Runners: questions from a beginner

adiostrasero

Hello all,

My goal is to run a 5K by October 12. Right now I am running a mile in about 11 minutes on a treadmill with no incline. Running a mile is very uncomfortable for me - painful joints, totally out of breath, red in the fact, etc. It is also an extremely tough mental challenge - the entire time, my brain is screaming, "Please, can we just stop?!" So, up until now, I haven't yet pushed myself to do more than a mile. Some people might question why I even want to do this - but I used to love to run, when it came naturally to me (i.e., when I was young and in shape!) However, I've never bothered with it since being overweight.

So here are my questions...I will love you forever if you can answer one, two or all

1. Is it feasible to think that I can run the entire 5K by Oct. 12 if I keep training? I will realistically probably not run every single day like a lot of "couch to 5K programs seem to suggest - If I commit to it every day, I think I'll burn out quickly.

2. I love yoga and also enjoy strength training - any particular stretches or training to improve running? Any other types of physical activity you do as part of your running training, or just to supplement?

3. What MENTAL exercises help keep you sane? Sometimes I know it's time to run and it is absolutely the last thing on earth I want to do. Other times I want to stop running so bad that I literally can feel myself tearing up. It is just SOOO hard.

Thanks ... I admire you all for doing what I hope to do someday!

Shawshankcan

Couch to 5k don't suggest you run every day, it is 3 times a week.

ZenInTexas

Slow down! You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. You have plenty of time to build up to 5k. Yoga and strength training are a great compliment to running. And go outside! Running on a treadmill is torture. Running outside is glorious!

jenifr818

I'm a beginner runner as well, and I'm MUCH slower than you lol. The C25K program I use is every other day, and I'm repeating week 2 next week since I tweaked my leg this week. As far as doing a 5K by October, absolutely you can do that! While training, the best advice I can give you is to slow down. Speed can come later. Right now you need to focus on endurance; if you're red in the face, out of breath, and in pain after a mile, you do not need to be going that fast. Slow down to the point where you can hold a conversation with someone else.

For mental exercises, I will find a spot (such as a mailbox or a pole) and focus on it. Rinse and repeat. It also helps that I know the exact distance my route takes me, so I can tell myself "ok, halfway there" "3/4 of the way through" "you hit a mile here" etc etc

I've heard squats and lunges are great ways to stretch yourself out and run better. Can't verify it though

natalie412

You can definitely run 5K by October. I definitely recommend doing Couch to 5K or at least doing intervals. Also, as Shawshank said, Couch to 5k is 3 days a week.

You may be running too fast - try more like a 12 minute pace - also doing intervals will help you enjoy running more. You should be able to hold a conversation while you are running. I have run a half marathon at a 9:48 pace, but most of my training runs are anywhere from 10 -11:30 minutes. Your goal starting out is not to run fast, but to develop endurance.

Any yoga is helpful - I really like downward dog or anything else that either stretches or strengthens the legs and hips.

I usually listen to audio books when I run - really gives me something to look forward to on a run!

lewandt

I am training for a 1/2 marathon right now that i am doing in October with my Sister. She is a runner and has done many in the past. I am currently up to 6 miles. I will tell you what she told me the other day when i said i am not sure i will be able to run 13 miles and what have i gotten myself into...

You will do fine, 13 miles is 13 miles whether you run it or walk it. You will get the same benefits from walking as running, it will just take you longer if you walk. And there will be others doing the same thing.

For some reason that does make me feel better.

Just take it slow, like ZenlnTexas said, you should be able to carry on a conversation while running. Your goal right now is to add miles not add speed. Build up to it as you feel comfortable. I do think the 2nd mile is MUCH easier than the first! Try slowing down a bit and adding .2 of a mile and go from there.

I would think you should be able to do it by October though.

wilsoje74

You should look at the couch to 5k apps. They are 3x a week and never 2 days in a row. It also eases you into running. I assume the 5k is outside? If so, you should be training outside as its very different than a treadmill.

alikonda

In addition to everything already said...

Feel free to slow it down and definitely don't worry about running the whole time. Do run/walk intervals - when I was getting back into running after a big injury, I used to jog (slowly!) for 5 minutes and then walk for 2...eventually the jogging part doesn't seem to require as much effort; you you can step it up that way.

