Rain is here

After a long time I ran in ran in the rain today.  It's been raining since last night into this morning with sporadic rains throughout the day. Rain is forecast for the next few days as well.  Although the roads were wet and the earthworms were out, it only rained part of the way when I was running. I ran at a very easy pace, but at 70 F with rain jacket on it was hot making the run much more strenuous than I thought it would be.  The easy pace did make it easy on the body. The ankle felt really good - in fact, I haven't felt that good on the ankle since last year. May be it was the rub I gave it with Ayurvedic massage oil last night, or it was the icepack I've been keeping everyday, or both. It's been a slow recovery from the tendinitis from last year. I will continue taking it easy on Friday's run and the race on Sunday. A hurricane system is moving in from the south bringing in lot more rains on Sunday. That will make it very wet on my first half-marathon. Ah, whatever. I'm not going to dissolve in water. Moreover, as I am looking to run the marathon next year who knows what the weather is going to be like. So, I want to be prepared for all kinds of weather.

That's all for today. Hope y'all are enjoying your run or recovery whatever is on your schedule.

Cheers!

Must Do Anti-Injury Stretches - Outer thigh (ITB) and low back

This stretch is one of my favorites. After a long run I find it very effective in relaxing the low back and hips, and in easing the tension in the upper outer thighs.  Often, I find my iliotibial band (ITB) so tight after a run that I'm unable to do the outer thigh stretch discussed here right away. I am ready for it, once I do this stretch.

Lie on the floor on your back with both knees flexed and hands behind the back of your head.  Place your left upper calf on your right knee and slowly press it toward the floor. Loosen your right hip and allow it to rotate to the left. Continue pushing your right knee with the left leg to the point of a good stretch. Once you can feel a good stretch, hold that position for 15 seconds. Repeat for left leg. Do four sets.  As with most stretches, you can gradually increase the duration of the stretch. When it comes to stretches, the more you do the better, but about 60 seconds should do it. Remember to always stay within the limits of stretch. Never push to the point of pain.

Do your stretches after a warm up. Whether you do stretches before a run or not, make sure you do them after your runs.  Regular stretches will keep your muscles and tendons flexible making your runs better and injury-free.

More Must Do Anti-Injury Stretches

A bit of a mess

The long run yesterday went more or less as usual.  However, things became a bit messy within a few hours after the run.  I was exhausted and drained to the point of feeling sick.

I think several things I should've done better, but didn't,  came together to work against me.  The run itself went well.  It was better than usual for the most part that I didn't take my first gulp of drink until after 8 miles, and even then really didn't start drinking much later.  I also pushed out my energy gel to later in the run. Towards the end of the run I started feeling some discomfort around both my hamstrings, not cramps, but the kind of tension that can turn into cramps, which I suspect was caused by inadequate electrolyte replenishment. After the run I did some stretches which took care of the tension in the hamstrings.

What really pushed me down the hole was the recovery part. I did take a recovery drink following the run and kept hydrating after that. However, I didn't eat enough carbs following the run. According to the app I'm using, MapMyRun, I had burnt more than 2000 Calories, give or take. That is a lot of calories.  I think I really needed to eat a couple of bagels and some bananas in addition to the recovery drink.

There may have been a bit of nutrition and sleep issues during the week as well as some season change effects, but I think the biggest factors were what I did or didn't do during and after the run. Anyway, lesson learned. I need to stop messing with my hydration during the run, and shouldn't neglect to eat some solid carbs after.  I'll be shopping for a four-bottle hydration belt to replace the two-bottle belt I'm using now so I can run without worrying about running out drink.  I will also be making sure to get something to eat for a quick carb replenishment after the run.

Happy running!

Meditate like Meb

Today is a long run day. I have another 45 minutes to an hour to go before I start.  I ate my breakfast about 15 minutes ago, and want to give it an hour before I start.  So I have a few minutes this morning.  I want to take those minutes to share some thoughts from Meb Keflezighi.

After Meb Keflezighi's historic win at the 2014 Boston Marathon, runners everywhere wanted to know how someone two weeks away from his 39th birthday, who had only the year's 15th best marathon time going into the race, could defeat the best field in Boston Marathon history.  Here is Meb's state of mind going into the race, in his own words from 'Meb for Mortals'.

On the start line, I take time to calm myself and just be thankful I'm there. One of the things I was thinking before the 2014 Boston Marathon was "Last year I wasn't healthy and couldn't run here. Now I'm healthy, I'm thankful to get to run this race, and I hope to give my best." 

Right before the gun goes off, I'm in meditation mode. I pray internally as the national anthem is sung, thinking about what these words mean and how special it is to be there on that day. I think about how fortunate we are to be able-bodied and to have the opportunity to test ourselves in this way. I think, "May the best man or woman win today," I hope I'm the most prepared one, but if somebody has worked harder than me, then they deserve to win. That's my mentality going into a race.

Couldn't we all have a better day and come out as winners if we pause before we start our day with thoughts of gratitude for what we have, and a commitment to do our best regardless of how the outcome turns out?

Have a great day!

P.S.  You can read a previous post in reference to Meb here.

Miles run and other stats

I have been using an app for tracking runs. The app tracks a variety of information such as distances, pace, calories burned, etc.   I started using the app on Nov 30, 2014. Here is the current 'odometer' reading:

Total run duration of 5 days and 13 hours for the distance of 1333 km. Also says I've taken about 2 million foot steps. The distance should hit the 1000 miles mark (1600 km) around mid November this year.

The run today was good. I took it a bit easier than on Wednesday. Rest tomorrow and long run on Sunday.

Have a good weekend, y'all.

Doing well

For the first time after the ankle incident about a couple of weeks ago I took the intensity up by a notch.  Everything came together very well.  The weather was below 50 F (around 10 C) when I started and stayed cool throughout.  I took off faster than usual, and hesitated for a minute whether or not to follow the momentum. Finally, I thought what the heck, I will slow down if required later and just let me have a go at it today. Not overdoing it, but took up the pace and intensity to a moderately hard level.  Paid a lot of attention on my downhill runs and flats to make sure I'm taking enough steps per minute and the feet are landing right under my hips.  As I wrote yesterday, focused also on the arm swing as that gives, or it feels like it gives, a bit of propulsive energy. There was just one walker on the road today, as a testament to the colder weather. There was also a strong breeze when i started, which i didn't notice once on the course winding down and up between the rolling hills.

