Running????

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TheRatorGade
TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a fairly new runner. 19 weeks ago I was a COMPLETE couch potatoe!! I had asked a few friends on how to become a runner, and was told to try "couch to 5k" app.~~~~~ being sssssooooo out of shape, I couldn't even run more than ten feet without being winded. I soon realized that I needed to start with walking. I wasn't satisfied with my progress, so I started ten seconds or running, to one minute recovery time of walking to catch my breath!! I had walked/ jogged my first 5k in September~ finishing dead last with a time of one hour and twenty minutes!!! I was so embarrassed that it took me that long, but yet so proud that I actually finished it. Then I was determined to get faster, so I started run/walking for 20 minutes twice a week. I just participated in my second 5k last week, and power walked it to finish in 53 minutes. I don't have the stamina to run longer than a full minute straight without having to walk for a minute after to catch my breath again, and I have started going for an hour at a time, trying for no less than a 5k twice a week~ doing the walk/run the entire time.... I have come to the realization that my comfort zone is a 15 minute mile.~~~~~~ here is my question????? What is the best way to learn how to breath better so I can run longer than a minute straight without being winded? What is the best way to increase my speed so I can finish in under a half hour like 80% of the participants do? And what do I need to do to prepare myself, because I want to participate in my first 10k in June, and my first half this coming September. How often should I run per week to train for them? How long should I make my runs last in order to be ready for them? Any suggestions are welcomed
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  • electrickazoo
    electrickazoo Posts: 55 Member
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    What is the best way to learn how to breath better so I can run longer than a minute straight without being winded?
    -Slow down. I know you think you're going really slow, but don't worry about what your pace is. You should be running slow enough that you can talk in complete sentences.

    What is the best way to increase my speed so I can finish in under a half hour like 80% of the participants do?
    -Increasing your mileage will make you faster. Gradually build your distance (or you'll likely end up with injuries).

    And what do I need to do to prepare myself, because I want to participate in my first 10k in June, and my first half this coming September. How often should I run per week to train for them? How long should I make my runs last in order to be ready for them?
    -I suggest you just look up a training plan for a 10k (and then a half) that you feel that you can follow. A lot of people go for Hal Higdon's plans, and he has a variety based on your existing weekly mileage. Just go through them and pick the one that suits you.

    Comparison is the thief of joy in running. There will always be someone faster than you. I'm not saying don't try, but don't be discouraged if you're not gaining speed as quickly as you'd like. It'll come with time and miles. Look at how far you've already come! From 10 seconds of running to completing 5Ks! That's awesome!
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
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    19 weeks isn't a long time. I remember when I first started running (40 years ago!) I hated the first few months because my lungs and chest hurt. Don't compare yourself to others. It will all click but you need to give yourself the time it takes. I'd add 20 sec. a week to my run section. At some point, it will become a lot easier and you will manage a slow jog without the walking. Once you get to that point, you can increase your speed.
  • TheRatorGade
    TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
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    I wish~ I tell people the truth as I see it~~~~ I have participated in a 5k, but I haven't "ran" in a 5k. I had tried that app, and it didn't work for me, because it wanted me to run for two consecutive minutes for the very first day, and I could only handle ten seconds... But like I said, I adapted it for my own needs, using that concept. I still need to build the stamina to "run" the 5k in its entirety~ but while shooting for the 10k and half goals at the same time!!! Thanks for the tip, I will look it up.
  • codename_steve
    codename_steve Posts: 255 Member
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    I agree with what's been said already. Also, set realistic expectations; I've been running for 2 years (completed half and a full marathon) and I am just barely able to complete a 5k in exactly 30 minutes and it's a 90% effort leaving me struggling to breathe and dizzy. I think a 5k in under 30 is a common goal, but you need to be realistic about the time that it takes to get there. Like others said, focus on lengthening your run segments and don't worry about the speed yet.
  • TheRatorGade
    TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
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    Good to know.... As a new runner~ I'm not sure what are realistic goals or not..... I just know, most people that run with my local running store all run on average six minute miles.... I can't ever imagine getting that fast, so I compromised with the ten minutes~~~~~ but maybe that is a stretch for me!
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
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    I didnt have the stamina to run more than 2 minutes last year. One day I decided that if I got winded, I was just going to run slower no matter how I look. A year later I run half marathons with 2 days notice and I am closing in on my first 1000 miles for the year. Tip - run slower, 1 step in front of the other, keep moving.
  • TheRatorGade
    TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
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    If you practice running all the time on a regular basis, doesn't your body get used to the runs~~~~ making a 10k, or half normal?
  • TheRatorGade
    TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
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    I'm thinking this because eight weeks ago, the thought of running for three miles seemed so daunting of a task for me, because I had only been working on trying to learn how to breathe when I run, that I hadn't realized that I was already covering two miles on a regular basis just through my practices.... So isn't it going to happen that as I get used to running l, and my stamina builds, I will be able to run longer, equating to more miles anyway?
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
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    TheRatorGade wrote: »
    If you practice running all the time on a regular basis, doesn't your body get used to the runs~~~~ making a 10k, or half normal?

