Realized I'll never be a runner

I'm 5'2", and training for a half marathon. Are you telling me that because I don't move like a graceful gazelle that I can never be a real runner?

Jog vs run is just semantics. If you're enjoying it, who cares what you name it?

Nope I'm saying I'm jealous of those "gazelles" that make it look easy while I'm quick stepping and sweating like a hog!

I'm a little jealous of them too. Just don't let it stop you.

I promise you'll get there!
You just need to keep at it and build your confidence!

I'm using a couch to 5k app and love it.....just a thought.

I was a pure elliptical girl until two weeks ago when I got tired of staring at the wall and decided to try and jog/run. I decided to try HIIT running. I was doing 30 seconds then walking for 2 to 3 minutes. This week I'm up to 40 seconds and a 2 minute cool down.

As I was running I look over at the track in front of me and see the high school kids practicing. I could tell which ones were on the track team because they had legs up to their neck and were taking long graceful strides and making it look effortless. I looked down at my feet and realized I was taking short quick steps more of a steady jog and not a run.

I feel like at 5' 1" I'll never be able to run just be a steady jogger! I guess for me it works because it takes quiet a bit of effort for me to jog because I have to take short quick steps. Maybe after I loose some more weight it will get easier and be less wear and tear on my already bad knees. I guess any kind of exercise is better than none at all. :grumble:

Your first foray into running should not consist of "HIIT" running. You're just asking for it.

There will always be faster people, always. They make it look effortless because they train properly and are dedicated. You can be there someday too with some consistency.

And I know some short chicks that whoop me on a regular basis. It happens.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

I'm truly curious, how is her HIIT program different than C25K recommended in the linked thread? Doesn't it start out basically the same? Or is it just semantics and maybe she shouldn't have called her program HIIT?

OP, the best book I ever read when I first started running was called "The Courage to Start: A guide to running for your life" by John "The Penguin" Bingham. He describes how tough it was for him in the beginning and how he's so not the typical runner but he keeps going and has done marathons and developed running programs, etc. It really helped me get over a lot of my insecurities and negative thoughts.

I get being jealous of speed and grace but you can't let it get you down. Just keep going and who knows, maybe you'll be faster than you ever imagined!

I am also 5'1" and have difficulty running, more so because of shortness of breath. I often see others outrun me at the gym but I feel proud when I've increased the amount of time I've ran before I've had to hit that slow down to a walk pace. Just keep progressing! I haven't ran in a while (have been doing other workouts instead), but reading your post has me motivated to give it another try

FWIW I am 5'9.5" with long legs, and I'm pretty much the furthest thing from graceful that you can get. I sometimes feel like Lurch from the Adams family when I run. I'm pretty slow as well.

I get passed by runners much shorter than me ALLLLLL the time.

Don't get discouraged because you aren't a track star immediately. You might never be a fast runner. But if you want to be a runner, you can be a runner. They come in all shapes, sizes, and speeds!

I'll never be a bodybuilder, but I still lift.

This made me laugh!

My 7 year old was running with me and he said, "mom, you look like you are running to get ice cream."
I was laughing too hard at him to be mad.

May we all run like we're running to get ice cream.

:flowerforyou:

I always wanted to be a runner but until about three years ago I just talked myself out of it.....I'm to fat, to short, etc etc...I decided to just try to run for one min one day on the treadmill. I weighed 242 lbs. I took that one minute and added 30 seconds, and so on. I now can run 7-12 miles everyday of the week. My time went from 14 min miles to easy 9's and 8's. Don't be your own Debbie downer. You can do it.

This made me laugh!

My 7 year old was running with me and he said, "mom, you look like you are running to get ice cream."
I was laughing too hard at him to be mad.

May we all run like we're running to get ice cream.

:flowerforyou:

Loved this

It has been a dream of mine to become a runner. I am now 43 at 193 (plus usually) We can do it! I believe i would feel so fullfilled after running my first marithon. Keep at it. PLease keep at it.

Barring an underlying medical condition anyone can become a runner, it's just more work for some of than others (and some of us will never set any world records). I'm built low to the ground and will never resemble a Kenyan runner even if I got down to my ideal weight but through sheer stubbornness on my part I've run numerous 5Ks, a handful of 10ks and 7 half-marathons along with a few sprint distance duathlons.

Don't rush the training, if you're looking to become a distance runner I'd suggest forgetting the HIIT for now and focus on building your aerobic base. If you can only run slowly one minute so be it. I started off running (well, more like a slow shuffle) 1 minute and walking 9, then 2 minutes running with 8 minutes walking etc etc until I could run 10 minutes continuously and the gradually built it from there. Believe it or not short strides with a fast foot turnover is a good thing!



Be patient and be consistent. You'll amaze yourself with what you can do with the right training and attitude.

