Building up to be a Runner

SarahandtheRoad

Hey all!

I've never been a completely devoted runner but I'm trying my darndest to get back to the basics. I am doing a lot of running/walking intervals and trying to build up distance and speed. Any tips? I've just started up the Couch to 5k program, but I've started somewhere in the middle of it since I've been working out on jogging and was a bit ahead of the beginning of the plan. I'm just looking for others that may have had a hard start getting motivated, or perhaps building up to a continual run (without walking).

How do you:
Stay motivated?
Stay focused?
Keep up without injury (cramping, joint issues, etc)?
Have fun?


Thanks ahead of time - looking forward to hearing your great ideas
-Sarah

Mceastes

Stay motivated? Entering 5k's - they are a lot of fun and keep you wanting to improve your time. I love improving, even if it's by 5 seconds. Stay focused? Just focus on one thing at a time with running - building endurance (distance) or increasing speed - don't try to do too much at once or you won't achieve it. This year my goal is to improve my 5K time and I did PR this last month because that's all I've been focused on. Keep up without injury? Do strength training on your legs once a week to build muscle strength (I like squats, lunges and kicks) and stretch briefly after a run. I've never been injured running because I take days off if I need to, don't add more mileage too quickly and don't do more than I can handle. You do have to push yourself, but not to the point of being hurt. Also, well fitting running shoes. Have fun? Find a friend to run with - make it a day you guys just do a nice easy run. It goes by so fast when talking with a friend so it's a great opportunity to get in a longer run because it will seem like half the time. If you don't have a like-minded friend, look for a local running club. Also, the races. They really are fun and are usually every weekend if you live near a big city or even a mid-sized town. Maybe commit to do one a month and just do your first one for fun and for the experience, don't worry about how you perform. Runners come in all shapes, sizes and abilities and really are so nice and helpful, especially to newbies.

Be patient and good luck! Don't compare yourself to others when running, just look at how far YOU have come and how much you've improved.

wolfchild59

Stay motivated?
- I always have a race that I'm signed up for that I'm working towards. If I don't have something specific to work towards, I'll be looser in my working out and not as dedicated. But having already shelled out the money for a race and knowing that I won't want to bomb out in a public run, I work a lot harder to be my best.

Stay focused?
- Not sure you could say I'm focused while I'm working out. My brain is all over the place when I work out. If you mean focused on the goal, it's pretty much the same as above. I know that I need to do these workouts to be able to do my best in the race and that keeps me moving.

Keep up without injury (cramping, joint issues, etc)?
- I keep a varied work out schedule. When I was just running every night, I was constantly injured. Once I found an actual training plan to follow (Hal Higdon) I haven't had any actual injuries since. (I say actual injuries because I have pre-existing knee and ankle issues). My normal training schedule is Mon-Full body strength, Tue-Mid-length run, Wed-Any cardio but running, Thu-Full body strength and a short run, Fri-Rest, Sat-Any cardio but running, Sun-Long run.
For the pre-existing injuries, I just pay attention to them, adjust what cardio I'm doing if something is aggravated (e.g. if my knee is acting up I skip the ARC trainer and do the stair mill) And on my long runs, I use CT Tape on my knees and ankles.

Have fun?
- I honestly don't know how much fun I have during the actual workouts. My training itself probably isn't any fun, but I make sure to enjoy my time outside of training and allow plenty of time with the hubby to keep my life in balance. The closest I'd say I have during the workouts is when I get something good streaming on my phone. I watched the entire series of Phineas and Ferb while training for my half and watch a bunch of movies and other TV shows anytime I/m on a machine at the gym.
But I choose my races almost entirely on where they are and where I'll be running. All of my races so far are either in Disneyland or along the water in San Francisco. For my half marathon, I got to run across the Golden Gate Bridge and back, that was probably about 75% of why I chose that particular half.

joehempel

I've learned to actually enjoy running.

So for your questions, my answers aren't going to be as long as the others:

Stay Motivated?
I find running therapeutic and I listen to audio books while I run.

Stay Focused?
I have certain time goals and such that I want to meet, so I try to hit those goals...it keeps me focused.

Keep without injury?
Yeah, not so much. I tend to go too fast sometimes, and my IT Band really acts up when I do.

Have fun?
Races are fun, but I enjoy listening to the audio books while running, and like I said before, it's quite therapeutic.

BrianSharpe

Fun? Running is supposed to be fun? :laugh:

For me the motivation comes from the discovery that my body will actually do things that I wouldn't have dreamed possible a few years ago (as long as I train properly for it) and I enter a handful of races each year to test how much (or if) my fitness has improved.

