want to run - can't figure it out!

lncoleman

Ok this might sounds really stupid, but I really want to be a runner, but I can't seem to run!

I am 214 pounds, 5'3" and out of shape. BUT I have been walking almost every night for several weeks and I now easliy walk 2 miles in just less than 30 minutes - at a pace of 4.0...but the minute I try to turn it into a jog I am out of breath and dying.

I don't know how or when to start running, but the breathing thing kills me. I can't do the C25K - if I run for 1 minute, it take forever to recover - not just a minut and a half walk in between.

Any thoughts? do I need to wait to lose more weight to be able to run? Keep waling and increase my pace even more?

thanks!!

CarsonRuns

Slow down your run. Make it almost a shuffle. It may even be at a slower pace than a fast walk.

dbmata

Neat thing about running is that you can do it at a variable speed. Find one you can do for a longer period of time.

kmbweber2014

Pay close attention to your breathing, make sure you are taking deep breaths from the stomach not shallow breaths from your chest. From what I have read, and what works for me, is I breathe in for two steps out for two steps.

JenMc14

Slow down your run. Do Couch to 5K at our own pace. need more recovery time? Add it. Make your own Weeks 1-4, building gradually, then try C25K's actual week 1 and see how it feels.

Heaven71

Slow down your run. Make it almost a shuffle. It may even be at a slower pace than a fast walk.

THIS!

If you can, use a treadmill and jog at 4.5 for a bit. You can do this but pace has everything to do with it.

laurenmoe

In the beginning you should really be running not much faster than you are walking. Don't get hung up on speed. As long as both of your feet are off the ground at the same time you are running.

ashesfromfire

This was totally me last summer! I wanted to run and just COULD NOT do it. So I did exactly what you've been doing, I started walking, and as the summer drew on I could walk farther and farther, until I could walk 10 miles in a day!!!!! Then, when I was walking I would just add little spurts of jogging in with it. At first it was only a couple feet, for maybe 10 seconds, but eventually I got to where I could jog all the down hills....and eventually I could jog all the down hills and the flat parts.....and by the end of the summer I could jog my whole 5 mile course. It took weeks upon weeks upon weeks to get to this point, with very very slow progress along the way - the thing is to just keep working at it. If you can't run for a minute, run for 10 seconds, in a week or so maybe you'll be at 30 seconds, and in another week you could run that hole entire minute! Just stick with it!

cmcollins001

In the beginning you should really be running not much faster than you are walking. Don't get hung up on speed. As long as both of your feet are off the ground at the same time you are running.[/img]

Huh? Wouldn't that be jumping?

efuehrer

How do you breathe when you do try to run? Do you just gasp and breathe fast. I used to have that problem. One thing you might want to do is try to control your breathing while running. Do the minute run minute and a half walk, but when you run try to take long slow breaths in and long slow breaths out, continue breathing this way while you walk. This will keep the breathe in your lungs longer and get more oxygen from each breathe. Use your mind to concentrate on and control your beathing, this will also help you when running to take your mind off the fact that you are running. I started by using a count in my head, slow 4 count when breathing in and slow 4 count while breathing out.

jlapey

Slow down your run. Do Couch to 5K at our own pace. need more recovery time? Add it. Make your own Weeks 1-4, building gradually, then try C25K's actual week 1 and see how it feels.

YES! Do what you can and work at your own pace. I'm 151 pounds and have difficulty with C25K as well. I DON'T want to be a runner but I heard doing the intervals is the faster way to burn fat. I just run till I can't anymore (not very long AT ALL) and walk till I feel comfortable enough to do it again. I don't time myself.

JUDDDing

In the beginning you should really be running not much faster than you are walking. Don't get hung up on speed. As long as both of your feet are off the ground at the same time you are running.[/img]

Huh? Wouldn't that be jumping?

No, that's the definition of running.

But if you want to hop for 5 miles - I'll count it. :flowerforyou:

mrp56839

I've tried C25k before and it was way too hard for me right out of the gate, so I started looking for something to bridge the gap between my poor fitness level and Week 1 of C25k. Read this guy's book. It's a quick read - about an hour. It's got a pre-running training plan in it and a c25k program in it. It's VERY doable - and if I can do it, you can too. It goes over proper shoes, attire, gear, running form, briefly touches on mentality of training. I went from barely running 30 seconds (I thought I was going to die) to almost 30 minutes (and feeling GREAT) in about 6 weeks. His program moves a little slower than that, but it's easily tweakable to your own fitness level.

