Treadmills, and why I don't run!

martinh78

I'm away for a couple of days and thought I'd use the running machine here seeing as I didn't bring my rower!

Anyway, my first time on a treadmill and I now remember why I say "I don't run for anything!"

Mountain biking and rowing I can breath ok, climbing I'm fine, hill walking no problems.

Jogging...my chest gets tight and really "dry". Hard to explain but I feel like my heart is dry (in a rough-dry way) if that makes sense?

This is why I don't jog, but I want to know is this normal when starting out? Keeping in mind I have been exercising hard for four weeks now (mostly on the rower) and am "only" 88kgs at 5'10

I won't be using it again anyway as I hate the "seasick" feeling I had when getting off it (I walked into the wall, my feet obviously thinking they were still on the belt!) lol. Quite funny to watch I suppose If I continue to jog I'll hit the pavements instead!


Going to do some rowing tonight...far more comfortable!

Awkward30

Any chance you have a heart rate monitor? I was damn near there when I first started, and it was purely being out of cardio shape. In fact that is exactly how I feel after one lap in a pool lol... I just limit my breaks and keep at it. The reason I asked about hrm is that I'm curious if you are getting your heart rate up in your other activities

Rainbow011

I'm no expert, however, I am a cardio freak! I'd say that you just need to build your fitness. Try interval training, this will build your stamina.

CountryDevil

Cardio exercises are not created equal. Your body will react differently to each one. I was cycling, hiking and mountain biking a lot prior to heart surgery. However, when I started my cardio rehab after surgery it was primary on a treadmill and was rough at first. More rough than someone that had not had surgery. It took about 4 months for me to adjust, but I kept on pushing forward. And now I am starting up the C25K program on the treadmill.

I know that my case is not yours but with any exercise including cardio, you have to allow your body time to adjust. If you have a HRM like suggested already, I but you will find that your heart rate will be significantly different with each one of your activities.

BerryH

It is perfectly normal when starting out! Here's my blog of beginner's tips:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/20-things-i-wish-i-d-known-about-running-when-i-started-103936

The most relevant to your situation is:
When you start out, it’s HARD! Even if you think you’re fit, running is so different to anything else you’ve done before you will get out of breath quickly. Stick with it. Can’t manage a minute? Go slow. Still can’t? GO SLOWER!

Hope that helps!

kettlenic

bump that is a great blog post

week 4 run 2 of c25k tonight

martinh78

Thanks for the replies.

BerryH - good blog, thanks, some good tips )


CountryDevil - You may be right about "not all exercises being equal", I expected my muscles to react differently but surprisingly they didn't, in fact they feel fine. It was my heart and lungs that gave out first! With my other exercises it's my muscles or my mental stamina that gives up first. Actually it's my muscles as I'm too stubborn to stop before they do lol.


I was doing intervals of 60 secs jogging (7mph) and 90 seconds walking (4mph). Maybe that was too fast...?


I don't have a heart rate monitor when rowing but know my heart rate (from my finger and a stop watch) is 150 with rowing. with jogging (the machine has a monitor) it was 168 (dropping to 148 for the walking interval). Maybe next time I'll slow down a touch and stick closer to the 150 and see if that feels similar? Even so, I have pushed my rowing to 180 in a sprint and not felt quite like this.

Thanks again all, at least it seems "normal" and maybe I presumed wrongly my cardio "fitness" was transferable from rowing to running )