Running injury free is a matter of common sense. Most injuries are a result of doing too much too fast. We're an impatient species that want's to go from zero to hero instantly. By sticking to a plan, running alternate days with cross training and rest days built in I've been able to run relatively injury free (had an IT band issue last year but that was a function of wrong bike cleats and a 100km bike ride followed by a half marathon a week later.......dumb, dumb, dumb on my part)

Focused.......just keep an eye on the prize. Set yourself a goal and figure out what you need to do to get there. Once you have you plan stick to it.

Success (and not just at running) comes from consistency and persistence.

Laoch_Cailin

I haven't much to add that everyone else hasn't covered.

Just one wee thing on motivation. I'm the kind of girl that likes to see visible results in what I'm doing (kinda proof). I've bought a little running watch (Nike+ system) that can be logged into a running programme, I can see distance, times and cals. It also compares my runs to others around the world. I find it keeps me motivated on` days I don't feel like a run.

Other than that sign up for a few races to give you something to work towards. x

(Hope this makes sense)

MizzDoc

bump

BerryH

Hooray, another convert to the Dark Side! :laugh:

Here are all my beginner's running tips, some might help:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/20-things-i-wish-i-d-known-about-running-when-i-started-103936

As far as C25K goes, I'd add don't worry about speed, get the time on feet sorted and the rest will follow. And don't be afraid to repeat a week if you found it tough, it will make the next step up that much easier. I'd definitely second entering a 5K race. Make sure you can run the distance in your later weeks - 30 mins of running doesn't get us more stately runners, like me, all the way round!

iceqieen

Stay motivated? Telling myself..
"it's only 30 minutes, get through it.."
"don't let the zombies catch you!"
"Think of the end game - think of the end game..."
"Yay sun!"
"keep running, it will keep you warm from the ice/rain!"
Plan new costumes/clothes
Do a bit better than last time (speed or distance, mostly distance)

Stay focused?
..Focus on breathing, timing breathing with the footsteps
..if on the treadmill focus on the numbers on there.
..mostly I don't though, I soon start planning other stuff :P

Keep up without injury (cramping, joint issues, etc)?
..warm up before?
..don't over do it? if I start cramping or feeling pain then stop and stretch a bit?

Have fun?
.. on the treadmill: listen to audio books or good music
.. outside: focus on the fresh air and get distracted by my surrounding
.. imagine being chased by or chasing something (zombies for the past few weeks :P)

for the record, complete newb at this and did NOT like running before.. just starting to like it now, but still its a chore not a treat.

Luvmyhubby222

Been a runner for years, but had to take some time off after an injury. Now that I am back at it, the best thing I can say is promise yourself you will run 30 minutes, 3 times a week. No mileage goals, no initial PR stuff. Just do it. One of the days you go down you will run for an hour, or put in a couple of extra days,or run a whole bunch faster than usual, and you will be completely hooked. It is like that perfect drive when you are golfing-it totally keeps you coming back for more.

Happy trails!
:flowerforyou:

Di3012

Hey all!

I've never been a completely devoted runner but I'm trying my darndest to get back to the basics. I am doing a lot of running/walking intervals and trying to build up distance and speed. Any tips? I've just started up the Couch to 5k program, but I've started somewhere in the middle of it since I've been working out on jogging and was a bit ahead of the beginning of the plan. I'm just looking for others that may have had a hard start getting motivated, or perhaps building up to a continual run (without walking).

How do you:
Stay motivated?
Stay focused?
Keep up without injury (cramping, joint issues, etc)?
Have fun?


Thanks ahead of time - looking forward to hearing your great ideas
-Sarah

Get your mindset in the right frame. When you know, for instance, you are going out running the following day, keep saying to yourself periodically throughout the day and up to the run "my goal is to run this, without stopping" and really, really mean it. When you physically go out to run, go slow and if you start to flag a bit, slow down even more, but do not stop. It does not matter how slow you go, you see, because your aim during this session is to do a continual run - how slow it is, is irrelevant.

Do not try to run further than you are able to at this point either - if the furthest you have even gone is, say, two miles, don't go out attempting to do a continual run for five miles - you could set yourself up for disappointment at this stage.

If you complete the session without stopping, two things happen, one is that your confidence suddenly soars and you feel that you can, indeed, accomplish anything - which you can, you were just never aware of it before and two, you have conquered that mental-block that so many people get when trying to run various distances.

You can easily do this, seriously x