i would walk 500miles but I cant run a single one

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  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    Another vote for Couch to 5k.

    And that song is one of my favorite songs to run to. :heart:
  • lmeslie
    lmeslie Posts: 46 Member
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    I was never a runner and now I can consistently run 3 miles straight and probably more. I used the Ease to 5K app on my iPhone while I trained. It is a variation of the Couch to 5K program which you can find at http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/index.shtml . I think this will help you build your endurance in a controlled, logical way. It really encourages running SLOW as you build your endurance so you don't get injured and you don't get discouraged. Feel free to friend me and let me know how it goes! I went from having trouble running for a minute to being able to run 3 miles so I am proof it works :)

    How long did it take you to build up to that?

    The program is 9 weeks but I took more like 12-14 weeks. I repeated a couple of weeks when I felt like I wasn't ready to move forward.
  • UG77
    UG77 Posts: 206 Member
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    Go slow. I call it a trot. Start out at a trotting pace. slower than a jog, about the same speed as a brisk walk. Its terribly inefficient and as such it will start to strengthen your cardio skill and should allow you to go longer. Work your way up to jogging. Then once you're good at jogging push yourself up to a run.

    I break it down like this (in my mind).

    When you're starting from scratch, you start at a trot. You are just trying to survive the experience, not set land speed records. After building your stamina you work your way up to jogging, and when you get tired/out of breath jogging, fall back to the trot. This is your recovery pace, where you catch your breath and "recover" a bit before you pick up the pace and start jogging again. When you can jog full time and don't need the trot, you're ready to start the process over again but this time go from jogging to running.

    The difference to me is that jogging(or trotting) is just trying to get through to your goal. In this, the ground/course/treadmill is attacking and you're the victim. When you are running, you are not worried about reaching your goal, you already know you're going to do that no matter what, but this time you are the one attacking. You're pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and finding out with each stride that you're better than you thought you were.

    Also, don't be afraid to walk. If you need to walk to recover then do it. You have to train and condition your muscles to handle this new activity. The muscles have to have time to adapt to an endurance event. For example, you can't take a runner and drop them in a pool and expect them to have swimming endurance. So the point is that having endurance is specific to the trained muscle group. If you haven't been running, then you are starting out from scratch.
  • obeseto13point1
    obeseto13point1 Posts: 144 Member
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    For years I would make myself run and not actually enjoy it, I even did a couple 5k's that I didn't train for or anything, just liked the race atmosphere. Where I started that led me to where I am today (just ran my 1st half marathon, run 5mi runs regularly, longer when in training) was an indoor track. Right after I had my daughter I did the eliptical and then would run on the indoor track. At first I could only run a half a lap of a 14 lap per mil track, eventually I was running whole laps, then 1.5 laps, then one day I made it up to 5 miles running 1/2mi chunks. Then I started running outside and I progressed from there. I honestly can say I must love running now lol considering I get up at the crack of dawn to run and ran today even though it was only 32 degrees at 6am!
  • ahamamoto
    ahamamoto Posts: 12 Member
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    I am very curious to read anymore replies! I know how you feel on this! I am not horribly out of shape but can't run to save my life! I recently had to do a physical for a job, and couldn't do the mile and half run in under the 18 minutes... luckily they are letting me try again at the end of Nov... so I really think I am going to try the C25K program and see if it will work for me too! Found the free app on my android :-)
  • Jenism1
    Jenism1 Posts: 149 Member
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    For me, the hardest part of running is the first 8 minutes. I feel every single pain that may be bothering me. Hips hurt, ankle tweeks, back hurts, I feel like I am gasping at times and just feel like stopping...and then....the pain leaves my ankle, the hips stop aching, my knees feel good, I can take a deep breath and regulate my breathing better. It is so weird...I feel like the tinman when I start! "Oil can...oil can" then I am fine and I finish my run.

    I have tried a walk/run program before but never got through it. Decided I wasn't a runner and forgot about it. Then one day, all the ellipticals were being used at the gym and I had to go on the treadmill.(This is like 5 years after I declared myself a non runner). I thought, I will run through one song, then I ran through another song and another...I ran for 20 minutes straight. It was so weird cuz I have never ran...ever. That was a few months ago and I run 5km (3 miles) 4 times a week. I love it!!

    Good luck to you on whatever program you choose and just know you can do it!! Slow and steady wins...
  • jenmsu83
    jenmsu83 Posts: 185 Member
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    I started running almost a year ago and I absolutely love it! It was definitely hard at first...I could barely run 2 minutes straight without feeling like I was gonna die. But I built my endurance up and ran a 5k last Thanksgiving, then another in March of this year, did a 10K in April and just did my first half marathon two weeks ago!

    My advice is to start slow....I did not follow couch to 5k but I've heard great things about it.

    You can do it!

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