In 14 weeks, I turn 60. There is a 5k race that my husband and I have signed up for in the past that's on my "birthday weekend" and we signed up for it a couple days ago. I haven't run seriously in about a year and a half....so I clearly have some training to do to be able to enjoy this run.

Yesterday, I wrote a long blog about why I like bicycling so much and it got me thinking about how running really has it's place in my life too. When I was in my 40's, I used to run long distances including doing a marathon, but I really haven't run consistently since then. I think that my problem has been that whenever I try to start running back up again, I'm concerned about how slow I am now compared to what I was 20 years ago. I think I keep trying to improve my speed instead of just running for the fun of it like I tend to do with biking.

Organized bike rides are very different than organized runs. Typically on organized rides, people start whenever they want to between 6am and 10am. There is no official "timing" of the ride. There are rest stops along the way and people stop to refuel and rest (usually in the shade) before continuing on. It's a fun time to chat with other riders.

Organized runs are typically all about time.....at least in my mind they have been. I think if I'm ever going to get back to enjoying running, I need to release that notion of timed runs for me. Instead, I need to focus on how I'm feeling as I run and don't overdo it. That takes the fun out of it for me.

That being said, I did print out Jeff Galloway's beginner 5k training program this morning and do my first run with it. The length of the program is exactly perfect for getting ready for the 5k in November. I used my Endomondo app on my phone to set up intervals for run/walking and just went out and did it. I kept it simple and didn't worry about anything other than to make sure I ran slow enough to feel comfortable the entire time. It was nice.

I think both biking and running are good....each have their advantages. Since I spent yesterday's blog talking about all the wonders of biking, I feel it only fair to point out some of the advantages running can have over biking. Here are the major ones as I see it....

It's much cheaper to run than to bike...good biking equipment can easily be over a $1,000.

It's easier to run than bike while traveling....bikes and all the "stuff" that goes along with them take up a lot more space and are a lot more complicated to pack than running "stuff".

It's easier (and safer) to run in the rain, snow, wind and cold weather than bike. I'll be spending one more winter in Illinios, so running is a much better exercise option for me this winter than biking.

I think it's often safer to run on the side of the road than to road biking, particularly if the roads don't have much shoulder. It's easier to find safe places to run than to bike for that reason.

As much as I love biking, I want to re-introduce running back into my life over this winter in particular. I figure the more activities I have to pick from to do, the more likely I am to do something!