RUNNERS...I need ALL the advice you can give me!!!

scentexpress

I'm begging all of you naturally gifted runners to share any tips for building endurance during runs, how to breathe, etc. (any tips you can share!). I'm a natural born walker...I can walk my *kitten* off & enjoy it very much, however I've been trying to re-teach myself how to run but am not having luck building any type of stamina. I'm not sure if I'm breathing properly, but I end up so winded that I can rarely go more than about a minute at a time. (I have made some progress- in the beginning I could barely tolerate 30 seconds) I'm not sure if I'm psyching myself out & hyperventilating during my breathing....so afraid that I'm going to pass out, or ???? I have no clue.

I'm just hoping that you can share any tips you can that may help me build those skills. Especially if there are any out there that started off like me but now are more efficient in their running skills. I really want to get over this & I know that I'm at least benefitting from my efforts; in a 6-8 mile brisk walk, I'll attempt to run as much as I can tolerate at every 1/4 mile mark of my walks. Sometimes I'll do a slow, steady jog & other times I'll attempt to do fast sprints. The results are the same; I'm just as winded from a slow jog as I am from the sprints. That's why I'm wondering if it's just me sabotaging my breathing. ??? So confused but want to overcome this hurdle.

Shawn

scentexpress

bump.. really need you runners to do a Q & A with me before you take your daily run!!! Hello????? lol :laugh:

dorkynerd

I am a beginner too. Started almost 7 weeks ago. I could barely run a minute. Now I am up to 30 mins and 2 miles. I think the thing I have learned is it is about patience and going slow. I am using a program called Couch to 5k. It is a very nice program. You shouldn't worry about speed at all. I am having this issue right now. I want to pick up my pace but if I do then I can't go as long. You should be able to say little phrases. I think this is the best advise I have been giving. It's not a race...yet. Right now you should only be working on endurance. Its going to take a while to build this up, but keep at it. If I can do this, you can too!

Hope this helps.

Whodatgirl77

Even though you are a proficient walker I'd still recommend doing c25k to help with building up you running endurance. You can always continue to walk after those intervals for additional exercise. Running is just a whole different beast than walking. Good luck!

lorierin22

You may already do this while walking, but breathe through your mouth (not your nose) and breathe naturally. Don't try to take exaggerate and take long breaths and don't try to take very shorts one or you will hyperventilate. Most people may already know that but I didn't at first. I was always told to breathe through my nose for exercising, so changing to mouth breathing helped me tremendously.

scentexpress

Yes, thank you...the main reasons I'd love to be able to cross over to running more than walking is the fact that I need the cardio challenge plus the fact that I can cover so much more territory by running (along with all the added cardio) in a shorter time frame when my schedule will not allow me the 2 hours I need for an 8 mile walk.

I've heard people talking about the couch to 5k.....where do I access the info. about it. I'd love to find out more!!

Quickster34

Preface by I have for 12+ years, seems like your focused on breathing which is great , controlled breathes are obviously the goal, in through your nose out through the mouth now obviously this becomes near impossible just starting out and as you increase mileage but some techniques to improve your breathing are simple drills to expand your lung capacity,,

fully inhalee till your lunges are full, then either breathe out through a straw or regulate how fast you breathe out making it longer than usual, completely empty your lunges then repeat, NOTE: try this is small cycles at firs as to avoid becoming very light headed ( I do it at my desk )

also make sure you are increasing your volume as well as pace consistently and gradually to avoid getting injured, there are tons of articles on runnerworld.com

feel free to ask me anything you got,

good luck!

AmyRhubarb

I'm another one who can walk all day long, and fast - people always tell me to slow down! But when it comes to running, it's never been my thing. I started the C25K a month ago, will be starting my 5th week tomorrow, and it's great! You can find the plan online: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

And there are a lot of great phone apps, both free or paid, and they give you the prompts of when to walk, when to start jogging, warm up & cool down - the whole bit. Works great - I take my iPhone with me and wear it in an armband, and just listen for my cues of when to start running, and when to start walking. It's a great program, and you can go at your own pace - I walk fast, but I jog slow, at least at this point. I'm not worried about speed, that may come later, right now slow & steady is my thing, and I am improving every week!

pgosavi

Prior to 2008, I was not a runner and had never run more than a mile whenever I tried on a treadmill. But, that year I ran 1 full marathon, 2 half marathons (official) and several unofficial half marathons just in training for the full marathon.

