So you want to start running

1303133353655

Replies

  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    marijkeco wrote: »
    If anyone has any tips on how to improve and get to running continuously for 30minutes, please let me know! Ideally I would like to continue with 2 runs a week, but the 5k programme wants me to run 3-4 times a week. Could I make my 2 runs longer and improve that way? What would be a good interval timing for that, 15-2-15-2-8 for example?
    Or do I really need to suck it up and create another running moment? Any ideas I haven't thought about on how to do that?

    All advice appreciated :smile:

    Yep. That's pretty much it. If you want to run then suck it up and make a little niche of time to run in. I've been taking Sunday and Thursday off but I want to bump my miles up over 50 each week so I'm going to have to surrender sleeping in Sunday morning.

    If you're just running 2 days a week you have 5 options on when to add in another day.

    ^ this.

    Tell one of your hobbies/volunteer activities/I forget what else that you will be an hour late one day.

    Or tell your husband to make his own dinner and for your own dinner eat leftovers from the night before on the drive over to one of your activities.
  • goosebeartalk
    goosebeartalk Posts: 39 Member
    mom3over40 wrote: »
    Hi, I have a "this hurts or I'm hurt" question....

    I feel tight at where I believe is the IT band, the outside of my thigh between hip and knee. My last run was 5k on Saturday. And I missed my run on Monday. Yesterday, when I was doing assisted one-legged squat, the IT band on my right thigh hurt (it hurt right when I was first squatting down, not after). I've heard that IT band is common runners' injuries so I took caution and did not run yesterday. I went for swimming instead.

    Today, it doesn't hurt like yesterday but it is still somewhat tight. I can feel it (along with my glutes) even when walking and definitely going up and down stairs. Is this a warning sign of potential injury? Or, it is probably going to be safe if I run, say 2 miles instead of 3?

    I normally run 5k distance 2 times a week and once a week I work up my mileage by 0.5 mile as advised here a few weeks ago. Last week, I was at 4.5 miles on my long run.

    I have signed up for a 5k race in the beginning of March. My goal was to reach 6 miles in my long run before that. So, I am kind of anxious to get back there. But then, the last thing I want is to get myself injured and couldn't go. This will be the first time my husband running with us, second race for me and our two boys. Really looking forward to it.

    I can't say for sure that it's your IT band, but it sounds like it. Do you have a local running store with a free injury clinic? Most specialty running stores have at least one injury clinic with screenings once a month. Sometimes I go even if I don't think I'm injured. It never hurts to get checked out.
    Think of it this way-- if you get injured and can't run consistently, you won't come back to buy shoes from them.
  • goosebeartalk
    goosebeartalk Posts: 39 Member
    marijkeco wrote: »
    If anyone has any tips on how to improve and get to running continuously for 30minutes, please let me know! Ideally I would like to continue with 2 runs a week, but the 5k programme wants me to run 3-4 times a week. Could I make my 2 runs longer and improve that way? What would be a good interval timing for that, 15-2-15-2-8 for example?
    Or do I really need to suck it up and create another running moment? Any ideas I haven't thought about on how to do that?

    All advice appreciated :smile:

    I think I should caution you against trying to just up your mileage in 2 runs a week. If your goal is, say, 10 miles a week, running 2.5 miles 4 x week is much better than pushing yourself to 5 miles twice a week. (Speaking from experience, injury, and having to start over after injury.)
    If you have to eat an hour before a run (like I used to think I needed to do), look into protein shakes for a quick calorie boost before a run. Any more than 200 something calories is going to make your runs harder. Light meals take 1-2 hours for your body to digest. Heavy meals take around 4 hours to digest. And when your body's energy is devoted to digesting your food, your body has less energy to do other things, like run.
    I think you'll be shocked to find how quickly you can complete 1 or 2 miles if you decide it's a non- negotiable part of your day. Your social life and commitments don't have to suffer. Even if you only run half a mile one day and three-quarters of a mile another day, you're still making it a part of your schedule. I hope that helps. Just speaking from experience. Good luck to you!! I know you can do it!
  • marijkeco
    marijkeco Posts: 11 Member
    marijkeco wrote: »
    If anyone has any tips on how to improve and get to running continuously for 30minutes, please let me know! Ideally I would like to continue with 2 runs a week, but the 5k programme wants me to run 3-4 times a week. Could I make my 2 runs longer and improve that way? What would be a good interval timing for that, 15-2-15-2-8 for example?
    Or do I really need to suck it up and create another running moment? Any ideas I haven't thought about on how to do that?

