WTheck; Who said RUN outside!!!! Horrible..... :(

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  • theoriginaljayne
    theoriginaljayne Posts: 562 Member
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    Good shoes + good form + practice = it will get better.
  • Pfa74
    Pfa74 Posts: 10 Member
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    Running outside is an adjustment if you have been consistently on a treadmill. Treadmills tend regulate your speed and push you along, outside its all on you not to mention uneven terrain. Slow up your pace the first couple weeks and build yourself up. Also make sure you run in shoes meant for outside. Many running shoes advertised are designed for inside (treadmill) running and do not have enough support/cushion outside.

    Just don't give up, it gets easier and you'll be surprised how quickly you adjust and build up to a 5k and beyond.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Hello Everyone:

    So yesterday I received wonderful advice about doing a 5k in two months. Well a lot of people recommended that should start running lil by lil outside to get used to being out running. WOW!!!! That was the most excruciating pain. I felt like I was hunched over. The running and walking was painful. The running part was Terrible, I felt like that was my 1st time running in MY life! :(

    Is it always going to be like this? Today I woke up feeling like day 1 of working out, terribly sore and feeling like my knees and front of my legs were killing me!

    Suggestions?

    Thanks.

    This is exactly why people told you to run outside. You have to actually deal with the same elements...wind, changes in temp, elevation changes, uneven surfaces, etc as you would during a real race. Training on a treadmill is akin to training with a machine for weight lifting...squatting on a machine is 100% different than squatting free.

    Yup! I trained for my first 5K almost exclusively on the dreadmill and by the 3rd km had excruciating shin splints. Unless the race is going to be on a treadmill you need to do at least part of your running outside to allow your body to acclimate to the differences.

    Slow down a bit but keep at it, it does get better.
  • idahomommy
    idahomommy Posts: 28 Member
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    I'm not a "real" runner but when I started I ended up hurting my tendon on the back of my heal. It took weeks to recover. I did a lot of reading in that time and I learned you can run with "floppy feet" and injure yourself or at least make it more painful to run, there are actually a lot of habits that can cause you more pain.

    If you look online for running tips you should be able to find a lot on what to watch while running (posture, how you place your feet, etc) and as someone mentioned, videos. If you know someone that runs and knows a lot about it, have them watch you (I kept wishing I could do this but I don't know any runners).

    I also invested in a $140 pair of running shoes. I've never in my life spent more than $50 on shoes so that was a huge deal for me. I went into New Balance (or shoe store of your choice) and told them about my running (2-3 miles, outside, a few times a week, and in my case I needed to make sure I didn't hurt my heel again). They showed me a few pairs that fit that type. It was a great investment.

    Good luck! It does get better. The first time I ran outside I also thought I would die. I did the couch to 5K along with it and now I hate to run on a treadmill and I can do 2 miles almost without stopping!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    Sorry for my ignorance but what is my "gait"?

    Gait is how you run/move.
  • AnisaMG
    AnisaMG Posts: 154 Member
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    If your knees and shins are bothering you - you need to look at your form and your shoes. Im not saying it should be painless, but you need to know the difference between normal excersise pain and injury. I speak from experience, injuries from running can happen easily and quickly and if ignored can put you our of the running game for months!
  • MommaSari
    MommaSari Posts: 22 Member
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    Hey!

    If you have a smart phone get the C25K app. I wouldn't do the treadmill. It is TOTALLY different. I started on the treadmill and had to start over outside. You have to push yourself. You will be amazed when you get to week 5 and you can do it...and think to yourself how hard week 1 was.

    I did the program, I then started the C210K (stands for Couch to 10K), however I had to stop due to being pregnant. I was a "runner" for about 3 months before I got pregnant and I just don't feel that is long enough to keep it going during pregnancy. I am doing my first 5K next Sunday. I am walking it though. It is non-refundable. By the time I was finished with the 5K program I could run 3.1 miles. One day I even went over that. It is an incredible feeling and I really started to enjoy it.

    I, oddly enough, jogged in a cemetery cemetery I found it quite peaceful even with others doing the same. The best part about being outside is you can set your own pace. On a treadmill it's very hard to switch between jogging and running and it takes more concentration. Outside you can get distracted and lost in your thoughts. If you are religious it is also a great time to talk to God or whomever you may believe in. (As you can tell, I miss it)

    It is hard at first, but don't give up. I would suggest using the C25K program, if you have Facebook check out the page too. Good luck! Feel free to friend me or ask any other questions you may have!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I find running outside easier, because I'm not stuck at a set pace and can go faster or slower when I need to, without hitting buttons.

    BUT... if it's anywhere near as hot and humid where you are as it is here, the heat makes everything brutal. I had more fun running in single digit temps over the winter than I do when it's above 80 or so.
  • idahomommy
    idahomommy Posts: 28 Member
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    Also, based on what I read, try to run in the street rather than the sidewalk. I always hated those people because that's what sidewalks are for, right? Apparently the asphalt has a little more "give"/cushion to it than concrete does. I don't know if it really makes much of a difference for a shorter distance runner but I've been trying it. I still get on the sidewalk if a car comes down the street though.
  • CaeliGirl11
    CaeliGirl11 Posts: 108 Member
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    And definitely make sure that front of your leg pain is going away before you keep it up...if its not take a couple of days to rest! You don't want to end up completely sidelined with shin splints like I did earlier this summer. If you are having pain like that take it easy for a couple of days and do some other kind of exercise then go back out and walk/jog slowly for the distance or time you want...then gradually build back up to where you want to be. You should not be in total pain when you transition from treadmill running to outdoor running, IMO. But it definitely is a change in how you pace yourself and how your body handles the shock of the pavement. You could also try running on grass if you can find a place to do that....that will soften the amount of pounding that your legs are getting by running outside.
    Best of luck with your 5k, remember, take it slow and really, it's all about finishing, not winning:) WTG on setting some great goals!
  • DaBossLady24
    DaBossLady24 Posts: 556 Member
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    In agreement with most people that have already commented... it does get better. I used to HATE running and we still have a love/hate relationship.

