Runners who used to be seriously unfit - how did you do it?
SugarBoomBoom
Posts: 67
Because I so want to run. I started NHS C25k but just did not get on with it and over the course of about 6 weeks managed to get to week 3 :ohwell: . I am now back on the treadmill alternating between running for 1 min or so then walking to recover and gradually increasing my running until I can run for 30 minutes. But I find it so hard.
I really, really want to run - there is something that appeals to me about being able to go for long solitary runs - but I just don't seem to have the power/stamina to run for longer than 1 or 2 minutes before feeling like I want to collapse. I am also doing moderate strength training, particularly focussing on legs.
I was wondering mainly from runners who started off being seriously unfit like me - how did you do it? How long did it take? Am I doing something wrong?
PS: Treadmill is set at 9.0 to 9.5 km per hour for my running and 5.0 km per hour for my walking.
I really, really want to run - there is something that appeals to me about being able to go for long solitary runs - but I just don't seem to have the power/stamina to run for longer than 1 or 2 minutes before feeling like I want to collapse. I am also doing moderate strength training, particularly focussing on legs.
I was wondering mainly from runners who started off being seriously unfit like me - how did you do it? How long did it take? Am I doing something wrong?
PS: Treadmill is set at 9.0 to 9.5 km per hour for my running and 5.0 km per hour for my walking.
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Replies
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Are you leaving enough rest time in between runs? If you're also working out your legs, maybe you're over training.
I did a "learn to run" class a few years ago (when I weighed almost 60 pounds more than I do now) and it was even easier than a C25K. We started the first week by walking 2 minutes, running 1 minute for 20 minutes, 3 days in a week. The next week I went to 1:1. Then run 2, walk 1, then run 3, walk one. Only increased run time by 1 minute each week, 20 minutes each time no matter the distance and only running 3 days a week. We stopped at 10:1. I did some yoga on off days, but I really had to let my body adjust.
After that, I started measuring distance, and always did the run 10, walk 1. Before I knew it, I signed up and trained for a 10 mile race.0 -
Slow down...the most annoying running advice ever but also the most accurate. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. If you can't you are running too fast. Speed will come.
As you keep at it, it will get easier.0 -
Now that sounds similar to the way I am doing it now. I did not think about the rest days. I don't feel tired but did plan to run/walk/run 30minutes Monday to Thursday and alternate lower body and upper bodyweight training on those days. On Sundays we sometimes play badminton, and Saturdays i thought i would have a go at running outside.0
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try outside - i hate the treadmill. its nice to be getting somewhere while your running.0
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Slow down...the most annoying running advice ever but also the most accurate. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. If you can't you are running too fast. Speed will come.
As you keep at it, it will get easier.
I agree - slowing it down is essential. It will feel like you're going *too* slow but when you're in the early stages there really is no such thing. Time and persistence!0 -
Im new to running, but I agree that maybe you need to slow down. When I first started I wanted to run at a pretty quick speed. I find that I do much better if I just set a slow jog and work on build stamina. Thats my plan anyway.0
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i've heard 'zombies, run' is great for outdoors - i don't have an iphone and my ipos's the old style so i can't get it.0
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This. Absolutely this.Slow down...the most annoying running advice ever but also the most accurate. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. If you can't you are running too fast. Speed will come.
As you keep at it, it will get easier.
I agree - slowing it down is essential. It will feel like you're going *too* slow but when you're in the early stages there really is no such thing. Time and persistence!
Oh, and make sure you eat your exercise calories. Running requires fuel.0 -
Set small achievable goals! When I first started to run, I was about 50 pounds overweight. Previous to running, I had lost 30 pounds. I would get winded just running a few feet, but I stayed at it. My first goal was to make it around half the track I was running on. I kept at this for about a couple weeks. Then my goal was to make it around the entire track, ¼ mile. I kept at this for a couple weeks. Then I slowly increased each week. It took about a couple of months for me to be able to run 1 mile. From there, I set more goals for myself and within the year, I ran (not walked) my first half marathon in a respectable 2:20 min. In addition, when you first start running, don’t worry about speed. Speed will come as you progress. After all, first time runners don’t start off running a 7 minute mile or a marathon.0
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This. Absolutely this.Slow down...the most annoying running advice ever but also the most accurate. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. If you can't you are running too fast. Speed will come.
As you keep at it, it will get easier.
I agree - slowing it down is essential. It will feel like you're going *too* slow but when you're in the early stages there really is no such thing. Time and persistence!
Oh, and make sure you eat your exercise calories. Running requires fuel.
Another vote for this!0 -
I am so interested in this as well. I really want to run and I try on the treadmill (and outside) but feel I am only doing a fast walk. I vary between 4.5 and 5 for my "run" and 4 to 4.5 for my walk. I can get about 2 minutes at my "run" before I have to slow down or grab the bars. It is so frustrating - I don't feel like my stride is long enough, I don't feel like I get my feet of the ground enough...does that come or how do you learn that? I am still about 80 lbs overweight so don't know if it will come as I continue to lose .... trying to hang in there but getting frustrated :ohwell:
Angie0 -
If you can slow down your jogging, your'e going too fast. Jog as slow as you can, then add speed later!0
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And another!
