Today is just another ordinary day.
My (and his™) iPhone alarms went off at 8am, but I woke up half an hour later because I couldn’t sleep properly last night. Despite the insomnia, I was in a pretty good mood, humming softly while I brushed my teeth and got into my running shorts. I made sure I had a 30-min run today by taking a glimpse in my miCoach schedule on the iPhone and briefly checked my e-mail.
I was pulling my hair up in a ponytail when he™ got in the bathroom and told me the news.
I rushed to my iMac to find my Twitter stream exploding. I briefly scrolled through the messages while plugging my iPhone to sync some new songs from my iTunes running mix. Closed the iPhone 4S tab that I was checking out last night, as well as the keynote (is it called now a Timnote?) presentation from the iPhone event. I opened up Apple.com. Then Wired.com. Then Google.com.
I typed some half-assed tweet in my Apple keyboard and shuffled around my Macbook Pro to find my sunglasses and my iPhone armband. While running, I was thinking how cool would be if we could use Siri on our Macs. Surely it’d be amazing to tell Siri create an appointment in iCal while I’m typing in an article in Pages…
Today is just another ordinary day.
* This is a really personal post for me. You have to allow me the lack of comments. Thank you.
This September (apart from my cat’s first birthday, according to his vet) marks another anniversary, personal this time: it’s been a year since the moment that I got tired of being full-time sedentary and started running1.
What’s in a year? 400 kilometres, or 30.000 calories, or 180 days out in the park, putting one foot in front of the other and trying to shake my previous lifestyle off my shoulders (and legs).
I’ve written this post to help people who are thinking about starting to run. It’s been one of the few habits that stuck with me and I really want more people to get up from their chairs and start moving, because it’s a life-changing decision.
I have to admit though, I’m not a pro athlete nor a doctor, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
Ready…
First things first: you’re gonna sweat. Don’t expect to look like a supermodel when running, and if you do, well, it’s not really working. I’ve got to terms with my looks while running. I call it “stroke chic”.
You’re not gonna lose weight just by running. You’re going to feel lighter and healthier, yes. You’re going to feel like you’re ready to conquer the world because of the whole endorphin rush. But you’re not losing your beer belly or muffin top without altering your eating habits. I know I didn’t get much slimmer (because I love good food).
Get good shoes. I’m a fan of the Asics GEL Kayano series, I have the 16 ladies model. Very sturdy shoe, perfect for all-around running. I’ve been wearing it for almost a year now and it shows no to very little damage.
Get good tunes. Sure, you can run while listening to Barry White, but why not opt for something more upbeat? My usual workout playlist is a crappy mainstream mix I’ve found on Spotify. It helps me keep my rhythm, and by now my brain is wired to go into running mode as soon as I start listening to it. If I’m not in the mood for mainstream music, I switch to my iTunes to listen to friskyPodcast for some proper mixes (thanks Graham for the recommendation).
Get coached. If you’re like me, you’re into RPGs and you love the quests and achievements mechanism. Both Adidas miCoach and Nike+ iPhone apps have coaching programmes you can use to set goals and motivate yourself. I started with Nike+ (they’ve got an excellent Walk to Run programme) and then I switched to miCoach, which offers perfect control over your training schedule.
Steady…
Be patient and build a solid base. Don’t expect to run a 5K just like that. At first you’re going to sweat blood – when I started, I could run non-stop for maybe 45 seconds before seeing black spots. Things get better though. Even if I sometimes stop running for 10 to 20 days when I’m busy, I know I can keep running for 25 to 30 minutes when I come back.
Find your rhythm. Don’t run for 45 minutes one day and 10 minutes the next one. Don’t start too fast, you’re gonna burn out. Keep a slow steady rhythm and only go faster when (if) your coaching programme says so. Don’t forget to rest between runs.
Run when you feel like to, but preferably early in the day or late in the afternoon. That’s especially aimed to beginners who live in warmer climates. If you keep running at noon under the scorching sun for days on end, things are going to get ugly. It’s dumb and it’s dangerous. Bonus: if you run in the morning, even if your day is crappy and unproductive, you will still have accomplished something. Keep that thought.
Go!
Don’t give up. Cliché? Maybe. Just DON’T GIVE UP. Even when you feel you’re going to throw up, when you’re sweating like a pig and feel you’re ready to faint, keep going. It’s years of sedentary life that scream in agony, not your body. Put one foot in front of the other and keep moving2.
After a while, it gets to you. I promise. I used to hate running, but nowadays, if I don’t run, I gaze longingly at the park I usually train every time I drive by. Really.
1 Well, running, fast shuffling, what’s the difference anyway?
2 That is, unless you have some heart condition or anything that could get worse with exercise. In that case, consult a doctor first.
Last night, while I was walking towards home, a stranger felt up my derrière.
Thought you misread? Let me rephrase: while I was returning home last night from my weekly trip to Stelios‘ place for our podcast, a random man on a scooter approached me, slowed down, grabbed my bum and drove away.
Here I was, thinking about wireframes and workflows and a Mac app, when suddenly I felt a hand on my ass.
What. The. Fuck.
My first (and only) reaction was shock. I just stood there, totally speechless, and watched him leaving without as much as a shout.
At first I thought I was stupid for not screaming. Then I thought, maybe it was someone I know. But then, I don’t keep grab-yo-bum relationships with anyone apart the boyfriend™, and even he wouldn’t dare to do that in plain sight, while I’m walking alone at night.
Then I realized what happened. And I felt like shit.
Do you know what’s worse? I momentarily felt guilty. I thought – hey, maybe my jeans were hanging too low. Maybe they were too tight. Maybe I moved too much while walking, do I do that really? I must stop it, then, it’s provocative. That stupid female remorse that’s wired in our brains.
I’m not big on feminism and I’ve been quite vocal about it. I think it creates a huge divide between the two genders that’s uncalled for. If we, women, want to be treated as equals, we have to start behaving like we are. The whole thing seems a bit whiney to me.
But one jackass in a motorcycle helmet managed to lessen me and my big mouth to pulp.
That prick.
The subject is touchy. Therefore I won’t tolerate jokes in the comnents. In fact – screw it, I’m closing them off completely for this post only.
