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Mission Statement

The mission of our UEA Staywell Committee is to encourage and support healthy lifestyle choices by offering our members diverse wellness programs, educational opportunities, and resources.

My Wellness Journey

Morry Allmacher

My Wellness Journey

Adopting the Running Lifestyle One of the greatest joys I’ve found in running, besides achieving personal goals I’ve set for myself, is convincing others to take the plunge and adopt running as not only a means to physical fitness and weight-control, but also a lifestyle. Most colleagues, family members or even athletes who I’ve mentored or coached in running, tend to listen in disbelief when I try to convince them that running can become a lifestyle just like eating, working, or spending time with family. No other form of physical activity is more natural to human beings than running. Without question, consistent running will incinerate more calories, relieve more stress, and create more self-confidence than any other physical activity out there. It’s what we as humans have evolved to do. As a veteran of 9 years of running, 12 marathons, and dozens of shorter races, I can honestly say that I have never completed a run feeling worse than when I started and always having a sense of accomplishment. Moreover, I have solved many problems, created many a lesson plan, and have met hundreds of some of the most interesting and wonderful people through the activity of running.

Over the years, one of the common questions I get from many non-runners who would like to start running is, “How do I start and then once I start, how do I stay motivated?” Three words: consistency, consistency, consistency. But beyond that, I have collected some strategies I share with many non-runners who like to become more consistent runners and eventually adopt a “running” lifestyle.

Begin with walking. This is especially important if you are going from couch-potato to physical activity. 4 days per week for 30 minutes is sufficient.
Walk/Run. A good routine would be to walk 10 minutes, jog 3 minutes, walk 7 minutes, jog 3 minutes, walk 7 minutes. Sometimes I tell new runners running in a subdivision to use houses as a reference as well. (i.e. Jog 3 minutes and walk 5 houses repeating until you get 30 minutes total in.)
Build slowly Part I. For general fitness, your goal should be to run, without stopping, for 30-40 minutes. Add no more than 10-20% duration to your runs per week to avoid injury. It takes time for your body to adapt to the rigors of running consistently.
Build slowly Part II. Focus on endurance and not speed. Remember the goal is to get to 40 minutes of running. Forget about pace and worry about time on your feet and let your body adapt to the impact forces of running. They’ll be plenty of time once your body adapts to focus on increasing pace.
Seek out running buddies. There is power in numbers. Nothing is more motivating to go out and run than knowing that if you don’t, you’ll be letting someone else down who is waiting for you. Plus, conversation and camaraderie is one of the most pleasurable aspects of running.
Schedule a Race. Once you’ve been consistently following a plan of run/walking for several weeks, it can be very a motivating factor to schedule a 5k or 10k and be with dozens, if not hundreds of other people who have worked hard just like you to achieve a goal.
Accentuate the positive. As difficult as it sometimes is, do not compare yourself to other runners. Don’t put added pressure on yourself and be proud of your accomplishments. The fact that you have chosen to participate in this very healthy and rewarding lifestyle is an accomplishment in itself.

As mentioned earlier, the key for running to be enjoyable is start slow and be consistent. It is amazing how the human body, regardless of previous physical fitness or athletic ability, is able to adapt and improve itself over time. Most people who comment that they either hate running or have quit because it was too tough (or got injured) did so because they started too fast and let excuses and negative thoughts take over. Through patience and consistency, anyone who seeks out a healthy lifestyle can find it by adding running to their daily routine.

Morry Allmacher
History Teacher
Track and Cross Country Coach
Henry Ford II High School

Previous Wellness Journeys

Brian Vento

The Staywell Committee is including the "Wellness Journey" of our members. If you are interested in submitting your own personal wellness quest, submit the following information to: info@ueastaywell.org. Posted “My Wellness Journeys” will receive a $25 Gift Certificate.

Details:
• Each month the website will feature a different UEA member's Wellness Journey.
• Purpose is to provide encouragement and inspiration to others
• 2-3 paragraphs
• Possible information to include: 
~ Goal(s) you established for yourself. 
~ How you accomplished your goals. 
~ Challenges you faced. 
~ Helpful tips for others. 
~ Future wellness goals
• Provide any photo that you feel comfortable including with your write-up

Let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Nancy

* Please keep in mind...wellness is a continuous journey for all of us.