Non-Runners - did you turn into a runner or quit?

lemon629

I don't like running and never have. It's hard on my knees and I get shin splints badly. (And yes I have good shoes, had my gait analyzed at a running store and everything.) Plus my doctor said NO.

Personally, I don't see the point in trying to make myself do something I hate and which is medically contra-indicated when there are so many other forms of exercise I love (zumba, step aerobics, swimming, cycling, yoga, pilates, strength training). I'd rather wear out my knees doing something fun like Zumba and step aerobics (my doctor doesn't like these, either) than something I hate!

Eric_DeCastro

and let my mind wander. LOVE it.

I always think of funny stuff like do these bushes I am passing need exercise? how would they do it...ooh a rabbit. man these cars are driving fast, I hope one doesn't hit me. hahah

eimaj5575

I am 31, I was a non-runner up until about 3 years ago. It was hard at first and I hated it, but then one day I hit the runners high and I havent stopped since. Love running now

TriShamelessly

I still consider myself a non-runner though I continue to do so as it's the last leg in triathlons that I LOVE to do! I started with C25K, quickly converted to C210K and now run from 5-15 miles every week. I will be upping that as the weather clears and tri season begins. I can't say that I love running during the process of running. It's often a mental battle to get my distances in. However, the runner's high does hit now after I stop. My thought is that you should only run if that's what you like. There are plenty of other aerobic exercises - e.g., biking, swimming, etc. - that will get you close to the same calorie burns and fitness levels. So do what you like if it will help you keep doing it. Best of luck to you!

xmichaelyx

I don't like running, but my pitbull/greyhound loves it, so I do it. Not as often as she'd like, but enough for me.

MyOwnSunshine

I started C25K and made it through about 6 weeks. I quit when I started lifting and doing more HIIT/metabolic training. I definitely did not love it the first time around.

Then, I bought a puppy, who grew into an overly energetic year-old dog, who required regular exercise and I started running again. This time around, I set my own intervals and didn't push myself too hard. The main purpose was walking my daughter to school and exercising my dog. We finally progressed past walk/run intervals to steady-state running.

Now, we run 2 or 2.5 miles a few times a week, and run a 5K once in a while. I am tweaking my lifting and cardio again and have started to do more mixed intervals, with walking, jogging and fast running, followed by weights.

It took me several years to really like running and look forward to it. My dog helps to make it fun, and I like running in my neighborhood because the people are friendly and the weather is great this time of year. I cannot force myself to run on a treadmill anymore, and I don't really like trying to push myself harder or faster every time. I'm not competitive and don't like entering races. Running seems to work best for me when I approach it in a more laid back manner.

AsellusReborn

I was a non runner. You can see my story here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/852214-nsv-journey-to-a-half-marathon-in-pics-sort-of

^ I used to hate running. Despise. Dreaded c25k workouts.

And somewhere along the way, I fell in love. I just finished my fourth HM and will run a marathon this year. I am a convert :P

fishsquishy

OP here - thanks everyone for your feedback and awesome honesty. I loved the suggestion of sprints, I used to speedskate and loved the short distance stuff but I never did like the long distance races so maybe it's a pattern. I think I'm going to try and run using the C25k method and on nights when my kids are playing soccer or Lacrosse where I have exactly an hour, I'm going to start C25k with walking, then do the running, and if I get bored, I'm going to ditch the C25k and go to the sprints or some stairs (maybe that will motivate me to go back to the program). I'm hoping to I'll find out what style of running or combination appeals to me or after 2-3 weeks just replace it with something else. Good reminder on icing works the knees, I have always only iced for injuries but duh, I can't believe I've never iced for just wear and tear. Friend me if you want to hear how it goes. My 2nd question do people think 2-3 weeks long enough to push through my initial hesitation? I really do want to love running...

fishsquishy

Awesome, I am going to recruit my bad mannered dog to go with me. She won't heal and loves to run! (she skijors with my daughter in the winter and is trained to stay in front of her so not really bad mannered so much as trained differently). I should have thought of this myself! Duh!!!

Chieflrg

I have been an avid walker for years. I always thought I couldn't run because I have rheumatoid arthritis.

Last fall I bought Focus T25 and completed it in December. I had to modify a lot of moves at first and then by the end I could do nearly all of them. So, this year when the weather got nicer I thought to myself, "What the heck? You could keep up with Shaun T everyday for 14 weeks, you might as well give running a go." Since that day there has been no looking back.

I am still an avid walker, but now I'm also a runner too.

Dammm skippy you are... :drinker:

xWendyJonesx

I did day 1 week 1 of C25K last night and really enjoyed it, OH suggested I ran round my local park to start off, he said it would be easier on my knees if I run on the softer ground, he came with me, it was good to have someone encouraging me.

I wish you good luck, I hope you enjoy it too.

caseys29

I used to absolutely despise running, but I realized that the reason I didn't like it was because I was "bad" at it. I could only run for about a minute at a time and it was discouraging. But once I started to improve, and made measurable progress with every run, I became addicted. Unlike weight loss, there is some instant gratification associated with running! After I ran my first mile without stopping I was so emotional I almost cried. Haha

I ran three miles for the first time in my life a couple of months ago and I also nearly cried when my Runtastic app told me I'd hit three miles. Kind of awkward on a track full of people.

