Slow & Steady Really Does Win the Race

I started running programs many different times and they usually ended with a minor injury – typically to a knee or ankle.

Eventually, I learned that slow and steady really does win the race when it comes to developing an exercise program. When I again started running in 1994 I began with a walk/jog of about 1/2 mile. I went that distance everyday until I could jog the whole way. Then I added about 1/8 mile to the distance without increasing speed until I reached 2 miles. From that point on I added distance in increments of ¼ mile.

Soon, my speed increased and I didn’t realize it. I continued adding ¼ increments each week without thinking about speed until I reached seven miles per day. During this phase I also learned the value of good running shoes and elastic knee braces.

When I started getting some pain in my knees I was occasionally working with a personal trainer who was on staff at my then employer. He advised me to upgrade my running shoes, so I switched from $15 per pair sneakers to $120 per pair Nike Air shoes.

The pain disappeared for a number of weeks. It returned when I reached 5 miles per day. Then the trainer suggested knee braces. They completely solved the problem – no more pain. To this day I wear Nikes and knee braces when I run.

By the time I was up to seven miles per day I simply couldn’t devote more time to my weekday runs so I maintained seven mile runs on weekdays and continued increasing my Saturday runs until they reached 20 miles.

Finally, life intervened and a Judo injury ended my hope of running a marathon. But, before that happened, I was running 20 miles at 7 minutes per mile and never intentionally worked on increasing speed – it just happened as my fitness level improved.