Calling All Runners!

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mmanderr18
mmanderr18 Posts: 80 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm sure we all know someone who is a running finatic.. There are probably tons on here! At what point did the endorphins kick in and you started to really enjoy it? Where did you start when you began to really get into running? What are you doing now?

My whole life I have always been a real runner wannabe and I figure that if I want to make a healthy lifestyle transformation why not take this time to become the runner I've always dreamed of!

I would love to hear everyone's experiences and tips :) Thanks!

Replies

  • FaithandFitness
    FaithandFitness Posts: 653 Member
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    can't help you with that one . . .I run, and it just stinks a little less each time . . . hand over some of those endorphins!
  • zorbaru
    zorbaru Posts: 1,077 Member
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    for me i would say the first 500m or so are the hardest. then i hit a rythm and all is good. could also be that the first 500m for me is getting out of my housing estate then its a straight path until the last 500m, but then im too knackered too care :D
  • crissimoyer
    crissimoyer Posts: 62
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    A true runners high I have only felt once & it definitely can make you feel amazing...like you can run forever. I struggle with it daily...but feel accomplished when I complete whatever run I do. It's a love/hate relationship for me ;) Good Luck!!!!
  • edryer123
    edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
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    I am very interested in this too. I always wanted to be a 'runner'. One of those people you drive by on the street and they are doing their thing. I always wanted to be them, but lord I hate it when I am doing it.
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
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    I started running in 2007 at 200ish pounds and ran my first marathon a year later in 2008. That whole year, running sucked and I didn't "feel" like a runner. But, I did finish the marathon so I kept at it. I had some knee problems and had to take it easy until this year when I was fully recovered. I became a vegetarian last summer and got down to 155-160 lb range. Losing this weight made running actually enjoyable (my knees/hips didnt hurt any more). And one day I was thinking to myself during a long run, hey, I'm actually RUNNING, not JOGGING. It was an amazing feeling, I'm not sure what caused it but it was definitely a runner's high. Since then, my pace has steadily been getting faster and I do all of my training plans according to runnersworld.com well. Back in 2007/2008 I'd just "finish" the distance specified; now I actually do the sprints and tempo runs. Running in the rain always gives me a runners high too...i feel you have to be hard core to actually be out in the rain running for the hell of it!

    I write about running in my blog, if you are interested!

    Best of luck on your running journey, and feel free to friend me!
  • Nikstergirl
    Nikstergirl Posts: 1,549 Member
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    Ok, I'm not an expert by any means, but last spring I started the Couch to 5k program that you can download on your iPod. I put the podcast on, laced up my shoes and did it.. and it was great! I'm currently training for my first 10k and can really say I like running now! Never had even ran a mile in my life before last spring, so that's saying something!!!!

    Since I started and ran 2 5k's last year it really just took me some time to research the how's and why's and different training plans to find one that seems to work for me. This past Sunday was my longest run to date, a full 6 miles, and it went really well! For me, it's not all about speed (although that's coming along nicely) but more about finishing the distance I set out to finish. Of course, I have a goal in mind for my race, but we'll see how close I can come to that in 2 months when that gun goes off!!! Finding races and other runners to talk to about it really helps keep me motivated. Some days I don't want to run, but I really don't want to get off my schedule, so that also helps.

    Good luck! Running can be addictive, but my honest advice is start slow and work up to it. If you push too hard too fast you're bound to get injured or just burned out!!! I only run 3 days per week... do other exercises on the other days... just FYI!
  • Tuckersn
    Tuckersn Posts: 149
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    Running, even when I was in great shape, wasn't always fun. But I'd have runs that absolutely made the hard or boring ones worth it! Where you just hit a pace that feels good and you feel as though you could keep going forever . . . thats my favorite. =0)
  • stevo1078
    stevo1078 Posts: 26
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    Not so much after a certain distance or anything but i find generally about 300-400 calorie mark i start feeling really happy and fell i could go another 300-400... I normally don't though cause i just don't have that much spare time lol. Also i tend to mix between walking running and jogging. so it's probably different for me, but 90% of my exercise is done on a treadmill or running/jogging/walking
  • kmeekhof
    kmeekhof Posts: 456 Member
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    I have a love/hate relationship with running. I used to run all the time in high school... slowly got out of it in college and I am now getting back into it. I hate doing it, but love the sense of accomplishment I get when done. I went for an hour the other day with only a 7 min walk at the 21 min mark.... the last 40 minutes were pure adrenaline. It is mind over matter for me.. I have to constantly tell myself when running... YOU'VE GOT THIS!! I just signed up for my first race in years and this is giving me something to push for.