I've always hated running, even when I was young and not overweight. I'd never been able to run a mile without stopping, ever. I'm running my first 5K on Saturday, and I'm terribly slow, but I plan on doing a 10K in a few months and then a half marathon next year. I don't consider myself a runner yet and I don't love it while I'm running, but I love it in between runs!

Imcharmed

I used to absolutely despise running, but I realized that the reason I didn't like it was because I was "bad" at it. I could only run for about a minute at a time and it was discouraging. But once I started to improve, and made measurable progress with every run, I became addicted. Unlike weight loss, there is some instant gratification associated with running! After I ran my first mile without stopping I was so emotional I almost cried. Haha

I was like this, couldn't run for 30 seconds. This morning I've just completed wk7 d2 of the c25k, which is 26mins of running. And guess what I do get a high, never thought I'd enjoy it. I've decided, that IF I complete the c25k program and still feel ok, I'm going to,reward myself with proper fitted running shoes. I do have running shoes, but they're just off the shelf.

I'm even beginning to think I could class myself a runner! I've got a long way to go weight wise, I'm currently 197lb, so plenty of room for loss and improve my running.

Good luck to all!

MyOwnSunshine

Awesome, I am going to recruit my bad mannered dog to go with me. She won't heal and loves to run! (she skijors with my daughter in the winter and is trained to stay in front of her so not really bad mannered so much as trained differently). I should have thought of this myself! Duh!!!

I bought a leash for running on Amazon. It is called a "Stunt Puppy" leash, and it is an adjustable belt that goes around your waist and attaches to a bungee leash. The bungee leash is helpful if your dog suddenly speeds up or changes direction -- it absorbs the shock a bit so it doesn't interrupt your running. My dog caught onto it very quickly and knows that she is supposed to stay ahead of me and keep up her pace. She knows she is allowed (encouraged?) to pull a bit when we're running, too. LOL

Dog running is much more fun than regular running for me.

dwm2112

Have felt the "runner's high" and don't think it's all that great. For me, the benefits of running are not worth the pounding to my body. I don't like it, and I think there are better methods of achieving the same results (e.g., HIIT bodyweight exercises).

amybg1

I was a non-runner for many years and a friend encouraged me to try it out in the spring of 2011 as a form of cross-training in-between seasons. Met with someone who was willing to guide (I'm visually impaired) and she encouraged me to keep at it once I got going and we would go out twice a week. At first I didn't think too much of it, more as something to keep me active and busy in-between seasons but I came to fall in love with it. I feel free when I run, no need to concentrate as much on where I'm going, what I feel through my feet and my skin receptors as that's my guide's job to keep me safe so for that little while I can feel FREE and enjoy the semlls of outside, hear the birds chirp and feel the sun/wind/rain on my face and just listen to everything around me!

If you want my suggestion start off really slow, the first kilometre for me is teh hardest but for those who want to start running and teh C25K program doesn't work for them, try a different approach and do intervals you feel comfortable with.

So for the first week just do 10 sets of 1 min run, 2 min. walk, week 2 1min walk/1min run, week 3 2 min run/1 min walk and so on and so forth, when your intervals times increase you want to reduce the intervals themselves so let's say you get to week 10 which is 2 sets of 10 and 1's, that's a 20-minute run but a 30-minute total workout with a good warmup and cooldown.

Go it your own pace, if you can't hold a conversation then you're going too fast, slow down, make sure you have good shoes, proper form and like my first guide said "run as though you're a puppet on strings" my feet are very quiet when I run because I'm light on them that way.

KnitOrMiss

I haven't been able to read all of these posts, but I wanted to tell you that you all have inspired me to move from progressing on my own to downloading the C25K app and to get full on running! I can't even tell you how excited I am. I ran cross-country in high school and absolutely hated it! I walked to lose 50 pounds (I guess 70 something technically), but I always listened to music to get me through. This time around, I am loving my own company, the time to think, and the almost meditative rhythm I create. I'm basically shuffle-jogging at this point, and I cannot wait to be able to run and enjoy it. And I'm a total non-runner. Whatever I did before in my previous lives was always because I had to, I suffered through, and all that. This time, I'm doing this all for ME!! Thanks for the push, everyone!

3laine75

I quit. The impact was not helping my knees.

LauraHasABabyJack

I spent forever as a non-runner. I didn't enjoy it at all and could hardly run 100 yards despite spending years as a swimmer. I always thought runners looked so relaxed though and decided one day I was going to become a runner. It has taken me THREE years to get to the point of running more than intervals. I enjoyed doing that but one day I was out and something just clicked a few months ago and I ran three miles without stopping. I went out a couple days later and ran five! It was slow, very slow, but felt amazing. Now I love it and am working on increasing my miles. I was frustrated reading about people who went from nothing to miles in just a few weeks but apparently persistence paid for me.

JTick

I decided when I started losing weight that I needed to be more disciplined. For me, that meant learning to run. I didn't particularly enjoy it first. It was hard. But now, I can actually run. I still don't *love* it, but I do love how it makes me feel and the discipline I've learned. It's translated over to my eating habits. If I have enough discipline to lace up and do a few miles when I really don't want to, I have the discipline to keep my eating under control.