Runners: what was it like when you first started?

15 min of running? That's great! Excellent. When I first attempted to run, I set the treadmill on 6.0 made it maybe 1 min. I had to walk. I remember watching everyone else around me on the treadmills running for MILES at a time. MILES! I just wanted to be able to run 1 mile! It took me a very very long time to be able to run a mile. I was incredibly slow. I could never have my treadmill even CLOSE to the speeds of anyone around me. Eventually, within a year, I worked up to running 10-20 min without stopping... Another year went by, and I challenged myself to run 4.5 miles. I remember feeling so accomplished that I rAn 4.5 miles in an HOUR. I continued to try to run... 3 years later, I signed up for my first "race". Then it became a whole new obsession... Now I have ran ~5:30 mile... Sub 20 5k... 7:05 pace for a 1/2 marathon & 4 full marathons. It didn't happen overnight. Celebrate every little step. Only compete with yourself. It's amazing what you are capable of

sub 20 5K that is impressive. I hope to do that some day. for now I'll run my 5Ks in 34min. that's my goal anyway.

Hello,
Last year I lost 30 pounds for my wedding. After the honeymoon I slipped up some and gained 10 back, but have kept the over 20 off. Now, I'm ready to keep going with my weight loss journey and would like to lose another 30 pounds. The first time, I lost the weight by changing my diet with minimal exercise. Now that my diet has changed, I'm ready to start exercising. I went jogging with my dog last night and jogged for 15 min and walked for 20 min before I was exhausted. I would like to build up stamina and lung capacity and run more without getting winded. What was it like for you when you first started running? How long did you last? Long how did it take you get not get as winded?

On your first day you made it 15 minutes!?!? Wow. I make it about a hundred yards. It sucked at first. I smelled blood when I breathed AND later my muscles were sore for about 5 days. Thankfully that didn't last!

nothing too new to add to what has already been said--lots of great advice already given!

but want to agree with--

-starting slow

-starting with walk / run combo

-try to run outside (so much more enjoyable than treadmill to me)

-music helps if you like music

-definitely get decent running shoes--talk to a knowledgable running store staffperson, you don't need to break the bank but need something that fits you well and "how" you will be running

-I liked setting goals based on time, not distance. Didn't care if I ran 1 mile, 2 miles, etc, just wanted to run "20 minutes", however far that got me. Makes you listen to your body more--some days you have it, some days you don't!

-consider a heart rate monitor; I found in the beginning what really makes running so darn miserable is most people run well into their stress level, and if you run at 80% or so instead, you'll find that while you'll be going slower than you though you should, you won't be miserable and you'll stick with it. Don't worry, the speed will come--in the beginning my "running" was actually about the same speed as my walking--didn't take much to get my heart rate up! Now if I don't get in at least a few runs a week I miss it...!

I could barely run for a min, now I run couple half marathons a month. Don't run every day at the beginning, run every other day and build mileage slowly.

a lot of walking and sucking wind. but the more I did it I noticed it didn't get any easier, I just got stronger and now I can run 4 miles (maybe more) without stopping and sucking wind. 4miles is still hard to do, but I'm just stronger and more healthy since my first day.

This is totally true. For a long time, you ask yourself why running isn't getting any easier. Then you realize that you just spent a whole day at the amusement park and aren't tired at all. The running doesn't get easier. The rest of your life gets easier.

My first "real" run back in Feb 2010 was 1 mile on a treadmill in ~14 minutes and i vomited. Lugging around ~50 extra lbs didn't help. It gets better. In retrospect, I wish I had done C25K as many others have mentioned.

Man, 6 years ago my first run was pretty much around the block. I was 5' 11'' 118lbs and you think you would be able to run fast and far but no. I had no muscle at all because I skateboarded and drank cases of coke 24/7 all through grade school. The energy that I had lasted about 2 mins, Cut down on the soda and ate more food since it made me hungrier. Within 3 months I was running 5 - 15 mi a day. I had energy for days.
6 years later, I'm still doing it. Just a lot faster.
Stick with it. It gets easier.