I had the feeling I was running faster than I should be, but I wasn't feeling much exertion. So I didn't fully realize how fast.  At the end of the run, I had clocked 9 min. 6 secs. per mile, which is about 15 - 30 secs. faster than my usual runs on this course.  The ankle held up very well throughout.  I have never run at this pace on daily runs. The fastest till now was about 9:12 per mile. For regular runs, one doesn't need to go all out. Perhaps, shouldn't. Race times for the same distance (10K) are faster by 00:40 secs to 01:10 secs per mile for me compared to my usual training pace. However, one shouldn't read too much into these numbers as every course is different, not to mention the fact that I am not tracking finish time as I am not training for speed at all. The focus is on building the strength and stamina to go the distance.  Having said all that, I must admit that I did feel good about the pace and the fact that the ankle held up to it.  More ice today and tomorrow as gratitude or reward to the ankle! Rest tomorrow. Next run on Friday.

Keep going, and have fun!

Running Form - Arm Swing

Yesterday's run was pretty good.  Weather was cool. Starting at 60 or 62 F it stayed fairly cool for the entire duration of the run. There was wind up to about 12-13 mph which added to the chill factor.  Even a couple of weeks ago I could see a lot of earth worms crawling from the open lands across the curb to the road in the morning. Perhaps due to the lower temperature, they were all but gone. The lower temperature also seemed to keep people indoors. In fact, there were very few walkers for the first 10 or 12 miles. People started showing up once the chill got warmed by the mid-morning sun. There were about four times as many people in the last 2 or 3 miles than in the first 12 miles.

I ran at an easy pace. Started off and found myself running at the expected pace the first couple of miles. I usually have difficulty running at the targeted pace in the first couple of miles as the body warms up. Some days it is slower and on other days it is faster. Yesterday it was right where I wanted. I conserved my drink (not sure if that is a good idea, but I am usually concerned that it may not last the full 15 mile distance) and took my first gulp only after half the distance was behind me. In the second half I paid more attention to running relaxed with good form, as usual, whereas the first half was about running at a very easy pace.

One of the things to do for a more relaxed and efficient run is to pay attention to how the arms swing. I thought I should mention it here as I saw a gentleman running with quite a wide and awkward swing. Of course, no one has the perfect running form. Even elite runners have imperfections and some have particularly awkward running form. Obviously, medals go for finishing and not necessarily for best form. However, everyone can run better and lower risk of injury by improving their form.  First, what made this person's swing awkward.  His left arm had a large smartphone strapped to it. The arm hung close to the trunk and was swinging forward and backward slightly. His right arm, on the other hand (no pun intended), was extended out a lot, and was swinging across his side in an arc, like playing table tennis.  Part of the problem was obviously the imbalance in the weight. Since the arm with the phone was held close to the body, in order to balance that weight the opposite arm was overextended on the other side. Imagine carrying a weight on one hand. You need to extend the other arm out in order to balance against that weight. Moreover, the natural swing of the arms during the run was thrown off balance as the free arm was forced to swing wider due to the imbalance in weight, which in turn forced the torso to turn left and right as he ran. A smartphone, though weighing just a few ounces, matters a lot when you are on a long distance run. No matter how light and easy it seems, the weight imbalance is going to creep into your form, reduce your running efficiency and increase the stress on your body.

In his classic fitness guide The Runner's Handbook, well known coach Bob Glover says your arms are almost as important as your legs. They are not just along for the ride. If you use your arms properly, they will make your legs go faster by propelling your body forward. You will also maintain good balance and conserve energy.

What should you do with your arms? Before you begin, relax the shoulders first. Then have your arms relaxed by the trunk. When you run, keep the forearms relaxed and comfortably bent 90 - 120 degrees at the elbow. Fist and fingers flexed and relaxed. The arms should swing in a fairly short arc across your body, but never across the mid line. The slight movement across will help the body maintain correct alignment as you stride forward each time. However, make sure that the movement doesn't get too far across the body, or it will cause body rotation. Do not lift the arms too high. Run with the neck and shoulders relaxed. Not tight.

Check out this excellent video.

If your shoulders feel tight or tired during the run, drop the shoulders to a relaxing position, lift your arms above your head with relaxed wrists and fingers turned inward and flapping. Run for 30 seconds or until shoulders feel relaxed and then go back to normal arm swing.

Proper arm action will help you run with better balance and conserve energy.

I have rest today and Tuesday. Next run on Wednesday.

Wish you better health and fitness thru running. If I can run, you can run.

Must Do Anti-Injury Stretches - Outer thigh stretch

I'm resting today after yesterday's run. I took it easy yesterday and the run was quite nice and enjoyable. I even felt less exhaustion after the last hill.  There was only one cyclist, one walker and one other person who was intermittently walking and running with his dog.

One of the areas I often feel tightness is on the upper thigh towards the hips. This is the iliotibial band (ITB). Some people may feel pain on the outer side of the knee, which is also caused by tension in the ITB. This pain usually appears a couple of miles or more into the run. Not from the first step. The pain is caused by the friction of the tight iliotibial band rubbing against the knee or hip. There are a few stretches very effective for taking care of the ITB. One of them is the outer thigh stretch. This is one of my staples.

Sit on the floor with your right leg straight. Lift the left foot and slowly place it by the outer side of the right knee. Place your right elbow on the side of the bent left knee and gently push it toward the right side. Left hand resting on the floor behind twist your torso turning your gaze towards 7 o'clock or 8 o'clock position behind you. Gently raise the pressure of your right arm on your left leg pushing it to the other side. Raise pressure till you feel stretch on the upper side of the left thigh towards the buttock. Hold there for 15 seconds. Do for the right side. Repeat four times.

The upper thigh stretch is so important for me that I do different stretches targeting the general area. As a result of these stretches I have been able to steer clear of discomfort relating to the ITB. Whenever I feel some tension during a run or after, I make sure I do these stretches. That's enough to take care of it. If your pains persist, have your gait analyzed to make sure you are using the right type of shoes for your foot type and gait.  If your feet roll inward too much (over pronate), then that can cause extra strain on your ITB. The right shoes can correct the problem.

Doing your stretches regularly can prevent a lot of injuries. Below are previous posts on Must Do Anti-Injury Stretches.

Must Do Anti-Injury Stretches - Calf Stretches
Must Do Anti-Injury Stretches - Hamstring and lower back stretch

Good day!

