So you want to start running

AglaeaC wrote: »

_Waffle_ wrote: »

midwesterner85 wrote: »

Is there any way to increase oxygen uptake prior to running? I ask because there is 0 distance I can run and still be able to carry on a conversation. My nose/throat (primarily) and lungs (secondly) just don't seem to have the capacity. Don't misunderstand... I can hike 15 miles or more over hilly terrain, but when I try to run, I get about 200 feet before I'm gasping for air and have to stop (otherwise I start to lose visual focus and eventually will collapse if I try to keep going... which is usually ok unless I go down while crossing a street - that was almost a problem once). I just can't seem to bring in and absorb oxygen that fast. What can I do to "get started" at this point?

The only thing that really works is to slow down to the point you can still breathe. It takes time to develop your cardiovascular endurance.

This. Run as slowly or slower than you walk. Really, if that is what it takes to run rather than walk, then move forwards like your feet were stuck to the ground with glue. It is depressing sometimes when someone breezes past you in a fast walk, but such is life.

You will get faster, though. Only a couple of years ago I thought I'd never be able to run, but now 30 minutes continuous running is no problem. Couch-to-5K has you running for 30-second intervals in the first week and I genuinely thought I'd never move on to week 2, but I learned to embrace the jiggling butt/thighs, the tomato face, the sweaty skin, the sore body, and the tight clothes. It is within your grasp too.

This is very true. I actually started running slower than I walk. I run on the treadmill so here is what I did: I set the speed to jogging pace, then gradually took it down to the point where it's slow enough to sustain for at least a minute but not slow to the point where it becomes an exercise in balance. That sweet spot happened to be barely over 3 mph (I walk at 4.2 mph). Now I run comfortably at 5 mph. Still quite slow, but it's a massive improvement that I can finally run faster than I walk.

Perfect timing for me to read this. I'm getting ready to teach a bunch of kids how to run (yes, really!) and the goal is to be ready for a 5K by May. Despite knowing what I'm doing, this post pulls all the info together in one place. Thanks for posting this.

This was awesome info and right on time. Thanks much

This is great! Thank you for posting this!!

awesome info! thanks!

When you guys are tracking your calories burned during your workout are you consuming more than what your calorie intake is normally set at for that day ? Or are you figuring in the workout calories to consume more in your diet ?

hwillmott wrote: »

definitely have been a lot of running questions lately. bumping for them! This needs to be pinned somewhere.

ThickMcRunFast wrote: »

I’m so slow…how do I get faster?

More miles

First, I'd like to thank you for your post. You have also already helped me with a question a while back. On Thanksgiving day, I finished my first 5k and feeling great!

Now, I am going to register to run another race in March and I would very much like to beat that record. However, is the "More miles" the only way to increase my speed? Or, is there other ways now that I can run 5k? If my speed (~10 min mile) does not increase, more miles mean longer running session, with warm up, cool down and stretch, it is quite a lot of time. Right now, I am using the C25K but with higher walking/running speed than I first started. I'd do a slow jog (~ 12 min mile) on the walking part but a faster run (~8 min mile) in the running part. I would think this should help me progress to running faster as I increase the running time with C25k. What do you think? Or, should I really work up my schedule to put in more time to run more miles in each session?

I'm finding myself lazy after the race and only ran 3 times between Thanksgiving and end of the year. Kind of feel boring with those runs too. That's why I want to sign up for another race. And then, I tried the C25k with increased speed thing and feeling excited again. I ran mostly on treadmill, probably why the variable speed feels more interesting. From new year to now, only ran 3 times and about 2 to 2.5 miles each...

So glad I found this! Running a half marathon in May and official training starts tomorrow (although I have been training for a few weeks now). I ran one 8 years ago but am starting from zero now.

mom3over40 wrote: »

brandiuntz wrote: »

At this point, you need more miles and nothing more.

So, does that mean running more miles each run? Or, each week? I intend to be back in running 3 times a week and 5k each. To increase speed with more miles, does it matter whether I increase the distance in each run or, increase the frequency of runs each week?

Thanks again!

If you haven't run in a while, I'd start with shorter distances than the full 5K.

From what I understand, as a beginner, increasing the distance alone (no more than around 10% from a week to the next) will increase speed. Running more than three times a week isn't a great idea either, roughly put.

Check out Hal Higdon's 5K programme for novices, it includes cross-training and walking. He has more advanced versions, too, for 5K, and also programmes for 8K, 10K, half, marathon, and more.

If you start from scratch (don't know exactly how long your break has been), couch-to-5K might also work.

Fantastic advice. Simple, basic and logical.

mom3over40 wrote: »

brandiuntz wrote: »

At this point, you need more miles and nothing more.

So, does that mean running more miles each run? Or, each week? I intend to be back in running 3 times a week and 5k each. To increase speed with more miles, does it matter whether I increase the distance in each run or, increase the frequency of runs each week?

Thanks again!

Weekly total miles.

What I did once I was comfortable running more than 3 miles was to make one run my "long run" and I would add miles to it each week (1/2 mile at a time for a while and increased over time). I would keep one run as an "easy" 3 miles and one run as a "faster" 3 miles. Once my "long run" was over about 6 miles I started also adding a little distance to my shorter "easy run" and left my other run as a "faster" 3 miler. Eventually I started adding additional days of running.

Or something like that.



*The "fast" run was not at race pace or anything and may have been closer to a tempo run. Just a little faster than the easy run.

sjohnny wrote: »

mom3over40 wrote: »

brandiuntz wrote: »

At this point, you need more miles and nothing more.

So, does that mean running more miles each run? Or, each week? I intend to be back in running 3 times a week and 5k each. To increase speed with more miles, does it matter whether I increase the distance in each run or, increase the frequency of runs each week?

Thanks again!

Weekly total miles.

What I did once I was comfortable running more than 3 miles was to make one run my "long run" and I would add miles to it each week (1/2 mile at a time for a while and increased over time). I would keep one run as an "easy" 3 miles and one run as a "faster" 3 miles. Once my "long run" was over about 6 miles I started also adding a little distance to my shorter "easy run" and left my other run as a "faster" 3 miler. Eventually I started adding additional days of running.

Or something like that.



*The "fast" run was not at race pace or anything and may have been closer to a tempo run. Just a little faster than the easy run.

As mentioned above, weekly miles. I also mean spending weeks/months running consistently 3 times a week. As time goes by, as long as you stay consistent, you'll naturally get faster.

As someone else said, I'd build back up to the 5k distance, since it's been a while since you've run 3 times a week.

The "don't add more than 10% to your weekly miles" is a good guide. So, your next couple weeks might be runs of 2 or 2.5 miles per run. Keep all of them easy/conversational pace. Then, add 1/2 mile to one of them to get it to 3 miles, then the next week add another 1/2 mile to another to get it to 3 miles, and the next week add 1/2 mile to the last run to get it to 3 miles.

After that, I do (did) what sjohnny mentioned. One run is my long run of the week, and the other two are a set, shorter distance. So, you might want to build up to two of your runs being 3 miles each, but have one run slowly become a little longer. Adding a 1/2 mile only adds a few minutes, when you think about it.

Where you go with it depends on what kind of distance you might want to run in the future. If 5K races are as far as you want to take things, then your long run could build up to 6 miles and that's all you'd need.