Everything Jen said is exactly right. I am NOT a long distance runner either but I’m proud of my 3-4 mile runs…and they get the job done as far as health and weightloss are concerned.

The best advice I have is to take it at your own pace. I still don’t consider running easy for me but accomplishing something that I find so challenging is incredibly motivating.

Also, if you have a friend that would like to train with you then that is the way to go. You hold each other accountable and cheer each other on when need be. I probably wouldn’t be running now if Jenni hadn’t dragged my butt onto the trail two years ago.

Good luck with your leap into the fabulous world of running! Keep us posted on how it goes.

Both of us started out by following a plan I found at Fitness Magazine to train for either a 5K or 10K. It takes you from running at two minute intervals all the way to running non-stop for thirty minutes.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/running/training-schedules/beginner-training-plan-6-weeks-to-a-5k/

This is how I started running, and I followed this religiously (had my Outlook calendar set to remind me of the intervals for that day and everything). I’m sure Ashley remembers our neighborhood and trail runs where I would yell over our loud music “WALK” and we would be sooo happy.

When I originally started this plan, I did it on a tredmill (because it is easier to keep track of the minutes), but you can do the same thing in your neighborhood or the trail on with a stop-watch (which is what Ashley and I did when we were training for the Capitol 10K a few years back).

My recommendation — find a race you want to run (maybe the Capitol 10K in March) and go ahead and register and start training. AND make sure you set a time goal to work towards. When I finished my first 10K, I almost started crying — and having friends and family to support you at the finish (and throuhgout the race) makes it even more special.