    All advice appreciated :smile:

    I think I should caution you against trying to just up your mileage in 2 runs a week. If your goal is, say, 10 miles a week, running 2.5 miles 4 x week is much better than pushing yourself to 5 miles twice a week. (Speaking from experience, injury, and having to start over after injury.)
    If you have to eat an hour before a run (like I used to think I needed to do), look into protein shakes for a quick calorie boost before a run. Any more than 200 something calories is going to make your runs harder. Light meals take 1-2 hours for your body to digest. Heavy meals take around 4 hours to digest. And when your body's energy is devoted to digesting your food, your body has less energy to do other things, like run.
    I think you'll be shocked to find how quickly you can complete 1 or 2 miles if you decide it's a non- negotiable part of your day. Your social life and commitments don't have to suffer. Even if you only run half a mile one day and three-quarters of a mile another day, you're still making it a part of your schedule. I hope that helps. Just speaking from experience. Good luck to you!! I know you can do it!

    Thanks for the friendly reply! I will look into protein shakes, that sounds like it could work for me!
  • marijkeco
    marijkeco Posts: 11 Member
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    marijkeco wrote: »
    If anyone has any tips on how to improve and get to running continuously for 30minutes, please let me know! Ideally I would like to continue with 2 runs a week, but the 5k programme wants me to run 3-4 times a week. Could I make my 2 runs longer and improve that way? What would be a good interval timing for that, 15-2-15-2-8 for example?
    Or do I really need to suck it up and create another running moment? Any ideas I haven't thought about on how to do that?

    All advice appreciated :smile:

    Yep. That's pretty much it. If you want to run then suck it up and make a little niche of time to run in. I've been taking Sunday and Thursday off but I want to bump my miles up over 50 each week so I'm going to have to surrender sleeping in Sunday morning.

    If you're just running 2 days a week you have 5 options on when to add in another day.

    I'll have to get up early before work then and try that, thanks for your advice.
  • marijkeco
    marijkeco Posts: 11 Member
    tameko2 wrote: »
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    marijkeco wrote: »
    If anyone has any tips on how to improve and get to running continuously for 30minutes, please let me know! Ideally I would like to continue with 2 runs a week, but the 5k programme wants me to run 3-4 times a week. Could I make my 2 runs longer and improve that way? What would be a good interval timing for that, 15-2-15-2-8 for example?
    Or do I really need to suck it up and create another running moment? Any ideas I haven't thought about on how to do that?

    All advice appreciated :smile:

    Yep. That's pretty much it. If you want to run then suck it up and make a little niche of time to run in. I've been taking Sunday and Thursday off but I want to bump my miles up over 50 each week so I'm going to have to surrender sleeping in Sunday morning.

    If you're just running 2 days a week you have 5 options on when to add in another day.

    ^ this.

    Tell one of your hobbies/volunteer activities/I forget what else that you will be an hour late one day.

    Or tell your husband to make his own dinner and for your own dinner eat leftovers from the night before on the drive over to one of your activities.

    I can't tell my scouts I will be an hour late, haha :smiley: But I could be later at my other hobbies, you're right, I will do that tonight.

    And I don't cook for my (non-existing) husband, lol. Didn't know I came across as a housewive, but apparently I did! :wink:
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    marijkeco wrote: »
    tameko2 wrote: »
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    marijkeco wrote: »
    If anyone has any tips on how to improve and get to running continuously for 30minutes, please let me know! Ideally I would like to continue with 2 runs a week, but the 5k programme wants me to run 3-4 times a week. Could I make my 2 runs longer and improve that way? What would be a good interval timing for that, 15-2-15-2-8 for example?
    Or do I really need to suck it up and create another running moment? Any ideas I haven't thought about on how to do that?

