So for this lovely Friday, I am going to bust 5 myths about running. Remember I am not an expert & these are my freaking opinions!
1) Runners sprint or run FAST every single run. I have friends who won’t run with me because “they do not want to slow me down” or “they can’t keep up.” When I started running, I felt this way when I ran with my friend Amber. But somewhere on a Grande Cache mountain, I realized WHO THE FACK CARES? We are not racing. Amber knows my capabilities and if anything, she inspired me to move my ass.
2) You have to be a certain body type/weight to run. Take a look at the start line and finish line of any race to bust this myth. ANYONE can run if they put their mind to it. I am really happy to read on Facebook about the progress a heavyset guy I know is making as he gradually falls in love with running. I can really see a difference in his status updates. Wonderful.
3) Runners do not need to lift up a barbell. Strength training. This has taken me a while to figure this one out for myself. Since I have started Crossfit I am a stronger runner. No question. There’s so much information out there now about the importance of core and body strength. Investigate.
4) You have to run everyday to get better/improve. If this were the case, I would still be taking a walk break every three minutes. I suck at following any sort of training plan. Many marathon plans out there call for running 5 or 6 days a week. Plus it increasing the likelihood of getting injured. I am a firm believer of staying injury-free.
This brings me back to Myth #3 – substitute a short run for a barbell session. Benefits galore, I promise.
5) Running is boring. Sometimes running the same route over and over again can get tedious. That’s one reason why I hate looping more than once. As most of you know, I am a lapsed treehugger. I love running in the forests, woods and on mountains. Mother Nature is spectacular. How can that be boring? Ditch the pavement. Once you go trail, you never go back.