Quit smoking - How long until I can run?

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  • Oxmarqt
    Oxmarqt Posts: 378 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies and encouragement! I think the below quote probably hit the nail on the head. Not really a patient person....about the only thing I took my time with was gaining weight!! Oh the irony. :)
    ElliottTN wrote: »

    Just don't use smoking as crutch as why you can't run. You can't run because you are horribly out of shape and do not have experience running YET...and smoking made it worse. So change that.

  • phil230532
    phil230532 Posts: 41 Member
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    Please do not take the following example as something to do because I have read where smoking places the same stress on your heart and lungs as an additional 75 pounds of weight. This is an extreme rarity. I once finished a 10 mile race with an executive friend. Fifteen minutes later, he was smoking and getting strange looks from the other runners. Found out later that he did this all of the time.
  • cryptonyt
    cryptonyt Posts: 85 Member
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    Congrats on quitting!!! I quit 7 years ago after smoking for 22 years. Best freakin' thing I EVER did!!! Even better than dropping weight! So many benefits. It took me about a year to really get to a place that I felt better. I even then, i still felt the burning in my lungs when I ran. Today, younger guys on the soccer field can't keep up with me. It feels awesome! You will get there, just never get dicouraged, you made a huge change for the best. I congratulate you, admire you, and encourage you to keep going!
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
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    I don't and didn't smoke, but I still suck at running. LOL. :-) But, I do know plenty of folks who've been able to knock out some impressive running while still smoking. Then guess what? When they finally did quit, they were even more awesome!!!

    Just work your way into it - it sounds like it's more about you not being in running shape right now vs. smoking getting in your way.
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
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    robbie0532 wrote: »
    Please do not take the following example as something to do because I have read where smoking places the same stress on your heart and lungs as an additional 75 pounds of weight. This is an extreme rarity. I once finished a 10 mile race with an executive friend. Fifteen minutes later, he was smoking and getting strange looks from the other runners. Found out later that he did this all of the time.


    LOL. Yeah. I had a friend who would often smoke after his races. He started running not too long ago and he still beat me in his first marathon. It was funny because I have a pic of him lighting up his cigarette after his race. :-)


    I don't condone it, but, yeah, it happens. :-)

  • faw1001
    faw1001 Posts: 131 Member
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    I ran a half marathon while still smoking, although it is easier to run while not smoking ti is still a lot about how fit you are and steadily trying to increase your fitness.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
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    I've known smokers who run, and one of the few smokers I know now is an aerobics instructor.

    You aren't running out of breath because you smoked; you're running out of breath because you don't run.

    So run.

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