Runners... is this part of the process?

Your legs will get stronger, your heart will get stronger, and your head will get stronger as you gain confidence in a given distance. Plus, the more weight you lose, the easier it gets!

Just keep slowly stretching out your distance. Three months ago I couldn't run a 1/4 mile. Tonight I did four miles nonstop, only quitting because I was out of time. I got here by continually stretching my distance while walking as needed. Your strength and stamina will increase. Losing more weight will certainly help and running more is a great calorie burn to lose more weight.

8 weeks!! That's amazing!! Keep at it. Slow and steady is the way to go and gradually increase little by little to avoid injury. How many days a week are you running. If you noticed your legs are getting more tired than normal take 3-4 days off and rest. I started running 11 months ago at 215 lbs and I'm 5'10" and could barely run for more than a few minutes at a time, but now Ive completed a half marathon and just ran 14 miles the other day and am enjoying my lighter 161 lb body. You will have an easier time as you shed more weight. Sounds like you are doing great!! Keep up all that hard work!!

I'll add in another vote for using Hal Higdon's plans. I ran a 5K last year and like the feeling of racing and wanted to do more, but had been stagnant on improving for awhile and didn't know how to make the aches go away and get faster and stronger.

I signed up for a 7K that was a month after the 5K and a 10K that was another month after that and used Hal Higdon's 10K plan to train for both of them in succession (just worked backwards in the schedule from the 10K to where it got me to the current date at the time and started it from there.)

I showed improvements in strength and speed steadily each week. Cutting my pace by over 30 seconds per mile by the 10K run and reducing the achiness I'd been feeling prior to that. I think that his schedules including and encouraging strength training and corss-cardio days instead of just constant running were huge factors in all of those things.

In fact, I ended up using his plans for both of my half marathons as well.

Yes yes yes yes yes.

The lung endurance comes first, then you work on the leg endurance. The lung endurance means you are getting in better shape!! The leg endurance is just muscle memory. You run 3 miles over and over and over until your legs don't fret about 3 miles and then you run 4 miles over and over and over etc etc etc...... And then you run a half marathon (like I did) and think "Where did that come from?!" Keep at it, you'll get there!

As others have said, it takes the tissues time to catch up to cardio fitness. And the temptation is to push too fast. Nothing wrong with intentionally plateauing the increase for a few weeks to let things catch up. That will help on the injury prevention front. Competitive runners, when building running volume (weekly miles) will often take a pull back week once a month or so just to let the body recuperate. In the long run, it's better to pause increases for a while than to keep going when your body isn't ready, get hurt, and have to rest totally. You get to 10k (or any distance goal) faster that way.

Yes, there's a lot happening to your body when you start exercising one of them being the development of new capillaries to deliver the increased blood flow your muscles need, new mitochondria etc etc. Your aerobic capacity improves but it takes time for the rest of your body to catch up.

If you're not already doing some strength training you should start. A strong core, hips and glutes are incredibly important to runners in terms of injury prevention.

Keep up the good work & have fun!

I used to run all the time - but that was years ago. I am now getting back into it because I've realized just how much I love it and miss it. I know someone else prompted this chain of comments but just wanted everyone who has responded to know you are helping me as well. I'm struggling to "feel good" for the entire 3 miles and am just getting to that point. Your posts have given me the motivation I need to push through the beginning stages of running - and I now remember that it does get easier.
Thank you all!

I was right there where you are 9 months ago. I went for it and trained for a 10k, but I chose to use Hal Higdon's novice training program for 10K (you can find it online) because it seemed a bit easier. I have done 2 10k's now, and I am planning to start training for a half marathon. Your body will get stronger! What worked for me was just focusing on endurance and sticking to the training program. Don't try to push yourself on speed yet. Almost a year later, I'm a little faster, but I still cannot push the speed too much. Take is slow, listen to your body, and keep on enjoying running!

I am doing the same!

I find legs and core strenghtening excrecises very helpful. Also biking and swimming are a great cross training optiong if you want to keep running. Good luck.

^This. Cross training definitely helps. I take one to two spin classes a week and lift heavy weights to help strengthen my legs. You are doing amazing with the running - just make sure you are cross training, stretching well after each run, and maybe get a foam roller to ease discomfort after you are done.