A First-Timer's Training Plan for the Half

No Excuses

“Don’t use the excuse, ‘I don’t have the time.’ Getting up an hour earlier is tough for about a month; then it becomes routine, and you’ll actually feel better for it.” --Howard Elakman

In Training

"Everyone is an athlete; the only difference is that some of us are in training and some are not.” --George Sheehan

Schedule It

“Just as you write down other important appointments, you need to literally pencil in time for your run. The process itself is empowering. In the few seconds it takes to scribble run into a time slot, you make running a part of your life.” --Jeff Galloway

Long Live Runners!

According to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine runners live longer, healthier, more productive lives than non-productive lives. No surprise there. But, it also showed that runners have no greater risk of injury--to their knees, their back, their ankles, or their feet. Indeed, elderly runners have fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life and are half as likely as aging nonrunners to die early deaths, the research found.

Every non-runner I know asks about my knees--and then marvels that I'm not more hobbled than I am. At last, I now have the empirical data for me to point them toward as I encourage them to join me in hitting the road!