This. Absolutely this.Slow down...the most annoying running advice ever but also the most accurate. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. If you can't you are running too fast. Speed will come.
As you keep at it, it will get easier.
I agree - slowing it down is essential. It will feel like you're going *too* slow but when you're in the early stages there really is no such thing. Time and persistence!
Oh, and make sure you eat your exercise calories. Running requires fuel.
Another vote for this!0 -
i've heard 'zombies, run' is great for outdoors - i don't have an iphone and my ipos's the old style so i can't get it.
ZOMBIES RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!
...I really love Zombies Run.
As for advice, go slow and build stamina before you think about speeding up
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one foot in front of the other.....
rinse repeat.
and the C25K app has no hard and fast rules...if you redo a week or a day, you don't get in trouble for it....you're just building up...0 -
I am by no means a runner. However, I love to run (do the c25K) outside. The treadmill bores the crap put of me. I hate it.
Maybe try outside?0 -
Slow down. Slow to a pace that is a light jog; almost a fast walk. Keep doing that for as long as you can which should be pretty long at a pace like that. The point is to build stamina, not speed. Speed will come. Focus on just stamina.0
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Sloooooooooooow down and be patient. I began running in January 2012 and could only run about .5 mile then had to walk. I just ran my first half-marathon Sunday. I still run/ walk some. I can run up to about a 10k before needing to alternate. You should go for more shorter strides, sometime feeling more like a shuffle than a jog or walk. Once you build up some enurance and finish a 5k, you can begin to think about speed again. Frankly, I am very, very slow but have seen my speed increase naturally.0
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About 4 years ago I literally couldn't run for 5 minutes without feeling like I was dying.
Since then I have given up smoking, and persisted with my training and I can now run for about 45 minutes or thereabouts. I don't train as consistently as I should so i've never really made it past this mark.
The truth is though that there is absolutely no quick or easy way to make the transition from non-runner to runner. You just have to work a little bit at a time, a little bit harder to push yourself each week, and accept that it might take you a year to get where you want to be.
Good Luck xx0 -
Google couch to 5k training plans. I'm a runner, and I avoid the treadmills as much as possible. Being out on the pavement is so much more gratifying, I lose motivation in the treadmill. There's nothing wrong with walking as long as you are making progress. Stick to the plan and you will see an improvement. If you're finding yourself wanting to stop too soon, slow down the pace to where you're able to hold a conversation pace. Hope it helps0
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Slow down! It took me about 3 months to figure out that I thought I was going slow but I wasn't. I was just like you, in that I wanted to be able to run, but it felt like torture. Once I slowed down, I went from barley being able to run 3-5 minutes, to a full 25 the very next run. I love it now.0
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Start small (walking uphill, elliptical machine, etc) and build up your leg muscles' stamina and your heart and breathing. Try a combo of walk/run, and build up gradually to being able to run for 20 minutes straight. You'll be at 30 before you know it.
Also, what helped me was always running on FLAT surfaces... I didn't need any incline knocking me for a loop while in my stride and just barely hanging on to my breath support.
And, for me, the hardest part was figuring out the breathing. Once I got that settled down (for me, frequent VERY shallow breaths was the trick) it was much easier.
You can totally do it, I'm proof! What helped me was being realistic with myself and not trying to push too fast to be a superrunner. I told myself to just wait until I was really ready to get into it, and then that helped me deal with the anxiety of doing something totally new and totally hard. Also, the breathing.... that was the key.0 -
There are a few things that worked for me, well more than a few but here are some suggestions (not including the "slow down" suggestion as it has already been hammered in I think):
* Give your body enough rest to recover and fuel to feed the exercise .. in other words get enough food and sleep.
* Set small manageable goals, maybe it's to be 5 seconds faster to that 1st checkpoint in your runs.
* Don't get discouraged. Understand that on some days you'll run faster or slower for any number of reasons (fuel, air quality, how you're feeling, etc.)0 -
When I started I always ran 10 min and walked 1 min. This helped to stretch out my legs in between. As well, when I run on the treadmill I put the incline up a bit. It should be between 1.0 and 2.0. This helps to have a little more give on the band and is easier on your joints. It also makes the transition to outside elements easier. I agree that slower is better - your body gets a great workout when it can keep going for longer periods of time, even if it is a little slower than you would like. Drink lots of water to hydrate and rest days are important (although I always have a hard time sticking to them too!) I kept up with the run 10, walk 1 for about 2 1/2 years and have only gone to solid running for the past few months. Before cutting out the 1 min of walking I just slowly increased my speed.