Run: A Complete Beginners Guide (Learn How To Start Running)
Michael Thomas

pwnderosa

I couldn't do c25k at first, so I just did my own intervals for a few weeks to work up to it, I think I started with 15 seconds of jogging and a minute or 2 of recovery, then I went to 20 seconds of jogging intervals the next week and so on for awhile. I am doing c25k now at last but I am doing it really slowly and repeating just about every week, what can I say, I'm a slow learner!! Hah

Duck_Puddle

Slow down your run. Make it almost a shuffle. It may even be at a slower pace than a fast walk.

Do this. But also realize there there are lots and lots and lots of "couch to 5k" programs out there. When I started, I also needed way more than 90 seconds to recover. I found a c25k that worked in 6 minute "chunks"-so week 1, you ran 30 seconds, then walked for 5:30. Week 2, run for 1 minute, walk for 5. Week 3, run for 2 minutes, walk for 4. You get the idea. There's more than one way to skin a cat. You don't even have to follow a "plan"-run when you can, walk when you need to, run when you can, walk when you need to. Rinse and repeat. Keep plugging away and you'll get there. And slow down...no, slower than that...no, really, slower than that.

kjericks6401

I don't think you have to lose more weight to start as long as you are pay attention to how you are moving so that you don't injure yourself. I'm about 5' 9" and weighed just under 300 lbs when I started jogging about 2 months ago. When I began I could hardly shuffle along for 20 seconds at a time...now I can run a mile and a half with only 4-5 short walking breaks of 30-40 seconds. I'm not going to be running a marathon any time soon, but it does get easier and very shortly I will be able to run a mile without stopping!I try to alternate jogging about 1.5-2 miles one day with walking 2-4 miles the next to give different muscles a chance to work. I've also noticed I get winded much faster jogging than walking and it helps to focus on slow, deep breaths while jogging.

I started following the Mayo Clinic's online C2K plan (it is easier than some, only asking you to run for 15 seconds at a time to start) but sort of drifted off it when I was able to run more than a minute at a time because it was a pain to try and time myself. Just be patient, start slowly, and get the rhythm of running before you start pushing too hard, If you are jogging slower than you walk, so what? Get the technique down first so you don't hurt yourself and get your lungs used to it then you can work on speed and distance.

Good luck and don't give up!

at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/5k-run/SM00061

moni_tb_192

I started running this year, and I had never, EVER been able to run more than 200m tops. I started training in my elliptical, to gain resistance and I progressively increased from a steady 12km/h speed to a 15 or 16km/h speed. I did that 4, 5 times a week, in 30-60 minutes sessions. I would change my intensity and speed as well.

After two months, I started running... at first I could run just for 5 minutes and then I would walk, and then run again. The beginner 5K training plan in runkeeper helped a lot! I don't know if you can see the plan if you're not signed up, but here's the link anyway: http://runkeeper.com/fitness-class/running-5k/8?calendarType=MONTHLY&menuSelection=SCHEDULE

That helped me train for my first 10K in March, and even though I wasn't very fast, I was able to finish it at a steady pace. Not once during the race or during my training sessions did I feel like I was going to die. If I felt I was pushing my heart too much, I'd walk for a bit or slow down.

Tomorrow I start training for my first 21K, it'll be at the end of August, and I'll be following another training plan in Runkeeper.

Add me if you want, I'd like more runner friends here

SnazzyTraveller

In the beginning you should really be running not much faster than you are walking. Don't get hung up on speed. As long as both of your feet are off the ground at the same time you are running.[/img]

Huh? Wouldn't that be jumping?

Lol! :flowerforyou:

likitisplit

Join us over on the C25k board: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/47-couch-to-5k-running-program-c25k-

Like everybody says: slow down. If you feel like you're going slow, go even slower.

