Adventures in the Love of Running
I implore you to see exercise (and life!) not as goals to accomplish, but adventures to experience. You’ll be amazed at what you find out about yourself. – Matt Frazier
It is that statement that makes me want to learn more from a guy like Matt Frazier.
I’m not going to say I never want to run a marathon, but I can tell you it’s not currently on my to do list. Even so, I just read a book about running your first marathon.
Why I read a book about running a marathon when I don’t want to run one.
- I really respect the Author and he asked me to read it.
- I want to be a runner.
- I only planned on reading a couple of chapters.
I knew the nomeatathlete.com would become one of my go to blogs, when I read author, Matt Fraizer’s post about trail running on Zen Habits. My dreams of running all take place off road, and after reading Born to Run and finding Matt’s blog about running on a vegetarian diet, I was hooked. So hooked, that I started a project based on Matt’s cookbook, Fuel Your Run the Tarahumara Way. The Chia Chronicles are my reviews of his Chia/Pinole recipes.
I started trail running last Summer. I stopped running, but I don’t remember why, and plan to start again as soon as the snow melts. I don’t want to race or win or hit a certain number of miles. I just want to run through the woods, or on the beach. I want to run for the love of it.
As I mentioned, I had only planned on reading a few chapters of Matt’s new book, Marathon Roadmap, The Vegetarian Guide to Conquering your first 26.2, so I was pleasantly surprised when I couldn’t stop reading. Because of Matt’s easy writing style and very simple, realistic approach to running, I read the whole thing. I did breeze through some of the training chapters as I am not planning to train for a marathon, but I was really excited to find a link to an 8 week training program from Runner’s World for beginner runners.
If you are considering a marathon, this book is a great tool, with detailed training programs and recommendations. If, like me, you don’t plan to run a marathon, but have interest in running or a vegetarian diet, here are a few reasons to read the book.
- The basics. Even though the marathon training is directed to a more experienced runner, Matt covers the basics of equipment, safety, stretching and cross training that a beginner should know.
- Injury proof your stride. When I first started to talk to Matt about running, he recommended that I increase my turnover rate. (not apple turnovers people!) He was talking about how fast my feet strike the ground when I run. Instead of running with long strides, landing on your heel, he suggests short, quick strides landing mid foot. There is a chapter about how to increase your stride to 180 steps per minute, with step by step instructions.
- An adaptable plan. The book is a road map, but your goal is not to follow each step to the letter. Adapt the program to work best for you.
- Matt is not from the “no pain, no gain” camp. I love that Matt says, “Don’t Try to Run Through Pain. If something starts to hurt during your training, running through the pain isn’t going to do any good.” So often we are conditioned to push through the pain and finish a workout at any cost. Instead, Matt suggests, “Don’t be tough. Be smart.”
- Resources. Resources. Resources. This book is easy to read through, but one you will want to refer back to as your training progresses. He links everything smart about running and training, from articles, to books, to product recommendations and reviews and recipes.
- No Carnivorous Guilt.While this book is about training on a vegetarian diet, it does not go on and on about animal cruelty or compassion-less meat eaters. Instead, it focuses on the performance benefits of a vegetarian diet.
- The Perfect Smoothie Formula. It is worth buying the book for this alone. I can’t wait to put it to the test!
- Simple Meal Plan. And it really is simple.
- Recipes. For delicious dishes like Potato-Lentil Curry, Quinoa with Cashews and Oranges and No Meat Athlete Grill-Worthy Veggie Burgers.
I recommend Marathon Roadmap, The Vegetarian Guide to Conquering your first 26.2. if you are looking for practical tips or simple inspiration. With the exception of the “race day” section, the advice was just as applicable to a new runner like me, as it would be to an aspiring marathoner.
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21 Responses to “Adventures in the Love of Running”
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I’ve been thoroughly enjoying your blog for months now–thank you. Now you’ve got me curious about the possibility of becoming a runner. Other than some short runs with our dogs (with many stops for the dogs) I certainly wouldn’t consider myself much of an athlete. I think it’s time to escape the realities of my youth and create a new reality for myself. You’ve helped me decide to leap into 40 at a run. Thanks for the review of the book and your thoughts on so many things.
