Why can't I run??

You might get yourself checked out by a doctor just to make sure everything's ok, but I have to tell you, I had the hardest time learning to run, too. Did the couch to 5k thing just like you. The first day, I couldn't jog for more than 20 seconds. Just completely out of breath.

I had to repeat weeks pretty regularly because I could tell I just wasn't ready to make the next step. I started maybe a month before a friend who was planning to do the same thing, and she ended up finishing before I did. Something did eventually switch over though-- it was around the time I started doing the actual 20-minute blocks. Once I got to doing 20 minutes, it all became easy, and I could run for an hour+ just as easily as I could run for 20 minutes.

Oh also, if I might make one suggestion-- you might try running in toe shoes or barefoot. It changes your stride completely, feels much more natural, removes the impact, and just feels like less of a struggle. I wish I'd been running barefoot when I was first trying to get conditioned, honestly.

I'm struggling with this as well. I seem to be doing ok with walking 4 miles a day, but I can only muster a short jog in spurts. Kills me how I can't really do an all out run, but it will come.

Have you been to the doctor to get your lung capacity checked and make sure you dont have any underlying asthma or cardiac issues. I would talk to a doctor first could be something serious going on.

Also, if you have a body like mine when they have done neurological studies my brain doesnt talk to my muscles like normal so to train my muscles to do the same action as someone else can take twice as long. Get to the doctor and be patient keep working hard.

Not sure if any of you are having the same problem I used to have. But all through high school I could walk seemingly forever, however when it came to running I could barely go a block before I was winded and had sharp pains towards the bottom of my ribcage. It wasn't until after high school and a lot of determination of wanting to run more that I started doing my research. The pain hurt so bad at times I started assuming that maybe it was a hernia or something, however it was never always on the same side. I had tried to "run through the pain" one night only to end up laying on the side of the road curled up in the fetal position near passing out. Mind you I don't think i was out of shape or anything, I was 6' 1" 160lbs, a person that looked prime for running really. So anyways doing some research I came across the term "Runners Stitch". After reading into this it seamed to describe exactly what I was experiencing.

What I discovered was this. Before I never paid much attention to my breathing and often the faster I tried running the faster and shorter my breaths became trying to "keep up". As it turns out this bad breathing leads to straining the lung diaphragm located at the bottom of your lungs.

With this new knowledge I started experimenting with my breathing after just a few weeks I was actually able to run until my legs felt like rubber! Talk about one very happy nite, I could barely stand but was grinning from ear to ear.

My tips would include the following. Take quality breaths, not necessarily a lot of breaths. Instead of breathing faster, focus on breathing deeper. And probably the most important, be sure to COMPLETELY EXHALE every breath. Start with a super slow jog to practice your breathing and slowly work up your jogging speed day by day or week by week. Everyone progresses differently, no need to rush it. Hopefully this will help someone out there. I remember how frustrated I was when I'd be winded or "in lung pain" long before ever feeling a burn in my legs.

I'm older, obese and my cardio health is really poor, but I wanted to chime in with my own experience.

I was able to do some mini-jogs in my home. I could jog in place for a bit or do a really slow jog with teeny tiny baby steps back and forth through my house for 10 minutes straight. Last Monday, I thought, "Oh yeah. I'm ready to start this C25k program!"

Week 1, Day 1, I got on my treadmill, cranked it up to a "whopping" (for me) 3.5 mph and thought I would die in that first 15 seconds. Two days later, I tried it again, this time at 2.7 mph. My heart rate monitor hit the 85% level after just a few minutes, but I wasn't even using a jogging motion yet. It was just a really brisk walk.

I'm thinking the problem is the treadmill. Maybe it has something to do with the "ground" underneath doing the movement, controlling our speed and our steps.

Try your program again, but don't use the treadmill and see if you have better luck. That's what I plan to do.

Oh also, if I might make one suggestion-- you might try running in toe shoes or barefoot. It changes your stride completely, feels much more natural, removes the impact, and just feels like less of a struggle. I wish I'd been running barefoot when I was first trying to get conditioned, honestly.

I second this big time. I have no idea how to explain it, but I tried two other times to get running in high quality running shoes and it just felt like I had cement on my feet (maybe because I'm quite used to being barefoot around the house). I have a much more enjoyable time and can do a lot more in my Vibrams KMD LSs than in any other shoes. I still can't run much (I'm morbidly obese), but I certainly have an advantage now.

It's also important to note that you might just need more time. C25K was not the right pace for me, so I used Runkeeper to design my own routine. Just relax and give it time--it is an entirely new skill set.

breathing is a bit different for running than for walking, at least for me. if you're not naturally a deep breather then you'll need to learn. dont think of filling your lungs with air, think of it more as breathing from your diaphragm. practice when you're just sitting around watching tv.

i also agree that landing on your heels is tiring. practice landing no further back on your foot than your mid sole

another thing is to not let your fears and past running failures get into your head. much of running is mental, so if you start your workout thinking how you can't do it and how hard it is then that's what you'll experience

You sound EXACTLY like me when I was trying to run last summer. Lungs on fire, burning throat all of that. Horrible. Had pretty much decided there must be something inherently wrong with me and that I was simply not meant to run!

Firstly I am asthmatic, and I needed a chat with my asthma nurse to sort my meds out, Secondly, and this is the crucial bit, I was running WAY too fast..

When I finally plucked up courage to join a running group for beginners, the first thing they told me to do was to slow down. To run literally a fraction quicker than walking pace to start with. That first time out I ran nearly two miles without stopping; it made that much of a difference.