Good luck!

adiostrasero

I GET TO SLOW DOWN??? YAY!!!!!!!

Haha, no seriously, I really hadn't thought about that. Also, good news that I don't have to run every day. I realized I must have been thinking of when I briefly attempted to do a "Couch to Marathon" program and then injured my knee after a week. I had not yet learned the power of baby steps! lol.

Thank you all - this is such great advice and very encouraging!

GiddyupTim

Slow down! You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. You have plenty of time to build up to 5k. Yoga and strength training are a great compliment to running. And go outside! Running on a treadmill is torture. Running outside is glorious!

Don't mess with Zenintexas. Everything she says here is right! Keep it easy. Keep it comfortable. Progress will come -- if you stick with it. But it won't if you go all out and quit.

SpleenThief

1. Yes
2. Open the hips and hammies. Pigeon pose is one of my favs. iTunes has several yoga podcasts including some targeted for runners. Also squats and lunges
3. No, just suck it up and run

RunnerElizabeth

Yes, slow down! When I first got to running a full 5k last year, I was averaging 13 min miles. 1 year later I'm down to 8:45 per mile for 5k. Speed takes time. Definitely run every other day. It will keep you from getting injured. Try a couch to 5k program.

I haven't tried the 5k version, (half marathons are my current favorite distance), but I really like the zombies run app. It's fun getting involved in the storyline about the zombie apocalypse. I use it on my speed day because I hate speed work and the 30 minutes I'm doing it definitely doesn't feel like 30 minutes.

Yoga is great for running! As is stretching with a foam roller. And I do body weight resistance training to supplement my running as well. Helps prevent injury also gives you something to do on non run days.

kmorganlfc

Building a good aerobic endurance base is important and this is done by running slowly. if you find yourself going 'red in the face' and huffing and puffing, slow down. In fact, run so slowly that you would feel embarrassed to be seen running so slowly. Even elite pro runners regularly do lots and lots of slow runs. It's the foundation everything else is built upon.

danjacharlotte

heya!

you can definitely do it by october! I started a month ago and can do 5km without stopping in 34 minutes now.
It just takes consistency and doing just a little bit more every time.
what i did was do a full 5km everytime i went running, but not running it entirely. warm up, do maybe 500m the first day, then walk a little, then run a little again until youve done 5km distance between walking and running.
then the next time, maybe do 800m, walk a little, do 500m.. and so on until you reach 5km...
you will see that every time you go for a run you can do just that little bit more, and eventually youll be doing 5km without stop!!

also, try running outside a least one or two days a week, since running outside without a moving floor is A LOT different than doing it on a treadmill. i used to do 40 min on a treadmill at a steady pace without stopping, and then when i went outside to run i couldnt even do 10 minutes! its a totally different exercise and way you use your body

Ennaelangels

I haven't tried the 5k version, (half marathons are my current favorite distance), but I really like the zombies run app. It's fun getting involved in the storyline about the zombie apocalypse. I use it on my speed day because I hate speed work and the 30 minutes I'm doing it definitely doesn't feel like 30 minutes.

That sounds like the solution for me! Is it available for android?

RunnerElizabeth

I haven't tried the 5k version, (half marathons are my current favorite distance), but I really like the zombies run app. It's fun getting involved in the storyline about the zombie apocalypse. I use it on my speed day because I hate speed work and the 30 minutes I'm doing it definitely doesn't feel like 30 minutes.

That sounds like the solution for me! Is it available for android?

It is! I have a droid too!

Daisy471

Is there a local running group in your area? I have found that running with others really motivates me, and I am more likely to run a little farther than I thought I could. Also, chatting with a friend helps the time pass more quickly (and makes it easy to tell if you are going too fast).

Krista916

Slow down, take rest days in between runs and I also suggest getting off the treadmill and running outside. Its WAY WAY different then a treadmill. You will find that outside it's MUCH harder then a treadmill. I was very discouraged the first time I ran outside. I was running over a mile on the treadmill but once I hit the open road, I could hardly make it .75 miles and I thought I was going to die.

Treadmills propel you forward so it's easier to run. Hit the open road and get use to running outside since I assume your race will be outdoors.