    All advice appreciated :smile:

    Yep. That's pretty much it. If you want to run then suck it up and make a little niche of time to run in. I've been taking Sunday and Thursday off but I want to bump my miles up over 50 each week so I'm going to have to surrender sleeping in Sunday morning.

    If you're just running 2 days a week you have 5 options on when to add in another day.

    ^ this.

    Tell one of your hobbies/volunteer activities/I forget what else that you will be an hour late one day.

    Or tell your husband to make his own dinner and for your own dinner eat leftovers from the night before on the drive over to one of your activities.

    I can't tell my scouts I will be an hour late, haha :smiley: But I could be later at my other hobbies, you're right, I will do that tonight.

    And I don't cook for my (non-existing) husband, lol. Didn't know I came across as a housewive, but apparently I did! :wink:

    When you said you had to hurry home and cook dinner before you went to your activities it sounded like you were cooking for a family. If it's just you then you have a LOT more leeway. You could prep meals for the week on a day off. Or even just prep meals for the days you plan to run. That should free up however long it normally takes you to prepare your meal - so what? 30 minutes? Now you've opened up a 30 minute spot on your calendar to run each day. Pick which ones you like best.

    Also, is there a medical reason you need to eat before you run? If not, then just get up and run. I am regularly up at 4:00AM to run. I drink some water before I go and then hit the road. I regularly go 6 to 8 miles totally fasted and I feel and perform just fine. So unless there is a medical reason for you to eat before you run then you've just added another hour or more per day to your open spots on your calendar to run. Pick which ones you like best.

    Then you don't have to be late to your other hobbies.

    So boom - just like that - 7.5+ hours just materialized (not counting weekends) out of the clear blue sky.

    So go run if you want to run.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Replying to check it later. Could use the help!
  • marijkeco
    marijkeco Posts: 11 Member
    sjohnny wrote: »
    marijkeco wrote: »
    tameko2 wrote: »
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    marijkeco wrote: »
    If anyone has any tips on how to improve and get to running continuously for 30minutes, please let me know! Ideally I would like to continue with 2 runs a week, but the 5k programme wants me to run 3-4 times a week. Could I make my 2 runs longer and improve that way? What would be a good interval timing for that, 15-2-15-2-8 for example?
    Or do I really need to suck it up and create another running moment? Any ideas I haven't thought about on how to do that?

    All advice appreciated :smile:

    Yep. That's pretty much it. If you want to run then suck it up and make a little niche of time to run in. I've been taking Sunday and Thursday off but I want to bump my miles up over 50 each week so I'm going to have to surrender sleeping in Sunday morning.

    If you're just running 2 days a week you have 5 options on when to add in another day.

    ^ this.

    Tell one of your hobbies/volunteer activities/I forget what else that you will be an hour late one day.

    Or tell your husband to make his own dinner and for your own dinner eat leftovers from the night before on the drive over to one of your activities.

    I can't tell my scouts I will be an hour late, haha :smiley: But I could be later at my other hobbies, you're right, I will do that tonight.

    And I don't cook for my (non-existing) husband, lol. Didn't know I came across as a housewive, but apparently I did! :wink:

    When you said you had to hurry home and cook dinner before you went to your activities it sounded like you were cooking for a family. If it's just you then you have a LOT more leeway. You could prep meals for the week on a day off. Or even just prep meals for the days you plan to run. That should free up however long it normally takes you to prepare your meal - so what? 30 minutes? Now you've opened up a 30 minute spot on your calendar to run each day. Pick which ones you like best.

    Also, is there a medical reason you need to eat before you run? If not, then just get up and run. I am regularly up at 4:00AM to run. I drink some water before I go and then hit the road. I regularly go 6 to 8 miles totally fasted and I feel and perform just fine. So unless there is a medical reason for you to eat before you run then you've just added another hour or more per day to your open spots on your calendar to run. Pick which ones you like best.

