Runners: questions from a beginner

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  • sazidelbi
    sazidelbi Posts: 6 Member
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    A really great beginner to 5km training programme can be found here - http://www.zest.co.uk/running/train-for-a-5k-run/14-2.html

    I used their plan for a half-marathon and it was really useful.

    Yoga is always intensely beneficial. I would recommend Ashtanga over Hatha for runners.

    Finally, for building mental stamina, I prefer to listen to music. Make yourself a 45 min to 1 hour playlist of your favourite party songs (ideally ones with around 120-125 bpm) to keep your rhythm going when you're pounding the pavement.

    5km by October. Easy peasy! You can do it!
  • smerkord
    smerkord Posts: 101 Member
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    I can't speak for C25k, but when I was a beginner I used the Jeff Galloway method and I am now running half and full marathons. I am not speedy, but I finish without soreness or injury. Jeff has free beginner training programs on his website. www.jeffgalloway.com

    He uses walk breaks. Even with walk breaks at intervals of 1 minute walked for every 4 minutes run, I completed a 5k in 29:29 and a half marathon in 2:20:01 so it doesn't slow you down as much as you might think and will be easier on the joints in the long run (ha, pun not on purpose, but now I'll say it is intended)
  • dgage8
    dgage8 Posts: 28 Member
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    Don't worry about your pace- listen to your breathing, and communicate with your body when you run. As the weight comes off, the times will come down naturally, and your goal should be just to FINISH- without any times attached.
    Also, I would recommend finding some running quotes that can stick in your head- not negative thoughts, but positive ones-- like "at first glance it may appear too hard. Look again- always look again."
  • alilarmour
    alilarmour Posts: 32
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    I hate running but am currently in week 2 of training for a half marathon on 22nd September. Like you I think I'm a bit crazy!!! I don't run but in the last few years have done 3 10k runs. Each time I trained for them and was very proud of myself that I made it. The most recent one I didn't train at all for but had been doing a lot of gym work and weights so was fitter than I had been in general. I actually managed to do the full 10k without having to walk at all which is a major achievement for me. The key that time was my husband did it with me and paced me so i didn't go too fast and just kept going. My tips are;

    1. Get off that treadmill and get outside. It's a totally different running experience and a lot less boring. Plus you have to keep going. If you run a mile from home you still have to do a mile to get back again. It doesn't matter if you walk some - its all exercise and getting you fitter.

    2. Set little goals in your run - eg: keep running to the street corner then walk until you reach a parked car a little way ahead etc.... Little goals like that make it easier than thinking in terms of miles.

    3. Try and find someone to run with. Running alone is harder as you've nobody to keep you going. You might think its hard but it's really not. With friends we managed to get 50 people to sign up to do a 10k charity run so for the months before we always had small groups training together which was fun and encouraging. If we can get 50 people you can find one!

    4. Be prepared to find it tough. I see people running and it looks so easy and natural to them that I think I can skip out the door and do that too. In reality half a mile in I'm sweaty and struggling lol No pain, no gain - every little bit you do is getting you fitter.

    5. It does get a little easier. I couldn't even run 1 minute to begin with and today I did 4.5 miles and did the initial 2.5 easily enough without having to walk.

    Good luck
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    also, do you adjust the speed on the treadmill, or do you go from a high setting to zero?? when you start to feel like the run isn't effective, do you slow it down? and then when you catch your breath, you can speed it back up.

    you can't be expected to go on the same speed for 3 miles. slow down, speed up. most runners will start off slower in a race, and speed up as they go.
  • kellygeorge8182
    kellygeorge8182 Posts: 6 Member
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    if you can't talk while running, you're going too fast. (i have been known to sing along, just to check myself).

    i did the entire c25k program, and it works - absolutely. but it's designed to get you there slowly, not all at once. let it guide you.

    and - again - a mile is a mile, whether it's a 7 min mile or a 17 min mile. you're still faster than everyone who's *kitten* is still on the couch.
  • EdTheGinge
    EdTheGinge Posts: 1,616 Member
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    Like someone has said 11min mile seems quite quick to me, you add say 30secs to minute on top of that I'm sure you'll find things slightly easier, once you've got to grips with it you can push on. It's a slow proccess but to do the race in October shouldn't be a problem at all. I'm trying to go from 13.1miles to 26.2miles for October haha.

    You've got this and as far as mental is concerned, I just think of my end goal and know that there can be no excuses. Currently my motivation is I don't just want to finish my first marathon but want to do it in a decent time, if I don't train I will be letting myself down.

    Slowly slowly catch your monkey
  • nlehmann
    nlehmann Posts: 164 Member
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    Are you able to get off the treadmill and run outside? Treadmill is horrible for me as well. I can run forever outside but something about going nowhere with nothing to look at is painfull. If not, like some of the others said, listen to a book or music to pass them time. Slow down it shouldn't be painful. Set a program on the treadmill to run/walk/jog for time not distance and see how long you can go to build up your endurance.

    Also, set the incline on the treadmill to .5% or 1% incline, it helps with the pressure on your joints without making a noticable difference in the difficulty.

