My run 1 mile challenge....any body want to help me do this???

fatjon73
fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member
edited November 14 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all

Right I have set myself a challenge to be able to run a full mile without stopping by the end of the year.....I know to most of your fitness freaks out there this will seem like a silly easy challenge but for me its not.....it will mark a serious achievement for me and is a goal I just cannot see happening AT THE MOMENT!!!!!

So....a bit of my history.......no excuses....just how my life has gone so far....... as a teen I played every sport going.....I was on the school football team, rugby team, athletics team etc etc...I also played table tennis for the British army and basketball for my regiment.....so I used to be active...then I got a serious back problem...this meant I had to leave the Army and then my life turned to beer and Kebabs......living with the back pain stopped me exercising...and I also fell into the young idiots world of being out on the town 3 nights a week drinking shed loads and eating all the wrong stuff.......I lived to party in my younger years.......fast forward to 35.......I was at my heaviest then.....19.5 stone.....I was this size for yrs......I was fine with this size......to a point...I was faily healthy...could do my work no issues etc....could do most things I wanted.......then I had a car crash....pretty bad...off work for 6 moths with crippling back issues etc......I then gained weight to 22.5 stone...then this was unbearable.....I could not get up the stairs at work without collapsing and I feel awful all the time.....that when I found MFP the first time round......4 yrs ago...I stayed on here for 18 months.......logging daily etc....I did not weight food then but I still lost 5 stone.....down to 17 stone I got.... fantastic...then things at home changed..... and I lost my focus for a couple of yrs......put 1 stone back on (not bad I think after all the yrs as big as I was)
Anyway I am back now....since xmas....lost that stone and I am trying to get more off.....and add exercise to my routine...
In that way I do OK.........I have a treadmill at home (bought the first time round....I use it to walk on) I have a mini multi gym for weights....and a heavy bag to punch the *kitten* out of.......I do mainly walking on the treadmill....for 20 mins to 30 mins a time......I sometime add a run for 1 minute at 6 or 7 mph too....this kills me after the 1 minute....I do this 3 times in the half hour.....my way of doing HIT...lol.....right or wrong it works for me...lol

Anyways I would love to be able to run for one full mile with out stopping......as I say at present 1 minute is my very max.....so I am looking for help / support from someone who has faced similar things that could guide me in a way to get to running a mile.....I do not want to kill myself doing it...slow and steady is my view....I am looking at the long game....I am weighing food properly and logging correctly too...so now I am trying to focus on exercise......left to my own devices....I tend to do a month or so then I loose track for a few weeks then back at it....so with someone to keep me accountable I think hope I can get to where I want to be and run a mile......


I am also a smoker....just to add to the mix.....lol......I am trying to change my life now.....my eating is getting under control, and then my exercise....once that kick in then I will try to stop the smoking....I KNOW my changes will help me to stop in the end........I see it as stop after I make healthy changes...not before....so that I make life hard......once my food and body start to feel the benefit then I know I will stop smoking.....I am already starting to think about how / when to stop....but one thing at a time for me....


So is anyone out there up for the challenge to help me run a mile....you will need patience and a sense of humour,,,,, and I also like some straight talking none of this blow smoke up my rse when I kiss targets / goals etc......

Replies

  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    I applaud the goal.

    But if you can already run for a minute at 7mph...just slow down to running at 5 mph. You'll be at a mile in a few weeks, not a year.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    ThickMcRunFast wrote: »
    I applaud the goal.

    But if you can already run for a minute at 7mph...just slow down to running at 5 mph. You'll be at a mile in a few weeks, not a year.


    I think it took me 5-6 weeks to run my first mile (as a previously sedentary overweight adult) but I'd walked for a while before that. I might have been able to do it sooner if I'd just gone out and tried it but I was doing couch to 5k so I was following the program.

    Just slow down OP. Running a full mile in 13 minutes counts just as much as running a full mile in 8 minutes. It takes a little longer but its a lot more achievable. I doubt I could run more than a minute or two at 7mph, but I've still run for 13.1 miles without stopping to walk. I just ran em a lot slower.
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    tameko2 wrote: »
    ThickMcRunFast wrote: »
    I applaud the goal.