Capt_Apollo

it sounds to me that you need to warm up better. i know that for a run, i need to warm up very extensively, or else i also feel like quitting in the first mile or two.

to warm up, do 50-100 jumping jacks, 10-20 body weight squats, 10-20 lunges, and as many push ups as you can do. do some dynamic stretching for your legs, like leg swings, to loosen and lubricate the joints.

also... go outside to run. train like you race.

JenMc14

I definitely agree with slowing down. And, set a small incline perhaps. If you can get outside, do it. It actually feels better to me, but the breathing is so different. (I also have a really crappy old hand-me-down treadmill.) Also, a big thing for me was realizing that it's ok to take walk breaks. You don't have to run the whole thing. I just did a 10K on Saturday, and I told myself I was going to schedule walk breaks, and I did. It is helpful. I don't wait until I feel like I'm going to die, I plan them. I run 10 minutes, walk a minute. Towards the end, I walked a bit more, but I finished running, and had, in my opinion, a pretty good time for someone who'd never run more than 4 miles! When I first started going too fast, and thinking I had to run the entire distance.

You can totally do this!

As for yoga, absolutely. It can help, and if you Google "yoga for runners" a few videos will pop up. Do some lower body strength training, but don't over do it. When I was training for my first 5K, I was still squatting heavy 3 days a week and deadlifting one. That was too much for me. I switched programs so I squat heavy once a week, and I deadlift lighter on that day. It is important to do some squats and maybe some lunges as well to help strengthen your legs. I would go super light or skip leg day for race weeks, though.

On the mental, having a planned walk break really helps. I just tell myself, "X more minutes, you can do this!" Having music that pumps you up helps a lot, too. I also enjoy watching shows on Netflix on my iPad when I'm running on my treadmill. "You can do it! Keep going, there's only 10 minutes left in the show!"

jaredcollins77

You can also try other cardio exercises, maybe an elliptical at a gym or a bike. Just to keep it from being so boring running. Change it up a bit. You'll have to run more the closer you get to the race, to get your muscles used to it. But if you just want to get over a cardio hump, try something different to keep your heart rate up and get you through "the wall."

sazidelbi

A really great beginner to 5km training programme can be found here - http://www.zest.co.uk/running/train-for-a-5k-run/14-2.html

I used their plan for a half-marathon and it was really useful.

Yoga is always intensely beneficial. I would recommend Ashtanga over Hatha for runners.

Finally, for building mental stamina, I prefer to listen to music. Make yourself a 45 min to 1 hour playlist of your favourite party songs (ideally ones with around 120-125 bpm) to keep your rhythm going when you're pounding the pavement.

5km by October. Easy peasy! You can do it!

smerkord

I can't speak for C25k, but when I was a beginner I used the Jeff Galloway method and I am now running half and full marathons. I am not speedy, but I finish without soreness or injury. Jeff has free beginner training programs on his website. www.jeffgalloway.com

He uses walk breaks. Even with walk breaks at intervals of 1 minute walked for every 4 minutes run, I completed a 5k in 29:29 and a half marathon in 2:20:01 so it doesn't slow you down as much as you might think and will be easier on the joints in the long run (ha, pun not on purpose, but now I'll say it is intended)

dgage8

Don't worry about your pace- listen to your breathing, and communicate with your body when you run. As the weight comes off, the times will come down naturally, and your goal should be just to FINISH- without any times attached.
Also, I would recommend finding some running quotes that can stick in your head- not negative thoughts, but positive ones-- like "at first glance it may appear too hard. Look again- always look again."

alilarmour

I hate running but am currently in week 2 of training for a half marathon on 22nd September. Like you I think I'm a bit crazy!!! I don't run but in the last few years have done 3 10k runs. Each time I trained for them and was very proud of myself that I made it. The most recent one I didn't train at all for but had been doing a lot of gym work and weights so was fitter than I had been in general. I actually managed to do the full 10k without having to walk at all which is a major achievement for me. The key that time was my husband did it with me and paced me so i didn't go too fast and just kept going. My tips are;

1. Get off that treadmill and get outside. It's a totally different running experience and a lot less boring. Plus you have to keep going. If you run a mile from home you still have to do a mile to get back again. It doesn't matter if you walk some - its all exercise and getting you fitter.

