Born to Jog...with a very soft "J"

I've never felt I was "born to run"--even if the human race in general was!  In fact, just out of high school I added to my "bucket list" that I wanted to be able to run 5 miles before I died.  With practice, I have since achieved that goal, and this year I am training to run my first half-marathon in Salt Lake City!  I am slow, my breathing is labored, I am sweaty, I overheat easily, and I never seem to get to that "zen" place when I run.  But I AM learning to enjoy it more (Pilates has played a starring role in that story, with coconut water playing the supporting role), and I plan to cross the finish line however I can, be it running, jogging, skipping, walking, or even rolling!

Please think about joining me in the race!  There are a number of IPTC clients signed up, and I'm not even expecting you to stay with my slow legs the whole time, I promise.  There is a 5K, half-marathon, full-marathon, bike tour, and kids marathon.  If you're not interested in racing right now, consider volunteering at the event, or just being a spectator and cheering the runners on. http://www.saltlakecitymarathon.com/

One of the books that really helped me to enjoy running more is Slow Burn by Stu Mittleman.  Stu is a world-record setting endurance athlete whose approach to running has lead him to win 6-day races, 1000-mile races, and more.  Stu's approach includes alternating walking and running, and training in heart rate zones rather than pushing for certain times or distances.  He also shares a lot about nutrition and diet to keep your body going.  His expertise helped me to stop beating myself up for feeling too slow, and start listening to my body so I can better enjoy running.  http://www.worldultrafit.com/whois.html

Another thing that pushes me along is a song with a great cadence for running.  Do you have any favorites on your playlist that you could share with us?

There are lots of approaches out there, and we'd love to hear if you've found one that works for you!  Have you read the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall?  The author shares some of his insights in this video--and he's not preaching about barefoot running, but talking about the history of running in general.  My favorite part is when he talks about just getting back to the joy of moving and getting rid of all the junk we've learned to associate with running.