    But if you can already run for a minute at 7mph...just slow down to running at 5 mph. You'll be at a mile in a few weeks, not a year.


    I think it took me 5-6 weeks to run my first mile (as a previously sedentary overweight adult) but I'd walked for a while before that. I might have been able to do it sooner if I'd just gone out and tried it but I was doing couch to 5k so I was following the program.

    Just slow down OP. Running a full mile in 13 minutes counts just as much as running a full mile in 8 minutes. It takes a little longer but its a lot more achievable. I doubt I could run more than a minute or two at 7mph, but I've still run for 13.1 miles without stopping to walk. I just ran em a lot slower.

    ^^All of this.
  • mlynn1779
    mlynn1779 Posts: 1 Member
    I would also suggest a couch to 5k plan as someone else mentioned. I've done this several times in the past, and I'm working my way through it again, and surprisingly it has you running 3 full miles (from ZERO...totally out of shape) in just 9 weeks. It works because it alternates walking and jogging in the beginning so you gently work your body up to it. Also, I agree with the others...pace yourself and slow down. Speed will come later as you get more in shape and lose more weight. :)
  • troytroy11
    troytroy11 Posts: 180 Member
    Hi Jon I hope you receive lots of encouragement and support. If you are already doing 1 minute at 6 to 7 miles per hour, that is an excellent start. You mentioned you want to do this by the end of the year. If you had a full year, that would be starting at zero and adding 100 feet every week. Since you are already running for 1 minute at 6mph, that means you are running 1/10 of a mile in that minute which is already 528 feet. We are 11 weeks into the year so you are about 600 behind schedule to finish by the Dec 31. So from this point forward, you will need to increase your distance by 116 feet per week. If you are doing the whole thing on the treadmill, then increase it by time. This translates to an additional 15 seconds added per week, keeping your pace at 6mph. 15 is easy to remember and add. This is ten minutes added on to the minute you are already doing. You will have surpassed your mile by just enough to leave some room, but not much. You will need to stay on it every single week. Don't give up.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Start by adding very very slow jogging intervals to your running. Like, walk 2-3 minutes, very slowly jog for 1 minute, repeat until your 30 minutes are up. Slow means the slowest speed that allows your body to do a running motion, even if it is no faster than your walking speed. Every week, make your running intervals longer, by half a minute or so. Do not even think of increasing speed until you can comfortably jog for at least 10 minutes or even the entire 30 minutes. It will take months, but you will be running your mile long before the end. Your body needs time to adjust.
  • fatjon73
    fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member
    Thanks everyone....great advice....I will look into the 5K thing....but initial look it looks a little adventurous for me just yet.....but its a good starting point to try put routines together.....

    I do like Troys way of adding 15 seconds a week.....easy enough to follow....and I should Imagine...once you get going.....you will be able to add more than 15 seconds later in time.....once your doing it more....but 15 seconds a week seems more than doable in my head.......

    I only use the 6 or 7 mph to get my heart rate going......I class it as my form of HIIT....I know its not true HIIT....but I walk for 5 to 10 mins at 3 or 3.5....then run like mad for 1 minute......it near kills me....esp the third one....lol.......I walk for another 5 to 10 mins then run again....I do this 3 or 4 times in the 30 mins....once or twice a week.....the rest I do walks at 3 to 4 mph.....slow and steady to start.....don't want to be a statistic of the fat middle aged men that has a heart attack the first month of a new workout plan......

    I do like the fact the couch to 5k changes things about......I have read changing routines does help with weight loss so that might help me there too.....so my plan now after your advice.....is to plan the next month to add the 15 seconds....this will tell me if its doable or not to start with....then over this month I will devise a plan...along the lines of 5k thing....to get me to where I want to be......(I will post it here once done to get your approval or your boot to tell me to do more if its too weak....lol) that's if anyone is interested in a month...lol

    Being a complete novice to running (even when I was very active I could not do running for the life in me....hated track running with a passion....) although I do like my treadmill) I like how you advise to only run just above walking speed....(in my head running is like your being chased from your lovers house by her hubby wielding an axe) so I thought 5 mph at least would be what would be classed as running...lol so to know I can go 4.2 or .4 is good to know...(I usually walk at 4mph as my fastest....4.2 pushes it....but never tried to run at that)..start me off on the right track.....I will start trying that on my session tonight.....

