I just cant run

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2

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  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    This is how it worked for me...and I am in no way a natural runner.

    At first running would make me feel like dying...knee's,body,lack of breath etc so for the first couple of months bike riding for good cardio, practically no pressure on the knee's, the breeze from the ride kept my body temp down and once I dropped a bit of weight and increased my fitness levels running became much easier. Started slowly and worked my way up...now I can run 6k without stopping.

    Gel inserts for my shoes really helped, as well as knee braces (have bad knee's) also intermittent running to start with eg 5 mins 9.8km hr then 2 mins 5km hr.

    Start slowly and be patient...good luck!!
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
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    PSA ahead

    I didn't listen when I was told by experts that I 'wasn't a runner', and now I'm effed because I tried anyway. I bought the good shoes, did a beginner program (C25K, actually - and I repeated the early weeks a couple of times), read up on footstrike. I'm going for my second MRI tomorrow morning to figure out why I can't walk properly and am in pain almost three years later. Pick something else that you have a knack for.

    (I was the same as you - just crap at running, all my life. Got bit by the bug. Got to be ok at it for a while, & enjoy it. I can't even run for the bus now.)
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    I didn't listen when I was told by experts that I 'wasn't a runner', and now I'm effed because I tried anyway. I bought the good shoes, did a beginner program, read up on footstrike. I'm going for my second MRI tomorrow morning to figure out why I can't walk properly almost three years later. Pick something else that you have a knack for.
    Sadly this also can be true for some people...beware of injuries.

    Good luck with your MRI have been there I feel your pain.
  • lj8576
    lj8576 Posts: 156
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    Have you tried the elliptcal or Arc trainer. Start slow and before long you will work your way up. I am not a runner but I can go pretty fast now on these two machines. They are great cardio and you will lose weight as much as you would on a treadmill.
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
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    I didn't listen when I was told by experts that I 'wasn't a runner', and now I'm effed because I tried anyway. I bought the good shoes, did a beginner program, read up on footstrike. I'm going for my second MRI tomorrow morning to figure out why I can't walk properly almost three years later. Pick something else that you have a knack for.
    Sadly this also can be true for some people...beware of injuries.

    Good luck with your MRI have been there I feel your pain.

    Thank you :)
  • wheezeybouncer
    wheezeybouncer Posts: 122 Member
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    I'm no runner. I jog barely faster than I walk and that's only cause I set myself a challenge!

    I prefer to swim. Or Walk. Or do some class or another. So far its been one about using the core muscles, one with light weights and a step circuit. Ive tried zumba which wasn't my thing. I use the rower, bike, elliptical and tread at the gym but the tread has helped me learn to jog. I used to trampoline when I was younger. I do archery. I've started kayaking.... no need to run!
  • Superchick123
    Superchick123 Posts: 20 Member
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    Wow!!! How did you even manage to do that? Could you give me some tips?
  • triskaidekaphile13
    triskaidekaphile13 Posts: 92 Member
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    Wow!!! How did you even manage to do that? Could you give me some tips?
    Who are you replying to?
  • JDBLY11
    JDBLY11 Posts: 577 Member
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    I didn't listen when I was told by experts that I 'wasn't a runner', and now I'm effed because I tried anyway. I bought the good shoes, did a beginner program, read up on footstrike. I'm going for my second MRI tomorrow morning to figure out why I can't walk properly almost three years later. Pick something else that you have a knack for.
    Sadly this also can be true for some people...beware of injuries.

    Good luck with your MRI have been there I feel your pain.

    I found that when I was running as opposed to doing things like workout videos at home and doing free weights actually helped my back/hip issues. It seemed like it was easier on my body than a lot of other activities I had been doing. I have never had knee issues or foot issues other than a little pain in my arch from standing for a long time. I carry a lot of fat in my lower stomach and hips, so I get a lot of results in that area when I run that I don't get from other activities, though keeping it up seems to be my challenge. I think you get more aerobic results too from running. I hope to get into running again when I am much thinner.
  • Ant_the_old_keith_lemon
    Ant_the_old_keith_lemon Posts: 272 Member
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    firstly i can not stress this enough but get a Gait assement and trainers prescribed to your feet, dont just go for Nike off the shelf things! the assesment may say that the Nike shoes are good enough for you, if thats the case carry on with your original shoe!

    research good running form, forget speed to start...

    work up to a reasonable distance 5% at at time, today 30 seconds, tomorrow 32, day after 34, and on and on...

    then when you hit 5 mins reserach good form again and apply it to your 5 min jog/run - you will notice that you can instantly go further again becasue good from mean less wasted energy, impacts etc ...

    at this time you will probably be getting shin splints, as soon as you get pain in your shins STOP and strech them out, discontinue running for three days and have another go - again until the pain starts... you will notice that your endurance to shin splints will increase every time you run/jog.

    so while you are having a rest from running research good form again ;)

    once you hit the ten min barrier you will start saying to yourself "what was i on about, i can run - this is chicken s%hit"

    history,

    until last year i had never run any kind of distance, to tell the truth id never ran over 100 yards!
    i always thought i couldnt do any form on running because i was a big fat sh&t

    failures
    i tried running going too hard and too fast instantly - injury
    i started running based on the fact all i had to do was move my legs, not knowing there was a things as good from - WRONG..... injury
    i started running using lovely looking trail shoes on roads and treadmills - WRONG - injury

    basically any failure there is relating to running ive had because i went into it like a bull in a china shop with the wrong kit and the wrong technique.

    yesterday i did a nice mild run three miles to the gym, twenty mins on an eliptical, twenty mins on a stationary cycle, a few chest and back resistance workouts and a 36KM bike ride...

    i dont like running much and wouldnt want to do a distance event but i can run!! if i can do this anyone can!
  • Superchick123
    Superchick123 Posts: 20 Member
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    When I started I couldn't run for a minute. I cried when I ran for 20 mins without stopping. Last weekend I ran a half marathon.