How to not spoil the rest of the day

Your body needs recovery after a work out.  I alluded to the important role of recovery in a previous post. After a long or hard workout the body may feel lethargic while it tries to recover.  Even though you will feed your cells enough carbs and protein over the course of the day, you may not feel enough energy to carry on with your business normally after a long workout or run. You may feel like the day is practically ruined as you lay not wanting to move.  That used to be me. All that changed once I started taking a recovery drink after the run.  What is a recovery drink? It turns out that a drink of carbs and protein mixed in the proportion of 3:1 or 4:1 (by weight) taken soon after the work out helps the body recover faster.   If you feel lethargic after your run or workout then try a recovery drink. There are several specialized commercial options in the market. Chocolate drink is another popular recommendation. The commercial recovery drinks also contain salts such as sodium and potassium to help restore the electrolyte balance.  Try a recovery a drink. You will recover faster and may recover your day as well.

I'm taking it easy today. Just looking to have an easy to moderate run tomorrow.  Weather forecast looks nice at 59-64 F (15-17 C) in the morning. It should be great!

If I can run, u can run. Happy running!

Nice day

The day was very nice - was  57 - 62 F in the morning. Very light breeze. Surprisingly, not many people on the road today. Perhaps a bit chilly for walkers. There was just one cyclist and one walker.

I ran at a lower speed and intensity - mostly stayed at moderately hard level of exertion, occasionally at hard level except the last mile which requires a hard level of effort.  I ran paying attention to running form and foot strike, being mindful of impact shock. Just mindful, not worried. In the end, it felt very comfortable. I did sweat a lot as my overall pace wasn't much slower than usual - perhaps around 10-15 seconds per mile slower.  The cold shower after the run felt really really good today. I'll be keeping ice on the ankle tonight. Also tomorrow, which is a rest day. That's all for now.  Here's a joke I came across on the Internet.

Two hikers on a trail came around the bend to find an enormous brown bear about 75 yards up the trail. The bear spies them and begins running toward them at a full gallop. One hiker drops his backpack, sits down, throws off his boots, and starts lacing up a pair of running shoes. The other hiker says: “What are you doing? You will never outrun that bear!”. The first hiker replies: “I don’t have to outrun the bear…”. 

Enjoy your day!

Looking ahead...

Today is the second rest day after the long run on Sunday. Keeping the cold pack on the tender area below the ankle. I'll do that a couple of times before going to bed tonight. Tomorrow is a run day. I want to take it easy to reduce risk to the ankle. There are four races coming up one every Sunday - after the coming weekend. The first is a ten miler.  The other three are half marathons.  I'll skip the 10 as I'm not sure I want to do that any more. That was my backup for NYC marathon qualification. I don't need it as I already qualified for a guaranteed spot. Moreover, skipping a race will make things a bit easy for the ankle. I do, however, want to run all the three half marathons if the pain doesn't aggravate. The first one is in Central Park, New York. It should be two laps of the outer loop of the park and a bit more.  Central park has a lot of hills. My longest race so far is 10K. That is one loop around Central Park, and it is taxing. It would be interesting to see how I hold up more than twice the distance on the same course.  The following Sunday is the next half in Staten Island. I hear it is a beautiful course and it is flat. That should be interesting as well, as I've never run a flat course! You never know what muscles will complain until you run a different course than your body is used to.  The third half marathon is the following week in Morristown. It should have some hills, although the organizers say the course is net negative in elevation - like that's gonna make a difference.

I'm not going to take any risk running these. I will take it easy, and will run each one only if I feel fully recovered from the previous one. Looking back, exactly about a year ago, I ran my first 5K. That was a huge milestone.  I felt very excited about running that race.  If someone were to tell me that time that I would be running three half marathons back to back every week in a year's time,  I would've asked him to get his head examined. Yet, here we are! Sometimes, I can't believe it myself.

Happy running. If I can run, u can run.

Must Do Anti-Injury Stretches - Hamstring and lower back stretch

The hamstring is a muscle that runs from the top of the calf to the buttock. You get the hamstring pull when you overextend yourself, or if your muscles are not warmed up enough for the rigors of the activity. When you have a hamstring pull you will find it very painful to extend your leg. Your knee will want to stay bent. The pain will be centered down the back of the thigh.  However, be cautious that if the pain is located towards the outer side of the thigh, or it extends to the hip, lower back, or down to the foot, that is likely not a hamstring pull. You will need to consult a doctor.

There are several good stretches for the hamstring. I find the following stretch very simple and effective.

Sit on the floor with legs straight out at sides. Bend left leg and bring the foot to touch the right inner thigh. Hold the right leg straight. Slowly bend forward at the hips  until you feel stretch on the back of the right leg. Hold the right toe or ankle with hands if you can. Use a towel to reach if you need to. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat for the left leg.  Do six times.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" - Benjamin Franklin

Pleasant day; things went well

There was no rain in the morning. Temperatures were in the lower 70's F.  Very pleasant day, and the ankle held up exactly as I was hoping it would. Couldn't ask for more.

I had a start later than I was aiming for, and the temperature in the 70's was a tad higher than I was hoping for an easy run.  The first two miles went a bit faster than I was planning. Then things kind of settled down where I wanted. There were many people on the road today. A lot of them new. I crossed a new couple on the early part of my third mile down a hill, and crossed them again later, as I turned around about half way into the mile. before mile 4 when they were returning.  Before that, there was a mother and teenage daughter. The mother appeared to be delivering  a spirited monologue to the daughter. The cyclists were back - one was on my mile 6 and the other crossing at mile 10. They both appeared more relaxed today, probably due to the cooler weather. Even though the Sun was out, the heavy rain overnight had cooled down the earth. Even the asphalt road wasn't radiating much heat. On top of that a cool breeze which made things so nice that I wasn't wearing my sun glasses until about mile 7 or 8. I had forgotten that it was perched on top of my hat!  There was also a new lady, looked very athletic, who crossed me around mile 9 or so. I am thinking some of these folks could be training for the half marathon in the neighborhood  coming up in a month and half or so.

I had to pay extra attention down hill to reduce impact and stress on the left ankle. There were many sections where I was just cruising. In fact, I felt more energy running mile 12 and 13, kind of like a secret reservoir of energy got unlocked. I enjoyed the state very much, but didn't want to overdo it. I have a half mile climb on mile 14 and then my 'friend', the last mile, that loves to challenge me.  So I reduced my pace and got ready for the last two miles. By now, my bottles only had a couple of gulps left, but that should be okay.

