So you want to start running

I'd also like to add that I hear from a lot of people who think that they are too fat to run. They try it, it's hard, and they think that the reason is due to weight. It's not, running is just hard when you start. There is no way around it. The advice from OP is universal, because the issues are universal. Slow down, be patient, it WILL get easier.

When I started a year and a half ago, I weighed about 70lbs more than I do now. Since then, I have gone from agonizing through the 30 second intervals in a C25K program to my planned run today, which is about 13 miles. They won't be 13 miles that I struggle through, either. There will be times, of course (stupid hills), but most of it I will thoroughly enjoy. It really does get easier. Just stick with it and make it through the first few weeks. Don't add too much too soon (guilty). The running has made to my cardiovascular health is amazing. My blood pressure at my last checkup was around 107/67, not too shabby for a woman who still weighs over 200 lbs. Even better, I've found an activity that I dearly love and makes me feel alive.

This is great to hear, thanks for sharing. When you say slow down, do you mean literally run slower, or to do shorter runs/smaller intervals in C25K?

I'd also like to add that I hear from a lot of people who think that they are too fat to run. They try it, it's hard, and they think that the reason is due to weight. It's not, running is just hard when you start. There is no way around it. The advice from OP is universal, because the issues are universal. Slow down, be patient, it WILL get easier.

When I started a year and a half ago, I weighed about 70lbs more than I do now. Since then, I have gone from agonizing through the 30 second intervals in a C25K program to my planned run today, which is about 13 miles. They won't be 13 miles that I struggle through, either. There will be times, of course (stupid hills), but most of it I will thoroughly enjoy. It really does get easier. Just stick with it and make it through the first few weeks. Don't add too much too soon (guilty). The running has made to my cardiovascular health is amazing. My blood pressure at my last checkup was around 107/67, not too shabby for a woman who still weighs over 200 lbs. Even better, I've found an activity that I dearly love and makes me feel alive.

This is great to hear, thanks for sharing. When you say slow down, do you mean literally run slower, or to do shorter runs/smaller intervals in C25K?

I mean literally slow down your running speed. Running is less efficient than walking (burns more energy to do), so even if you are running at what is generally considered a walking pace, it's still progress. Once you can get your endurance up, then you can worry about speed. But run for those intervals, even if you have to go at what feels like a snail's pace to do it. Once you get that down, and have some miles behind you, you can start thinking about speeding up. But really, just try to run for the intervals at first.

I'm still the world's slowest runner (I share the title, actually, we rule the slow runners together as co-queens). But, I'm getting faster. It comes with time.

That's what I thought you meant, but I am such a running noob I was unsure. And self conscious about my slowness. Thank you!

Just want to vouch for this advice. I was having a terrible time progressing because I thought that I ought to be doing a 12 min mile (it's the slowest speed in the database) and I had hit a wall as far as how much distance I could get at that pace. Thanks to Otter and a couple of others I slowed down to about a 13:30-14:00 pace and immediately could run twice as far. Now my speed is improving.

Great write up! I got lucky and this time started slow purely by accident. But times before I started to quick and stared hurting. As I progressed I read a lot, much of that information is available here ^. Ran my first race today, a half marathon, it felt great!