    Then you don't have to be late to your other hobbies.

    So boom - just like that - 7.5+ hours just materialized (not counting weekends) out of the clear blue sky.

    So go run if you want to run.

    Thanks for your reply! I cook quick meals on the busy days, 15minutes tops, but I could prepare a salad or other cold meal in the weekend to get a head start - good tip, thanks!

    My blood pressure is on the lower side, so I can get a bit dizzy without food!
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    marijkeco wrote: »
    sjohnny wrote: »
    marijkeco wrote: »
    tameko2 wrote: »
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    marijkeco wrote: »
    If anyone has any tips on how to improve and get to running continuously for 30minutes, please let me know! Ideally I would like to continue with 2 runs a week, but the 5k programme wants me to run 3-4 times a week. Could I make my 2 runs longer and improve that way? What would be a good interval timing for that, 15-2-15-2-8 for example?
    Or do I really need to suck it up and create another running moment? Any ideas I haven't thought about on how to do that?

    All advice appreciated :smile:

    Yep. That's pretty much it. If you want to run then suck it up and make a little niche of time to run in. I've been taking Sunday and Thursday off but I want to bump my miles up over 50 each week so I'm going to have to surrender sleeping in Sunday morning.

    If you're just running 2 days a week you have 5 options on when to add in another day.

    ^ this.

    Tell one of your hobbies/volunteer activities/I forget what else that you will be an hour late one day.

    Or tell your husband to make his own dinner and for your own dinner eat leftovers from the night before on the drive over to one of your activities.

    I can't tell my scouts I will be an hour late, haha :smiley: But I could be later at my other hobbies, you're right, I will do that tonight.

    And I don't cook for my (non-existing) husband, lol. Didn't know I came across as a housewive, but apparently I did! :wink:

    When you said you had to hurry home and cook dinner before you went to your activities it sounded like you were cooking for a family. If it's just you then you have a LOT more leeway. You could prep meals for the week on a day off. Or even just prep meals for the days you plan to run. That should free up however long it normally takes you to prepare your meal - so what? 30 minutes? Now you've opened up a 30 minute spot on your calendar to run each day. Pick which ones you like best.

    Also, is there a medical reason you need to eat before you run? If not, then just get up and run. I am regularly up at 4:00AM to run. I drink some water before I go and then hit the road. I regularly go 6 to 8 miles totally fasted and I feel and perform just fine. So unless there is a medical reason for you to eat before you run then you've just added another hour or more per day to your open spots on your calendar to run. Pick which ones you like best.

    Then you don't have to be late to your other hobbies.

    So boom - just like that - 7.5+ hours just materialized (not counting weekends) out of the clear blue sky.

    So go run if you want to run.

    Thanks for your reply! I cook quick meals on the busy days, 15minutes tops, but I could prepare a salad or other cold meal in the weekend to get a head start - good tip, thanks!

    My blood pressure is on the lower side, so I can get a bit dizzy without food!

    Maybe a banana 20 minutes before instead of more food an hour before?
  • shoeloveramber
    shoeloveramber Posts: 291 Member
    Thanks for this thread! I just finished Week 3 Day 1 of C25K and this was just what I was looking for.
  • mom3over40
    mom3over40 Posts: 253 Member
    brandiuntz wrote: »
    mom3over40 wrote: »
    Hi, I have a "this hurts or I'm hurt" question....

    I feel tight at where I believe is the IT band, the outside of my thigh between hip and knee. My last run was 5k on Saturday. And I missed my run on Monday. Yesterday, when I was doing assisted one-legged squat, the IT band on my right thigh hurt (it hurt right when I was first squatting down, not after). I've heard that IT band is common runners' injuries so I took caution and did not run yesterday. I went for swimming instead.

    Today, it doesn't hurt like yesterday but it is still somewhat tight. I can feel it (along with my glutes) even when walking and definitely going up and down stairs. Is this a warning sign of potential injury? Or, it is probably going to be safe if I run, say 2 miles instead of 3?