I find it rather easy to find a good rhythm on the half mile climb on 14, unlike some of the shorter, but somewhat steeper climbs along the way.  Ah, whatever. Running up, I felt a slight tightness on my left hip into the glute area, around 7 o'clock position, reminding me that I should do stretches after the run to relax those muscles. By now the Sun was burning high, and I took a swig at the bottle around the top of the hill. Next is a down hill which I ran from tree shade to tree shade. I wanted to keep my body as cool as can be, going into the last mile climb, as that one doesn't offer much by way of shades.  I emptied the last half ounce from a bottle into my mouth as I started the 'assault'.  Just focussed on my breathing, steps and posture.

It wasn't too bad in the end. Not bad at all. I finished running a bit stronger than in my previous 15 mile runs.  A few drops were left in the other bottle. I emptied it into my mouth as I started a quick and short cool down walk.  Those few drops were priceless!

Keep going. If I can run, u can run.

Long run tomorrow

Today is a rainy day. Forecast of rain until 10 tomorrow morning. If the forecast pans out most of my run should be in the rain,  making it my longest run in the rain.  

I still need to get used to the distance of 15 miles, both physically and mentally. It's not a distance I can just hop out of the bed and set out on. I think I can do a six miler more or less without much thinking.  I also don't need to eat before or carry any drinks for that distance. For the fifteen, on the other hand, there is a bit of physical and mental preparation involved. I need to kind of soft print on my mind the pace/intensity for the run,  and the extra cautions to run the hills without spending much energy. Without that roadmap with effort limits and my perceived exertion on it for some of the segments, I feel that I may lose my bearing and lead myself into a run that is unsustainable for the distance. I also need to eat my oatmeal about an hour before the planned start time, start hydrating perhaps even before. I will want to make sure I am well hydrated, but well in time to hit the bathroom once to pass out any excess fluids as I don't like to take that break during the run. I also need to prepare drinks to carry for the run to stay hydrated.  To complete the picture, I will also be taking an energy pack for refueling myself on the course. 

I'll be spending the time toninght tending to the foot and getting mentally tuned for the run.

Have a good weekend.

Focusing on ease and efficiency paid off!

Okay, first, the answer to the big question  - Yes, I ran today. I ran slower than usual, and more careful than usual. The run was good.

It rained rather heavily overnight.  The sky was still covered by rain clouds in the morning, but they were just showing their teeth and nails to scare people of the road. It didn't look like it was going to rain, at least not heavily. So I decided not to take my rain jacket. I did put on a pair of full length running tights as I don't like rain water hitting my body directly.  I also wore a full sleeve thermal top, just in case. Moreover, the temperature was 64 F (17 C) with about 12 mph wind which makes things a bit chilly. So a full sleeve top that can provide a bit of warmth and one that can breath well seemed like a good idea. As it turned out, it didn't rain at all and the top turned out to be a bit too warm for the weather. I think that top was probably the most uncomfortable part of the run, quite bearable nevertheless.

I did pay a lot of attention to the ankle both before and during the run.  I had kept ice on it yesterday morning.  Again for a good amount of time last night, and spent some time stretching the foot as well.  I also gave some gentle rub on the affected area. All that made the ankle feel a lot better. In the morning when I got up I  did some stretches, especially targeting the affected foot and, of course, the other foot also to balance things off.  I didn't want to hit the road with a foot that is not warmed up - not today.

I wanted to really focus today on reducing unnecessary stress and impact, and running efficiency. That meant paying a lot of attention to how I was running.  First off, you want to eliminate any vertical bounce. Though this one is not a big issue for me, I think, I want to mention it anyway because this should be on the top of everyone's list.   We've all seen movies where some romantic couple would be singing songs and running around the park - have you noticed how they run?  They go bouncing up and down a lot, like kangaroos!  You don't want to do that. Running is lateral motion. You want to spend your energy propelling yourself forward. Any effort spent on launching yourself vertically is wasted energy. Even worse is, when you land on the ground, your feet and legs need to absorb the ground shock of your vertical fall.  That is not good for your ankle and knees. So, dump the bounce. Your body should only be moving forward.  How do you know if your run has vertical bounce? Here is an easy method. Keep looking at an object that is some distance away from you when running.  If that object goes up and down as you run, you are going up and down unless, of course, you are looking at a kangaroo.  How do you remove your vertical bounce?  Our friend Meb whom I referred to in a previous post says imagine that you are running on a road paved with eggs. Try to run in such a way you don't break the eggs. You will want to run gently gliding with no jumping up and down.   Another method I've used is this - Watch how high you are raising your heels behind you when you run. If they are going more than a foot high then you are bouncing vertically.  Try running with the heel of your back foot closer to ground.  That will help you reduce or even eliminate your bounce. When you spend your energy in forward motion rather than vertical motion, you are spending in the right direction. You will feel less tired and your legs will have it easy as well.

I don't have much vertical bounce, but I do need to pay attention every now and then on how and where my foot strikes the ground. Especially uphill and downhill - which is pretty much most of my course :(

If you've seen how sprinters run, you may have noticed they literally run on their toes. They land on their toes and they even take off on their toes.  They run short distances, and that is okay for them. We are in the business of long distance running.  That makes us very different from sprinters. For us, a heel strike followed by a gentle roll of the foot forward to mid foot and the ball of the foot as we run is the recommended style. Some experts recommend a mid foot strike. But never a landing on the ball of the foot.  I personally find my heel striking the ground first more comfortable, especially when it lands right under center of mass which is right under the hips. Pick whatever form comes more naturally to you and is more relaxing to you, as long as it is either the heel or the mid foot making ground contact first. I was paying a lot of attention when going downhill as my feet have a tendency to reach out and land on the ball of the foot.  This also puts strain on the ankle. It was easy to correct this problem today as my tender ankle was sending a gentle reminder whenever I was lax.  Uphill my tendency is to land on the ball of the foot again. Paying attention to these things made it a lot easier on the ankle and for my legs overall.

