So you want to start running

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  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
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    Great post! Thank you so much. :)
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    SueInAz wrote: »
    That 20 minute run is all psychological. And if you can't do it, then try again another day. As long as you keep running and trying you aren't failing.

    I actually got about 4 weeks in to C25K back in 2011 and decided that I really prefer the Galloway walk/run method (another poster mentioned it earlier). I've completed over a dozen half marathons and many more shorter races that way. I'm training for another Half in January and I did 8 miles today in 93 minutes running intervals of 5-6 minutes and walking for 1 minute. (Long runs are always done slower than the short ones during training.) I can run for 20 minutes straight but I find that for distance running I'm actually faster overall if I keep the intervals shorter.

    The point is, do what's best for you. There's no one "right" way to run. All that matters is that you keep on doing your best.

    That's why I do my halfs as 120 minutes running 0 minutes walking. That super short walking interval helped my time out a lot. To me stopping and then running again really sucks. Once you get in a good rhythm just stick with it.
  • SpecialKH
    SpecialKH Posts: 70 Member
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    Wow OK so I don't need to worry about the 20 minutes. I haven't checked back here (weather yucky) but I ran on the treadmill last night and was focusing on distance - previously 1.12 was the farthest before I needed a break. I got to 1.2 and was in a good stride so I kept going. at 1.39 I could envision what a tenth of a mile looked like outdoors so I went to 1.5 miles. It took me a little over 21 minutes. The whole time I kept good breathing and a stride of 4.3mph and a steady heart rate of 170. Honestly, I think I could have gone longer but that was as much self discipline as I could muster. But now I feel better knowing the 20 minute mark is the hard one and I've done that. I was being cheap by not uploading the C25K app.
  • ladyjay71
    ladyjay71 Posts: 28 Member
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    This was very informative, I have run 3 5k's and now my goal is to increase my speed and endurance. I'm currently on the fifth week of the C25k program, I'm running with a friend who's never run before. I totally agree on the shoes, I'm flat footed and getting the right shoe at a running store is a life saver. One day I would like to do a half but first things first.
  • gabbo34
    gabbo34 Posts: 289 Member
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    ladyjay71 wrote: »
    This was very informative, I have run 3 5k's and now my goal is to increase my speed and endurance. I'm currently on the fifth week of the C25k program, I'm running with a friend who's never run before. I totally agree on the shoes, I'm flat footed and getting the right shoe at a running store is a life saver. One day I would like to do a half but first things first.

    I'll be you'll be there in no time. Did the c25k this summer. Had the first 5k in August, then wanted to do a 10k. Now I'm doing a 15k in February with a half in April.

    You reach a day shortly after the program where 3 miles is easily stretched into 4. Then 5, 6 and 7. You get in a 'cruise control' mode and the miles click off...

    And then you'll feel like a 5k is a 'short' race and can go at an entirely faster pace.
  • Uhfgood
    Uhfgood Posts: 128 Member
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    Seems like most are doing the c25k -- but from all the complaints about it I'm wanting to try the runner's world beginner program.

    I need some way to time intervals without having to look down at a watch every minute. I don't have a smart phone, I just have my plain old mp3 player (not even an iPod). I may have to resort to manually creating something that beeps me every interval, and then manually overlay it onto some mp3's I have, but not only is that a pain to do, I have to do several versions since I would get too bored by the end of the week of the same old songs.

    Fitness "watches" and stuff that have interval timing on them is too expensive for me so It looks like I may be stuck with the manual method.
  • _nikkiwolf_
    _nikkiwolf_ Posts: 1,380 Member
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    @Uhfgood
    I don't have a smartphone either, so things like c25k seemed like they were way to complicate to remember while running. Other walk/run programms can work as well. I just followed a simple routine that started with 2min running/1 min walking for 30 minutes. Then always increased the running part by 1 minute every week, up to 10min running/1 min walking. At that point I started to shorten the walking break until it was gone.

