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STARTING LINE KEY FOR RUNNING PLAN
DEVELOPING STRATEGY, SUPPORT GROUP, PROPER EQUIPMENT HELP SUSTAIN SIMPLE EXERCISE
DATE: Tuesday, August 10, 2004
BYLINE: By BRUCE MEADOWS
JEFF KAN LEE / The Press Democrat
Empire Runners take their Thursday evening run at Lake Ralphine.
The group, formed in 1975 as an alternative to more elite racing teams, offers activities for every level.
You may not be ready to tackle an event like this Sunday's Vineman Triathlon, but you do want to get off the couch and
start running.
So where do you start? What do you wear? Where do you go? Do you want to run alone or with other beginners?
It's not as simple as putting on a pair of sneakers and sticking your head out the door, although that can happen, too.
``I've had friends start running, then quit,'' said longtime Rancho Cotate cross-country and track coach John Anderson.
``Not so much because of injury as lack of motivation.''
The 51-year-old Anderson, who still runs five or six days a week, said finding a group of runners with similar
abilities and goals is a good idea.
``There are running guides in magazines like Runner's World,'' he said. ``And beginners should consider hooking up with
a local running club or taking a class at the YMCA.''
Empire Runners, formed in 1975 as an alternative to more elite racing teams, offers activities for every level,
including training groups for beginners.
``I got into running to get in shape,'' said club president Bill Browne, 54, who works in merchandising and sales.
``But the more I ran, the more I realized what good therapy it can be.''
New runners -- or former runners who are interested in getting back into it -- can check out the club web site at
empirerunners.org to find an activity best suited for them.
The club's focus has shifted over the years from highly competitive racing teams to local race sponsorship to social
training groups, and now encompasses all three.
``Training groups are a great place to start,'' said Browne, who runs 25-30 miles a week. ``The best thing for a
beginner is to start slow, two or three days a week, and our club can accommodate everyone.''
Some beginners grab whatever running shoes they find in the closet or maybe look for a bargain pair at a sporting
goods store.
``A good pair of shoes can make the difference,'' said Ron Jacobs, who owns Fleet Feet Sports in Santa Rosa, the only
business of its kind in the area.
``We do more than sell shoes,'' he said. ``We look at bio-mechanics, watch people run and suggest the best shoe.''
A good entry-level running shoe can cost $75-90.
``You can obviously find shoes for less,'' said Jacobs, who carries products from seven vendors. ``But a better shoe can
last three times as long and prevent injuries.''
Jacobs said injuries he sees most are shin splints and plantar fasciitis, commonly known as heel spurs.
``A lot of problems are brought on by over-pronation (rotating the foot outward), which can be addressed with the proper
shoes,'' said Jacobs. ``Heel pain, if untreated, can spread into the arch and keep you from running.''
The wrong shoes lead not only to foot ailments, but knee and hip problems, too.
Anderson sees runners, especially young ones, getting off to a bad start.
``They try to run in their Air Jordans, hurt themselves and blame it on running,'' he said.
Larry Meredith, training director for Empire Runners, had several suggestions, including:
* recruiting a friend with similar goals so you can motivate each other;
* create a calendar of when, where and what you will be doing during your workout and try to stick with it for at least
five weeks;
* write down how many minutes you will try to run/walk and increase the total gradually;
* don't wander too far from your house or car for a while ... you can repeat a short loop so you don't get worn out
while you still have a long way to go;
* run on interesting or scenic routes when possible, like Channel Drive and Channel Trail on the edge of Annadel State
Park.
Runners seem to expand their goals according to their needs. Some run for enjoyment, covering the same distances now
that they did 20 years ago.
Some with a desire to raise the bar get into running 10ks and move on to marathons.
Santa Rosan Linda Phaby started running seriously in the early 1980s after the birth of her youngest daughter, Laura.
Her husband, Joe, started a few years earlier.
``I was running almost daily,'' said Phaby, 57, part of the ``marathon moms'' group that trained together for several
years. ``But I kind of fizzled out in the early '90s ... I focused more on work and my career.''
Phaby, who works in management consulting, made efforts to get back into running, although it didn't last.
``But I always thought of myself as a runner who just wasn't running anymore,'' she said.
Phaby got back into it last winter, concerned about her her health and well-being.
``Now I'm back running, not as much, maybe three or four times a week,'' said Phaby. ``But now it's on my terms ...
it's a gift I give myself.''
And, she adds, ``If you've been a runner, you can always start up again, and if you've never run, there's no reason
you can't try it.''
There are many opinions on the value of stretching before running. Some runners swear by it, some swear at it, pointing
to the only running-related injuries they've suffered having come from stretching.
``I warm up by running 8 to 10 minutes, then stretch,'' said Anderson. ``Your muscles heat up and are more elastic.''
Too many people, he adds, ``bounce when they stretch and can hurt themselves.''
Jacobs, whose store caters to walkers and runners, said in addition to the proper shoes, other related items are
available.
``You can run in a T-shirt, which can really get heavy (with perspiration), but once you've tried CoolMax (a synthetic
fabric), you won't go back,'' he said.
Fleet Feet also offers heart-rate monitors, watches, pedometers and even GPS (global positioning systems).
``They tell you where you are and how far you've gone,'' said Jacobs, adding there's a unit for $200.
Anyone thinking about running should consult a doctor ... a physical is never a bad idea.
And while you can strike out on your own, checking out a club like Empire Runners, or Santa Rosa Express for kids,
can put you in touch with other runners.
``I'm really glad I started,'' said Browne, who first began running in 1975. ``I don't preach running because a lot
of my friends think I'm nuts, but it's not just good for your body ... it's good for your mind, too.''
Call Staff Writer Bruce Meadows at 521-5263 or e-mail bmeadows@pressdemocrat.com
A RUNNING START
Some suggestions on how to begin a running program, according to running.about.com
1. Make an appointment with your doctor and get his OK to start.
2. Make an appointment with yourself; set an hour aside devoted to you.
3. Put on your old tennis shoes and lace them up.
4. Get up off the couch.
5. Go outside.
6. Look both ways and decide on a direction to go.
7. Begin walking - briskly.
8. If you run out of breath, slow down.
9. Repeat steps 2 - 7 at least three to four days a week until you can walk at a fast pace for at least 45 minutes continuously.
10. At this point it is time to begin a slow jog for short periods.
11. Jog easily for just 30 seconds then continue your walk until recovered, then jog again.
12. Increase the jogging periods gradually until you are able to jog continuously for the entire 45 minutes.
Time Required: 45 minutes
TIPS:
1. When jogging you should be able to hold a relaxed conversation with a companion. If you become breathless, slow down or begin walking again because you're running too fast. This isn't a race.
2. As soon as you can afford it you should purchase a pair of ``real'' running shoes. Find a store in your area that caters to runners. There you will find people that know how to help you make the right choice in shoes.
3. Find a local running club and join it. They often have weekly races and ``fun runs'' for runners of all levels. Many have clinics for new runners and, most of all, you will meet other runners.