I have "weak" knees something that runs in my family. I have been using the elliptical for 39 days so I built up my endurance and definitely my lungs! I decided HIIT running because 40 seconds is about all I can do before I need a breather and it gives my knees a rest. Right now I'm looking for pure weight loss and I'm down 15 pounds in 39 days. I don't know that I'll ever be a long distance runner based purely on my time restrictions. I just read that HIIT running was good for metabolism boosts.

If you recently got off the elliptical and started running on the road, then your legs will go through a number of adaptions which in the mean time may cause some sensitivity. Pushing too hard during this adaption may cause injury.

The adaptions you will encounter include some of the following:

Your bones will strengethen to accomodate the new pounding your feet and joints take while your feet strike the pavement and harder ground than the soft and smooth striking from elliptical and treadmill. Make sure you consume enough calcium to support this new adpation. Good shoes after a gait analysis from a running store will also help here. Also, limit your time on pavement and suplement with trails and other softer outdoor running while these adaptions occur.

Your joints will also strengthen in time for the same reason as above.

You will build up different muscle groups as you adapt to outdoor running. On a smooth surface like a treadmill or elliptical, you repeatedly use the exact same motion which exercise the same exact muscle groups. In outdoor running, your feet will strike an uneven surface which gives your muscles and body a slightly different workout every time your foot strikes the ground. As you adapt, your muscles will let you know that new muscle groups are being stimulated.

Your body will begin to build new capilliaries to increase blood flow to the muscles being exercised.

Different muscle twitch muscle fibers will be stiumlated depending on the speed of your motion. Fast twitch muscles will be exercised with faster paced running for short periods while slower twitched muscles will be exercised at a slower running paced sustained for much longer distances.

Your cardio vascular system and metobolic rate will make adpations also as you begin to run more. Your aerobic rate (the ability to run with oxygen present in your muscles) will be stimulated as slower paced running (under your aerobic threshold) is sustained. Which translates to better endourance over time. You will notice that you will be able to run for longer distances as you exercise your aerobic rate. Your heart will begin to be more efficient and you will train your body to burn fat as a source of energy. Running certain specialized workouts at faster paces will improve your speed by exercising your anaereobic capability (or the ability to do work without oxygen in your muscles). However, this increases your lactic acid levels temporarily and will force you to slow down to a walk if your body accumlates lactic acid faster than your system can clear it. Anaerobic workouts also deplete your glycogen levels much faster (glycogen is in shorter supply than fat) which will lead to bonking or "hitting the wall". However, the more you tax your glycogen levels during exercise, this will stimulate your body to increase glycogen levels in your body to provide you with more fuel during anerobic activity in future workouts. There is a limit however on how much glycogen your body will store even after long periods of training. Your VO2 level will improve in time to a degree which is the ability to take in more oxygen and the ability to use it to fuel your running workouts.

Your body will make nuerological adaptions. Basically, the more you run, especially outdoors, the better communication between your brain (which tells the body what to do) and the muscles which are moving. The signals from your brain travels through your nervous system. The more you run, the more these pathways are exercised and increases muscle memory. This means your body will learn to move better and more efficiently without much conscious thought.

This is what came to my head. There are probably a few more adaptions I am missing. But the key to becoming a runner is consistency. it doesn't matter how fast you start out at. It is far better to slow down, take your time, let your body make it's adaptions, but stay consistent. Also, your body needs rest mixed in. Try not to run more than 3 or 4 times a week with rest days in between. The days you run stimulate your body and muscles, but on rest days is when your body makes the adaptions for improvement. You also need proper nutrition.

I know this all sounds a bit geeky, but the purpose was to show you that most people can be a runner with minimal risk to injury if you stick with it and become smart about it.

I was a pure elliptical girl until two weeks ago when I got tired of staring at the wall and decided to try and jog/run. I decided to try HIIT running. I was doing 30 seconds then walking for 2 to 3 minutes. This week I'm up to 40 seconds and a 2 minute cool down.

As I was running I look over at the track in front of me and see the high school kids practicing. I could tell which ones were on the track team because they had legs up to their neck and were taking long graceful strides and making it look effortless. I looked down at my feet and realized I was taking short quick steps more of a steady jog and not a run.

I feel like at 5' 1" I'll never be able to run just be a steady jogger! I guess for me it works because it takes quiet a bit of effort for me to jog because I have to take short quick steps. Maybe after I loose some more weight it will get easier and be less wear and tear on my already bad knees. I guess any kind of exercise is better than none at all. :grumble:

I'm also 5'1" and have a long torso/short legs (my inseam is like 24"). I started running after doing the elliptical for close to a year because I got bored. I probably run like 3.5-4 mph. I get passed by everyone. My husband walks right next to me while I'm running. But, I can run for 45+ minutes straight, I don't get very far, but I'm running. Who cares? As long as you're improving! If you're better than what YOU used to be, all else is null.