What helped me were the following:
1) A Goal: (To successfully run the half marathon) - to provide some real motivation.
2) A Group: I trained with a volunteer organization called ASHA which raises money to educate children in India. I think that doing this as a group was fun. Also we kept each-other motivated.
3) A Running Partner: Someone who runs at the same pace as you - however slow is fine. Talking while running (although counter-intuitive) helped to keep the mind off the monotone, the pain, etc. It also helps you breathe normally.
4) The Stretches: A before-running and an after-running stretching exercize was recommended to avoid muscle fatigue and injury

One important finding:
There are some particular 'walls' during running that most runners hit. When you hit that wall, you feel very exhausted and unable to continue. However, if you keep pushing through somehow you will find that it will get easier (until you hit the next wall where you can repeat). My walls are around 1 mile, 6 miles, 12 miles and 18 miles.

I hope any of this helps.

mindysreadyforchange

bump to read later!

I am in need of this info too

Grlnxtdr0721

Yes, thank you...the main reasons I'd love to be able to cross over to running more than walking is the fact that I need the cardio challenge plus the fact that I can cover so much more territory by running (along with all the added cardio) in a shorter time frame when my schedule will not allow me the 2 hours I need for an 8 mile walk.

I've heard people talking about the couch to 5k.....where do I access the info. about it. I'd love to find out more!!

If no one has already answered this, try c25k.com. I am doing the program as well, and am in my 5th week.

kd_mazur

I used a program called "run your butt off". It is similar to couch to 5K in that you start by walking and gradually build up to running longer and longer during your walk until you can run for 30 mins straight. Check it out from your local library. I found it very useful

tinamina78

It sounds to me like it would be helpful for you to invest in a Garmin, or an app on your phone that uses GPS or a treadmill if you stay inside, to track your pace.

If you feel so out of breath in one minute that you can't continue, you may just be going too fast.

Speed takes time to work up to... try going from your walk to a light jog. You should be able to talk out loud, maybe with a little effort, while doing this. Once you can run slowly for longer, you will be able to work on increasing your pace. I find that using my Garmin really helps me moderate my pace. I can always tell when I'm going too fast because I lose my breath really quickly.

Best of luck!! :flowerforyou:

SRH7

Bump. Starting C25k this week (the NHS one is on iTunes: http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx)

tinamina78

One important finding:
There are some particular 'walls' during running that most runners hit. When you hit that wall, you feel very exhausted and unable to continue. However, if you keep pushing through somehow you will find that it will get easier (until you hit the next wall where you can repeat).

^^ This is true too. Sometimes, to get through the wall, you just lean forward and focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Try a mantra... something you can chant that motivates you and matches the beats of your footfalls. Don't give up just because you don't feel good after 5 minutes of running, the rush comes when you're done!

buttersl

I am not a natural runner either, I *hated* it but I started slow at the beginning of January 5mph, no incline for 20 minutes and now run 40 without any issues (usually stick to about 30mins though). Start slow and you will build up endurance. It also makes me feel awesome, just 20-30minutes a day and my whole frame is smaller!!

neverstray

When I first started a few years ago, I simply Googled "how to start running", and I found a program that started with a walk/run program. And, in about 6 weeks, I ran 5 miles. Now, I do that routinely. Before that, I could barely run around the block.