    Running outside as opposed to the treadmill shows you how vastly different your body reacts when there's not a belt helping to propel your legs as you run. Start off walking, jog a bit, and then slowly work your way up to running. As others said, check your gait, too!

    P.S. 5Ks are addicting... I'm already planning to train for a half and full marathon now for a bigger challenge. Clearly wouldn't have said this years ago lol :drinker:
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
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    Running outside is a lot harder than running on a treadmill!!!

    Personally disagree, but that's me.

    I diagree as well.

    Me too.

    I'm way faster outside. Plus outside is less boring so I kind of forget that I'm running.
  • ze_hombre
    ze_hombre Posts: 377 Member
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    Running outside is a lot harder than running on a treadmill!!!

    Personally disagree, but that's me.

    I diagree as well. I think having a machine set my speed is too much for me to handle. Outside I speed up and slow down a million times over depending on the hill, road condition, traffic, blah blah, blah..... I still maintin 11 minute miles overall but I can't do that pace steady for 3 miles. You will get used to the change and you will LOVE running outside! :bigsmile:

    I disagree as well with a caveat. I started running on a treadmill and still do frequently. I prefer the treadmill for quick runs during the week because its downstairs and I work from home. I live in a small neighborhood in the country and do not have access to more than 3-3.5 miles of safe roads to run on (my short runs are 5-6 miles now). In order to get to a safe place to run I have to drive a minimum of 15 minutes one way (my favorite place is 30 minutes away). During the week this is a PITA, but on the weekends is easy to squeeze in. To make the treadmill a bit less boring I have a TV close to it that is connected to my DVR. Figure I can be a couch potato while getting in a good run during the week.

    Its all about finding what you like. If you plan on running a 5k then you should definitely get used to running on trails and roads. There are things you won't learn on a treadmill that you will have to contend with outside (rocks, downhill slopes, dogs, tree branches, etc.). But its perfectly fine to have a treadmill be the bulk of your training.

    Good luck OP on your 5k!
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    When I started running, everything was by trial and error. I ran outside sometimes and did a fair amount of my initial running on a treadmill.

    But I had no idea what I was doing.

    I wish I had known about couch to 5K. My cardio could handle a run as long as a 5K but my body hurt and in fact I wound up injuring myself.

    Couch to 5K trains you up, not just your cardio, not just your feet but all your muscles and bones. I strongly recommend that you follow a Couch to 5K program if you want to start running. You'll be happy you did.

    Also go to a running store where they will watch you run and get fitted for a proper pair of running shoes that are appropriate to you and how you run. You'll be happy that you did.
  • JenMaselli
    JenMaselli Posts: 83 Member
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    Also - it's so so important to have the right shoes. I injured myself moving off of the treadmill onto the road and the big error I made was not getting good running shoes first. Go somewhere like Fleet Feet or another running store where they know what they are doing and can check your gait and type of feet and get fitted for good shoes. Good luck!
  • recriger
    recriger Posts: 245 Member
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    I find it much different, but it does get better. I never "started" on a treadmill. When I started running I chose the pavement since I knew that there would be more choices for places to run in the future. Now I can't use a treadmill. I've done it once or twice in bad weather but discovered that even the most miserable weather hurts me less than the most pleasant treadmill. I start to ache and cramp immediately any more.

    Everyone else has already named the cures. Shoes and gait. I started with bad shoes and suffered for it. With those shoes I hurt both MCL's, both ACL's, and the left Patellar ligament. Also sprained both ankles at different times and dealt with a lot of turf toe:). Yeah...I thought it was all "normal" after sitting on my *kitten* for 10 years. it is not.

    It took a long time to fix the damage i caused, but now I run 3 times a week, 3-4 miles a time with nearly no problems. I shouldn't really say nearly, because those "problems" would hurt whether I ran or not.

    The only other problem is what I ran into this morning. I should have realized that it would be an unusual run when I woke up and couldn't see out any window in my house through all the condensation!! 80 degrees at 148% humidity! Ever run through pea soup?
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
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    Running outside is a lot harder than running on a treadmill!!!

    I don't necessarily agree. I prefer it now that I know how to pace myself. The first couple of times outside make sure you go really slooowwww and build up from there. My problem was always that I just ran too fast and then my lungs were to slow...

    Try again, look for a nice park or forest and shuffle at the beginning. You'll make progress fast.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
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    It gets better :)

    As others stated in previous posts, running outside is very different than on a threadmil. Much harder.

    You do get somewhat used to it eventually.


    Make sure you have good running shoes, good running form and hydrate well. This will help prevent injuries.
    I sadly went wild when I started running with bad form and horrible shoes, suffered from Shin splint and a runner's knee.
    I switched my shoes (have been using Vibram 5 fingers for almost a year) and it eliminated all pain I had.

    I now run 4-5 miles every other day and it feels great everytime :)
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
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    Most people try to run too fast when they switch to outdoor running--slow your pace and it should get easier.

    When you use your treadmill, set the incline to 1.5-2 to better mimic outdoor running; that may help a little as well
  • 230137isntmyweight
    230137isntmyweight Posts: 256 Member
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    Welcome to running!! And no running on a treadmill doesn't count. Make sure you have good shoes, good form, and start slow.

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