Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Lengthen your stride

As soon as the girls left for school this morning I called my friend Lisa--the all things running expert. "My ankles felt funny this morning," I announced. "I stretched like I usually do and did one of my regular routes, but my ankles felt strained." Her first question...how old were my shoes? When I announced their age...2 years... the little pause on the other end of the line told me what I needed to know. How often am I supposed to be replacing shoes? Do you ever realize mid-conversation that the more you talk the more you have firmly entrenched yourself in the beginner camp?



But, I can change the beginner status. I just started a training program to get ready for my first 10K. I want to run the Springdale Butch Cassidy 10K in November with my friends Lisa & Laura and I started training last week. I carefully assessed several different training methods, with lots of help from Lisa, of course. And then promptly decided on the easiest! After all it is my first 10K. And I should be race worthy about three weeks early so maybe I can actually run it decently instead of just to finish.


Anyway, this afternoon, I was laughing to myself as I drove home from Salt Lake Running. (A store I would highly recommend because their sales staff is so helpful and knowldegeable!) I started running to lose weight and because it was so much less expensive than joining the gym...but I just spent $100 on awesome shoes, I really need a treadmill, and I WANT WANT WANT a Garmin Forerunner. If I found a gently used treadmill than my monthly hobby budget might come in under $1000 for all three items. I think joining a gym might have been less expensive afterall, and if I divide the $1000 for every pound I've lost...oh...let's not do that math! AND on top of all that I would forever give up the right to give my husband grief for spending money on his hobbies. Clearly I need to deliberate a little more and assess the entire costs of my situation!

2 comments:

Michelle Alley said...

Jenn - So great that you've started running. I've been a bit lax on running, but am excited to get going at full speed when the girls start kindergarten. A treadmill is VERY handy, we bought one out of neccessity for these long winters up in Quebec. I've only heard good things about the running store. Good Luck - keep us updated on the 10k training :)

Will Murdoch said...

You won't have to give up giving your husbund grief over his hobbies. A boat is still way more expensive than a treadmill!! :)