    Again thanks all for the advice.....I will post at least once a fortnight with progress if anyone is interested....

    And feel free to hunt me down (with an axe if necessary) if I slack off with posts......I prefer to have that to spur me on.........
  • derkin2005
    derkin2005 Posts: 282 Member
    edited March 2015
    @Fatjon73 I did what you are doing in the last two years...When I was 264 I couldn't run at all, my knees wouldn't allow it. So I did the elliptical and walked a lot. Once I started running I did run then walk intervals till I was happy with that. I am now training for my first half marathon a year later. I am not fast nor will I ever be but I did run 6 miles yesterday and I'm cool with doing it at a slower pace as long as I do it.
    5K PR 29:10
    Mile PR 8:56
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    fatjon73 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone....great advice....I will look into the 5K thing....but initial look it looks a little adventurous for me just yet.....but its a good starting point to try put routines together.....

    I do like Troys way of adding 15 seconds a week.....easy enough to follow....and I should Imagine...once you get going.....you will be able to add more than 15 seconds later in time.....once your doing it more....but 15 seconds a week seems more than doable in my head.......

    I only use the 6 or 7 mph to get my heart rate going......I class it as my form of HIIT....I know its not true HIIT....but I walk for 5 to 10 mins at 3 or 3.5....then run like mad for 1 minute......it near kills me....esp the third one....lol.......I walk for another 5 to 10 mins then run again....I do this 3 or 4 times in the 30 mins....once or twice a week.....the rest I do walks at 3 to 4 mph.....slow and steady to start.....don't want to be a statistic of the fat middle aged men that has a heart attack the first month of a new workout plan......

    I do like the fact the couch to 5k changes things about......I have read changing routines does help with weight loss so that might help me there too.....so my plan now after your advice.....is to plan the next month to add the 15 seconds....this will tell me if its doable or not to start with....then over this month I will devise a plan...along the lines of 5k thing....to get me to where I want to be......(I will post it here once done to get your approval or your boot to tell me to do more if its too weak....lol) that's if anyone is interested in a month...lol

    Being a complete novice to running (even when I was very active I could not do running for the life in me....hated track running with a passion....) although I do like my treadmill) I like how you advise to only run just above walking speed....(in my head running is like your being chased from your lovers house by her hubby wielding an axe) so I thought 5 mph at least would be what would be classed as running...lol so to know I can go 4.2 or .4 is good to know...(I usually walk at 4mph as my fastest....4.2 pushes it....but never tried to run at that)..start me off on the right track.....I will start trying that on my session tonight.....

    Again thanks all for the advice.....I will post at least once a fortnight with progress if anyone is interested....

    And feel free to hunt me down (with an axe if necessary) if I slack off with posts......I prefer to have that to spur me on.........


    What is in bold: don't. If you are not comfortable jogging or even walking at a fast speed for an extended period of time, you are not ready for sprints (whatever this speed is for you). And doign this only once or tiwce per week means you are not going to get used to it either. You are only risking injury. I know HIIT is the new trendy thing to do, but it is now how you start running.
  • fatjon73
    fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member


    What is in bold: don't. If you are not comfortable jogging or even walking at a fast speed for an extended period of time, you are not ready for sprints (whatever this speed is for you). And doign this only once or tiwce per week means you are not going to get used to it either. You are only risking injury. I know HIIT is the new trendy thing to do, but it is now how you start running.[/quote]

    Thanks.....Advice headed.....I will slow down to max 4.5 for the next 4 weeks.....but mainly walking 5 days a week at least to start with....and throw in some 4.2 to 4.5 runs......see how I go from there.....
  • fatjon73
    fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member
    Ok first update.....Did my routine this morning....walked for 8 mins at 3mph....then ran (if you call it that ) at 4.3mph..walked for 5 mins....4.3 for 1 minute....3 for 5......4.3 for 1 then 3 for 5 again then 1 more 4.3 for 1 then walk the rest of the 30 mins.........I found this OK tbh....I could still breath at the end...but my legs did start to cramp near the end......(although I have done this workout after work not before like usual...) sooooo I will continue with the 4.3 for a bit....see how that goes...then start upping the time as I go.....

