About
Beside The Stride
Welcome to Beside The Stride, a site focusing on the elements that turn you from good to great and keep you fit and injury-free during your running or fitness journey.
Childhood into Adulthood
My name is Ken and I have been a runner for as long as I can remember. I grew up playing sports and running was part of the normal routine. Every practice, every training, and every game was primarily some sort of running. It seemed easy.
Fast forward through high school and college and the focus began to change. I was working on my education, my career, my wife and family, and everything else that life brings. As happy as I was, sports were no longer a part of my life, running had mostly faded out of existence, and my body started to show it. It wasn’t just the outward appearance that took a hit, but how I felt as well: my breathing seemed labored, my muscles were always tight, my joints were sore. It was no wonder that the moment I laced up the running shoes again, the injuries quickly followed.
Time for a change
So, at the end of 2022, I made a commitment to myself. I set the goal to run 1,000 miles and my first full marathon within the next year. Things started out great – a couple miles per day slowly working my way up. It took only 6 weeks before I was out with a pulled groin. It sucked, but I learned how to stretch.
Two months after my groin healed, my ankles went out. I spent 4 more weeks in Physical Therapy working on my range of motion and joint strength, as well as my running form. It sucked, but I learned how to take care of my joints.
Countless times I have encountered setbacks, something that made me question why I keep going. Quitting would have been the easiest thing to do, but that wasn’t my style. Seeing that you’re reading this, I have a feeling it’s not yours either.
Next Level
We all need to set goals that challenge us, that test us to our very core and force us to dig deeper. Since crossing that finish line, rather than telling the world “I did it” I decided to set more goals. I knew I wanted to be a marathon runner, not just someone who ran a marathon. So what’s the new goal? As someone who loves to travel, site-see, and try new things, the answer came to me in the middle of the night: To run marathons all around the world, including on every continent. Since travelling around the world is not as simple for the average person, I have set these as lifetime goals. As the journey continues, I will update regularly on the different types of training necessary for each type of run, as well as the lessons learned along the way.
Learn from the mistakes of others
The more you fail, the more you learn. And I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned which gear is best for my style, which exercises improve my endurance, how often to fuel during the long run, and so much more. Each of these lessons can be seen in the Blog page on the site. I hope you’ll take the time to learn more about how to keep a balanced system of cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training.
Message from Ken
Whether you have decades of running experience, are preparing for your first 5k or full marathon, or are simply preparing for your first step out the door, there is content here to help you. Each run teaches you something different, allowing you to make continual and moderate changes to your routine.
The one thing I have learned is that adding more miles is simply not enough to be a great runner. Sounds obvious to some, but the truth is that our bodies need attention from all angles. Maintaining muscle mass while putting in the miles can be especially difficult, but following a structured training approach can provide you with the best results.
Taking time for strength training, proper nutrition, flexibility, and breathing exercises can help propel you forward in your running goals. Ready to get started?
Ken Rosen
Owner