The most important thing I focused on today was the cadence. That is how many times the feet strikes the ground in a minute. Here's you thinking running is a very simple activity. What could be simpler than putting one foot in front of the other and pushing yourself forward?  Well, that is all good if you are running a block or two.  It is like your car. If you are driving at 30 miles an hour for 10 minutes to the local ice cream store, everything may look good.  But if you are driving at 75 miles an hour on a long trip, your car may start showing signs of problems you may never notice when driving at 30 miles speed on a short trip. Only if you keep the car in top condition will you have a smooth drive on a long trip.  All the pounding that running involves is very hard on the legs. If your feet spend too much time on the ground then there is more stress on your legs. Every time you land on the ground the impact force is about three times your body weight!  Every time you propel yourself using leg action there is stress on the structure and muscles of the legs. This is the hard reality for the legs when you run.  There is a lot of stress on them and a lot of energy is needed to keep them pounding.  Now the good news. It turns out that our legs have a natural elastic bounce when they strike the ground and lift off. This is most effective when your strike rate is about 180 per minute.  If you strike the ground at this rate, your ground contact time is optimal and you get to use the natural elasticity of your legs to lift your legs. Leveraging this natural elasticity requires you to spend less energy and reduces stress on the legs. So, when I wasn't focused on syncing my breathing and steps (as mentioned in here), which is usually uphill, I was counting "one thousand.. one thousand.. one thousand" and making sure I was taking three steps for each 'one thousand'.  You can run slow, or fast, but try to practice 180 steps in a minute. You vary your speed by varying your stride length. When you run faster, increase the stride length, but maintain the cadence of 180. When slowing down, reduce the stride length but again keep the cadence of 180.

I believe all the above helped me run smooth and safe without aggravation of the ankle.  Overall, I was very happy with today's run. Running a bit slower is not really less beneficial. Whether you run at 50% of your maximal rate of 80% of it, there is not much difference from a health and fitness point of view.  Once back home, I did a few stretches to relax the tense muscles, and went for the cold shower.  There was no leftover discomfort or soreness during the day.  I do need to keep working on the ankle area for the next two days to prepare it better for the long run on Sunday. And I will need to be more mindful of my running form.  Until then, more ice on the ankle, more stretches, some massage, good rest. Repeat.

Focus on your form. Reduce impact and increase efficiency. Glide. Not bounce.

If I can run, u can run.

Keep at it.

Just working on the ankle

Keeping ice on the ankle as many times as I can tonight to get in good enough shape for tomorrow's run. It was raining all day today.  Rain is also forecasted for tomorrow morning. That should make for an interesting run.  It's been months since the last time I ran in the rain. I think I kind of miss it. I will be running slow.

Getting back to the ice pack, now. More tomorrow.

Good day!

Lessons from today's run: Watch your steps. Listen to your body.

Today was a less then perfect day with an even lesser than perfect run.  The morning was a bit weird. I was feeling kind of chilly when I woke up so I had to wrap myself in a blanket until I had a warm cup of tea. Out the window it was foggy due to very high humidity. The forecasted temperature was about 72 F (about 22 C). However, the real feel due to humidity and the Sun was going to be like 82 F or 27 C.  That is kind of unpleasant for a start in the morning.  Two days of rest after the long run on Sunday, today was the first run into the week. The usual 10K. Today is also the day I fold in a few intervals of speed runs.  The speed runs or high intensity runs raise your aerobic capacity boosting your ability to run at a higher intensity.  It also helps you run at lower intensity with less effort. When you push your limits higher your capacity will increase, and you will also be able to do normal runs using a smaller percentage of your capacity making them feel easier.

As I do not do a separate warm up session, I keep the first 10-15 minutes fairly quiet allowing the body to catch up and settle down. I noticed that I was sweating just half a mile into the run today, unlike a usual day when I feel sweat around 2-1/2 miles or 3 miles, thanks to the combined effect of temperature and humidity.  For an interval workout I pick up speed and run more like a sprint (at least for me:-)  for a distance of two or three electric posts - there's plenty of those along the way - and then slow down to an easy pace for about 8 or 10 posts.  I try to repeat this a couple of times every mile.  I don't have to do much speed during the uphills as I need to raise the intensity anyway. So I keep it higher to a fairly hard level - I will find it very difficult to speak at that intensity, if at all I am able to.  Adding a bit of variety to your runs across days and even during a single run will make your runs more interesting and, while you're at it, will increase your fitness level as well. Try it.

After the first speed interval there was a rough patch on the road.  I need to watch my step there on the side of the road which is even worse.  So I moved to the middle of the road and was looking ahead to a few electric posts ahead where I was planning to do another speed work. Suddenly, my left foot got on the side of a cut on the uneven road causing the ankle to stretch and bend outward. This was a bit painful also because the overstretched area, the tendon below the ankle bone on the outside, is one area that I need to keep ice after every run.  The pain was a bit acute making me briefly wonder if this is too bad for continuing the run.  I continued as the pain was not unbearable and just decided to lay easy on the speed work. The pain did come down somewhat during the run, which was good but just to be cautious, I only did one other moderate speed interval today.  Definitely looking to keep more ice tonight to get it up and ready for Friday. If you get soreness or other such foot issues, the recommendation is what goes by the acronym R.I.C.E.  Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. That must be self explanatory. I am not planning on compression at this point, and I also don't think the foot needs to be kept elevated. Rest and ice, and some gentle massage should be enough. (Where is Muttikolangara oil and such ayurvedic remedies when you need them?) If the tendon doesn't reasonably recover by Friday I will probably be looking for my compression sleeve for the ankle, which I haven't been using for about 3-4 months now.

By the way, on the lighter side, I discovered that the muscular man who walks with weights around his waist was not walking with his daughter. His companion was passing me directly today as I was going up the hill on the fifth mile. Having seen her and greeted each other at close quarters I now think she is probably his wife or girlfriend.  She also wears a belt around her waist with smaller weights attached!  Perhaps due to the extra hot weather today there were not many other walkers on the road. Only the die hards.

The heat and humidity made every mile a bit hotter and harder. The pain on the ankle, though moderate, must have added to the discomfort. My last mile and climb was tougher than usual, as well.  About half a mile into it, it was feeling more like a 20 km run than a 10 km run.  By now it was feeling very hot. I think the temperature and humidity probably had a 'real feel' of 88 F or higher (above 30 C). Since I was running, I should have a feel of 10 F or 5 C above that! No wonder I was feeling tired and the 10 K felt like 20 K.  In the heat and tiredness, I noticed a somewhat heavy stress almost like a dull ache across the  the mid section of my back.  I did a quick mental scan of the back and realized that I was running with my back bending onto the hill, rather than with a straight back leaning into it!  As soon as I diagnosed the problem I corrected it - straightened my back, leaned slightly forward into the hill, and made sure I was  pushing off the backfoot, front knees slightly raised for the hill, forward hips, and the forefoot striking the ground right below the center of mass. That gave instant relief to my back and made me feel much better.  A bent back and dropping head is a lot of weight out of balance and tire the muscles easily.  Whenever you feel tired, give yourself a quick body scan to make sure your running form is correct and relaxed. Even when running slow. In fact, give yourself a mental body scan every now and then, and look for tired or strained muscles. Correct your running form for a relaxed and efficient run.

