i want to become a runner, but i have a problem. i smoke! i smoke 10 cigs a day. i drink 15cans of beer a weekend, what should i do?
i want to become a runner, but i have a problem. i smoke! i smoke 10 cigs a day. i drink 15cans of beer a weekend, what should i do?
Stop smoking the cigarettes, keep drinking the beer
gradually decrease your smoking untill you don't do it anymore and cut down on the beer. Surely you can be a runner and a smoker but you probably wont be a good runner, so id try to quit the smoking.
switch to ganja, man, let go the tobacco
respect
Get in shape doing cross training activities and when you're ready to "become a runner," stop smoking cold turkey and pick up the running.
It'll give you a better psychological break. You'll associate being a runner with not being a smoker. Pretty soon you'll be so addicted to being fast and fit that a fag will be the most disgusting thing imaginable to you.
A fag is pretty disgusting.
I realy do want to quit smokin but as you can all appreciate it is very difficult to do, I have got the running bug though and really enjoy hitting the hills and trails, I would like to try a race in the future but how far should I run one? I want to do a marathon.
Herb Elliott and Bill Rodgers also smoked at first... but its gonna hurt your performance. Some army guys smoke and run. As you run more miles you will probably start to define yourself more as a runner and need smoking less. You might feel odd being the only person lighting up afetr a race. What I'm getting at, is your self-image will change and your life style will too. Just keep at it.
Its best to have run a bunch of 10k races before entering a marathon. I know people who have run a marathon on no training at all - but neither I nor they consider them to be runners, as running is not a regular part of their lives.