    Thanks all....good start from your advice.....
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    edited March 2015
    I applaud the goal, I do not think it is silly at all. I struggled to run for a mile for a long time. The first time I did it was when I signed up to walk/run a 10k. I started out running with the pack, and didn't stop. 6.2 miles later I not only ran my first full mile, but my first 10k as well! It is part mental, part finding the right pace. You can probably do it now, perhaps. You should be able to do it WELL before the end of the year.

    I will add, had I not been in that race, I would not have run that first mile that day, most likely. There is something about being in a race that pushes you further than you can usually pull off while just doing training runs. This is why people usually unknowingly run at a faster pace than planned on race day. The race itself is challenge enough to alter your mind significantly, and in turn your performance.
  • fatjon73
    fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member
    Morning all.....Quick update on my progress...

    Firstly I have made a training plan.....I am a data nerd so I live by a good spreadsheet...lol

    Here is the plan...with my current progress to date....

    j6wf613djp70.png

    So far all is going very well I think....I have taken everyone's advice and slowed down....a lot.....I now jog at 4.3 mph on my treadmill......I am adding an extra week to the training so my other half can join...she wants to try this too...she is 8 stone wet.....and used to run 20 yrs ago.....so I think its a good benchmark to test myself against...as well as a training partner (if we do not kill each other before the end...lol...)

    I am upping each weeks goal in smaller increments than the plan...with the extra week added...it allows me to increase each day instead of in one go n the first day.....so far this is better for me...but it is early days yet...

    My biggest problem so far is my legs / calves and cramp....I do get cramps in my calves when I run....near the end of my time jogging my calves are burning....but so far no real pain....just discomfort.....I am good after the walks and for the first 70% of the job...but then it kicks in....although I am powering through it you will be pleased to hear...lol....suck it up buttercup I think is the yanks favourite term to use .....is it not....lol...

    Well fingers crossed I can keep it going....very impressed with myself so far....and I will not push myself too hard I promise...lol.....but while I have the motivation and the hunger to do it....I hope my body will let me get as far as I want to....
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    You can do! I started a bootcamp class a little over a year ago and Thursday mornings were a mile warm up, outside if the weather is nice and inside if not, plus a once a month mile for time to assess progess. I would walk every chance I got. It would take me about 12 minutes. I never liked it and I still don't but I'm now at a comfortable 9 minutes and I never stop and I'd like to get my time down lower.
  • fatjon73
    fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member
    VegasFit wrote: »
    You can do! I started a bootcamp class a little over a year ago and Thursday mornings were a mile warm up, outside if the weather is nice and inside if not, plus a once a month mile for time to assess progess. I would walk every chance I got. It would take me about 12 minutes. I never liked it and I still don't but I'm now at a comfortable 9 minutes and I never stop and I'd like to get my time down lower.

    Thanks, and congrats on your progress too....I am enjoying running for the first time ever....so I hope it lasts.....
  • fatjon73
    fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member
    Right all....just in case anyone is interested...here is my update......been a while sorry....lol.....

    still on track...still going strong....had a holiday last week...but so far I am sticking to plan.........I may repeat week 2 this week....following the holiday.....ease me back in after 7 days off...but I am determined to carry on see how far I can get.....

    Here is my chart...its a few days out...I am up to date following my Holiday.......I am off to do the Monday session soon...see if I can do week 3 again or repeat 2.....no biggie if I do....I will get there....

    7w2hncezok0m.png
  • DYELB
    DYELB Posts: 7,407 Member
    That looks awful complicated.
  • fatjon73
    fatjon73 Posts: 379 Member
    DYELB wrote: »
    That looks awful complicated.

    It's how my head interprets all the info... Lol... It's easy for me to follow....
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    I have my training plan in a spreadsheet too. Granted, it's nowhere near this detailed.

    Keep at it, you've made a lot of great progress!
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