Alameda Runners – Get After It!

It sounds like such a simple thing to train at your own pace.  It is not as easy as it sounds.  There is something about watching someone else perform that makes us want to do it too.  We tell ourselves “I can do that”, we may be able to do that with proper training but it is very difficult to jump right into anything and equal someone who has been doing it for years.  Social media has made it worse.  We all see the times that people post online with no warnings about how long they have been running.  When we go out and run with a run club, we can see the physical differences between the high end runners and the normal runners.  It is easier to accept “them” as being faster.  A picture may say 1,000 words but it still does not match reality.

Pay attention to your body.  Take it easy and build up slowly.  When you build up your mileage and speed, look at other peoples training plans.  Do not emulate the elite people.  Most of us will never run a 5 minute mile and we should not strive to accomplish that goal unless we train for it.  The harder you train, the higher your probability for injury.