The off season is more or less upon us, and I have been looking for some activity that would complement cycling. I thought running would be a good choice since many folks I know run regularly. It is relatively cheap and you do not need much time to do it. In the past, running and me did not mix well. As a kid I was not much of an athlete. I was a little chubby at times. Actually I was a bit of an athlete, but just not that good. I played soccer thoughout my child hood. I loved playing the sport, but I could not stand the practices. I was a champ on the drills and would always score pretty goals. The thing I detested most was the constant running. “Ok, take a lap” were words that I feared hearing from my coach. One time I even faked a side stich just to get out of running a few miles. Needless to say, my childhood memories of running are not good.
Now things are different. I’ve built up some good fitness again after a season of bike racing and working out at the gym. My cardio fitness is very good, so picking up running will not be too tough and I can start another activity that will allow me to be outside even when it is too chilly to ride. So two weeks ago I started running. My first foray was at Green Lakes State Park which features a popular path around two lakes. The total distance is about 2.7 miles. I was able to complete the course in about 1/2 hour. Not too bad for a first run. Conditions were cool and almost rainy which was perfect for a run. Since it was my first run I would alternate running and walking. I was able to run about 60 to 70 percent of the time. The next two days my legs were sore and walking felt painful. My muscles had to get used to the new motion and stresses. A few days later I did a lunch time run similar to today’s run but a bit shorter and with less walking.
In the last two weeks I’ve been running about twice a week. Each running session has been a bit easier with less walking breaks and longer distances. My lungs feel like they have much more capacity for air. I feell like I can take bigger breaths. This has helped me on the bike , especially when climbing. This past Sunday mornig I went for a ride with Dave Van Wie. We climbed up to Pompey on 91 and cam back to Jamesville via Skyline Drive. The first few climbs were much easier than they were earlier in the year. On the first climb through the quarry area, I was going up the climb at 12 mph. I usually do this short steepish climb at about 6 or 8 mph. Big difference. The rest of the climbing was easier since I started running. The only problem is that I just did nothave enough leg speed to keep a good rythm up the longer stretches of the 91 climb. So there you have it, immediate results from just a few session of running 
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Today’s Run 4.86 Miles at Gmap Pedometer
Grant Ingersoll
Very nice, Cello! Running is a great thing and becomes as addictive as cycling once you get over the hump (usually about 25 minutes, I think). Couple of tips that I have read/found to be helpful:
1. Count the number of strides you take in a minute. If you are much less than 85/foot you are striding out too much and likely to injure yourself from the pounding.
2. Focus on time running instead of distance covered.
3. Make sure you have good shoes that fit your running style
4. If you find you want more info on running, Daniels’ Running Formula is the bible and will complement what you know about cycling training very nicely (training zones, etc.)
Keep it up, pretty soon you’ll be in the pool and then onto triathlons.