Anne, I’ve done so many things this past year that I thought I wouldn’t be capable of physically. I am less than two weeks from completing P90X and that has really given me the mental and physical confidence to take running up again.
Looking forward to more adventures and hearing about yours!
i love being able to call myself a runner! and while i’ve ran marathons and half marathons and other events, i really just love to run. there’s nothing like it! i have to admit though, i’ve never thought about being a vegetarian runner. this book sounds great and definitely worth investigating. thanks for sharing it!
Tamara, you can get some great information from nomeatathlete.com but the book organizes everything in a really useful way. Will be interested to hear if you test out a veg diet for your next race.
Courtney,
Why is it you continue to have what I’m looking for??? I love it. I’m currently back to running after a 7 month hiatus and an injury all due to sitting on my foot while in my computer chair! I did keep walking 4 miles a day, so all wasn’t lost.
I’ve run since I was 27 and quit smoking. That’s 30 years this Nov. The doctor told me on my last bone scan I have the hips of a thrity year old. That will keep me from falling in my 80′s!
Anyway I’m up to nearly five miles and am signing up for the 1/2 rock n roll marathon in Washington in June.
I wrote a post on running on my blog and it was picked up by Forbes Women. If you need any encouragement when the snow melts let me know;)
Anyway I kept walk
Tess, I think since we met in San Fran, we’ve had a special, sometimes unspoken connection. I would love to see your running post. Congrats on the 1/2 marathon. Keep me in the loop on that…I’ll be cheering you on.
There is a definite link between minimalism and running without a doubt. It is by far the simplest and in my opinion the most effective form of exercise. I completed a half marathon last year and have considered a full, but the training commitment puts me off. The training for the half was time consuming so to double that I’m not sure I could at this time with two small children. Anyone considering taking up running – be it 2 mile or 20 – go for it!
Jo, Thanks for the encouragement. I am going to start with 1.
My first day ever at the gym today and I ran over 3 miles on the treadmill, which may seem small but its a huge deal for me! I was an athlete all through my childhood up to varsity sports in high school (soccer/softball) but was always an awful runner, even though I did it every single day. I don’t think I could ever have run 3 miles straight in high school and I wonder if my vegetarian (leaning more and more towards vegan) diet is a major factor. Love the vegetarian athlete enthusiasm!
kj, 3 miles does not seem small at all to me. Way to go!
Courtney,
I know your readers appreciate you, just wanted to chime my thanks in!
Thanks for sharing such an encouraging & motivating post. I still very much consider myself to be new to running, though I am stepping it up from hiking and miles long, swift walks. I am aiming for a 5k run the same day my husband tackles a marathon, the *off* feeling days make me doubt at times the possibility but I am determined to take a step at a time until it turns into miles. Currently I am using an app on my phone to track progress and that has also been a motivation, getting hooked on entering the latest run info, charting progress, etc. Ok so this month you’ve encouraged my pursuit of foreign language and now prodded me along in my running efforts; what are you planning next?
Gena, sounds like a challenge! I’ll think of something.
Tennis is my exercise that’s sexercise for my spirit Courtney. When I play I forget all my woes and worries and get a good work out and immune boost at the same time. So, I say hit the road or hit the courts and release a healthier more positive you as you do.
John, I love tennis although I haven’t played in awhile. It is really the only sport where I get very competitive.
I really liked your quote about seeing exercise as an adventure. I’m starting yoga tonight and that is just the pep-talk I need to make sure I actually go. I can’t run because my boobs bounce too much unless I wear a sports-bra that’s akin to a straight-jacket but I do try and walk everyday.
Also like the sound of the recipes.
Deb
that quote really inspired me too~
for me my “running” is mountain hiking which I do for I so enjoy doing it
Great post. I’m new to your blog. I’m a vegetarian and a marathon runner. I’ve run a lot on the road but I’ve found that I truely feed my soul when I’m running on the trails. It feels so primaly and… right. No other way to describe it. In my earlier years I never would have imagined that i’d be a runner, but now that I am one, I truely understand what it means to run for the love of running. Great post. And I hope you DO tackle that marathon someday. There is no better feeling than crossing that finish line.
Loved this article… I would like to start running and this article had great information as well recommendations to other sites to check out…thanks!