Runnning: Less is more. Read Doctor Mama’s advice on this.

Hey I just wanted to say thank you (again) for all the working out inspiration and information. I’m trying to lose the 12 lbs from the latest miscarriage and for a champion non-excerciser, it’s been tough. But I’ve been trying all your suggestions here and actually feel good about it now. Granted, I threw my back out after one week of trying, but I’m almost healed now.

Also, I see somebody beat me to it, but I had to comment about Dylan’s suspicious expression in that picture with JB. Runs in the family, I guess. (Are there zombies living in your house or something? :)

I cannot help you on the running. Why? Running, what’s that – torture?

I just love the picture of the 3 boys in your life. Dylan definitely has the Riley look down pat. Must be a family trait.

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

This is a great plan to get you from not running to running a 5K arranged into a workable plan. It sounds like you are no couch potato, so I think they also have one to get you to 10K in the same amount of time.

I tried the 5K plan. It didn’t kill me, when I really thought it might. And each step feels like an achievement which helped keep me going.

Like victoria said, check out doctormama’s blog (doctormama.blogspot.com). She inspired me to get out there and just try to run. She pushes for running S-L-O-W-L-Y (like, embarrassingly so), but I can actually do it and go out and do it again the next time and not hate it. Good luck to you!

I have no running advice because I have no knowledge of things I hate.

I don’t usually comment here, but I had to tell you that you are a hot mamma. Your welcome. It’s a sincere compliment with a dash of envy. How unfair to look that good with a baby that age.

I mean, “you’re welcome.” der

Run slower, longer. Anything else is asking for an injury (shin splints, runner’s knee, chondromalacia, etc etc), and you need to build up endurance.

Intervals are fine to mix in, of course, but stick with the long and slow. Everyone likes it long and slow, right?

You know, based on the fact that you like variety I would say do both whenever you feel like it. Based on the other workouts you already do, I would say go for distance, you already seem to be doing things that get your heart rate up (good for heart health). I get bored easily…so even though i try to run for distance I like to mix it up and try to run up a hill or sprint to a mail box etc. etc. whatever keeps it fun.

one of the things my running coaches taught to beginners is start with the run/walk, with certain measured intervals, and slowly decrease the walk interval and increase the run interval, and eventually you’ll be running the whole time. So if you start running 3 min, walking 3 minutes, go to run 4/walk 2, run 5/walk 1, and then all run, or whatever mix of intervals works best for you.

You look so freaking tiny! I can totally see the muscles in your oh so slender arms. Nice job!

Dylan is such a clone of JB.

What informative comments! I also think the Cool Running program is great, but it’s nice to read about some other options!

I said it over on flickr and I’ll say it here too – I just love that first picture of Dylan! So cherubic! So happy! I hope he gets the bug out of his ass soon so you can get some sleep!

Also, Cat!

I am a beginning runner since last summer, and I’ve run 4 5k races. My fiance is a marathoner and ultra-runner and my coach. I am a slow runner, but in all the runs I do I always ‘run.’ Even if people who are walking are actually passing me. I’ve asked my fiance over and over again, ‘how can I be faster?’ his answer is always the same. Just keep running consistently, same pace as many days a week as you can. You’ll get faster with time. So you can follow a program. Or you can just get out there for your 45 minutes and run consistently as much as you can and not worry about speed. Good luck!

That first picture kills me! Way too cute! I know nothing about running. But that Couch to 5K thing sounds pretty cool. What do YOU know about making your knees not kill when you run? I see people with those black bands around their knees. Is that what those are for? You are far more inclined when it comes to the working out thing. I’m more…reclined. Like in a chair.

I have no tips on the running, but I wanted to say that Dylan is soo super cute in that first photo. He’s a bit of a redhead! That’s the kind of picture you keep in your mind when you’re looking for the volume/standby button, I’m guessing.

I just have to say that the first picture of Dylan is so friggin’ cute that I might just relent on my no-baby-for-a-long-time stance. Sigh- you enjoy those two!

I don’t know shit about running, but I adore Dylan’s expression in that one

I don’t know shit about running, but I adore Dylan’s expression in the fourth photo. It just cracks me the hell up.