    When you are running just do your best.. go as far as you can, walk if you need to... you can always start running again. Do a little bit at a time... run for 2 minutes walk 1 minute... run for 2 walk for 1... slowly build up the amount of run time.
  • JenWorthen3
    JenWorthen3 Posts: 64 Member
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    For me, I still wouldn't totally say I LOVE running, but I'm definitely getting there. I feel those endorphins kick in about halfway through my first run cycle (I'm doing C25K) for the individual runs, but the real runners "high" comes from racing. Even if it's just a 5k (that's all I can do right now), you just get so excited about it! My sister in law runs several marathons a year and I asked her just today when she got to the point that long runs weren't a drudgery for her and she said it took to her third marathon. My current goal is to waste my last 5k time. Actually, I'd really love to run a sub-40:00 5k, but I'm not sure that's a realistic goal for my race next week. My last time was 46:xx (can't remember exactly). If I can come in at 44:xx, I'll be stoked. Oh, and this might sound horrible, but just not coming in last place is really nice, too. That gives me a serious high! (I came in dead last on my first 5k, but not the two I've done since then!!!) Then again, last place always gets the biggest cheers! Good luck and keep it going!
  • crazy4flyers
    crazy4flyers Posts: 5 Member
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    I was never EVER a runner. I dreaded the days they made us run a mile in gym class. Last summer while I was about halfway to my weight loss goal I started reading about this running program called Couch to 5K (AKA: C25K). I started asking my runner friends and found out that many of them got started that way. I immediately downloaded the app for my phone and started it. I began to enjoy running about halfway through the 9 week program. Now just 9 or so months later I love running and I laugh at the fact that a mile used to be torture to me. Check out C25K. I really do believe that if I could do it then anyone can. Good luck!
  • JenWorthen3
    JenWorthen3 Posts: 64 Member
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    Oh, and I also meant to say that you are a runner if you're up and trying. Doesn't matter if you ran every step of your run or you ran just a few steps. Just keep pushing and tell yourself you're a runner and you will make it through your runs. I started doing this last week and even though I'm not to marathon running or setting any records, I view myself as a runner. The moment I did, I found myself being able to push through the hard parts simply by telling myself "Guess what? A runner would suck it up and push through even though this is hard." And you know what? I suck it up and push through a whole lot more now.
  • Skel3tor1
    Skel3tor1 Posts: 3
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    I did competition running back in high school for both cross country and track. Back then I didn't really experience any runner's high, at least not that I can remember and the distances we ran back then was anywhere from a few miles to half a marathon just in a practice run. I had a really good coach back then. On our team you weren't pushing yourself hard enough unless you puked during your races and if anyone saw you puking (not just team members, but strangers) you would get cheered on. Yes, I even puked while running and didn't even stop a few times, lol).

    Fast forward about 10 years and I gained 30 pounds from my high school weight (which was 122, and I was 152 and I'm not 137 and dropping) and decided to get back into the swing of things since I do miss competition running. So, I go out and run and I actually went out with shoes that had worn down heels and so I actually ended up in pain a few times during my earlier runs (I got new shoes and problem fixed), but while I was running with pain, I knew the endorphins would kick in because I was nowhere near home (I run around in town), and the pain dissipated. By the time I finished that 6 mile run at a nice 70-80% of my heart rate I would assume (didn't have my HR monitor then), I was running on cloud 9 by the time I came down my street. I felt like I just go on forever and ever. Suit me up with an energizer bunny outfit and a drum. :)

    For me, the hardest part is the first mile. Once you get past the first mile, everything is great from there. In track in I did the 800m, 1600m (1 mile), and 3200m (2mi) and the cross country races were 5K, so anywhere from 3.0-3.2 miles depending on the course we were on.
  • mmanderr18
    mmanderr18 Posts: 80 Member
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    I'm currently on week 4 of C25K.. I've absolutely loved it so far and found it really easy but week 4 is kicking my butt! I think I'm definitely going to have to repeat this week.

    I'm a sophomore in college and I played Field Hockey and Lacrosse in high school (not too far behind me) and I always had a hard time going out for runs on my own. It always seemed much easier to me to sprint after a ball instead of sprinting and staring at a clock ticking by as slow as death on the treadmill. My coach was an avid runner and was kind of my inspiration for this topic. I guess I've just got to suck it up and do it. I am thinking about signing up for a 5K in April.. it will be my first one in two years. Better now than never! :)
  • Skel3tor1
    Skel3tor1 Posts: 3
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    I will be signing up for a 5k here soon in April or May. Now that I have a good base established for distance and building up my cardiovascular system, I am planning on introducing a good bit of speed work out and lower my weekly mileage. Running by yourself is definitely a lot harder than being on a team. A team brings support and a lot more fun to the table. I really miss the team aspect. Doing suicides together, or indian drills (everyone single file running at a dang good pace so you'd have to sprint to the beginning when you became the last one in the line), etc. I miss that, a lot.

    There's a running club in my area that I'm thinking of getting a membership with. I'm not sure if they get together to run as a group a lot or if it's mostly just for keeping abrest of running events in the area. I suppose I should give them a call sometime since their website isn't very informative.

    In regards to you watching the clock, do you tend to run x many minutes or x many miles? I find that setting myself up for miles works better than minutes. Also, load up a device with a bunch of mp3s and go cruise around. Having good running music to me is a must. :). Treadmill running is a bore compared to outdoors since you have more scenary and the terrain changes. You should try running around outside for a bit to reduce the boredom. Check out mapmyrun.com to plan out some routes in your area.
  • TrainerRobin
    TrainerRobin Posts: 509 Member
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    For me, a runner for years, I've never reached the point where I have felt the "runner's high." I sometimes get a second wind after about 25 minutes (especially on those days where up until that point, I am constantly thinking about skipping the day's run!) but nothing I'd constitute as a runner's high. I do have good days where it's easy and bad days where i feel like I weigh 300 pounds, but never any euphoric feeling. My doctor tells me that I'm addicted to running and that my "second wind" is the runner's high but I sure would never call it that. Less of a "high" than just a lessened urge to quit! LOL But I don't RUN, RUN ... I only plug along at about a10 to 11 minute mile, so maybe that's why I don't get that feeling.

    Good question though. I've often wondered about that and why I never get that feeling! :)
  • shreddingit
    shreddingit Posts: 1,133 Member
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    Im a treadmill runner...I run to lose weight and to show muscle....its work but I have came to enjoy it...
    everyday I hop on its a add to my body shaping..I have hit the highest speed on it and I love it!!
    I feel so empowered when my legs are not doing the running but my abs and arms are...feel like a true bird...cheesy i know but thats my high....
    I started off a fatty on it just doing it everyday and now I feel like a star !!....

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