    Most of all stick with it, it will get easier! Good Luck!
  • leefox79
    leefox79 Posts: 19 Member
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    First off, slow down, you will be more comfortable at a 12 min miles than 11. When your trying to build distance do not worry about speed, the speed will gradually increase as you become more efficient at running.

    As for the mental challenge, I would suggest wearing headphones and put in your favorite upbeat music, or if you have a TV in view of the treadmill put on a show that would take your attention away from running.

    As for exercises, Squats, kettlebells, lunges and plankes are a runners best friend.

    1 last advise that worked for me. When I started running I did my first 5k in about 38 minutes with walking, my 5k's are now in the 23's just a few years later I am now training for my first marathon on Oct 6th, when building distance don't be afraid to walk for part of it. The goal is to get your body use of the distance, and if walking a little here and there makes you able to complete 3 miles or more than you are on the right track. A little trick I did was run a mile, walk for 1 or 2 tenths of a mile and run to the next mile.

    Good luck and keep us updated!
  • traumacode3
    traumacode3 Posts: 32 Member
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    Hey Adiostrasero,
    I totally think that the middle of October is realistic for a goal. I would like to caution you though that if your running is on a treadmill, you will have better times on that as opposed to outside. The outside brings another element or as my personal trainer says "another beast" because of the atmospheric conditions (pressures, humidity, etc...). Even if you cant run the entire thing, make your goal to be to finish it and build upon that. I ran my first 5K on June 22nd and have done two more since then (June 22, June 29, and July 29). My next one will be August 10th. While I am personally not meeting my time goals, I am meeting the goal of finishing. Music is definitely a good thing when running. It seems to take your mind off of things, especially if your not feeling run that day. Start out slow also! It will prevent injuries in the long run. Feel free to friend me for support if you like!!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Hi, and congratulations on starting running!

    Firstly, and most importantly, yes, you can absolutely have this in the bag by October!

    As several other people have said, don't run every day, aim for three days a week. your rest days let your body recover and your muscles adapt to the new activity.

    Don't just add on to your mile distance, break it up, like the various C25K programmes endorse. As you can run a mile, why not run 5 minutes, walk 2 to recover and repeat three times - bingo, you've run over a mile!

    When you can, get off the treadmill and go outside, at least once a week. The treadmill dictates your speed and won't help you find what suits you.

    11 minute miles are incredibly fast for a beginner. Even after running for 15 years I'd struggle to keep up that pace for 5K! Slow down. 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! " Get the distance sorted, the pace will come later.

    Yoga is a fabulous complement to running. Check out injury prevention exercises too. I do squats with an exercise band round my knees, lunges and "the clam" to keep my dodgy knees and hips in check.

    Getting outside is the biggest distraction from the physical effort I can recommend. Find a pretty route and watch the seasons roll by. I also love, love, love the Zombies, Run! app, a radio-style story interspersed with your own playlist. I wasn't keen on the Zombie 5K app, though, you might want to do your own intervals to the original storyline. Alternatively, audiobooks are your friend.

    Or go running with a real friend! Making sure you keep to a pace where you can have a conversation is the ultimate in finding your perfect pace.

    As soon as you've decided to stick with it, get to a proper running shop and get fitted for your perfect running shoes. They will make the world of difference. If they don't watch or video you running, go elsewhere.

    Here are some more of my beginner's tips:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/20-things-i-wish-i-d-known-about-running-when-i-started-103936

    Keep up the good work, add me as a friend if you'd like, and promise to come back and let us know how you get on! :flowerforyou:
  • MaritaD
    MaritaD Posts: 178 Member
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    So here are my questions...I will love you forever if you can answer one, two or all :)

    1. Is it feasible to think that I can run the entire 5K by Oct. 12 if I keep training? I will realistically probably not run every single day like a lot of "couch to 5K programs seem to suggest - If I commit to it every day, I think I'll burn out quickly.

    2. I love yoga and also enjoy strength training - any particular stretches or training to improve running? Any other types of physical activity you do as part of your running training, or just to supplement?

    3. What MENTAL exercises help keep you sane? Sometimes I know it's time to run and it is absolutely the last thing on earth I want to do. Other times I want to stop running so bad that I literally can feel myself tearing up. It is just SOOO hard.

    Thanks ... I admire you all for doing what I hope to do someday! :)
    1. It is very feasible that you will be running 5K in October, as long as you don't injure yourself you will definitely be fine to run a 5K by then! Stick to running every other day, back to back days for beginners burn you out too quickly. and days you aren't running cross training is great!
    2. I am about to start doing yoga myself on my non running days. I have heard it's one of the best ways to avoid injury (I got a bad case of plantar fasciitis last year!) Strength training is also helpful, focus on your legs (squats, lunges, etc) but make sure you aren't doing those difficult leg days on run days!
    3. I have personally made myself a "vision board" it's just a poster, board, whatever you want full of pictures that inspire you. It can be personal pictures of family/friends, quotes, anything that makes you feel like running, and I have it right in site, so whenever I want to give up it helps me want to push forward.

    I also joined a running club twice a week, they do intervals (10:1) and have a decently slow pace (I'm a very slow runner) and it helps push me on days I don't want to go!

    Good luck, you'll do great at your 5K in October! and please remember, even if you have to walk part of it, getting out there and completing it is what really matters!! You can do it!!

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