    Not sure what is too expensive or what exactly a 'fitness "watch" ' is, but I bought myself a used HRM running watch that I got really cheap because the heart rate measuring didn't work - but I'm not using that anyway, I just wanted the intervall timer. In the same price categorie there's also a few Casio watches (e.g. the W756B-1AV) with intervall timer feature, or gadgets like the Gymboss. If those kind of things are in your budget, you might want to consider one. The first couple of weeks I was using my everyday watch to keep track of the intervalls, trying to make out the little hand for the seconds while I was running, and that got annoying quite fast...
  • peter7361
    peter7361 Posts: 20 Member
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    Uhfgood, Are you running on the road? You can use telephone poles or houses or any other fixed objects as landmarks. For example (and this can be tailored to your specific abilities and goals), run for a distance of 10 telephone poles, followed by walking for 10 poles. Distance intervals like this can be a good alternative to time intervals.
  • ellenhotch
    ellenhotch Posts: 4 Member
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    Just "ran" across this, and have been intermittently running for a year or so. I have friends that do marathons and ultras and they are a huge inspiration to me. All of the summarized advice is awesome and thank you for taking the time to do this post last spring.
  • Uhfgood
    Uhfgood Posts: 128 Member
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    _nikkiwolf_ - I'm just grouping all the heart rate monitors and things like fitbit, distance checkers, and what not as a "fitness watch" basically anything you wear on your arm to measure things that are related to exercise in some way.

    peter7361 - yes -- I could possibly use land marks I guess. I'll look into it
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Uhfgood wrote: »
    _nikkiwolf_ - I'm just grouping all the heart rate monitors and things like fitbit, distance checkers, and what not as a "fitness watch" basically anything you wear on your arm to measure things that are related to exercise in some way.

    peter7361 - yes -- I could possibly use land marks I guess. I'll look into it

    You could get one of those cheap vibrating stopwatches. I had one for 6 dollars where you could set up multiple vibrating alarms.
  • Uhfgood
    Uhfgood Posts: 128 Member
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    I didn't know they made vibrating stopwatches. That would definitely work.
    Uhfgood wrote: »
    _nikkiwolf_ - I'm just grouping all the heart rate monitors and things like fitbit, distance checkers, and what not as a "fitness watch" basically anything you wear on your arm to measure things that are related to exercise in some way.

    peter7361 - yes -- I could possibly use land marks I guess. I'll look into it

    You could get one of those cheap vibrating stopwatches. I had one for 6 dollars where you could set up multiple vibrating alarms.

  • iw2198
    iw2198 Posts: 9 Member
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    Thanks for the post
  • 0xCam
    0xCam Posts: 3 Member
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    Does anyone have a good solution to listening music through a phone on runs, it seems my phone always swings around in my pocket and I end up having to hold it during my runs which really takes away from my focus. And then there's the long hanging cord that flies with each step...
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    edited December 2014
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    0xCam wrote: »
    Does anyone have a good solution to listening music through a phone on runs, it seems my phone always swings around in my pocket and I end up having to hold it during my runs which really takes away from my focus. And then there's the long hanging cord that flies with each step...

    Get a SPI belt (http://www.spibelt.com/) or perhaps something from Nathan (http://www.nathansports.com/gear/training-paks-belts) for your phone. I have a Note 3 . It barely fits in the SPI but fits nicely in the Nathan belt. This is pretty much the biggest phone on the market so it will work for about any phone.

    Get some bluetooth headphone and you won't have to worry about the cord. I have the Jaybird BlueBuds X. They're a bit pricey but I like that the battery lasts for 6 - 8 hours. You can find cheaper ones with less battery time. Just shop around and find a set you like.
  • 0xCam
    0xCam Posts: 3 Member
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    Awesome, thanks for the response! I'll look into these :D
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    0xCam wrote: »
    Does anyone have a good solution to listening music through a phone on runs, it seems my phone always swings around in my pocket and I end up having to hold it during my runs which really takes away from my focus. And then there's the long hanging cord that flies with each step...

    Bra for me, but that's not exactly helpful in your case is it? Maybe one of those phone armbands?
  • check1972
    check1972 Posts: 26 Member
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    0xCam wrote: »
    Does anyone have a good solution to listening music through a phone on runs, it seems my phone always swings around in my pocket and I end up having to hold it during my runs which really takes away from my focus. And then there's the long hanging cord that flies with each step...

    I use a Bluetooth headset and love it. Look for Iansean Muset1 or Muset1c on Amazon. I have both and they both work well for under $60. I keep my phone in my pocket, so that doesn't help with the other half of your issue.
  • EmotionalEater84
    EmotionalEater84 Posts: 311 Member
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    Bookmarking for reference later - THANK YOU OP!!
  • uhhhDoodle
    uhhhDoodle Posts: 41 Member
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    bump!