Bretto

I can run, but I too get winded and want to walk. I just started training for 1/2 ironman and my coach is having my run without taking any walk breaks....But you have to go at a pace that you can sustain for 30, 40, or 50 min (or how ever long you want to go.) I started at 5.0 on the treadmill, my girlfriend started at 4.7. This way you are doing a slow, slow jog. The first 10 minutes are ALWAYS the hardest for me, I want to stop and take a walk break. I find that if I push through that first hurdle, I can keep going forever. It has been 4 weeks and I am up to 5.2 mph on the treadmill and my longest run is 75 minutes. ( i have been running 3 times a week)

caustin112

Bump.

knowwhentoshutup

I am a novice runner - but have gotten a lot of support over on the novice running boards on active.com. Here is some of what has worked for me.

Tip #1: SLOW DOWN. You don't need to sprint. Pick a pace that is maintainable and start there. You should be able to talk and run at the same time.

Tip #2: At first, the breathing thing was hard for me too. But, overtime it will get easier. I started using my strides to gauge my breathing. I am a singer - so I concentrated while I was running to make sure you breath deeply (using your diaphragm) to prevent side aches. Then, I would breath in a pattern, In,In, Out,Out, with two strides. I like the double in/out - so it helped me stop shallow breathing.

Tip #3: Build up your endurance by extending the length you are running each time. A lot of people use the C25k program with success, and this is basically the same thing. Start by walking and running in intervals. Overtime, extend your running time and shorten your walking time. It doesn't need to be overly complicated. I started by walking for a five minute warm up, and then running for one song (on my iPod), then walking for one, etc. Then, next week - I increased it to run for two songs, and walk for one song. It is very effective.

Tip #4: Sign up to run a race! This seems silly, but it works for me. If I am just doing it, to do it, I might lose my motivation. If I know I am working towards a goal, it makes it easier to stick with it. Besides, there are a lot of free training plans that offer a lot of benefit. When I first started I thought I needed to run hard every day. But, with running rest days are extremely important!

Hang in there! And, best of luck! If you want to add me - feel free.

I am training for a half marathon (my first) in May!

Edited to add: I also prefer to run outdoors when the weather allows, and use the app iMapMyRun to track my workouts.

dreamin2bethin

I just started running too and I am doing the couch to 5k and it is amazing. Never thought I would enjoy or become a runner but I am. I am hooked. A few things I have learned is like what most said is breathing, something I am still working on. Patience is huge, we all wish we could go out and run 3-4 miles without training but not only could that cause a injury but it is unlikely. Make sure after your warm-up with a brisk walk or something you stretch and then after you exercise you stretch. A personal trainer said the best time to stretch your muscles before a run is when they are warm, so I do my 5 minute warm-up, stop and stretch. So far no injury and I haven't noticed any weird/sharp pains. Hope this helps

Superbritt2drescu

For me running is a lot mental, a little physcial. I have been using the C25k as well. I'm in the middle of week 5 and there is a big jump. So I have to not psych myself out. Maybe your breathing is like that? I breath in through my nose, and out through my mouth. I try to breath out for as long as possible and find that it helps. I also don't go at a fast pace yet. I would definitely recommend C25K.

AllanMisner

Not advice as such, but I'll teach you the runner's prayer:

God, if you'll pick 'em up, I'll put 'em down.

Enjoy!

danihonline

If you have a smartphone, there are some great apps to get you building up your running endurance. I use an app called Run Training, they have couch to 5K, couch to 10K, half marathon and full marathon training programs. It tells you when to run and when to walk and slowly builds up the time, the distance will come with practice.

Good luck!

PANZERIA

If you have a running room in your area, start by taking some of their running courses.