    I normally run 5k distance 2 times a week and once a week I work up my mileage by 0.5 mile as advised here a few weeks ago. Last week, I was at 4.5 miles on my long run.

    I have signed up for a 5k race in the beginning of March. My goal was to reach 6 miles in my long run before that. So, I am kind of anxious to get back there. But then, the last thing I want is to get myself injured and couldn't go. This will be the first time my husband running with us, second race for me and our two boys. Really looking forward to it.

    Do you foam roll? If you don't, get one and look up how to roll the IT band. It makes a big difference.

    My IT band can occasionally get tight. Depending on how it feels, I will shorten a run, or turn a speedwork day into an easy pace one. I'm consistent with foam rolling and haven't had any IT injuries, so can't say at what point some tightness is a real injury.

    You might want to take a couple days of rest to let it relax. Since your race is a 5K, and you can already do that distance, I wouldn't stress if you don't make it to a 6 mile long run.

    Thank you very much for your quick response. I was hoping to tell you that I got my foam roll as advised :) but there are so many on the market, it gets quite confusing... Still researching...

    Just want to let you know that the tension has eased up quite quickly after my last post. I took my time and start back my run with slower than usual speed on 2 miles. It went fine and I'm back to running 5k now and it doesn't hurt anymore :smiley:

    I can't say for sure that it's your IT band, but it sounds like it. Do you have a local running store with a free injury clinic? Most specialty running stores have at least one injury clinic with screenings once a month. Sometimes I go even if I don't think I'm injured. It never hurts to get checked out.
    Think of it this way-- if you get injured and can't run consistently, you won't come back to buy shoes from them.

    That's good idea. Those are very helpful people. Thank you.
  • Thank you so much for this post! I initiated a long distance running regime last year, but was injured (ligament tear) for a year. Now, I can't wait to become active again.
    Sometimes, I am overcome by laziness; some days I just don't want to go out and exert myself. But I am working on it and trying to incorporate running into my schedule. I am on Week 1 Day 3 of C25K now. I'm hoping u can power through the 9 weeks and start participating in long distance running events.
    Regarding cross training, I would prefer to go for strength training, but I am not very confident about the weights I should start with. With all the talk about muscle injury, I am scared to just "pick the thing up and put it down". I don't think there should be a complicated mathematical formula for the initial weights to lift, but any guidance on this is highly appreciated
  • Please add me! What GREAT information!!!!
  • Alty63
    Alty63 Posts: 4 Member
    edited February 2015
    My advice would be to join a running group - much easier to run with other people of similar ability as yourself. I started a beginners course 8 weeks ago in the UK and having never run before (I'm 51) I did a Parkrun 5k 2 weeks ago and a 10k training run last week (in about 1hr 5 mins).
    So as a 1st step...............join a running club

  • UrnAsh_
    UrnAsh_ Posts: 242 Member
    (*)
  • Paul_Collyer
    Paul_Collyer Posts: 160 Member
    I have a piece of advice, every few months see an Osteopath for a routine correction. Just look on it as a regular MOT......maybe also have a sports massage at the same time.
  • tinuz
    tinuz Posts: 1,123 Member
    "Suck it up buttercup" ....made my day....
  • soonillbehot
    soonillbehot Posts: 26 Member
    does anyone here also having trouble running indoor? It just feels longer to finish when I run indoor as opposed to when I run outdoor.

    Another thing I experienced is when I'm not eating enough, mostly because sometimes I ate too much the day before, typically after a cheat day, I experienced some kind of dizziness when I stand up. Is this normal?

    Also I heard that, doing a crossover of walking and running during my workout session is better in terms of burning fat when compared with full-running. Is that true? I do 5K daily.
  • Marianne802
    Marianne802 Posts: 91 Member
    Read this today. Went to the gym and started the C25K program.

    My fitness was OK, what I had trouble with was in the achillis, and most of all, the balls of my feet ache while running.

    If it wasn't for the aching feet I could cope with the rest. I find I have this problem with any high impact activity, ie aerobics, even when I used to horse ride I found jumping down would send shocks through my feet.

    Is this normal? Do I just have to push through it?