A runner’s world

With the eating and shopping of the holidays behind us, it’s time to get back into running — and here’s how

By Karin Kane

Oh, the holidays. That wonderful time of year when we rush out to celebrate, to shop, to eat, drink and be merry, secure in the knowledge that a New Year full of resolutions is right around the corner.

As I sat down to make my list, I decided 2007 would be the year I developed the athletic prowess of Maria Sharapova, the body of Charlize Theron, the fashion sense of J-Lo, the charisma of Oprah Winfrey and the financial savvy of Abby Joseph Cohen.

In short, in 2007 I resolved to be perfect! Fortunately, though, I have a whole year to work on it, since some of these resolutions won’t be easy.

So I prioritized and focused on the most important one: getting into shape. Sadly, after years of reading weight-loss articles, I’ve come to believe the sad truth that to be slim, I would have to stop constantly eating the cookies, chips, cheeses and other treats I had come to love. I might even have to (gasp) cut back on alcohol. Worst of all, though, I knew I would have to take up EXERCISE.

This was really quite a resolution. After all, I’m a busy girl who doesn’t have a lot of time to spend at a gym. I also don’t have a gym nearby and know myself well enough to know that I won’t make a long trek. Plus, since that financial savviness resolution was still hanging around, I didn’t want to spend a lot on a gym that I wasn’t going to use. That narrowed exercise possibilities down to biking or running. Since cycling along the lakefront path on a blustery January day is only an option if you’re a penguin, that left running — the cheapest, easiest and, so I’d heard, highest-calorie-burning sport.

Now, I did run cross-country in high school and even finished a marathon the year after I graduated from college. But after a few years of couch-potatodum, I had forgotten just about everything I ever knew, except the location of one of the city’s most popular running stores, Fleet Feet Sports, which conveniently is right next to my neighborhood Starbucks. So, after choosing the slimming coffee over the Grande Mocha, I wandered into Fleet Feet Sports, looking for advice.

Fleet Feet Sports caters to runners of all sorts. There were a few guys in there who looked as though they weighed around 100 pounds and could probably outrun a mountain lion. People kept running back and forth outside, mysteriously, and another guy kept changing shoes and getting on and off a treadmill in the store. It was like a magical, athletic world, one I would soon become a part of!

Fortunately, before I started signing up for every race offered, Brenda at Fleet Feet gave me some great advice.

First, she suggested, there are a lot of beginning running and walking programs out there, and it’s important to try to find one that works for you (www.runnersworld.com has some good options). Think about what fits your schedule and, most importantly, don’t try to do too much right off the bat. She suggested going for a 15-minute run, three days a week, walking whenever necessary during the first week, just to get into the habit of exercising again.

I was a little worried that my pudginess might be an issue. Wouldn’t running make my knees hurt? Apparently, though, your form matters more than your weight. Fleet Feet has shoes that cater to those with a neutral stride, those who roll their feet around as though they’re running sideways in a hamster wheel, and everything in between. This is why, Brenda stressed, it’s important to find a shoe that works for your running style, and not just choose a shoe that matches your new jacket. In fact, the store lets you test out your shoes before you buy them, which explained the people running back and forth outside and on the treadmill.

Certainly, a lot of runners do turn to the treadmills this time of year. You can run outside, though, if you dress properly. Don’t wear cotton — according to Brenda, it collects moisture and will get cold and damp very quickly. Instead, choose some of the synthetic fabrics designed to keep you warm and dry, and don’t forget gloves and a hat. Also, don’t dress for an outdoor run the same way you’d dress for tailgating at a Bears game. You’ll be generating a lot of heat running, so try to dress as if it were 15 degrees warmer than it really is.

For the more social types, there are various running groups around town that will keep you company as you jog. Check out the Chicago Area Runner’s Association at www.cararuns.org for the most comprehensive list. For those planning on running solo, keep in mind some basic safety hints. You may feel better with “Eye of The Tiger” pushing you on, but if you can’t hear someone coming up behind you, you’re not safe. Try to run in daylight or at least stay in populated, well-lit areas and wear bright or reflective clothing.

Armed with very good advice and some technical socks, I began mapping out my running plan and eventual dual athlete-supermodel career. Maria and Charlize, you’d better watch out!

I visited the Fleet Feet Sports in Lincoln Square, at 4555 N. Lincoln Avenue. Fleet Feet Sports has another store in Piper’s Alley on North Avenue.

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