I'll also add - nobody says you have to go straight from jogging to walking the recovery. Pause the app and stretch if that's what you need to recover.

fitznewme2013

I was the same way! could walk all day but when it came to running i wanted to die. i started the c25k and at first was hard now i am on week 3 and by mistake started week 1 the other day and knew something was wrong cuz i still wanted to run when it was telling me to walk. just give it time and go slow. good luck! you can add me as a friend if you would like!

MellyLikestoRun

What everybody else said - Couch to 5K (any version, and there are a few out there) is the key. That's what got me going and I haven't looked back!
If it's too hard, you're going too fast.
You can't go too slow at first.
If you have a hard time with a week, just repeat it.
The key is that this is a GRADUAL process. It will take time for your heart, lung, muscles, ligaments, and bones to get acclimated.
Best of luck to you!

warriorprincessdi

I started doing 'intervals' in my walking - I am still working on it! I started walking the whole distance; then I would add in periods of jogging for the space between telephone poles. before I knew it, I was walking one pole length; walking the next etc etc. Now I can jog pretty well the whole distance I started with. (Only 1.5kms, but it is a start!) Once I can jog the entire distance (I only need three phone-pole length walk breaks now!... hoping to cut them out tonight), I plan on making my route longer, one phone-pole length at a time

LoosingMyLast15

Ok this might sounds really stupid, but I really want to be a runner, but I can't seem to run!

I am 214 pounds, 5'3" and out of shape. BUT I have been walking almost every night for several weeks and I now easliy walk 2 miles in just less than 30 minutes - at a pace of 4.0...but the minute I try to turn it into a jog I am out of breath and dying.

I don't know how or when to start running, but the breathing thing kills me. I can't do the C25K - if I run for 1 minute, it take forever to recover - not just a minut and a half walk in between.

Any thoughts? do I need to wait to lose more weight to be able to run? Keep waling and increase my pace even more?

thanks!!

slow down and don't worry about it. your pace is YOUR pace and every single person is different.

when i started running the c25k programs were not around or well maybe i just didn't know about them, doesn't matter. i started on a treadmill and was lucky if i could run at 4.0 for 30 seconds. seriously no exaggeration there. i was SO JEALOUS of everyone running on the treadmill and i couldn't but i kept at it. 30 seconds every 5 minutes, then 30 seconds ever 3 minutes, then 1 minute ever 5 minutes (intervals are great) i kept at this for days/months until i was able to run 10 minutes straight at 4.5. fast forward and i'm getting ready to run my first half.

have patience and it will happen.

hauntao

It took me at least 5 months of walking 5 minutes, running 2 minutes over and over until I could change the ratio to 5 minutes walking 5 minutes running/jogging. It's a slow process, take pride in the small changes.

Mjhnbgff

This was totally me last summer! I wanted to run and just COULD NOT do it. So I did exactly what you've been doing, I started walking, and as the summer drew on I could walk farther and farther, until I could walk 10 miles in a day!!!!! Then, when I was walking I would just add little spurts of jogging in with it. At first it was only a couple feet, for maybe 10 seconds, but eventually I got to where I could jog all the down hills....and eventually I could jog all the down hills and the flat parts.....and by the end of the summer I could jog my whole 5 mile course. It took weeks upon weeks upon weeks to get to this point, with very very slow progress along the way - the thing is to just keep working at it. If you can't run for a minute, run for 10 seconds, in a week or so maybe you'll be at 30 seconds, and in another week you could run that hole entire minute! Just stick with it!

That was me too :-) I walked for months before I even attempted to run. When I eventually started C25K, I was able to jump to week 3 since I was in much better shape from all the walking the 50lb weight loss.

Even when I was thinner, I never in my dreams thought I would be running 15-20 miles a week but here I am...and I'm still overweight. I also highly recommend weight training and cross training if you're also trying to lose weight, or if you'd like to get serious about running. The weight training I did before I started running really helped me progress quickly with C25K since I already had some strength in my legs.

Best of luck and have fun. I love running now and I hope you find the same joy in running.