2. Set little goals in your run - eg: keep running to the street corner then walk until you reach a parked car a little way ahead etc.... Little goals like that make it easier than thinking in terms of miles.

3. Try and find someone to run with. Running alone is harder as you've nobody to keep you going. You might think its hard but it's really not. With friends we managed to get 50 people to sign up to do a 10k charity run so for the months before we always had small groups training together which was fun and encouraging. If we can get 50 people you can find one!

4. Be prepared to find it tough. I see people running and it looks so easy and natural to them that I think I can skip out the door and do that too. In reality half a mile in I'm sweaty and struggling lol No pain, no gain - every little bit you do is getting you fitter.

5. It does get a little easier. I couldn't even run 1 minute to begin with and today I did 4.5 miles and did the initial 2.5 easily enough without having to walk.

Good luck

Capt_Apollo

also, do you adjust the speed on the treadmill, or do you go from a high setting to zero?? when you start to feel like the run isn't effective, do you slow it down? and then when you catch your breath, you can speed it back up.

you can't be expected to go on the same speed for 3 miles. slow down, speed up. most runners will start off slower in a race, and speed up as they go.

kellygeorge8182

if you can't talk while running, you're going too fast. (i have been known to sing along, just to check myself).

i did the entire c25k program, and it works - absolutely. but it's designed to get you there slowly, not all at once. let it guide you.

and - again - a mile is a mile, whether it's a 7 min mile or a 17 min mile. you're still faster than everyone who's *kitten* is still on the couch.

EdTheGinge

Like someone has said 11min mile seems quite quick to me, you add say 30secs to minute on top of that I'm sure you'll find things slightly easier, once you've got to grips with it you can push on. It's a slow proccess but to do the race in October shouldn't be a problem at all. I'm trying to go from 13.1miles to 26.2miles for October haha.

You've got this and as far as mental is concerned, I just think of my end goal and know that there can be no excuses. Currently my motivation is I don't just want to finish my first marathon but want to do it in a decent time, if I don't train I will be letting myself down.

Slowly slowly catch your monkey

nlehmann

Are you able to get off the treadmill and run outside? Treadmill is horrible for me as well. I can run forever outside but something about going nowhere with nothing to look at is painfull. If not, like some of the others said, listen to a book or music to pass them time. Slow down it shouldn't be painful. Set a program on the treadmill to run/walk/jog for time not distance and see how long you can go to build up your endurance.

Also, set the incline on the treadmill to .5% or 1% incline, it helps with the pressure on your joints without making a noticable difference in the difficulty.

Most of all stick with it, it will get easier! Good Luck!

leefox79

First off, slow down, you will be more comfortable at a 12 min miles than 11. When your trying to build distance do not worry about speed, the speed will gradually increase as you become more efficient at running.

As for the mental challenge, I would suggest wearing headphones and put in your favorite upbeat music, or if you have a TV in view of the treadmill put on a show that would take your attention away from running.

As for exercises, Squats, kettlebells, lunges and plankes are a runners best friend.

1 last advise that worked for me. When I started running I did my first 5k in about 38 minutes with walking, my 5k's are now in the 23's just a few years later I am now training for my first marathon on Oct 6th, when building distance don't be afraid to walk for part of it. The goal is to get your body use of the distance, and if walking a little here and there makes you able to complete 3 miles or more than you are on the right track. A little trick I did was run a mile, walk for 1 or 2 tenths of a mile and run to the next mile.

Good luck and keep us updated!

traumacode3

Hey Adiostrasero,
I totally think that the middle of October is realistic for a goal. I would like to caution you though that if your running is on a treadmill, you will have better times on that as opposed to outside. The outside brings another element or as my personal trainer says "another beast" because of the atmospheric conditions (pressures, humidity, etc...). Even if you cant run the entire thing, make your goal to be to finish it and build upon that. I ran my first 5K on June 22nd and have done two more since then (June 22, June 29, and July 29). My next one will be August 10th. While I am personally not meeting my time goals, I am meeting the goal of finishing. Music is definitely a good thing when running. It seems to take your mind off of things, especially if your not feeling run that day. Start out slow also! It will prevent injuries in the long run. Feel free to friend me for support if you like!!