by N. Rodriguez

Created on: August 10, 2009   Last Updated: August 11, 2009

So, you want to be a runner? You want to take your body, push it to its very limits, then blow past those limits and set new ones? You want to get into possibly the best shape you have ever been in your life? But you don't know where to start. Well, I'm not going to lie to you, getting into running without being forced to run is very hard. Especially if you don't particularly like running, but it is possible, running for most people is like alcohol, either you like it right away, or you have to acquire a taste for it.

So, if you are one of those people who have to acquire a taste for running then there is a very simple way to do it. Go to your local shoe store and buy a good pair of sneakers, make sure they fit good and are comfortable. Wear the sneakers around for about a week, give them time to break in a bit, then go out for a short run, only about fifteen minutes, don't push yourself to hard, just jog and enjoy the scenery.

Now, you need to keep going on those fifteen minute runs, try to go everyday if you can, it may be hard, especially if you get bored on these little runs, so bring an ipod, and dont forget to change up your route once and a while. Do whatever you can to make it interesting for you. If that means you have to stick a plunger on your head and put a twinkie on it, then by all means do your thing, you cannot make someone like running, they have to make it interesting and fun for themselves.

After the first few runs you will most likely feel sore, and tired, and maybe a little depressed at how tired a short run makes you, but don't worry, that will change. Now, after about a week, you should be feeling pretty good, your starting to get used to pushing your body a bit. Now, once you are comfortable with your fifteen minute runs, you can slowly start to go a little bit farther, take it up to twenty minutes, stay there until you become comfortable, then go up to twenty five, and get comfortable. Your goal should be to reach a forty five minute straight run, but don't push yourself too hard, it will take a lot of time to reach that level, but the farther you can go, the better you will feel.

I would assume that if you make it to the half hour point, you have actually started to enjoy your runs, which is what has to happen if you aspire to be a competitive runner. You have to grow to love running, because once you love it, it will no longer feel like a chore to go out and run a few miles, it will feel like a gift.

Now, the general rule of thumb is that for a man, seven minutes is the average time it takes to run a mile, the average is eight for a woman, so if you are a man, and you run for forty five minutes then congratulations! You just ran seven miles! seven miles is an excellent run, and if you can do that everyday, then by all means you are a runner! but I don't expect that from anyone just starting out to run seven miles a day, thats thirty five miles a week, which is a bit more than an average runner does.

My coachs always told me that over the summer in the off season i should shoot for twenty miles a week, that means four miles a day, or about a half hour. Once you can run twenty miles a week, then by all means, you have become a runner! Congratulations, and happy running, I hope my little stepping stone plan helps you reach your running goals, and I hope that you can develop the same love for running that i have over the years.

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