Fat guy and running
Gusman14
Posts: 94
I set a goal to be able to run a 5K by Memorial Day and I am concerned that my knees may not be ready for that yet. I can do 10 K on an elliptical but after about 2K on the treadmill, my knees are screaming. Any advise out there for a fat guy that wants to run again or do I just wait till I am lighter and not so tough on my knees?
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Replies
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I ran my first 5k at 250 pounds.
Slow down, focus on your form, and - if you can - get off the treadmill.0 -
My advice: go really, really slow until you get your joints used to the pounding. Alternate walking and running--there's a great program called C25K (stands for "couch to 5K") where you gradually increase how much running you do until you can run an entire 5K. It's fine to repeat days if they're too hard for you at first. I think it's doable on a treadmill--I don't use one, so someone else might be able to confirm that.
Even if you do most of it on the treadmill, try to get outdoors some before your goal race--many runners find pavement a lot harder on the legs than a treadmill, plus it helps to try to get an idea of pace when the machine isn't setting it for you.
Best of luck!0 -
Work on core exercises first....Abs, glutes, ab/ad ductors. These will help take stress off you knees. And take it slow at first. You've got til May to acheive a faster 3 mile jog. Wife and I are doing the same thing. First 5K thru Grapevine,TX (wine country) and as an incentive there's a tasting when you finish. Nothing beats jogging 3 miles and tasting some wine after...I'm all on that!0
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My advice is get your gait analysed. Make sure you have the correct form.
Alsoyou dont get fit by running, you need to be fit before you can run.
Work on building up you leg/ glute muscles and core as that helps protect your knees.
And if you're knees hurt, stop imediately and seek help.
( been there didn't do that and now i have to accept i'll probably never be able to run.)0 -
If you are seriously overweight, DON'T RUN!!
Your knees are hurting because it is too much stress on your joints and you will cause permanent damage.
>> Get in the water!! <<
Swimming, aquafitness classes, water jogging - these are good workouts. If you can run in water at the same pace you do on land, you do the same work in 20minutes in the water as you do jogging an hour on land. Of course, it is harder in the water, being 15 times more resistance. But, in water up to your waist you are only supporting half your body weight, so significantly less impact on your joints. Neck deep, and only 10%.
Check out your local pool, see what they've got to offer.
Don't stress your joints more than they already are - wait until you are lighter before running on land.
That's my two cents!!
Good luck
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If you are seriously overweight, DON'T RUN!!
Your knees are hurting because it is too much stress on your joints and you will cause permanent damage.
>> Get in the water!! <<
Swimming, aquafitness classes, water jogging - these are good workouts. If you can run in water at the same pace you do on land, you do the same work in 20minutes in the water as you do jogging an hour on land. Of course, it is harder in the water, being 15 times more resistance. But, in water up to your waist you are only supporting half your body weight, so significantly less impact on your joints. Neck deep, and only 10%.
Check out your local pool, see what they've got to offer.
Don't stress your joints more than they already are - wait until you are lighter before running on land.
That's my two cents!!
Good luck
Dang, wish I'd heard this advice when I weighed over 300 lbs and started running.
OK, not really.0 -
I can run/fastwalk 20K. I'm sure you will get it done! Focus in every contraction, go smarter not harder.0
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How are yr shoes? Get some good ones. Myhusband is a powerlifter,, so he carries a lot of weight. He gets shoes from New Balance that are running shoes for larger runners or something like that. He loves them. You might look into something like that.0
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I started C210K on Jan 1 and ran in snow on Jan 8 and injured my knee. Now a month later it hurts as much as it did the first day which really cramps my style.
My advice, friend, would be that if your knees hurt on the treadmill, you will be making a big mistake hitting the roads.
Better to lose some weight and be ready, than to ruin the year by doing something avoidable.0 -
Work on core exercises first....Abs, glutes, ab/ad ductors. These will help take stress off you knees. And take it slow at first. You've got til May to acheive a faster 3 mile jog. Wife and I are doing the same thing. First 5K thru Grapevine,TX (wine country) and as an incentive there's a tasting when you finish. Nothing beats jogging 3 miles and tasting some wine after...I'm all on that!
My partner has had problems with weak knees ever since he was a teen. Doctors told them nothing was wrong, or that it was because he was fat, or he was having a growth spurt. He had difficulty even going up and down stairs at one point. He started a new job and his knee collapsed under him and he saw the physio that was provided through work - and she gave him some core exercises to do and it was amazing to see the difference (and to hear how different he felt) He has to keep up on it, but it's only a few minutes a day and he felt the changes I think mostly he was doing squats with a kettlebell but I definitely recommend the core exercises! 0 -
Years ago when I tried losing weight (for the billionth time) I tried running. First time out I finished a mile(walk\jog) and the next day I couldnt walk. It took about 2 months for the pain to go away. I didnt goto the Dr but after I did some research it seems like I had a small tear in my ACL. I was about 260lbs.
This time around I started at 264.4 and today I'm at 234.0, I dont plan on running until I'm about 220.0 -
The weight is obviously a problem but how are your foot arches?
A good pair of fitted running shoes from a running shoe store can help a lot.
