Run for Your Life!

Yesterday we lost Bea and C on Table Mountain! It was stressful to say the least. I ignored the vet's warning of never taking a Beagle off it's lead, and look where it got me! They of course had a whale of a time just running and running and running. The not fun part was me running after them. Trying to find two puppies in Table Mountain really is trying to find a needle in a hay stack. After running for two hours (more than I have ever run in my entire life combined) my body packed in and I resigned myself to the fact that we would be going home sans dogets. Thank goodness to our absolute delight the Beags had ambushed a couple on their romantic sundowner picnic. They had traded us in for biltong! It was quite tough prying them away from the couple as they had already given their new pups names and of course the Beags were more than happy to stay with them as the couple had biltong and we did not.

The point of the story is, besides not to let your Beagle off it's lead, but the fact that I cannot run! It dawned on me that not only is it quite social, but maybe also an essential in emergency cases such as this one that one really should be able to run for more than five minutes. Let's face it I will never be entering marathons that is SO not my style. There is nothing attractive about poly shorts is there?

I have grouped together some images for my own running inspiration. Luckily Miss Hotbod has given us all some tips on how to get going............

* A note from Miss Hotbod

You can run 10km in just 3 months.

Break up your training into 12 weeks. Rest every alternate day.

Key: W - walk. J- jog. L1 - 50-60% effort. L2 -75% effort (you can still talk whilst you run) L3 - 85% effort. L4 -maximum sprint 90% effort (hectic!)

Week 1 - Grass or treadmill. W 2min/J 3min L1 x 5 reps. W 2min cool down. Last day week.(Sun) W2/J6min x 4 reps.

Week 2 - Grass or treadmill. W2/J6/ x 4 reps. W2 min cool down. Last day of week (Sat) - W2/J9 x 2 reps L1

Week 3 - Grass or treadmill. W2/J9 x 2 reps. L1 W2 cool down. Last 2 days in week (Fri,Sun) Run 20 min on road L2 (pick up pace a bit)

Week 4 - Run 20 min on road x 1 day. Run 25 min on road x 2 day. L2

Week 5 - day 1 - 30min easy recovery run. L1. day 2 - 30 min L2&L3 5 x 2min fast/2min easy jog. day 3 - 30 min L2 steady pace. day 4 - J45min L1

Week 6 - day 1 30min L1 recovery run. day 2 - 35min. L2&3 . day 3 - 35min L2 day 4 - 50min L1.Walk when you have to recover.

Week 7 - 35min L1 recovery run. day 2 - 40min L1&L2 day 3 - 40min L2. day 4 - 55min L1

Week 8 - day 1 - 35min recovery run L1. day 2 - 45min L2&L3. day 3 - 45min L2. day 4 - 60min L1

Week 9 - 40min recovery run L1. day 2 - 45min L2 & L3.day 3- 45min L2 & L3.day 4 - 65min L1

Week 10 - 40min L1 recovery run.day 2 - 45min L2 & L3. day 3 - 45min L2&L3. day 4 - 70min L1

Week 11 - 45min L1 recovery run. day 2 - 45min L2&L3. day 3 - 45min L2&L3. day 4 - 75min L1

Week 12 - 3omin L2&L3. day 2 - 15min L2 &L3. day 3 - run 10kms!

Remember to stretch during and after a run, particularly the calves,quadriceps,hamstrings,glutes and hip flexors. Assist recovery by eating a protein rich meal,taking a hot bath with mustard salts, and drinking water.Before you run, eat a banana to get your energy levels up.Run on a treadmill or on grass whenever possible in the first few weeks - this will minimise jarring on the legs until they get used to running. If your calves and shins feel very tight make sure your laces aren't too tight,and stretch regularly. Look after your body. Eat,sleep,drink water,go for massages - it all goes a long way to making you an awesome runner!

Fair Lady. February 2008