday, wednesday and friday for example) with at least one day between workouts (exercises include squat, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, and calf raises). After each leg workout doing a 15-20 minute on a treadmill or outside. The days between continue with your cycling on the stationary bike. Also continue with working out your obliques.

The third week you want to do the same as the second week. You can add in sets of sprints in the mornings before or in evening after your cycling during 2 days.

The fourth week you can cut out the cycling and do a combination of jog/sprint running. The jog at a slower pace than what your running pace is, the sprint at a faster pace- these are fartlecks. Continue on with lifting your legs (for the remainder of week but quit when you start running daily) and with working your obliques.

When the month is done start off by running shorter distances, 2 or 3 miles per day for a week, 3 or 4 miles per day the next week and work your way up to being able to run 40 miles a day like cabezon.

[cabezon]

or, you could just run.




J/K, hey man Daegus runs a buttload more than me. i haven't hit 40 in a week since before the marathon. 40 in a day, maybe next year.
You know what i do that is wierd? sit ups. not crunches but honest to goodness situps. those are great for the hips and legs, the muscles that make the legs move.

[E36Guy]

I think I run probably about a mile a day. I dont really plan on doing more.. and it actually takes me closer to like 15-20 minutes. Then again, I stop my jogging after about a half mile, take a seat on the sand, watch the waves... then get up, turn around and jog back.

Im actually trying to spend MORE time if I can. But I guess Im just untraditional like that.

Good write up though.. I just jumped right into my run.. then again, it's not very difficult of a run. But even still, I was sore and hurting.. my legs are STILL decently sore and Ive been running for couple weeks now.

[The League Champ]

Originally Posted by cabezon

or, you could just run.

I've done both ways... I think that when you just start running your progress is not as fast, plus if you just start running it is alot harder to stick with it. This way even if you don't keep with your running, if you stick with the month you will at least have nice shapely legs and be good at cycling

[Sportsmedjosh]

cabezon as soon as I find my nike+ we'll do a mile challenge for a month. See who racks up the most.

[cabezon]

OK, sounds good. now that sonia is back it is going to be hard for me to run all the time like I was.