Runners who used to be seriously unfit - how did you do it?

Slow down...the most annoying running advice ever but also the most accurate. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. If you can't you are running too fast. Speed will come.

As you keep at it, it will get easier.

try outside - i hate the treadmill. its nice to be getting somewhere while your running.

Im new to running, but I agree that maybe you need to slow down. When I first started I wanted to run at a pretty quick speed. I find that I do much better if I just set a slow jog and work on build stamina. Thats my plan anyway.

Slow down...the most annoying running advice ever but also the most accurate. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. If you can't you are running too fast. Speed will come.

As you keep at it, it will get easier.

I agree - slowing it down is essential. It will feel like you're going *too* slow but when you're in the early stages there really is no such thing. Time and persistence!

This. Absolutely this.

Oh, and make sure you eat your exercise calories. Running requires fuel.

Slow down...the most annoying running advice ever but also the most accurate. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running. If you can't you are running too fast. Speed will come.

As you keep at it, it will get easier.

I agree - slowing it down is essential. It will feel like you're going *too* slow but when you're in the early stages there really is no such thing. Time and persistence!

This. Absolutely this.

Oh, and make sure you eat your exercise calories. Running requires fuel.

Another vote for this!

If you can slow down your jogging, your'e going too fast. Jog as slow as you can, then add speed later!

i've heard 'zombies, run' is great for outdoors - i don't have an iphone and my ipos's the old style so i can't get it.

ZOMBIES RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!

...I really love Zombies Run.

As for advice, go slow and build stamina before you think about speeding up

I am by no means a runner. However, I love to run (do the c25K) outside. The treadmill bores the crap put of me. I hate it.

Maybe try outside?

Sloooooooooooow down and be patient. I began running in January 2012 and could only run about .5 mile then had to walk. I just ran my first half-marathon Sunday. I still run/ walk some. I can run up to about a 10k before needing to alternate. You should go for more shorter strides, sometime feeling more like a shuffle than a jog or walk. Once you build up some enurance and finish a 5k, you can begin to think about speed again. Frankly, I am very, very slow but have seen my speed increase naturally.

Google couch to 5k training plans. I'm a runner, and I avoid the treadmills as much as possible. Being out on the pavement is so much more gratifying, I lose motivation in the treadmill. There's nothing wrong with walking as long as you are making progress. Stick to the plan and you will see an improvement. If you're finding yourself wanting to stop too soon, slow down the pace to where you're able to hold a conversation pace. Hope it helps

Start small (walking uphill, elliptical machine, etc) and build up your leg muscles' stamina and your heart and breathing. Try a combo of walk/run, and build up gradually to being able to run for 20 minutes straight. You'll be at 30 before you know it.

Also, what helped me was always running on FLAT surfaces... I didn't need any incline knocking me for a loop while in my stride and just barely hanging on to my breath support.

And, for me, the hardest part was figuring out the breathing. Once I got that settled down (for me, frequent VERY shallow breaths was the trick) it was much easier.

You can totally do it, I'm proof! What helped me was being realistic with myself and not trying to push too fast to be a superrunner. I told myself to just wait until I was really ready to get into it, and then that helped me deal with the anxiety of doing something totally new and totally hard. Also, the breathing.... that was the key.

When I started I always ran 10 min and walked 1 min. This helped to stretch out my legs in between. As well, when I run on the treadmill I put the incline up a bit. It should be between 1.0 and 2.0. This helps to have a little more give on the band and is easier on your joints. It also makes the transition to outside elements easier. I agree that slower is better - your body gets a great workout when it can keep going for longer periods of time, even if it is a little slower than you would like. Drink lots of water to hydrate and rest days are important (although I always have a hard time sticking to them too!) I kept up with the run 10, walk 1 for about 2 1/2 years and have only gone to solid running for the past few months. Before cutting out the 1 min of walking I just slowly increased my speed.

You can do it! All the best as you continue to run

First read this -

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324432004578304250252788528.html

It sounds like your limits are maybe very low, so you need to work on pushing them up. If you are pushing yourself too hard, too soon, you could just build up more and more negative psychological reactions to exercise, which will only harm your progress.

My personal path was to start with simple daily walks. I tried to time my walks so that by the last 2 minutes I was having a hard time keeping up the pace. I didn't push myself harder than that. I kept that up for about a month or so. Gradually I found that the pace and/or distance of each walk would increase slightly. If I was nearing home and could tell I still wasn't nearing my limit, I'd go a little further. It wasn't a 'sexy' workout by any means, but it gave me my foundation.

I then moved on to C25K. I started out walking/running at 4.0/6.2 mph (6.4/10 kph) but by week 3 found that this was too aggressive. I repeated week 3 and dialed it back to 3.5/5.5 mph (5.6/8.8 kph). At these speeds I completed the course. I have now gone back to week 6 at a pace of 3.5/6.2 mph (5.6/10 kph), with a view to work up to a 30 minute 5k time.

Your experience will of course be different. Many people take the runs very slowly, especially if they are short. I've heard of people doing the program at 2.5/4.5 or even 2.0/4.0. The trick is to find a speed which is just 'emptying the tank' for you by the end of the run. Each week you'll find that the tank is a little bigger, and the runs progress a little to empty it.

I hope that helps.

TL;DR : Don't worry about speed. Find the speed you can just about manage and go from there. If you have to slow down to finish a week, do it.


By the way, I used to be 220 lbs, and struggled to run for the school bus if I was late to pick up my daughter. Now I'm 178 lbs, and I can sprint for the bus if I need to. So my method worked, for me at least.

¿Are you resting enough?. Back when I started I began running every day. Big mistake. The only thing that got me was knee pain and a couple of weeks of doctor mandated rest.

Your running speed could be a little too high. As others have said, you should be able to carry a conversation at your training pace.

Finally, I think joining a race is a great motivation. Signing up gives you a goal and a deadline. Plus races can be a lot of fun! If you don’t feel like you can run the whole time, don’t worry. A lot of people do walk/run intervals during races.
Best of luck!

+1 on speed and rest.

I found out the hard way that even if you're physically capable of running faster, you can injure yourself by doing so. I had issues with my hip in the last week of C 2 5K because I was running too fast. I was capable of doing the longer runs but pulled something in my hip that after a few weeks is just finally starting to heal.

Go slower and concentrate on your form and breathing. This will help when you do start running longer and faster.