Pace yourself
It’s time to start running
Vuthana Suon Staff
Admit it; you’ve broken your New Year’s resolution to start shaping up and toning down. Luckily, with spring approaching and summer only months away, you can hop back on that fitness bandwagon by doing something really cheap and easy — running.
Recreation Services’ Kyle Turcotte, coordinator of fitness testing and conditioning, can help bring you up to speed. With the snow beginning to melt, it is an opportune time for many individuals to start running, he said
“People are feeling a little cabin fever, and it’s just a great time to get outdoors,” said Turcotte. “Not everyone enjoys running in the frigid cold so now is a good time for people to exercise.”
But where do we even start?
“Depending on your current level of activity, you want to take things slowly and ease into it,” said Turcotte. “Everybody has got individual tolerances and capabilities.”
For those who have not run in a while, Turcotte recommends a walk/run program. This entails first focusing on mainly walking, with a bit of running. Once your comfort and fitness levels increase, your focus can shift, with more of an emphasis on running.
He also stresses the importance of making realistic goals: someone who hasn’t run since elementary school should not expect to run a marathon by the end of the summer. If the goal is just to shed a few pounds, running lightly a few times a week is more than enough. But if the goal is loftier, like running a half marathon for instance, then the intensity of the training should increase accordingly.
Another important aspect of running, and exercising in general, is the need to drink a lot of fluids. This is all the more important during the summer, when temperatures can reach 35° C and above and water is continually being lost as sweat.
“A lot of people, when they first start, tend not to think about keeping themselves hydrated when they run,” said Turcotte. “It’s important to drink a lot of fluids whenever there is strenuous exercise.”
But if the solitude of running is something you find unappealing, there’s always the option to run with a friend.
“Running with someone is safer . . . there’s safety in numbers,” said Turcotte. “It can also serve as a motivation if they are better than you.”
Conversely, Turcotte noted that running with a friend can also be a hindrance if they’re slower and less fit. Instead of pushing yourself, you would be resigned to slowing down and accommodating them.
With Winnipeg’s abundance of parks and trails, there is no reason not to get off your butt and start exercising. It is, after all, a cheap endeavour — something we as Winnipeggers can definitely appreciate. The total cost is nothing more than a pair of high-quality running shoes and other minimal-cost clothing. The benefits to your health, on the other hand, far outweigh these costs.
So get out there, stretch a little bit, bring your iPod and enjoy the sights.