Correcting my form didn't help reduce the heat, though :-) Some of the houses had their lawn sprinklers on as I was passing.  I had to fight really hard the temptation to step off the road and stand under them for a quick cool off.

I did complete the run without any further aggravation of the pain. There was a lot of fluid loss due to the heat. I had drunk more than two liters of water by noon! The tendon also definitely needs more than the usual doze of ice to reduce the tenderness and possible inflammation. So I will be spending some extra time taking care of it tonight and tomorrow.

Enjoy your runs, but watch your steps:-)  You learn at my expense, again :-)

Good day!

Must Do Anti-Injury Stretches - Calf Stretches

I used to skimp on my stretches, and I have gotten some painful reminders that I wasn't doing enough.  You can be smart and learn from the lessons I paid for!  It is simple. If you do the right stretches and do them regularly, you can avoid most injuries. On the other hand, if you run and don't do stretches, you are almost guaranteed to be injured.

I do a basic set of stretches that target the most important muscles directly used in running - the muscles of the legs.  They are the calf muscles, back leg muscles (hamstring), the front (quadriceps), the outside of the thighs, and the inside of the thighs.  I do these stretches almost every rest day, and after every run.  Doing them after the run is especially effective as they help the muscles relax. Regular stretches targeting these areas have greatly reduced the aches and pains I used to get.


Calf stretches

Stand facing the wall about two feet away from it. Rest palms of both hands against the wall. Keep both feet pointing straight ahead. Slide one foot back with the knee straight until you feel a pulling sensation at the upper part of the calf and behind the knee. Your heel stays flat on the floor.  Hold ten seconds. After ten seconds bend the knee of the back leg. Hold ten seconds. You will feel the stretch lower down the back of the rear leg. Switch legs and repeat. Do each leg six times.

The calf stretches are excellent for preventing muscle pulls, shin splints and the dreaded Achilles tendonitis.  Wherever you run, take them with you.

Have a great day!

P.S. You can read about an excellent stretch for the inner thighs here.

When the chips are down...

After the long run yesterday, the body was feeling like it was a long run yesterday.  Mild aches here and there with a bit of tightness, the kind that will make you want to stay in bed and almost enjoy the state.  I gave a few twists and turns to the upper body just out of bed and I could feel the tightness cracking loose.  As today is a holiday due to Labor Day, I spent some extra time doing stretches and also did my strength exercises.  Nothing too time consuming, or too rigorous. Around 30 minutes or so in all.  Usually, I rotate the stretches and  strength exercises so I can do a day's routine in about 20 minutes.  Next run is on Wednesday, so the body can recover over the next two days.

More than 500,000 people finish the marathon in a year in the US alone.  So by conservative estimates, I am guessing that at least 1 million people the world over must be finishing the 26.2 mile (42.195 km) mark.  Even so, experts seem to agree that the human body, as marvelous a piece of engineering as it is, is not designed to endure that distance.  My own quest is surely tentative as it is subject to the condition that my body holds up the training required to build the strength and stamina to go the distance.  The body is certainly a big part of the equation, but all seem to agree that the limits and constraints of the mind can and probably will kick in before things hit the limits of the body. Mind over matter.

Meb Keflizighi is an icon of long distance running in the US.  He was the first Olympic marathon medal winner in 2004 after a 32 year gap for US. Won the New York City marathon in 2009, an american win after a long gap of 27 years.  First american after 29 years to win the challenging Boston marathon in 2014, and the oldest ever to win, at 39 years of age.  All this against some pretty severe odds in his life, among them, a hip fracture in 2007. His story told in very simple terms in his autobiographical book Run to Overcome is as impressive as it is touching.

Considering that I am venturing into this at what most people would consider is a little behind the prime for endurance running, I bought his other book, Meb for Mortals, and asked him to write something nice for me.  Here is a picture of the man at the opening of Chapter 1.

A photo of the inside cover where he wrote -

I asked him to write so as to motivate myself - hoping it might come in handy in case I find myself in a state where I felt like I can't handle this any more (within reason, of course).  I don't know him, never met him, he doesn't know me, but even then the fact that he took the minute or so to write something personal requires of me, or so I think, to commit to the goal and pursue it to success. The hope that I can use that commitment to keep going forward if other forces or elements try to pull me back.

Dear friends, I now know that should Meb's words ever fall short to keep me pushing forward, I have all your support to get back on my feet again. The time you are taking to read these pages, your encouraging emails and comments on the blog, every "+1" and "like" and share you've done on Facebook, Google+ and what not, each one of them will be a source of strength in times of need, and will inspire me to keep pushing forward when the chips are down.

Thank you for everything. I am truly grateful.

Babu

Running the long run

Today is my long run. The most important run of the week. The distance is a bit shy of 15 miles or 24 km.

It was a gorgeous morning. Check out the sun rise and a few snaps of the fog filling the dips in the landscape, captured using my phone.

Pan & scan with the rising sun (mute your audio for a more pleasant view:-)

I ran at a very easy pace - mostly. Since the temperature was very nice I didn't even take a swig at the bottle until after 7-1/2 or 8 miles. There were many people on the road today. Walkers mostly, and then a few cyclists. The two cyclists who look like Lance Armstrong were back. One of them had a female partner today. I could hear their chatter from half a mile away across the silence of the morning which was otherwise only briefly interrupted by passing vehicles. 

Smell of fresh air was invigorating. There are a few stretches of open land along the way with grass reaching the curbside. I like to run my hands down those overgrown grass just along the curb.  Feels so nice. I focused on my breathing keeping it just below the point at which it would get deep. A long easy run is a great place to pay attention to the running form. Straight head, straight back, slight forward lean to the upper body, foot landing on the ground right below the center of gravity - below the hips, and knees slightly bent to absorb the shocks better,  Relaxed shoulders, neck and arms. Not slouched, just relaxed. Good form allows the body to relax and use energy efficiently so you can go long without getting tired.  Make sure the foot doesn't land ahead of you. A foot that lands ahead of you works like a brake reducing your forward speed and giving an unnecessary shock to your foot and knee. This can also cause injury. Always land below your hips. Push off the back foot, and drive your hips forward so the forefoot strikes the ground just below the hips.

The mantra is -

"Drive off the back foot, drive up the knee

Drive forward the glutes, drive down the arms"

Up the hills my breathing was getting a bit deeper, but then I would listen on the heart to make sure it is not beating too fast -  keeping things in check by turning the dial up and down controlling my speed. By the 10th mile the sun was fairly high and rather strong. By now, I was beginning to take a gulp from my bottles every half mile or so - first from one and then from the other, regularly alternating.  I am usually worried that my two bottles won't last 15 miles. So I was happy that I started using my drinks later than usual. It still doesn't mean that they will last, though, as I may have to drink more if it gets hotter.

