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So I know I’m not the only one out there with a lifelong aversion to exercise… right?

I’m often asked how I manage to stay healthy with all of the baking and cooking I do. To be honest, I haven’t managed very well at all. Like many, weight has always been a big source of insecurity for me, and coupled with the fact that I have never been able to find a way to exercise that I enjoyed, I’ve been feeling pretty down about my health. For years now.

Before I go on, to fully appreciate the rest of this post, you should know that I’m secretly a 7-year-old girl and love all things silly, whimsical, and childish. I mean, come on, my personal blog is called Playing House.

So when I heard recently that there are athletic events and running races at Disney World, I got really excited. Maybe I had finally found something that I was so excited about that it could actually get me up and moving?! I went to their website in search of a 5k race (3.1 miles, a seemingly manageable first race distance), and while I was poking around, came across this: the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon. A half marathon? No way. But it’s the inaugural race on their brand new half marathon course, it’s at night, and the finish line is at the annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival. It’s not until October, so it’s just far enough away that maybe, just maybe, it could be possible.

Next thing I knew, my husband and I were training for a half marathon! A half marathon with Disney entertainment at every mile, and a festival celebrating my favorite things to look forward to at the end.

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Because I’ve never been an athlete, I’m starting with really small baby steps. The Couch to 5k is an interval training program designed for people who have never run before to train for a 5k race, and I’m loving it so far. We have plans to run a 2 mile race in February, a 5k in May, and a 10k in July. I use the iPhone app by Felt Tip Inc., which lets you play your own music and tells you when to walk and when to run.

I can’t believe how much better and more empowered I feel, mentally and physically, in the short time since I started training. If you’d like to read more about my baby steps, I’m writing about my adventures at my new running blog, The Happiest Race on Earth.

What gets you motivated to exercise??

First came Part 1: attire, then came Part 2: timing and tunes, and now for the final installation of this newbie runner’s toolbox. Nutrition and training programs. Ugh-the not-so-fun stuff.

My other posts would be helpful for newbie runners tackling any distance [the 5k, 10k, half and full marathons] since everyone can use fun new clothes/shoes, tunes, and a timing system. But this one is going to be more for the longer distances: 13.1 and 26.2 milers require focused nutrition before, during and after your runs. And you better believe it takes a butt load of training to complete these races–never trust anyone who says they ran a half or a full without ANY training. They might be aliens. And I bet they are flirting with a major injury in their near future, too.

If anyone is even remotely considering a marathon I would highly recommend it. You can read about my journey towards my first full marathon here, here, and here. If that doesn’t inspire you in the slightest then I’ve got nothin:) Both the half and the full will leave you with a tremendous sense of accomplishment and the training programs provide for a solid structured work out routine that requires little to no thinking. It’s not like you can just say, “Hmmm, I really don’t feel like running today. I don’t know how far I can make it anyway. Maybe tomorrow,” because your program tells you exactly how far to run and when. Plus training for a long race will kick your fitness into high gear, burning obscene amounts of calories and therefore allowing you to pig out guilt-free. Yes, I am one of those who runs to eat because I love food way too much to limit my desserts/second helpings/large portion sizes. I’m hope I’m not alone on this one?

A. Nutrition

It might seem like a no-brainer, but when you are training for a marathon your body needs healthy, nutritious foods for fuel and recovery. Never is it more important to eat well than the night before a long run–I found this out the hard way when I popped fried cheese curds and Diet Coke the night before a 15 miler, naively chuckling, “These will be my little balls of energy!” I definitely learned my lesson after that and cut out the fried foods, cheese and dairy products, soda, alcohol, and meats for my ‘final meal’ before a long run. Instead, I usually eat whole wheat pasta with plain marinara sauce plus plenty of water to fuel my system before a run. It works for me but everyone is different with this aspect and I encourage you to try out different combinations of carbohydrates with proteins to see what works. But either way, you’ll need to chug water all day long for the 2-3 days before a long run so that you are well hydrated. Yep, lots of potty breaks throughout the day, but it’s worth it.

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Part one found here.

