Don't say I didn't warn you

If you haven't already heard, my brother-in-law is planning a run, the Run Like An Antelope 5K, in my sister Megan's memory. The race is on October 14, 2012 in Worcester, MA, to benefit metastatic breast cancer research. That's one week after my marathon! The location is Lake Park, near Megan and Rusty's house where they did a lot of their training. Aside from the race, there will be some good tunes, food, and beer. I hope if you're in the area, you can make it. 

Megan at the Smuttynose Half. Beer and running, it doesn't get better. 

I am very excited for this run. Megan, Rusty, and a group of their friends run lots of races together, almost always with beer at the finish line. There aren't too many races in Chicago with beer, she would always tease me and ask "What's the point!?" The group even got matching shirts (I am an honorary member), which we all wore last September at the Worcester Canal Diggers 5K. 

Worcester Canal Diggers 5K 2011: The drinking team with a running problem

So, do you want to join in the fun but maybe aren't a runner? Yet. Running may not be for everyone, but running is for many different types of people. You don't need to be fast. If you have never run and expect to just wake up one day and run a 5K, you might be out of breath really quickly. It takes time to train. Or, you might surprise yourself and be able to do it with no training. Ask Tim how that goes...I'm not sure I would recommend that method! Either way, the race is open to walkers and runners alike, and if you are motivated to train to run the race but are not a runner, I would recommend the Couch to 5K program. 

Couch to 5K is just like what it sounds, it's a 9 week training program that takes you from walking to running a race. The Run Like an Antelope race is 13 weeks, so why am I telling you about this now? Because if you want to do the program you have 1 month to prepare yourself! (Don't worry, I'll remind you later when it's time to start training). Find a nice 3 mile loop you can run on. If you don't enjoy running outside, scope out a gym. I track my runs on Dailymile (you can friend me!), but there are many other apps and run keeper sites where it's easy to map out runs beforehand and keep track of your progress. Most importantly, make sure you have a good pair of shoes. 

Running doesn't require a lot of gear, although it is easy to go overboard and as you have read, I have spent a fair amount of money at my local running store. But all you really need is a t-shirt, workout shorts/pants, socks, and sneakers. And for ladies, a good fitting sports bra. The only area you really need to spend money on is your shoes. Shoes are the single most important thing for running, although most people tend to cheap out or wear a pair of shoes way past their prime. The mileage limits can vary, but our marathon coaches told us that your running shoes should definitely not have a birthday. And chances are if you bought your shoes because they were yellow or on sale at Marshall's, they're not the right kind of shoes. 

If at all possible, the best way to buy running shoes is to go to your local running store, tell them about your fitness goals (walking, running, hiking), have them watch you run, and they will recommend shoes. In Chicago, both Fleet Feet or Running Away Sports fit runners in this manner, I'm sure there are places all over that do it this way. You should also be able to test them out, either on a treadmill or around the block, to make sure they feel comfortable. 

So are you ready to run? Register!