I just discovered your blog and I have to say – you are the bomb! I run like a wounded gazelle so you definitely don’t want tips from me, but I just had to comment on you post,9-5 and otherwise. I so related to everything you said -you summed everything up so nicely. I was rolling along a pretty sweet career path and I hopped off when I had my first child. I now have two kiddos and I’m working part-time in a completely different field. It’s a very low key position and sometimes it can honestly be pretty boring – but it provides very well and it is perfect for my life at this point in time and that’s what I focus on. And since I’m no longer spending excess amounts of energy in a demanding job, I taking up new interests, like blogging and digital scrapbooking. And your comments about milk-barfs, poopy diapers and screaming melt-downs – OMG I can so relate. Thanks for being so damn refreshing – I will be back often.

How is the world did that tiny baby get so big???

SmartCoach is a tool on RunnersWorld that I’ve used to start up running again – and really, I’m super, super, super slow.

You just type in your current ‘time’ for a mile (even if you’re walking some of it) and what your end goal is (to be able to run a 5K, a mile, a marathon, etc.) and it will guide you to what you’re supposed to do. I’ve been on it for about 4 weeks, and I’m already so much better at just being able to run a mile that I ever thought I would be.

There is also the “Run a minute, Walk a minute” route you can go and as you get better and not feeling like crap after running a mile, you extend to to run two minutes, walk a minute, until you can run a full mile.

Hope that helps!

1. What the *hell* are you dieting for?

2. Not that you even remotely asked, but I have tried every single kind of running shoe available since high school track (OH so long ago), and I recently discovered SAUCONY GRID is the all-time best running shoe made to date. And I had to tell you that.

On the running: do a little of both. Stick mostly to the longer, slower intervals but once every couple of weeks? Do some shorter, faster ones up the hills. Mixing things up will be good for you and help you improve both speed and endurance.

I enthusiastically second the SAUCONY GRID suggestion. I love, LOVE my SAUCONY GRID COHESION NX’s. I can almost always find last year’s colors at a DSW type of shoe store for a good discount.

Dude, I do believe I heard about Couch to 5K FROM YOUR BLOG way back when. lol

You have lots of advice – I just wanted to throw out a great site!
http://www.marksdailyapple.com

I had been half-assed jogging for about a year before adding in faster sprints periodically – and I noticed a difference in my fitness level almost immediately with the
intervals added. I also do insane hills (run down, fast walk up) and they are AWESOME for legs and butt! Good luck – there’s nothing that gives you that “just worked out” feeling better than running!

I’ve been running for about 10 years with no major injuries. I also have never had any training, and I flunked PE in high school for 3 years. So, take this opinion for what it’s worth. I run hills and flats but on different days to mix it up a little. I started by walk/ jogging the hills and it took me about 6 months to actually run up a hill, full tilt. I would say always start slow, if you haven’t been running for awhile. This may be hard for you to do because you’re so damn hard core!

I can’t beyond running intervals. Stupid exercise induced asthma and a bum knee from running hurdles in high school. :p

I’m stuck on week 2 or 3 of the couch to 5K plan. :)

PS: Your family is so freaking cute. :)

9am? I sort of hate you right now. Oh, but look at those sweet baby faces. I just can’t hold a grudge.

God, I have such a thing for Riley. He is incapable of taking a bad picture.

I would keep going for as long as you can regardless of the speed, that will kick in when you are ready.

You look great, BTW.

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In General: I just started reading this after either dadgonemad.com or Alltop.com mentioned it, and I likes! I keep flicking on Google Reader’s “share” tag hoping my wife will start using the dang thing someday, I know she’d get a kick out of to. Anyway, enough with the “first-time caller, long-time listener” BS.

On Running: I would heartily recommend building your base up for at least 4-6 weeks by doing long, slow runs. After that, work on whatever floats your boat. Some quick notes on what heart rates might give you, from lowest/least intense to highest/most:

Weight loss: The hallmark of this pace is what many call “conversation pace”. If you can hold a conversation while you run, you’re at a good fat-burning pace.

Cardiovascular conditioning: Medium pace

Speed: Anaerobic, intervals, cardiac arrest type workouts

I’m a former runner of sorts, but now that my knees sound like Rice Krispies, I’m more of a cyclist (roadie). Something to keep in mind… ;)

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