Liz_Mfp

First, I build up my walking to 1-hour, five days a week. No need to go fast. :-)
Did that two weeks
Then I started my transition to wogging (walking-jogging), from walking by taking 3 jog-steps every 1-minute.
I used a www.Gymboss.com It's a double-timer
Yes, 3 jog-steps, left-right-left then walk again for the remainder of the 1-minute
The week after that I tried 5-jog-steps in a row then walked the remainder of the 1-minute
The week following that I did 7-jog-steps then walked the remainder of the minute.
Then 9
Then 11
Then 13
and so on and so forth, never getting ahead of myself.
After about 15 jog-steps you can use the Gymboss by Time make :15/:45
Week after that, set the timer to :20/:40
Week after that :25/:45
And so on and so forth
When you get to :30 seconds/:30 seconds, start increasing both timers by 5 seconds per week until you get to 1-minute on the walk said and then leave it at the walk 1-minute.
Over many months, increase the jogging timer.
When you get to 4 mins jog, 1 mins walk, decrease the walking-timer by 10 seconds per week.

This is of course a very incremental but rather quit-proof way to get into Running.

Have you seen Galloway's "Conditioning" program?
http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/condition.html
There are also 5K, 10K and on up training plans.

I walk slowly 15 minutes for my warmup
and then do my "workout"
I walk slowly 15 minutes for my cooldown.

So if you are doing 30 minutes, that would be my warmup and cooldown with Zero minutes in the middle as the workout.
I would start with that, and add 5 minutes per week into the middle minutes of "workout" using the incremental buildup of jogging steps. For a couple few months it will be a lot of walking in the "middle workout" but over time 3, 4, 5 months you will make a LOT of progress.

Good for you, you're doing great!

IN general, how to start running, is go way to slow at first, and don't overdo it.

watsdd

I started after a major knee surgery and very much overweight. The key in my opinion to running is mental. If you think you can do it then you most definately can. What I found that worked for me was to designate a time amount I wanted to do and ran/walked during for that amount. Each time I would try to run more until I could do the whole time. Dont worry about speed or what you look like- just enjoy the fact that you can do more than before. After a while your body hurts differently not less neccessarily and you realize the mental part kept you going. I have done 4 halfs and a full marathon after stating at a point where I couldnt do 1 minute. You can do- just don't let yourself think you can't.

blackcloud13

I found two things that made a big difference for me.

Firstly, finding a pace slow enough (and I mean REALLY slow) to jog at that I could maintain (do you have a HRM - those help too). That actually took a while as it felt a bit awkward "running" barely faster than I could walk - but its worth it.

Second was trying to run flat out for short distances - with walks to rest in between. Knowing you can stop whenever you want gives more confidence to push in the runs, And you'll find that the more you do this, the easier your other steady jogs will become

I still have a very long way to become a proper runner - but these have definitely helped me get started

schnoomom

Aim to increase your walking distance and pace. You can do small bits throughout the day but work to getting 10k a day. When you can do this at about 3.5 miles per hour, then try C25K again. You'll have built up some endurance which will help. And also, do as others recommend...slow your jog pace.

Walking is a tremendous fitness activity. Don't underestimate it's value. The more you walk, the longer you can walk and the faster. When you move to C25K, you might be surprised that week 1 is easier than you expect. I was and now I'm on week 4. I credit all the walking I was doing since November for preparing me.

Good luck!

kg2run

When I started C25K, I couldn't do the Week 1 intervals. I spent 3 weeks building to the point that I could sort of make it through week 1 before I officially started. The best thing I learned from this forum was to slow down. I still run slower than I can walk, but I can run for 20+ minutes now without stopping. I'm working back through C25K again trying to pick up a bit of speed. Each week, I'd look at what was on the schedule and I'd think there is no way I can do that, but sure enough, I managed to get through it.

You can get there. Just listen to your body and go at your pace. It's not uncommon to repeat a week or two. As long as you're making progress, you're doing great.

NotMika

I may be the only person in the world who feels this way, but personally, I think you should run as fast as you want and then walk when you get tired.

I never thought I liked running because I found my consistent pace, a slow jog, really boring. Then one day I just decided to stop trying to run the whole time and focus on getting out there and working up a sweat. I love sprinting, I love intervals, I love finding a car or a telephone pole in the distance and racing myself there and or running with the ups and downs of my music and walking when I've exhausted myself. Sure, it doesn't look great all the time, but I burn crazy calories, and most importantly, I HAVE FUN. In the years I've spent working out, the only thing I really know for sure is that the best workout is the one you DO. So do what feels best and don't worry about it.