You get what you pay for with running shoes.0 -
I tried doing the Couch to 5k program this summer (I was at 325 at that point). My knees weren't the best ever, but they weren't awful. Doing the running messed them up a bit. No cartilage or ligament damage, thankfully, but the doctor said that my kneecap slid slightly off its track -- my knee squeaked like a rusty hinge sometimes when I would walk and got sore if I did too much on it.
Overall I'd agree with most of the other posters here, and frankly I am in the same boat. Do exercises that place less stress on the knee joint and lose some of the weight first, and then see how your knee reacts to jogging/running. Also, keep your doctor in the loop when you do start running regularly, so as not to do any permanent damage.0 -
How are yr shoes? Get some good ones. Myhusband is a powerlifter,, so he carries a lot of weight. He gets shoes from New Balance that are running shoes for larger runners or something like that. He loves them. You might look into something like that.
I agree. Shoes are key. And invest in a good pair. You may want to look into Brooks running shoes. Specifically the Dyad style shoe for men. The shoe (I've read) caters to the larger runner...and there are many out there! But definitely go to a running store and try on different styles of running shoe. A good pair will cost about 100.00-120.00 but if you're serious about running this is the best investment you will make. You will know as soon as you put on the shoe which shoe is the best for you.
Good luck!0 -
There are styles of running that are lower impact. Check out "Chi Running"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UYkAB18wgs 0 -
Get off the treadmill. I got spurs, and numerous other ailments on my knees, ankles and feet from using a treadmill.0
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My two cents:
1) Not every person's body is the same. Ignore the people who say "Well I can do it!" because they're not you.
2) When you exercise, there's good pain & there's bad pain. You know the difference. If what you're feeling is bad pain, then ease off of your knees because you're just going to make them worse and then you're screwed.
3) If you can walk without pain, do that. Get a good pair of walking shoes and just go walkies outside. Slowly add in bouts of jogging if you think you can handle it. Does it make the knees hurt? Stop jogging & go back to walking.
4) Water aerobics and other no-impact exercises are a great way to burn calories as well as build strength. They will help you lose girth while making your legs & core stronger.
There's no shame in putting off your marathon goals if pushing too hard means you'll break yourself. Find other ways to get fit, and then try again later when your body is feeling more cooperative.0 -
Good Luck To You...just take it easy. 0
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run outside... it treats your body different0
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I was down to about 305 lbs in October of 2011 and I was planning to do a 5K, but stuff from work came up and I couldn't do it. I did 3 miles in like 38 minutes practicing by running outside and for me, that's a pretty decent time.
Definitely train for it by running outside. My sister is a experienced runner and she told me the best thing to do was to run outside to train for it. Good luck!0 -
Just because you want to do a 5K does not mean you need to run it. Running on pavement is a lot harder on your joints than an elliptical machine. It would be better to walk the 5K and finish it than run part of it and have to give up. Yes, people may run past you, but it is better that they run past you while you are walking down the street than standing on the side of it. I have been the last one to finish a race before- but I still finished. Just find a comfortable pace and stick with it. If you are serious about running, I would start doing shorter runs on pavement to get an idea of how things will go...but there is no shame in walking. Some people just aren't runners. If you can do an 18 minute mile, you can walk a 5k before they pack up the finish line.0
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How are yr shoes? Get some good ones. Myhusband is a powerlifter,, so he carries a lot of weight. He gets shoes from New Balance that are running shoes for larger runners or something like that. He loves them. You might look into something like that.
Yes. I started running with a women's 5K group last year and had a bunch of knee pain. I was thinking how it was awful and I wasn't meant to be a runner and one of my coaches told me to get fitted for running shoes. I thought that was far too simplistic a solution but lo and behold, that did it! Almost instantly I had no more knee pain.0 -
This is awesome advice. I'm not a runner but this is the approach I'd take to get there- I'm thinking hard about doing the couch to 3k thing and I'd follow this train of thought.My two cents:
1) Not every person's body is the same. Ignore the people who say "Well I can do it!" because they're not you.
2) When you exercise, there's good pain & there's bad pain. You know the difference. If what you're feeling is bad pain, then ease off of your knees because you're just going to make them worse and then you're screwed.
3) If you can walk without pain, do that. Get a good pair of walking shoes and just go walkies outside. Slowly add in bouts of jogging if you think you can handle it. Does it make the knees hurt? Stop jogging & go back to walking.
4) Water aerobics and other no-impact exercises are a great way to burn calories as well as build strength. They will help you lose girth while making your legs & core stronger.
There's no shame in putting off your marathon goals if pushing too hard means you'll break yourself. Find other ways to get fit, and then try again later when your body is feeling more cooperative.0 -
I ran my first 5k at 250 pounds.
Slow down, focus on your form, and - if you can - get off the treadmill.
