Apr 19, 2023
Let’s SPRING into Action
April showers bring May flowers, so bloom where you’re planted. We often look for the stars to align, for the sun to warm at just the right temps and for that perfect moment in time to start or step up our run journeys. As the cold rolls out, so shall all of our excuses! Just start where you are, wherever that is. Here are a few tips on how:
Show up. Have you been stalking your local BGR! Facebook page but haven’t shown up to the meetups? Are you paying for a gym membership with your fingers crossed that the next Monday of the month will be the one you actually start and stick to using it? Are you telling yourself that the treadmill that cost a small fortune and is now an extension of your closet will come out of retirement? Just showing up is often half the battle. The probability that you will regret choosing to go for a run is low. Be intentional about adding running into your schedule until it becomes a seamless part of your regular routine.
Take it slow. There’s something to be said about slow and steady winning the race. We all know the moral lesson of the story “The Hare & the Tortoise”—that you can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily than by acting quickly and carelessly. This is a simple, yet unmistakable truth. Starting out too fast or with unrealistic expectations for yourself can lead to an injury, muscle fatigue, and burnout—all of which can sideline you and your efforts. Take care to figure out what works for you and your run, from the right shoes (by getting a proper shoe fitting at your local run store) to your pre-run warm-up and post-run cool-down routines to hydration to nutrition. Taking it slow and taking the necessary time to do the work is vital to your success.
Set goals. There are few things that are more motivating than achieving a goal that you’ve set for yourself, be it big or small, professionally or personally. Take stock of what you want to accomplish—to run a 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, ultra-marathon, or a combination or anything in between, then take note of the steps needed to get you there. Do you need to enlist the help of a certified run coach to help you with a training plan and realistic timelines tailored to you? Or do you need to call on an accountability partner to help you stay moving and motivated, help monitor your progress and help modify your goals, as necessary?
Get sleep. Getting adequate sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle, and optimal physical performance and is a key element of athletic recovery. According to the Sleep Foundation, most athletes require eight hours of sleep each night for restoration and to avoid overtraining, and to improve their performance. Without sleep, runners are at risk for lowered performance and fatigue and a heightened risk for injury, as the body’s production of growth hormones—necessary for the repair of muscle tissue—is highest during sleep. Sleep also energizes your body, improves brain function, lowers your risk for serious health problems (like diabetes and heart disease), reduces stress, and boosts your mood. Yes, please!
If your goal is to start or step up your run game, remember: what you focus on grows and success is measured in progress, not perfection. Simply start by showing up for yourself and the results and milestones will follow.
By: Joy Harrell @joyrunsrealestate
Joy Harrell is a licensed real estate agent and co-owner of The Sift Sisters bakery based in Houston, Texas. She is a native Houstonian and graduate of the University of Houston—go Coogs! When she is not helping people buy, sell or invest in real estate, she can be found hanging or traveling with her hubby, running or biking the streets and trails in and around Houston, mentoring girls or testing new food and cocktail recipes.