    Thats amazing, but what did u have to do to get there? I really wanna learn to run :)
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
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    My sister wanted to run, but the doc told her that she can't due to certain abnormalities with her knees. Her husband can't run either because his knees are already ruined due to combination of intensive sports and gout. If you have a medical condition that prevents you from running, don't run. You can bike and still get the same health benefit.

    Now, if you don't have a professionally diagnosed condition, then you just need to get a good pair of running shoes and follow a C25K program.
  • amandaj1966
    amandaj1966 Posts: 342 Member
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    Yeah, but i feel like running will burn fat all around my body, and just doing ellipticals and bike are not enough for it, right

    I am totally with you on this, a few years ago I joined a running club and found that I like the idea of running much more that I liked running. I gave up, my asthma wouldn't let me run far, my knees hurt etc...
    But for some crazy reason I still want to run, I would love to be able to just put on my sports bra and trainers and run where ever I was in the world, ok, not just my bra and trainers but you understand what I mean. :laugh:

    So I started C25K, a nightmare, I gave up but a few months later I am back at it, well I did day one yesterday.

    A girl that joined the running club with me a few years ago found it hard to run for 60 seconds too, it used to be the 2 of us at the back, walking a bit, running a tiny bit and so on, however my friend now does marathons all over the world and has just completed 66 miles over 2 days.

    I want to run but I also know that some of us just aren't meant to run, I can walk for miles.

    I wish you all the best, but don't give yourself a hard time if you can't run, this is something I must tell myself too. xx
  • Ronda73
    Ronda73 Posts: 52 Member
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    I recently started C25k and have found that I really enjoy it. But my lungs give out before my legs do. I can almost walk faster than I run (I walk just over 4 mph). I recently completed a 5 mile race and walked it all. I have set a goal for myself of being able to run a whole 5k. I'm not looking to set any records I just want to be able to do it.
    There are some days where the pressure of the app gets to me. I have anxiety and I think that plays a role in it. So I will just go out and do my own thing. I will start running and set of goal of running to the 3rd telephone pole and find that I can actually run to the 5th one. Then I go back to the app and see that it isn't as hard as I thought it was.
    But if it isn't working for you don't push it. You don't want to injure yourself.
  • joyincincy
    joyincincy Posts: 228 Member
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    Yeah, but i feel like running will burn fat all around my body, and just doing ellipticals and bike are not enough for it, right

    Exercise only burns body fat "around the whole body," it is not targeted. Meaning, no matter what you do you cannot specifically target a part of the body, and therefore can only burn fat in general. You can target a body part through strength training, but that is to build up the area, not dwindle it per say. Where you lose fat first is genetics. You can't change that. What is the rush with running full steam, non stop? That was the impression that I got from your first post. Is it that you want to lose it all now? If so, let that idea go out of your head -NOW - as you will only be very disappointed. Baby steps - we have all had to do that and then go for extreme challenges, if you so choose. Just don't kill your body in the process or drive yourself crazy trying to be perfect right away. Good luck to you, I'm sure that you will be very successful as you made the right choice in reaching out about this topic.
  • ruthv64
    ruthv64 Posts: 1
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    I too feel like I get a more substantial workout when I run, and I try but I'm just not a runner. I find that because I have never been much of a runner that I have more (foot, leg, back, etc) pain from it when I do, which makes it difficult to continue.

    Instead I do the elliptical since it's much easier on my body, and I get a really good workout as a result. You can adjust the resistance or do it backwards which is quite challenging in the beginning.
  • feebz36
    feebz36 Posts: 32 Member
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    C25k is good, If it is to much you could try a scouts pace... walk 20 paces, run 20 paces. Do as little as you want, maybe even 5 or 10... then just ramp it up! Take it easy and remember to give yourself credit for the work you have done :)
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,151 Member
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    I'm hauling around a lot of weight and definitely not athletic. I am on Week 3 of the C25K program and it's working. The most important part is correct shoes. I was getting a lot of shin pain that was going to be what stopped me, but I went to a running store, got fitted for shoes - they measure you, watch you walk and run and tell you what shoes would work. It's made a world of difference this past week, I'm actually liking this. The c25K program is great, it's made for us non athletes. You can repeat days or weeks if you need to. The app runs on my phone and I can listen to my music with it just chiming in when to walk and when to run. I'd be out there today if I didn't have an annoying cold.
  • Amy106Days
    Amy106Days Posts: 172 Member
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    I am on week one of c25k for going on 3 months now. I am not a runner, clearly, but I enjoy throwing on my running shoes and headphones and challenging myself. I am going at my own pace. I try to complete each "day" comfortably before moving to the next step. For me, day one was a killer but I have had time to work on my form, attitude , map a great route and get my breathing under control so it was worth the wait. Remember to do a warm up walk for at least 5 minutes before pushing yourself to run and then the same length cool down followed by stretches. I sleep with icyhot on my sore joints and if I am prepping to run and still have any soreness or weakness I wear my knee brace or ankle wraps. Nothing is worth injuring yourself and starting all over. Don't run every day. Remember rest is important too.
  • tjl2329
    tjl2329 Posts: 169 Member
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    Me either. I have tried but I just cant. I do the exercise bike and its great. I ride 12-14 mph for 45 minutes. It burns over 500 calories. I double checked on line. Also it has around same calories as running and same cardio. I get a good work out without the pain. I am flat foot and my ankles hurt and I have bad allergies so I cant breathe. Find an exercise that works for you.

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