So, slow down, and then slow down some more. They call it 'running at the speed of chat', as you could in theory have a conversation with someone at the same time (although if you're on a treadmill this could prove difficult). Try if you can to ditch the treadmill, so that you can slow down and speed up naturally without having to worry about pressing buttons.

Did it work for me? Yes. Now running about 15-18 miles a week and doing my first Half on 21st April.

If you can not talk as you run then you are not doing it right.
This will find the right pace for you as well.
Running is a head game for me so need plenty of distractions to stop me thinking about why I should not stop. Music is only solution for me.
I had dropped 100lbs before bought running shoes and 125lbs before I used them.
There is a pain barrier to endure with running that I do not get on gym cardio equipment so have tended to use these for major exercise as I am a wimp with 50 year old joints.
Anyway can now run 5 miles or so if feeling like change in exercise so keep at it.
Left right left right at your own pace
Good luck

The thing is, running is completely different to any other exercise i,e strength, cycling, elliptical etc, it takes a lot of endurance and if you have never run that simply just has to be built up, if you cant get past 4 mins then try getting to 4 mins 10 sec, week 1 , 4 mins 20 secs week two etc!
It just takes time and determination, you cant rush something like running if your respiratory system is completely new to it.
When I started i could'nt run for more than 10 minutes now i can run upto 7.5 km without stopping yet by this point my lungs feel like they are about to give up !

My best advise is to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, it makes a MASSIVE difference to how your lungs feel!

I also agree with the posts that say 'start of slow' you would be surprise at the amount of people that run at too quick of a pace on a treadmill in comparison to the pace they would run outside!

Not sure if any of you are having the same problem I used to have. But all through high school I could walk seemingly forever, however when it came to running I could barely go a block before I was winded and had sharp pains towards the bottom of my ribcage. It wasn't until after high school and a lot of determination of wanting to run more that I started doing my research. The pain hurt so bad at times I started assuming that maybe it was a hernia or something, however it was never always on the same side. I had tried to "run through the pain" one night only to end up laying on the side of the road curled up in the fetal position near passing out. Mind you I don't think i was out of shape or anything, I was 6' 1" 160lbs, a person that looked prime for running really. So anyways doing some research I came across the term "Runners Stitch". After reading into this it seamed to describe exactly what I was experiencing.

What I discovered was this. Before I never paid much attention to my breathing and often the faster I tried running the faster and shorter my breaths became trying to "keep up". As it turns out this bad breathing leads to straining the lung diaphragm located at the bottom of your lungs.

With this new knowledge I started experimenting with my breathing after just a few weeks I was actually able to run until my legs felt like rubber! Talk about one very happy nite, I could barely stand but was grinning from ear to ear.

My tips would include the following. Take quality breaths, not necessarily a lot of breaths. Instead of breathing faster, focus on breathing deeper. And probably the most important, be sure to COMPLETELY EXHALE every breath. Start with a super slow jog to practice your breathing and slowly work up your jogging speed day by day or week by week. Everyone progresses differently, no need to rush it. Hopefully this will help someone out there. I remember how frustrated I was when I'd be winded or "in lung pain" long before ever feeling a burn in my legs.

Thanks for this advice, I would have that same problem in MS & HS, I could do the sprint running but not the long distance. Of course it did not help that I use to smoke and as result I now have athletic asthma and chronic bronchitis.... I have been off of asthma meds since I was 17 and have not had any problems, I can do brisk walks (more like speed walking) w/out a problem... however the last two years I have gotten out of shape again and so I am back to square one... I love to bike ride but last summer could not go far before I had to stop and felt like I had been jogging back in MS/HS... I do not jog for other reasons as I have had two dislocated knees and have had to go into physical therapy once in my late teens and then again in my early twenties. They adviced me to stick to low impact excercise for my knees... no jogging, not even sprint running. So I hike and walk, and ride bike... now I just have to retrain myself to breath correctly why I am bike riding. Those side pains are the worst, sometimes it felt like I had a broken/cracked rib... which unfortanely have had before, ouch!

I'm getting back into running after a short lay off and weight gain(!) - I've trained for and run a few marathons and remember the first time I ran on a treadmill (quite a few years ago), I went from a few minutes to a marathon within a year. I've now been running for nearly 20 years (wow - how many miles have I covered).

I'm now back up to about 6km (4.5m) and improving and I can tell you that no matter the distance I run, the first 15/20 minutes of ANY run I do is the hardest - I feel that your body just resists and then gives up and you settle into a rhythm. People find running boring, I find it very cathartic, although my knees are not great now. Carrying a little less weight is good and I always have my music on. It's been challenging also the last month or so as it's been quite cold.

A little tip I gave somebody a long time ago was to coordinate your breathing with your footfalls - so breathe in on one foot fall and breathe out on the other footfall. If you are finding it hard, just slow down a little bit - slow and steady wins the race, unless you are an aspiring Usain Bolt! Good luck and I hope you get there to reap the benefits of a relatively cheap form of exercise.

You're almost certainly trying to run too fast. Try again outside as it's easier to find a that suits you, or use a treadmill setting that's only just over a fast walk.

Berry's first rule of running:
When you start out, it’s HARD! Even if you think you’re fit, running is so different to anything else you’ve done before you will get out of breath quickly. Stick with it. Can’t manage a minute? Go slow. Still can’t? GO SLOWER!

More ideas here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/20-things-i-wish-i-d-known-about-running-when-i-started-103936

Good luck and do come back and let us know how you egt in!