After about 11-1/2 miles there is a lot of up hill. The sun was burning high and I didn't care too much about running easy now.  My lungs and heart were beginning to shift to high gear on their own to keep the body cool. This was the last lap anyway, and so I switched as well. When the body demands a shift it is better to act consciously so you are still in control. We've all seen some folks who have their arms and legs flying all over the place. They are wasting a lot of energy. Stay in control and you'll run much better - fast or slow.  I switched to a faster breathing rate. Breath in for two steps, breath out for two steps.  "In.. in.. out.. out..". "In.. in.. out.. out.. in.. in.. out.. out.."  I didn't much care how deep I was breathing now. It was still rhythmic and in control.  

There was an old couple singing and walking up a hill. They must be well over 80. They were walking very slow. The gentleman had a walking stick for support. It looked like he really needed it. I wondered if they plan to walk all the way up. I wish I could do that at their age. As I passed them, I glanced on the side. They looked happy, singing together a song from their childhood, or something. The sun was hot, so I was running from one tree shade to the next when possible.  I read somewhere that it can be up to 20 F (11 C) cooler under the shades. I don't know if that is accurate, but it is definitely much cooler in shade. I wish there were more trees along the way. My bottles were empty around mile 14, but that was ok. I would make it.  

The last mile is the hardest as it is a long climb except for a flat stretch of a 10th or two tenths of a mile.  There is no conversational or easy level of effort here. My breathing will be heaviest, heart beating at its fastest, and usually sun also at its hottest! I sill keep the rhythm of "in.. in.. out.. out.." between my breathing rate and steps. Head up, back straight, slightly leaning into the hill. Every foot strike still falling under my hips. I can't think much of anything else on this stretch, except to keep pushing forward.  Came across a gentleman on the last climb who was going the opposite way.  Puffing and panting, I managed to wave at him and found half a breath to say hi.  He smiled broadly and said, "This way is easy." pointing his downhill direction. I could barely respond to the humor.

That last mile is always hard, whether I run 6 miles, 10 miles or 15 miles. Perhaps I'll never find that stretch easy... Should I really care, as long as I can find it in me to run that mile every time I am up against it?  May be that effort is like a toll I need to pay for passing.

Have you ever had a groin pull?

That nasty pain along the upper inner thigh muscle the morning after you had a hard run or game - it's no fun isn't it?  You can't walk because your inner thighs are so tense that they hurt when you take a step forward. This is one of those pains that can put you out of action for days and possibly weeks. You can prevent and treat the groin pull by doing some simple stretches.  My favorite is what is known as the butterfly stretch. If you are into Yoga, you may recognize the butterfly stretch as titali asana.

Here is how you do it -

Sit with the soles of your feet together. Bring your feet as close to the body as possible. Hold your ankles or toes. Put your elbows on the inner side of the knees. Use your elbows to push your knees down toward the floor - to the point of stretch, not pain!  Hold ten seconds. Relax. Repeat six times.

This one is part of my standard routine.  Build it into yours and your inner thigh muscles will smile.

Running hard, running easy

Today's was a good run. I felt better than on Wednesday.  It is the same distance - 10K. However, humidity was slightly less and there was a mild breeze. I was also wearing a 'sleeveless' or singlet which helped evaporation better.  That helped how I felt during the run.

The biggest reason I ran feeling better and finished better than on Wednesday was that I ran a bit easier today.  I do a bit of interval training on Wednesdays. That involves pushing myself to a fast pace every so often, and then coming down to an easy pace before picking up pace again. At the fast pace my perceived effort is close to what feels like 'very hard' or close to it. I won't be able to sustain it for a long duration.  Of course, this is subjective and will vary from person to person.  I try to split these hard-easy intervals in 20-80 proportions approximately.  Because the course is hilly with only one moderate stretch that is somewhat flat, even the easy parts of the runs after a hard part is more like hard.  Today's run in contrast is at a level I feel it is 'hard' or above 'moderately hard'.  But that level of exertion was maintained throughout the run because it is a sustainable level of effort, unlike Wednesday's interval runs.

There is a ton of literature out there on at what pace and difficulty level one should run. A lot of them talking in terms of percentage of your maximal heart rate - things like 70-80% of the maximal heart rate or around 50% and so on. There is a simple formula as a general guideline for what should be your maximal heart rate - the rate at which your heart can beat when you are pushed to your highest physical exertion level. That is  220 - your age.  So if you are 35, your maximal rate is 185. If you are 45 then it would be 175.  Your hardest workout or run should cause your heart to pump 70-80% of that rate for optimal training.  Alternatively, you can actually measure your maximal heart rate by running up a hill. Note that number, run down the hill and go back up - it may be harder this time and measure your heart rate again. Repeat until you think you've got it. Then during your runs you can use a heart rate monitor or the new sports watches to actually monitor at what rate you are pumping..

I find these methods cumbersome for me.  The investment and close monitoring is probably more justifiable when your goal changes to racing at certain challenging paces or when you are into competition.  I use an easier method that depends on how we actually feel.  Without getting too much into the details, if you run at a pace where you can comfortably have a conversation then you are running at an easy pace. Now, that doesn't sound too technical, does it?  Most of your runs should be at this pace. Apparently, most people have difficulty running at a slower pace! So make sure when you think are running easy, you are actually running easy. Talk to your partner if you are running with someone. If you run alone like me, try to recite a paragraph that you remember or the national pledge or something just to check you are at that level.    When I run at hard or moderately hard pace, it will have the feeling that it is possible to have a conversation with someone, but it will be hard. At that rate, your breathing will be hard, you can feel your heart pumping but not too hard and overall you will feel you are working hard, but there is a heightened awareness of your rate of breathing and your foot strikes and your arm swings, and how the whole body is going through a coordinated sequence of actions - or more like a loco engine running or an orchestra playing - you get the idea. The technical term for this method of regulating or monitoring your running is called, not surprisingly, 'Perceived Rate of Exertion':-)

Today's run was mostly at the rate where the feeling is 'it is possible to talk to someone, but it will be hard'.  At that level I am pushing myself just hard enough that it feels like a good pace, and that I can keep running without slowing down. Of course, to maintain that same level of exertion you may have to slow down when you go up hill, and may speed up a bit downhill.  I ran a bit slower on the easier miles compared to Wednesday, but turned out running a bit faster on the harder sections - overall feeling a bit fresher and even ended up shaving about 25 seconds off Wednesday's time!  If you are in the habit of running harder, try running easier. You may like it!