Don't try to do 30 minutes straight right off the bat. Start by doing 2 minute spurts, then walk for 1 minute, and do that for a half hour. If that's too easy, move it up to 3-5 minutes, and walking 1 minute. Keep adding time. Before you can properly do any sort of anaerobic activity (wherin lactic acid builds up and you essentially burn EVERYWHERE upon completion) you need an aerobic base. This means your cardiovascular system needs to be up to par (for lack of a better way to explain) before you can go for gold!
So don't try to do any hardcore intervals yet, or really tough cross-fit style training. Stick with doing easy running, where you're just pushing your body a little past its comfort zone (where you're working, sweating, and breathing at a level that doesn't feel good) before you step it up. Do this for the first few weeks before gradually adding distance, and a faster pace. Once you can run at a semi-comfortable pace for a straight half-hour or so, try moving into some sprint intervals, and cross-fit style training.
NEVER over-do your workouts. There is a difference between pushing yourself, and pushing yourself too far! If you push TOO FAR, you will be injured, and an injury will take you out of the game. Quite often people who are just starting to run, or weight-train will go too fast or lift too much. If you injure yourself, especially at the beginning of a new exercise regimen, you will set yourself back to square-one because you'll have to break from training for a couple weeks or potentially more simply to heal enough to begin training again. Slow and steady wins the race! The best exercise for building cardiovascular strength is most certainly high-speed interval training, however you can't just jump into it, you need a base to work off of first. Build that aerobic base first, then move into the difficult stuff.

juicemoogan

You really have to build up to running.. If you are used to walking, start with 4 minutes walking, 1 minute running, after a few sessions of that start ti increase the running and decrease the walking time each time you try it

Week 1: 4 mins walking, 1 min running (repeat)
Week 2: 3 mins walking 2 minutes running (repeat)
Week 3: 2 Minutes walking, 3 minute running (repeat)
Week 4: 1 minute walking, 4 minutes running (repeat)
Then increase your running time but continue with 1 minute walk intervals until you can make it to 10 minutes running, 1 minute walking intervals.


That's a good way to get started and get your body adjusted to running over walking.

Good luck!

MrsM1ggins

I use the UK NHS c25k plan. http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/c25k/pages/couch-to-5k-plan.aspx

If you're getting winded...run slower. If you're still getting winded...run slower. You should be able to hold a conversation while running or you're going too fast. Don't worry if your run speed is slower than your walk to start - you're just trying to get your body used to running and the pace can come later.

Try breathing on a 4-step cycle - in for 4 steps, out for 4 steps. Keep your head up and relax. Repeat any c25k runs that you find too difficult. Above all, don't give up!

I'm on week 8 now and running continuously for 28 minutes. There is no way I'd be able to do that without the c25k program and the advice I got here which I have repeated above. You just have to believe that if you follow the program it will work. It has already worked for thousands of runners - it will work for you too!

Good luck!

vicmonster

Another great program to follow is Hal Higdon's. I googled it and found his novice program for free. This program includes strength stretching and cross training so you're only running 3x a week and doing other types of exercise to build your strength and stamina on the non-running days. It keeps me from getting bored!

gabe_irun4coffee

C25K is a great program to use it works on interval training which helps with stamina. If you don't have a smart phone just use your watch start off by running a min and walking 2 for 30 min. Then increase your time running by 2x the next week and increase your walking time by 30 sec until you get to 3 min walking then start decreasing your walking time. Eventually you'll be fine. Pace is very important don't start out to fast keep it steady, speed will. One eventually. Just remember wether its a 15 min mile or a 7 min mile it's still a mile. Hope this helps. I'm always looking for running friends new or experienced so feel free to add me if you'd like.

Happyguy

Forget "in through the nose out through the mouth", that's for Zen meditation, not for running.

It's almost impossible to breath wrong but I suppose it can be done. Just make sure you are breathing deeply. By that I mean you should be "belly breathing". Completely inhale and exhale and don't worry too much about it.

You'll be fine just keep after it.

frilly7483

I'm not a runner, but hope ne day to be. My brother has done it from couch potato to marathons and ironman races (madness). He started off at out local begginers running club, doing Fartleks: 30 sec walk, 30 sec jog for 20 mmins, x3 times a week, then increase it to 1 min jog, 1 min walk; 1 min jog, 30 sec walk etc.etc.etc they say that after 5 weeks of being religious at following, you could run a 5k (that's actually how they end the 5 week training program!) I plan to join this running club when I have my confidence up, I'm likely to trip up and break something at the moment!

Good luck