You Can Become A Runner

You Can Become A Runner

For me, the hardest part of becoming a runner, was believing I could do it.  You know we are our own worst enemies, so many of us talk ourselves out of a big endeavor like this.  I wasn’t looking to run the New York City marathon, but I did want to get to a point where I could run for a pretty good distance.  I have always been a fan of walking for exercise, so I hoped to incorporate running in with my walking to ramp up my routine.  Before I give you the steps it takes to get your running regime started, I wanted to give you some great reasons why you should consider this sport.

• You will get healthier and if you are trying to lose weight, this is a great way to do so.
• You are going to find it hard to run if you are a smoker, so if you are, you should quit.
• You will change how you eat because your body will start to tell you what to eat and it ain’t gonna be fried chicken and ice cream!
• You get to have some great me time, let go of stress and you get to be alone in your thoughts.
• You will be proud of yourself for accomplishing such a great feat (hee hee)

You Can Become A Runner

Now here are the steps I took to ease myself into becoming a runner:

• Be Realistic: I know you are excited to get started, but if you set your goals too high, you will not make it.  You may want to try the 5-30-5 rule, which is walk for 5 minutes, run for 30 seconds and then walk another 5.  This is a great way to ease your body into what you will be doing over the next several weeks.
• Build Slowly: If you go too far too fast, you could get injured and then you are off the track for a long while.  To avoid injury, build your running time in small increments, which will get you running before you know it.  If you were following the 5-30-5 rule, do that until you are quite comfortable and your body is allowing you to progress.  Now you can do 5-1-5 for several days and so on.
• Have Fun: If you treat this as a chore, it will feel like a chore.  Enjoy the beautiful things all around you as you run.  Take notice of the blue sky, the beautiful flowers, green grass and the birds singing!  Bring your mP3 player and rock out with your running shoes out!
• Dress Those Feet: I saved the best and most important rule for last, because your success can hinge on your shoes.  There are a lot of shoes out there and a lot of companies calling their shoes running shoes, when they are not proper running shoes (unless you are wearing them while running after your toddler?!).  One company that has built their stellar reputation on their phenomenal shoes is Skora Running. No pun intended (well, maybe a little) but Skora has put their heart and soul (or sole) into their shoes and I promise, it shows.

Choosing The Best Running Shoes

Choosing the best running shoes for your feet is a critical decision, and one not to be taken lightly. If you don’t have the correct shoes, you could at best make running uncomfortable but at worst you can damage your feet.  If I am going to invest in a pair of running shoes, I want a company that cares as much about me and my experience as they do about their product.  With Skora, their designers are runners who are always on the cutting edge of everything that goes into creating and manufacturing their shoes.  The genius of asking runners to design a running shoe is that they know better than anyone what works and what doesn’t.   The shoes from Skora work in harmony with our body so that it can work up to the level of excellence we all have in us.  The Skora design includes a zero-drop, which means your heel is on the same level as your forefoot, has a more comfortable asymmetric lacing, has limited stitching inside the shoe for added comfort, has a curved outsole forefront and heel which encourages a more natural movement and roll and has an elastic heel strap that allows the wearer to have a more personalized fit.  For more information, tips and advice on running, you can visit the very informative website from the folks at Skora, RunReal.com.

Skora offers two shoes; the Form or the Base, and they will be adding a new style this March as seen here.  I chose the Woman’s Form ($185.00), in white/pink/blue, which is one choice of four, but new colors in the Base and Form will be available in the spring as well.  When I put the shoe on, the first thing I noticed was the lack of a tongue, which was an odd feeling!! With the shape of the shoe being so close to the human foot, they aren’t kidding when they say these shoes fit like a glove.  I can tell you these shoes are by far the most comfortable, form fitting and feather light shoes I have ever worn.  I humbly abide by the 3 R’s from Skora; Reconnect, Reposition and Rhythm. Instead of adding a lot of bells and whistles, Skora takes as much as possible away from the construction of the shoes.  This helps your feet be closer to the ground and enables your mind reconnect with your body. When you are wearing your Skora shoes, you will reposition your body to the proper running form.  Lastly, when you are running in your Skora shoes, the combination of the first two rules will enable your body to find its natural running rhythm.  If you are a runner already or aspire to be one soon, run to Skora for the best performance shoe possible.

One reader will win their choice of  Form or Base shoe ($110-$185.00) for women or men, based upon availability.Entry-Form

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