Running Treats

I've had an extra dose of motivation to run lately thanks to two Christmas presents: a watch and a book. I'm not a real tech-savvy person so when I heard about the GPS running watches, I was sure I wouldn't want one. But the curiosity of how fast (or slow) I am and how long my routes are slowly changed my mind. Birch, of course, was thrilled. Why do all men just love gadgets?

I have liked the watch a lot more than I thought I would. Now I know better what my normal pace is and it feels so good to run fast or long and have a number to prove how hard I went. The only problem was I got a little overzealous the first few weeks, running more than I should have and my lower back spoke up. That's when the second gift came in handy....

This book is by two women (obviously mothers) who write articles for various magazines: Shape, Runner's World, etc. They give their tips on how to stay fit and reach your running goals while raising children and working. They're definitely more hard-core than I am, waking up before dawn to run while their children are sleeping. I was surprised that they didn't talk about jogging strollers or how to run with your children. But they both work part or full-time so our schedules are different. It did made me realize a few things I can and should change about how I exercise:

Strength train!! Once or twice a week

Cross train!! Both of these will help my back stay healthy

Run a race for time and not just for distance

Getting up early sometimes would give me better workouts

Schedule time to run with friends