You can do it! All the best as you continue to run 0 -
I'd suggest for endurance running that you put the tread on 5.3-5.6 on your run minutes for beginners, depending on how far you want to go. Increase your run times by 1 min if you are running 3x/week. So the week looks the same on all 3 days & increase the run times the next week for 3 days. Also, I have found that if you are strength training your legs as well, you probably will not be able to run very long. You may want to use strength training for upper body and core work while you're learning to distance run. I have found it's just to difficult to do both, especially the heavier you are. Your legs will gain strength from running. Also, if you do decide to strength train while adopting a new running schedule, I'd recommend running Mon, Wed, Fri & strength training Tues & Thurs. or something to that effect. depending on how heavy you're lifting.
Best of luck to you.0 -
First read this -
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324432004578304250252788528.html
It sounds like your limits are maybe very low, so you need to work on pushing them up. If you are pushing yourself too hard, too soon, you could just build up more and more negative psychological reactions to exercise, which will only harm your progress.
My personal path was to start with simple daily walks. I tried to time my walks so that by the last 2 minutes I was having a hard time keeping up the pace. I didn't push myself harder than that. I kept that up for about a month or so. Gradually I found that the pace and/or distance of each walk would increase slightly. If I was nearing home and could tell I still wasn't nearing my limit, I'd go a little further. It wasn't a 'sexy' workout by any means, but it gave me my foundation.
I then moved on to C25K. I started out walking/running at 4.0/6.2 mph (6.4/10 kph) but by week 3 found that this was too aggressive. I repeated week 3 and dialed it back to 3.5/5.5 mph (5.6/8.8 kph). At these speeds I completed the course. I have now gone back to week 6 at a pace of 3.5/6.2 mph (5.6/10 kph), with a view to work up to a 30 minute 5k time.
Your experience will of course be different. Many people take the runs very slowly, especially if they are short. I've heard of people doing the program at 2.5/4.5 or even 2.0/4.0. The trick is to find a speed which is just 'emptying the tank' for you by the end of the run. Each week you'll find that the tank is a little bigger, and the runs progress a little to empty it.
I hope that helps.
TL;DR : Don't worry about speed. Find the speed you can just about manage and go from there. If you have to slow down to finish a week, do it.
By the way, I used to be 220 lbs, and struggled to run for the school bus if I was late to pick up my daughter. Now I'm 178 lbs, and I can sprint for the bus if I need to. So my method worked, for me at least.0 -
I don't fall into the category of people you're asking (I'm not a runner yet) but I am a health coach and wanted to put my two cents in (for what it's worth). Put a focus on nutrition and getting your gut and body healthy. I didn't check to see if you had a posted weight but if you weigh more it's going to be putting a lot of stress on your joints and may cause an injury. You want to make sure you're healthy inside first. With a healthy gut and proper nutrition you will have more stamina, more energy, feel better, and will recover faster. Physical movement is important but running is a high impact movement and may not be where you're at yet. You'll get there though! Push yourself past your comfort level but not so much that you're hating life. You got this! If you do it right you have a healthy habit for life!0
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¿Are you resting enough?. Back when I started I began running every day. Big mistake. The only thing that got me was knee pain and a couple of weeks of doctor mandated rest.
Your running speed could be a little too high. As others have said, you should be able to carry a conversation at your training pace.
Finally, I think joining a race is a great motivation. Signing up gives you a goal and a deadline. Plus races can be a lot of fun! If you don’t feel like you can run the whole time, don’t worry. A lot of people do walk/run intervals during races.
Best of luck!0 -
I started walking a lot when I was around 245 lbs...I'm 197 now and ran my first 1/2 marathon this past summer. In my heavier days I would walk very long distances...sometimes up to 8 miles. I think that helped me get used to the pavement.
Eventually I just started running by time. What I mean is I would run/walk 20 minutes in one direction and then turn around and come back for 20 mins. The distance didn't matter as long as I was out on the road for that time-frame. I just ran and walked the whole time. I would be out of breadth a lot, but I kept going. For me, doing a timed run helped me get used to be on my feet for that long.
The longer I did that, the more I my lungs got stronger and so did my legs. Also, make sure to get rest days in as well! Don't give up... It's a hard road, but it's so worth it. Even now with more energy each run is hard, but the benefits outweigh the sweat and pain. I guess that's why people become addicted to running! :bigsmile:
OH!!! **SIDE NOTE! I HATE....WITH A CAPITAL H....running on a treadmill. I love running outside!! running on pavement is actually harder, but I love the outdoors and there's nothing like breathing in fresh air.0 -
+1 on speed and rest.
I found out the hard way that even if you're physically capable of running faster, you can injure yourself by doing so. I had issues with my hip in the last week of C 2 5K because I was running too fast. I was capable of doing the longer runs but pulled something in my hip that after a few weeks is just finally starting to heal.
Go slower and concentrate on your form and breathing. This will help when you do start running longer and faster.0
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