Running 101

It was a few weeks ago that I christened myself a “jogger, but not a runner”. Fast forward 5-6 weeks and I’ve run enough miles (74.5 since the Urban Dare post) and read the blogs of enough running coaches that I think I’ve got the basics down. This is a far cry from a year or two ago when I’d decide to go running once in a blue moon, covering far too many miles on my non-runner legs, and hobble back home with an injury.

A little background: I haven’t always been athletically inclined, although I did play field hockey in high school for a semester. My jock phase abruptly ended in 2001 when I was in a car accident that forced me onto crutches for about 2 months and into physical therapy for 6 additional months. I regained full range of motion but lost a significant amount of muscle, mobility, and strength as well as suffering nerve damage. On paper I was doing fine (I didn’t require any more physical therapy aside from a cortisone shot to the knee every 6 months or so), but I felt lethargic and much weaker than before.

Focus Your Efforts with Heart Rate Zone Training

Perhaps this post could be called an ode to the heart rate monitor, my favorite training tool. It gives instant feedback and lets me know how hard I'm truly training, based on my cardiac output. If you're a gym-goer you've probably jumped on a cardio machine and seen this familiar sticker or one of its familiar variations. Why so complicated, cardiovascular machines? I'll explain why one (heart rate) zone doesn't fit all because we all have different training goals.