Sun Run coaching: Starting slow is key to training
Credit to Author: Paul Chapman| Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2020 14:00:01 +0000
“It all starts with a voice inside…”
I have no idea what possessed me some 40 years ago to head out for a run along Regina’s Wascana Parkway in minus-30 degrees weather. It was 1.5 miles to the university and back from my home. You can bet nobody looked at me that day all bundled up in the cold and thought, “That girl will race around the world representing our country, and stand on an Olympic podium!” My intention back then was simple: I remember wanting to do something active for myself that was totally my own, and it’s that same personal feeling that still gets me out the door for a run or walk nearly every day.
I understand what it means to make a start. To struggle a little bit. To find a way to fit a workout in amidst our busy lives. My days as a serious athlete are long past, but I’ve never enjoyed my running more because I know that it makes me feel motivated, vibrant, and helps me keep the demands of the day in stride. It has become my passion to help others find the motivation to get off the couch and move because it simply feels good. Barring unforeseen circumstances, most everyone can walk or run, as long as you don’t do too much, too fast, too soon. It’s the impact that gets you every time if you don’t have a proper program with guidance and support.
Deciding to join a running or walking group is the first and most important step. With the InTraining Program, I have the privilege of guiding you as your virtual coach with tips and stories every week, while clinic leaders will ensure you have the best possible support along the way. After 25 years leading the 10K InTraining Program, and literally thousands of success stories, I know you can do it!
Lynn Kanuka is an Olympic bronze medalist and SportMedBC InTraining coach. She won the Vancouver Sun Run women’s title in 1987, 1988 and 1989.