Elliptical vs. Tredmill/Running

quzanne
quzanne Posts: 15
edited January 1 in Fitness and Exercise
So, I've been working out on the elliptical at the gym I go to, and I typically can go about 1.5-2miles until my toes fall asleep and start to really bother me. Meanwhile, my husband is training himself so that he can run a 5k this spring...if I can do 3 miles on the elliptical by then, is there any reason I shouldn't be able to run it? At this point, I seem to have a complete mental block when I attempt to run, and I either push myself too hard, or forget to breathe properly. I'm not sure why this isn't the case with the elliptical. Any advice? And yes, I've checked out C25K.

Thanks!

Replies

  • fasterandbetter
    fasterandbetter Posts: 101 Member
    running is completely different from elliptical workout, start walk/run, more walking than running initially and slowly increase your running time, you will be running a 5k in no time, I would advise against treadmill, run outside.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    You should be fine walking/running a 5k.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    They are completely different beasts and you probably wouldn't be able to run it without a lot of walking mixed in.

    I would do 45-60 minute sessions on the elliptical. I'd do intervals of resistance 5 and resistance 9 or 10 and push myself to keep steady and "fast" paced through the whole thing. I'd pop off five or six miles sometimes on my elliptical workouts. i did this as my only workout for about four months.

    But when I got on a treadmill after that time, I couldn't even even run for a full minute at 4.5mph before I had to go back to walking. I stopped the elliptical at that point and decided to work on the running aspect instead. From there, it took me a couple of months of treadmill every single night to get myself up to a steady 3 miles without stopping to walk.

    I basically did my own version of Couch to 5K (I'd never heard of the program at the time). But I would basically just walk for a bit, run until I had to stop, walk until I could run again, then run until I had to stop again. And just kept doing that until my running was more than my walking and eventually I was able to just run without stopping. I recently completed my second half marathon and never walked a step of them. And I'm now coaching three different people through the Couch to 5K program.

    Just from what you describe, you sounds like you're trying to run way too fast when you run and you're wearing yourself out. Try running slower and building up speed after you've built endurance.
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