Want to get off the treadmill but until the 3 feet of snow melts and it gets above freezing, I will be the fair weather treadmill runner.0 -
You're absolutely right, the treadmill is not the blame for everyone, just for me. One of the many times I have lost this weight, I trained hard on the treadmill, received injuries, doctors, therapy, etc., etc. The therapist told me once healed to avoid the treadmill which I did and was able to walk, jog up to 4 miles without injury. It is a personal thing. The way I walk, stride, etc., on the treadmill and not knowing how to use it properly is what did the harm. So yes, he may not have the heavy foot down walk I do. Thanks for pointing out to me not to answer what I don't medically know to be true, although it was true for me.0
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Get off the treadmill. I got spurs, and numerous other ailments on my knees, ankles and feet from using a treadmill.
You can't blame the treadmill.
I didn't know to "quote" the entry, but please see my reply above.0 -
Thanks for all the advice. For now, I will look into new shoes for big guys and also a pool workout. Outdoors workouts are limited due to weather. I will continue to use the elliptical trainer as I have been having decent success on this. I will continue my walks that I have been doing also. I will just continue down the path towards a healthier me and keep working to achieve my goals. My knees are fine when I ski. They just don't like the pounding of the running yet. I appreciate all of the advice and look forward to continuing my fitness journey.0
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GOOD FOR YOU! YOU CAN DO THIS!0
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Hi there! I started out here a month ago at 340 (220 now!) and that day I signed up for SEVEN 5ks over the course of three months. I haven't had knee injuries previously, but I had severed my achilles tendon several years ago, so I did have my concerns. I think a lot of it comes down to general knee health; clearly, if you are in pain give yourself time to recover and don't try to push past it.
I couldn't jump right into running and I did not like the couch to 5k program. Instead, I bought a bluetooth heart rate monitor and used Runkeeper. The thing I liked about RunKeeper was that I could set a target pace, or use one of their training plans, or create my own training plan.
The first week I was just walking at 22 minutes a mile, by the second week I was down a little more, and by the third I finished my first 5k at 1:04 (Pace 20.40 per mile). One week later, I finished my second 5k at 1:01:02 (Pace 19.43 per mile). I have my third 5k this weekend and I'm shooting for 19:20 or lower. My first training plans were 8 minutes with a 20 second sprint and that killed me--I only included four over the entire course of the first 5k. Now I'm able to do 5 minutes walking fast with 20 second sprints throughout the entire 5k.
You just have to take it a little slow and listen to your body. You can achieve the goal of finishing a 5k and give yourself a number to beat the next time.
And as others have mentioned, the right shoes are key. I had tried long walks and exercise off and on for years with lots of discomfort (achilles pain, blisters, etc). I had gone through Brooks, NB, Nike's, and way too expensive custom orthopedic shoes. Finally, I gave in to the suggestions of some friends and bought some some Vibrams KMD LS (barefoot shoes). I think they are ugly as hell, but I've never had paid again and they helped me correct some problems in my form. I even recently threw on my best traditional running shoes and after 15 minutes I had to stop because the achilles pain was so bad. I threw back on the vibrams and--no pain. They are just the right shoe for me. You have to find that; test out tons of options. You can do this!
Maybe check out these two blogs. These women were both quite big when they started walking/running (one was in the 340s like me) and they became marathon/10k/everything runners. www.runsforcookies.com and www.asmallloss.com.0 -
Hi there! I started out here a month ago at 340 (220 now!) and that day I signed up for SEVEN 5ks over the course of three months. I haven't had knee injuries previously, but I had severed my achilles tendon several years ago, so I did have my concerns. I think a lot of it comes down to general knee health; clearly, if you are in pain give yourself time to recover and don't try to push past it.
I couldn't jump right into running and I did not like the couch to 5k program. Instead, I bought a bluetooth heart rate monitor and used Runkeeper. The thing I liked about RunKeeper was that I could set a target pace, or use one of their training plans, or create my own training plan.
The first week I was just walking at 22 minutes a mile, by the second week I was down a little more, and by the third I finished my first 5k at 1:04 (Pace 20.40 per mile). One week later, I finished my second 5k at 1:01:02 (Pace 19.43 per mile). I have my third 5k this weekend and I'm shooting for 19:20 or lower. My first training plans were 8 minutes with a 20 second sprint and that killed me--I only included four over the entire course of the first 5k. Now I'm able to do 5 minutes walking fast with 20 second sprints throughout the entire 5k.
You just have to take it a little slow and listen to your body. You can achieve the goal of finishing a 5k and give yourself a number to beat the next time.
And as others have mentioned, the right shoes are key. I had tried long walks and exercise off and on for years with lots of discomfort (achilles pain, blisters, etc). I had gone through Brooks, NB, Nike's, and way too expensive custom orthopedic shoes. Finally, I gave in to the suggestions of some friends and bought some some Vibrams KMD LS (barefoot shoes). I think they are ugly as hell, but I've never had paid again and they helped me correct some problems in my form. I even recently threw on my best traditional running shoes and after 15 minutes I had to stop because the achilles pain was so bad. I threw back on the vibrams and--no pain. They are just the right shoe for me. You have to find that; test out tons of options. You can do this!
Maybe check out these two blogs. These women were both quite big when they started walking/running (one was in the 340s like me) and they became marathon/10k/everything runners. www.runsforcookies.com and www.asmallloss.com.
220 lol. That should read 320!0
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