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| Abby Glassenberg, author of “while she naps“ |
How long have you been running?
I started running a year ago. I was out in the neighborhood with my kids and ran into you and you were running! You told me about Couch to 5K and I came home and signed up. The mobile app was really terrific for me and eased me into running from literally having done no exercise for months and months prior to beginning. Good thing you’re my neighbor!
How often do you typically run?
I run four mornings a week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I don’t run on Wednesday because the public schools here have a half day on Wednesday which means my kids come home at noon. There just isn’t enough time for me to run that day and still get my work done. I also like sticking to a four day schedule because it’s got built in flexibility. If I miss a run on one of my four days I can make it up on the weekend and still get four runs in that week. Flexibility is key, I think, when creating an exercise plan. Nobody’s week is perfect.
What do you listen to when you run?
I listen to podcasts when I run. I love to get immersed in an interesting story. I find it really helps the time go by. I don’t have much time during my week to read the newspaper so having someone talk to me through my headphones while I run helps me catch up on what’s going on in the world. Here’s a list I created of 20 terrific podcasts: http://whileshenaps.
Do you have a favorite running memory?
The halfway point of my run is going around the high school track. There’s a sandpit there for the long jump and a few months ago there were two shore birds in the sand pit, looking around. I think they thought they were at the beach! Pretty funny looking beach if you ask me.
Proudest running accomplishment?
I think I’m proudest of actually incorporating running into my life. I no longer have to convince myself to go running. I just go. I truly think (hope!) that after a year of running 12 miles a week it has truly become part of me. I’ve been a very intermittent exerciser previously, so this is a pretty big step.
Any advice for new runners?
Embrace running because it is the most flexible of sports. You can run anywhere, any time, with no special equipment. Running is humble in that way, which is one of the reasons I love it. You don’t need to join a gym, or wait for a class to start, or hire a trainer. You can start today, right where you are, with what you already have.
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| Abby at a 5k in September of 2012 |
Abby Glassenberg is my neighbor and the author of the popular craft blog “while she naps, sewing stuffed animals & running a creative business“. She has written several craft books, including Stuffed Animals, From Concept to Construction which actually teaches you how to design and sew your own stuffed animals.
Abby has also written a moving piece about running on her own blog: “How I Made Exercise a Part of My Life”. It’s worth reading. I love the part where she takes her previous roadblocks to exercising and writes about the solutions that have helped her make exercise a habit.
Many thanks to Abby, who is a professional blogger and author but was willing to take the time to contribute to my blog and reach out to other runners! I remember the day she saw me out running with Will in the jogging stroller, at the very beginning of Couch to 5k last July. I was kind of mortified because I felt like I was a fraud out there in my exercise gear. I told her right away that I had no idea what I was doing and I was just getting started but I’d found this great program and was really excited about it! Who would have thought that she and I would both still be running today. I love it.
Great post Abby! I’ve done Couch to 5k three times now. The first time it was just to convince myself I could actually run. I could always run circles throughout a soccer field during a game or scrimmage but when it came to warm up laps I wanted to die. Now any time I fall out of my running routine I use c25k to get back into it. It’s amazing how much it helps my creativity to run regularly!
Agreed, thanks again Abby! Sherrie – I could totally see how running would help with creativity. Not only do I find myself thinking a lot on my runs, I find that I’m better focused and more energetic even when I’m not running. I occasionally will meal plan while I’m running, make mental to-do lists, and then start running faster so I don’t have to think about all that.. hah.