What Kind of Workout?

A common question I hear from novice runners is "How do I know what kind of workout to do?" Excellent question. The answer is usually something like "It depends on your goals." Actually, for the middle-aged runner and above, the answer should be "Get a physical first and talked with your doctor."

Once you've gotten that physical, a stress test might be in order too, then you need to think about your goals. Are you a casual runner that wants to get some exercise and shed a few pounds (running alone won't help much...it also takes the "D" word...diet)? Are you training for a 5k or 10k middle distance race? Maybe a half or full marathon? Longer? Whatever you're training for, the good news is that there are tons of resources available. The first thing to do is visit your local running shoe store and talk with some of the staff. This is an excellent way for the novice runner to get introduced to the sport.

Running websites and magazines can also provide great information. The current issue of TrailRunner has an excellent article on heart-rate training: Have a Heart. While you may not be interested in spending $150+ for a heart-rate monitor, there are some good tidbits on how to tailor the intensity of your workout to your goals.

For me, that means lots of LSD (long slow distance) running as I'm training for an unofficial marathon event called the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon. While the course is 26.2 miles, it is not your father's marathon. This course is very hilly and feature's some nice long uphill mile runs...10-12% grade. Running this course you'll experience a change in elevation of about 1500 feet. The good thing is that it happens to be my home course...although in the 30 years I've been running it, I've never attempted to run it twice. Should be interesting.