A couple of things to take note of.
First, because we have many budding runners and trailrunners in the group I have posted a couple of links of interest in the "links and thinks" portion of the blog (in the right sidebar). The first is a Beginning Runners program which outlines in
5 steps how to go from not running at all to running for distance and speed. It is a 5 part series with training plans and support articles for every step of the way. It is done by Runner's World magazine and is a great resource.
The other is a Beginner's Guide to Trail Running, which contains
5 great articles about taking your running from roads to trails. In my experience trail running is so much more enjoyable for the long haul with constant change of scenery, differing footing to keep it interesting (and build proprioception), and I'd rather deal with cranky wildlife than inattentive drivers. It can be daunting to run on trails though. These articles are put out by Trail Runner Magazine and are very well done.
Lastly, the Turnagain Arm Trail Run is a great trail race put on by the University of Alaska, Anchorage XC Ski team. It is relatively inexpensive ($25) and offers 2 distances, four and eight miles. It is on the same trail we will be running/hiking this weekend. It is just a fun time to get out for the first trail race of the year and is a good chance to try your hand at racing if you so desire. The catch is that it is limited to 200 spots and usually fills. It is currently open for
registration. I've run it a few times so if you have any questions let me know.
