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This is the first version of the speech that I gave during my Leadership training class this summer.

Leadership Speech – Running Idea

“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” Quote by John Bingham, Runner’s World columnist and co-author of “Running for Mortals”. Running is an activity that has long roots for me, having competed in track in high school, but until a year ago, I didn’t have the courage to start again.

With a need to lose weight and lower my cholesterol level, I decided to jump back in and set a goal to run a 5K race in the spring. Being a short distance sprinter and without having run a race longer than two miles, going one and half times the longest distance I had ever run, was not going to make it easy.

Many people asked me, why run? As I studied about running in preparation to return to the sport, here are some of the things that I learned:

1. Aerobic Fitness
   

   First, running is one of the most efficient ways to achieve aerobic fitness. It works your heart and lungs allowing your blood to become more efficient at carrying oxygen. And as your heart becomes stronger, it pumps more blood with less effort.

2. Helps with losing weight
   

   Losing weight was one of the primary motivators for me to return to running. Obviously, along with a balance diet, running helps with weight loss due to the increase that it has on your metabolism. As you’ll see from this chart, running has the highest calorie burn rate per hour compared to the next level of exercise, Tae Kwon Do.

3. It can be done inexpensively
   

   Other than a good pair of shoes, running requires very little expense in the way of gear.

4. Can be done indoor or outdoor
   

   Running in a gym or on a treadmill are great examples of running indoors. However, I’d say there is nothing like outdoor running. My favorite is actually trail running.

5. Stress reliever
   

   Once you get past the pain of the beginning stages, you’ll most likely feel that you want to run – and not that you have to run.

6. Can be done in a social group or in solitude

   Having a running partner can help you keep consistent with your workout routine, knowing that someone else is waiting on you.

How do you get started? When I first started to run, I had been doing infrequent exercise by walking my dog, which is a great foundation for running, since you’re using similar muscles.

Select the right type of shoes

Make sure to wear proper fitting running shoes. If you need to cut anything from your expenses, do not cut short on these. The frequency of your running will determine how long your shoes will last, but they commonly don’t last more than 3 to 6 months.

At first you’ll need to determine what type of running you want to do, trail or pavement. Pavement shoes are fine for running off road, but are designed for solid traction in very loose terrain. My first pair of shoes, I decided to purchase trail shoes because it was early winter and I wanted the extra support in mud, common in Washington.

Now to determine what shoe style you need there are two things you need to know about your feet. The first is your arch shape. Any easy test is getting your foot wet and stepping on a piece of paper. You will either have a high arch – very narrow, curved footprint, a flat or low arch – much wider and straightened footprint, or a normal arch.

Second is the biomechanics of your running or how your feet pronation, the natural roll inward when your foot strikes the ground. There is the neutral pronation, which is the natural roll. The next type is over pronation, where the foot is more exaggerated in its inward roll and the final type, is a slight roll outward called supination or under pronation.

Walk, then run

Gradually mix walking and jogging, lengthening each over time. This was one concept that helped me the most to “just do it” when it came to running distance. Not being afraid to walk and gradually get into a run as well as not feeling like I’m “quitting” if I need to take a break.

Frequency

Rather than measuring speed or distance, establish a weekly running schedule to get into the habit of exercising.

Continuing on…

• Keep track of the results of your runs to see improvements along the way.
• Set goals that can be attained and work toward them.
• Avoid comparing yourself with someone else.

My Goals & Accomplishments

• I have completed three 5K races with increased improvement.
• I am aiming to run a 10K and go for a Triathlon next year.

As a teenager I spent every spring running around oval tracks throughout Western Washington. Road running has been good for building strength and endurance for me; however, getting back on the track has been invigorating for me. Sometimes it feels like I’m stepping back into time to familiar surroundings (especially since the tracks I’m running on are the tracks that I ran on in Jr. High and High School). I love the feel of the track on my legs instead of the asphalt and concrete of running on the road.

What is encouraging is that my times are starting to improve. I dropped 20 seconds from my mile time that I clocked just a week ago. I’m getting the speed down and improving. Now, I just need to work on building my endurance more. It also helps that I keep losing the extra weight. I’m down 25 pounds since September.