I have never been a runner....

bowhuntr09

....but it is my hope to learn to love it.

I am 46 and about 60 - 75 pounds overweight for my height. I started training for a local 10K on 2/2 with a group run of 1 mile. I did better than I thought I could. The 10K is in the early part of April. Tomorrow is a 3 mile group run. So far this week I have logged 6.8 miles and I have survived it ;-) . I have been following MFP since early January and have not seen the scale move as much as I would like, but the running seems to be starting to help in that area. I know I have trimmed down because today I am in jeans I have not worn for a year.

Maybe this running thing is not as bad as I feared it would be......

knightreader

great job! not a runner myself, but i hear once you start, it's hard to stop. enjoy it!

Baloostika

Would love to be a runner too. Am running or rather jogging 4km non stop right now bush would love to really run as in increase my sped. Good luck on your 10k.

Mokey41

Just be a bit cautious of pushing too hard for miles to start. It's a really good way to end up injured. It's far better to build your miles slowly.

ECR1989

Wow congrats! There's no way I could have run a mile with my first run! I remember, cos I had to stop every 3 mins or something and I thought my lungs were going to explode!

Sounds like you've got a really good goal to motivate you - and because you're adding to the cardio time you'll see the numbers move on the scale I'm sure. I was inactive for so long that I think when I started doing even a bit of cardio my body changed so quickly just because it was so unused to it!

Good luck for your run! I too would love to be able to run for 10k, and also increase my speed so I'm not just jogging lightly lol

runningbs

That's awesome! Keep up the good work :-) I run 35-50 miles a week and it really is life changing. You can add me as a friend and I'll help cheer you along! Remember your brain says quit long before your legs are ready to!

raiderzara

I hate running and it makes me miserable when I do it, but it burns SO many calories...so I find that I now have a wall full of 1/2 marathon and full marathon medals. Something about the feeling of accomplishment trumps the suck of actually doing it...

skylark94

Be careful! I was an enthusiastic runner too. I started pushing my miles too far too fast and wound up with a knee injury. Now I can't run more than a mile or walk more than 3 without intense pain.

runningwild00

Definitely ease into it! and increase 8-10% a week....you dont want to get injured!!!

Good work, keep trying, you will love running soon!!!

dixiech1ck

That's awesome! Keep up the good work :-) I run 35-50 miles a week and it really is life changing. You can add me as a friend and I'll help cheer you along! Remember your brain says quit long before your legs are ready to!

It's definitely mind over matter. Don't give up! And build up slowly. Many folks use C25K and Bridge210K to help them. I was never a runner and started signing up for 5K's then graduated up to half-marathons. It takes time and dedication with training, but once you get a groove going, you'll find how much you like it. Just know, most people don't drop a significant amount of weight with running because you are constantly burning and building muscle. Give youself appropriate rest days and also partake in some cross training to mix it up and confuse your muscles so you do eventually burn and lose.

loril13

I was never a runner until last Labor Day weekend when I started teh Couch to 5k training program. Prior to that running was only for if zombies were chasing me, or maybe if I was going to miss the bus.

I finished C2k5 the end of December and have moved onto the 5k to 10k training program. Building my endurance, distance and speed slowly has given me an appreciation for running. I am not sure if I love it, but I definitely enjoy it when I can run outside. I am not a fan of the treadmill, but it is a necessary evil for running during winter in New England.

Like everyone else has said, be careful going from zero to miles right from the start. I discovered new muscles in my calves when I strained them trying to pick up my pace to soon.

Good luck!!

bowhuntr09

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! Just to clarify, I am doing this as part of a YMCA training team, so my runs and schedule are already set and designed to ease me into it. I think they say they have put over 4000 non runners through this program so I'm pretty hopeful they know what they are doing. I was skeptical of the mileage too but so far I'm doing OK. I went to a shoe clinic they put on and bought a really nice pair of Brooks running shoes that were selected for me by knowledgeable staff at a running store. I have had some shin soreness which I think initially started from my old shoes (and lack of running), but I ice them now after every run and have some compression sleeves that should arrive today.