As we have a holiday today, I spent some extra time doing stretches. A nice shower after. Feels great!

Post run recovery

Due to the high humidity it felt really hot today.  I only saw a couple of people I normally see on the road. One elderly gentleman who goes for a walk. I think he goes for a walk every day, because I always run into him somewhere along the course. Then there was this well built person in track pants with a lot of weight tied around his waist. Usually he does a brisk walk with his daughter. Today the father was alone. There are two other older gentlemen who normally do brisk walking on the same route but they were missing today.  But there was someone new - a young woman who I had never seen before.  As I was coming down a hill before my last mile she was turning around the corner and heading up the hill.  Looked like she meant business as she was shifting gears approaching the hill. May be she is preparing for a race. Most of the folks you see on the course are usually friendly and greet each other. It was good to these folks along the way.

I was sweating like a pig about three miles into the run due to the humidity. So I needed to hydrate a lot today - meaning drinking lots of fluids - water.  Hydrate is techno speak for runners - sounds more exotic than saying "drink water" :-)

The body needs three types of recovery after a long run - fluid recovery, fuel recovery and cellular recovery. A lot of fluid is lost during a long run. One time I weighed myself before and after about an hour's run. It was a fairly good day that was not particularly hot or humid. I had lost about 2.4 lbs (more than a kg)!  That is all fluids lost. You need to drink a lot of water during the rest of the day to replenish all that lost fluid. It would help to drink some sports drinks immediately after the run as a lot of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium are lost through the sweat.  Many sports drink replenish these salts.  Water is best for hydration during the rest of the day. Normally, there is no such thing as too much hydration - so keep drinking water throughout the day.

You also need to replenish all the lost carbs. Running is the art of converting food into miles. So eat a lot of carbohydrate rich food, but avoid foods rich in simple sugars.

Lastly, your sore muscles need recovery, too.  Pro runners take ice bath in a tub after hard sessions or races. If you feel particularly sore in your body, you could fill a tub with cold water and chill your body in it. I simply stand under a cold shower. Actually, I cheat a bit - I stand under the shower in my running clothes which kind of softens the impact of the cold water. Although you feel cold and not as cozy as standing under a warm shower, your body will thank you for the rest of the day and recover faster.  Finally, give your body the recovery time it needs.

Ice on some sore joints tonight. Tomorrow is rest day. I'll do some stretches.

Happy running, or happy recovery - whatever you are doing today!

Morning run tomorrow

I had a longer than usual rest over the weekend.  The  race in New York on Saturday right after my regular run on Friday made it two consecutive days of runs which I normally don't do. Since you tend to run a race harder than the usual runs that also adds to the stress.  But it was alright for me as mileage-wise it was still less than what I would've normally done over Friday thru Sunday and I would also be resting till the next run tomorrow (Wednesday). It worked out well. I feel fresh and ready for tomorrow. Humidity will be 97% and fog is predicted, but it doesn't look too bad. It's never going to be perfect weather. That is the fun of outdoor running. We get to condition our bodies against all sorts of weather. I have fallen sick far fewer days since I started running outdoors.

Earlier last year when I switched from evening runs to morning runs, around winter time when days were getting shorter, I found it hard to get up and get out in the morning. After waking up I would lay in bed looking at the weather forecast for temperature, rain, humidity, snow and what not, to see if the day was actually good for running. It was just my mind playing tricks.  I guess was just feeling too lazy to get off the bed in the morning and hit the road. I found that when I think of my run as soon as I woke up, I had a tendency to look for excuses as to why that day was not really good for running. However, if I didn't think of running as I woke up but slowly eased into the morning with a cup of tea, checking email and news over the next one hour or whatever, my mind was more receptive to tying up the laces and hitting the road. I didn't have to fight it out with myself anymore.. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I'm not able to trick or tame my mind like that - why risk it? I don't want to think about it:-)   Perhaps it is just Newton's First Law in action - a body at rest will continue to be at rest unless it is acted upon by an external force.  On the other hand, a body in motion, which our bodies will be if we just ease into the morning with tea and whatever else works for us, will also continue to be in motion (uniform motion - if there are any puritans reading this) unless it is acted upon by an external force!  Try that next time when you find it hard to convince yourself to get out in the morning. Afterall, Newton's First Law is a fundamental law. It should work for you :-)

Have a good day!

There is no need to kill yourself doing it. All it takes is three days a week.

At times people ask me how many days a week I run.  When I say three days, they stare back in disbelief.  Many people have the notion that they need to do this at least five or six days a week, if not seven.  The thought seems to be that if exercise is good, then more of it should be even better.  Morever, when you do exercise unless it gets harder and harder it is of no use.  That is just hogwash.  Unless you are a competitive runner, all you need is three days a week - or at most four - depending on your goal; and even for competitive runners, most of the training is of easy to moderate intensity. Almost never so hard as to need support on the knees, as you see in some pictures. In my case, I have never run more than three days a week.  The body needs the intervening days to recover and rebuild to prepare for the next day.  Every time we put our body through stress micro level tears occur at the cell level.  The body needs time to recover and rebuild (hence the importance of protein in the diet). Also, the body kind of  goes - "Man, that was nasty. This guy may do that again. I  better be prepared."  The body strengthens itself for repeated stresses in the future during these recovery days. For folks like us with health and fitness as a goal three days a week is enough to take us a long way.  Also, there is no need to stick to a strict time schedule. I do my running these days in the mornings. I have done it after dark in the night also - very important to stay visible using headlamps and fluorescent vests, and on occasion at noon when I couldn't find a favorable window otherwise. The point is to do what works best for you.  If you miss a day, that's alright, too. Don't beat yourself up. Also, don't ever try to make up for it by running more the next day. That is too hard on the body.

"The journey of a thousand miles start with a single step."

So how do you start running?  Start with walking. Here is a sample program at the end of which you will be able to jog for 30 minutes nonstop!

Ability to jog non-stop for a half hour at an easy and comfortable pace is a major milestone, in my experience. If you feel up to it, you may try starting at an intermediate level above instead of at the start.  I am not ashamed to admit that I've spent extra time on several of the steps before moving on to the next:-)   What's the rush? You are not on a race against anyone else. Your race is against your own past fitness, and the past is standing still. Just keep at it, and you're sure to beat it.