Why can't I run??

I have been trying the C25K program and REALLy want to get into running but I just can't do it! I do it on the treadmill and the most I can do is 4 minutes straight. I'm not going fast. My lungs just burn, I can't breath, and I feel like I am going to fall off the treadmill as I am trying so hard. I have gotten up to week 4 but can't do week 5 (3X5min runs) which I have been trying to get past for about 3-4 weeks.
Why is it so hard and why can't I do it?
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Replies

  • mili5726
    mili5726 Posts: 116 Member
    Interested to hear the replies. I can't run either. I can do my boxing class, workout dvd's, and I can kill the eleptical, but if I start running over five minutes, I start breathing so heavy that it feels like I am gasping for air.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    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.
  • goodarzi
    goodarzi Posts: 15 Member
    I have a hard time too and can only go a short period of time. My husband is in the army so obviously he is a big runner. He tells me I need to time my breathing but I just can't seem to get the hang of it either.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    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.
  • betsyr13
    betsyr13 Posts: 45 Member
    When I had this problem, it turned out to be exercise induced asthma. Advair solved it.
  • sbussert
    sbussert Posts: 72 Member
    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.
  • nnylee
    nnylee Posts: 811 Member
    When I first started, I had that problem. I would repeat Weeks until I could do it. I also changed shoes and the pain in my calves and feet went away.

    Also, start out in a slow jog. Like, you should be able to have a conversation. Not tire yourself out.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    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.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    It was hard for me too in the beginning. In fact, I still hate running, but I do it so my conditioning doesn't completely tank.

    When I first started, after only two minutes, it felt like someone was smelting iron in my lungs. The fact that I had been smoking since I was 13 didn't help either.

    After about four months of forcing myself to do it, I find it to be much easier. Ten to fifteen minutes of balls to the wall hauling *kitten* no longer makes me feel like I am going to die...though it's not far from it. The biggest thing for me was learning to deal with the 'side stitches'. I basically just press like hell with a couple of fingers on the spot that hurts while running, and it goes away fairly quickly.
  • 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 started running close to 4 weeks ago (im not doing C25k just on my own) im up to being able to run 14 minutes without stopping (started at prob not even a minute) and the biggest thing i have learned is to focus of your breathing! in through the nose out through the mouth, slowly! i completely concentrate of my breathing when i'm running
  • Thanks everyone. Some good advice. I will try to focus on my breathing more and see if that helps :)
  • jordanlell
    jordanlell Posts: 340 Member
    One thing that helps me a lot is learning my pace. I don't run a ton, but I go through phases, and often it's a lot more difficult right at first until I realize that I'm just trying to go way faster than I should. It'd usually take me a couple of days before I found the right pace so that I could keep going for 15-20 minutes at a time.
  • fresh_start59
    fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
    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.
  • prium01
    prium01 Posts: 306 Member
    Hi,

    First I could not run even for a minute , but I completed my 5 k on treadmill a month and a half later...I just run in a comfortable pace and only run 3 times a week, other days I do cardio and strength training.Doing some leg exercises have helped a lot ..I even breathe more to run and its like a rhythm...don't stress yourself too much at first, repeat the weeks...you are definitely doing great!All the best!
  • nataliescalories
    nataliescalories Posts: 292 Member
    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.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
    Head up. Looking down blocks your airways. Breathe deeply, through your mouth if you have to. Try to land on the balls of your feet. Landing on your heels is extremely tiring. You have to consciously think about it.

    Most people need a supporting shoe, not a neutral one. Go to a running store and get fit with a few pairs.

    I did C25K week 8 day 1 today. 2.75 miles in 28 minutes. I sucked at running before.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    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
  • Givemewings
    Givemewings Posts: 864 Member
    Don't worry. I'm sure that you can do it. It will just take time. As somebody else says, check with the doctor if you are worried, then just keep working at it. If you can't get past this particular week then drop back a week and just repeat until you feel more comfortable. I would also suggest walking more and build up the length of time you are walking for. This is one thing that has helped me. I try to get a walk in as often as possible.
    Also , I find listening to music helps me to concentrate less on my breathing.
  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
    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.
  • melissarina
    melissarina Posts: 113 Member
    I'm up to week 4 of C25K too, and I really struggle with the 5 minute runs. My trainer tells me to take deep breaths in through my nose, and breathe out through my mouth, but I never feel like I get enough air in. I also have asthma, so when I feel like I'm not getting enough air I tend to panic (unnecessarily). I think part of it is in my mind, but I think I'll try slowing my running down (at the gym, my trainer is always increasing the speed on the treadmill, so maybe that isn't helping).

    I hope you get the hang of it :)
  • Superchas
    Superchas Posts: 129 Member
    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
  • cupboard_stalker
    cupboard_stalker Posts: 62 Member
    If you can walk for five minutes, then you can run for 5 mins! You could power walk for five mins and put in more effort than a slow jog at a "slower-than-walking" pace. It sounds like you are just running too fast and that is too easy to do on a treadmill.

    The second bit of advice if you are doing C25k is to repeat the week you are on, you could catch up nearer the end if you are training for a specific race/date. Fitness isn't a linear progression, just like weight loss - you will have plateaus. Sometimes your body is full of energy and sometimes it's tired and a bit depleted, some days just feel harder for the same effort.

    I'd also say get outside to run, you would be amazed at the difference it makes to how hard it feels. When you are outside you have so much more to look at and it distracts you from an internal consciousness where all you can feel is the discomfort . Add some great views, or a natural scenery and pow! - a super stressbusting enjoyable experience where time flies and you don't want to turn round to head home!

    I wasn't a natural runner either to start with, it was hard but thats cause i ran at one pace which was too fast. I now love it and hate missing a run even in minus degrees! Stick with it, the more you do it the better it gets :)
  • Carmella9
    Carmella9 Posts: 171 Member
    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!
  • i have been running since last june. i have to listen to music so i don't hear my self puffing and panting as i know i would stop if i could hear it. i find the music a great distraction - might be a suggestion?
  • Ryanmariem
    Ryanmariem Posts: 46 Member
    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!
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    YOU CAN'
    do not give up,,
    i was never a runner
    i always roller bladed but JUST COULD NOT RUN
    and i was a smoker.
    WELL I CAN RUN NOW
    took some time
    but it is my fav now!
  • Dibbsa
    Dibbsa Posts: 19 Member
    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.
  • gillianav
    gillianav Posts: 5 Member
    I had the same problem for years. In the end, I slowed right down to jogging at not much more than walking pace, and now I'm fine. It is about learnig to pace yourself. I've been overtaken on the street by people walking fast, but I don't care, at least I'm running! Good luck!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    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!