Part two = Tunes and Timing

A. Tunes

One of the most intense debates in the running world is whether or not to run with music. I know the prospect of running without an MP3 player to those of you who can’t leave home without it might seem awful. The problem is that most half and full marathons forbid the use of music because they believe it can distract the runner, and potentially lead to an accident if you can’t hear a car coming your way. That’s not to say that some marathoners don’t sneak in their headphones, which I say is their own choice, but technically it IS against the rules and I’m not exactly a rebel :)

I ran both halves and also my full without music. For my training runs I only use music when I am running alone and running more than 10 miles simply to stave off boredom. I promise you that if you go sans music your mind will find things to think about and honestly, it can be totally therapeutic. It’s just you, the road, and your thoughts—-but I will admit that sometimes you just don’t need to solve the world’s problems during a run.

My iPod shuffle is my lover boy for times like these and I dig a mixture of tunes for my runs. I know a lot of runners are always looking for new songs so I figured I’d share my newest ‘Spring 2009′ playlist for your entertainment.  I hope you like techno and rap music or you might be severely disappointed.

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I am not an elite runner. I do not know it all. And I’m pretty much a newbie to this sport running my first real race in 2005 with the Madison half marathon. Since then I’ve run in my first full marathon, completed another half marathon, and am now currently training for my second full marathon [eek!]. I was not a track or cross country runner in high school—quite the opposite, actually. I was a basketball and volleyball jock who would rather line up for sprints and stairs and punch herself in the face before running a mile. Then came college when I was no longer exercising for 3+ hours each day with high school sports and I was deathly afraid of the freshman fifteen. So I started running about 2 or 3 miles at a time just to burn some calories, but I ended up addicted to running.

Running is such a mind game. It’s methodical, simple, and accessible. The feeling of accomplishment you feel after a great run should be bottled up and sold for ridiculous amounts of money. Whether you are training to run/walk a mile, doing the Couch to 5k program, running in your first half marathon, or even a full 26.2 you’ve probably been overwhelmed by the running world out there. I mean, there are so many things to learn, so many questions to ask, and so many hard-core runners out there that scare the crap out of us newbies [at least, in my opinion]. So when Hanna asked if I would write a post about running—must have gear, clothes, equipment, etc—I decided to take her up on it in hopes that it will help somebody out there. I apologize for the length of this post already, but I just adore talking about this stuff [you can't tell, can you?]

PART ONE = ATTIRE

A. Shoes

Absolutely the most important piece of equipment for a runner is her shoes. Now ladies, this is not a place to skimp on quality just to save some money and since this is coming from a self-professed tightwad, you should know that it’s a big deal to me. I hunt for sales as much as the next person and usually spending $100-$150 on a single item would make me blackout. But your shoes not only protect your feet but they are the basis for proper body alignment and will definitely make or break you as a runner. As soon as someone tells me “My _____ hurts when I run” I immediately ask about their shoes: are they old, worn down, or ill-fitting? If so, it’s time to get professionally fitted for the perfect pair of kicks. I don’t go by the 500 mile rule, or the 6 month rule, but I just listen to my legs and they will tell me when it’s time to make the next purchase.

I am a big fan of shoe stores that watch you run on a treadmill to observe your foot mechanics in their shoes. They should measure each foot, watch you walk in different styles of shoes, and also watch you run in them before letting you walk out the door with a new pair. They will see if you over pronate, stay fairly neutral, or possibly over supinate and then prescribe you the correct shoe accordingly. We like Fleet Feet for this purpose but I know there are other stores out there that will do the same for you.

Right now I’m wearing the Saucony ProGrid Guide shoes:

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In the hopes of heading off the holiday five, I’ve started a new running program.  My goal?  Looking fabulous for E’s vow renewal!

The problem?  I haven’t ran faithfully in almost 2 years, so I’ve been looking for a running plan that is easy to follow and starts off at a very basic level.  I found the Couch to 5K program at Cool Running.

After the first two weeks, I’m happy to report that it is very easy to follow.  Between this and the 30 day Shred I should be looking good for E’s vow renewal.

A.