    Yes and no. I practice running all the time, and running 6 miles is normal. Running 13 miles is not out of the ordinary. But running a 10K, or a half marathon, is different than a training run because I will run them *fast*. That beats up the body more than the slower training runs will.

    You may ask, "What if you run your training runs as fast as you race?" It would be possible to do that, for while, until I got injured. And I *would* get injured if I ran fast all the time. Been there, done that, had to learn to run slower to avoid injury.

    You may also ask, "What is the point of running if it's normal and your body is used to it?" You need to find your own answer to that question. My answer is, I love running and want to keep doing it for the rest of my life. That's a common answer for a hard core runner, but it's not the only possible answer. Some people say they run because it lets them eat more. [FWIW, I need to eat about 600 more calories per day to support my running habit than I would if I were only walking and getting 10K steps per day in. But that's not why *I* run.] Other people run because they have a specific race goal. And some people run until they find it's just not their thing to do. One size does not fit all.

  • TheRatorGade
    TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
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    I've always wanted to run a marathon for as far back as I can remember. So when a friend invited me to watch a dualathon he was volunteering at. I was changed when I seen an elderly man who appeared to be in his 60's or better, extremely overweight, and in the top ten participants. It made me think that if he could do it, then I was certainly going to attempt to do it to, no excuses anymore! That was 19 weeks ago now! I started off just wanting to participate in a 5k, to wanting to "run" one, to now~ making it to the half!!! I'm not sure if I will be a forever runner, or if this is something I will quit once I accomplish it..... But I can tell you this much~ even if it takes me three years of training~ I will complete a half marathon!!!! With that being said~~~ is running a 10k normal workout sessions for someone training for the half? I'm completely comfortable with 2-3 miles right now~~~ how fast should I push myself to increase the mileage?
  • jellebeandesigns
    jellebeandesigns Posts: 347 Member
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    Listen to mellow paced music with words. Sing or breathe them - this is a conversational pace and the singing will help you in hale all the way. The tempo of the music will help you slow down
  • TheRatorGade
    TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
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    Any suggestions? I'm not a music person~ so I don't even know what would be a mellow song~~~~~ heck, when I run, I can't even talk to my friends, let alone sing!!! But that seems like a good idea
  • FemmeFireRL
    FemmeFireRL Posts: 227 Member
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    I'm learning to run (again). It's all about breathing. Best book ever is Running: The Complete Guide to Building Your Running Program, written by John Stanton, Founder of The Running Room
  • Aed0416
    Aed0416 Posts: 101 Member
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    TheRatorGade wrote: »
    Good to know.... As a new runner~ I'm not sure what are realistic goals or not..... I just know, most people that run with my local running store all run on average six minute miles.... I can't ever imagine getting that fast, so I compromised with the ten minutes~~~~~ but maybe that is a stretch for me!

    This is not true, probably, and if you go on believing that 6 minute mileS is an average for serious runners when you get to a 10 minute pace it won't feel like a huge victory.

    An average pace of consecutive 6 minute mileS is pretty astounding. I have been running for a long time and consider myself pretty fast, for my division, and can't come close to 6 minutes even in a 5k. You will have to learn like most runners do to only compare your running with your previous runs.

    Learn to breath from your belly not your chest and concentrate on making your running intervals longer. Focus on your goal of running a 5k before thinking about training for longer runs. Once you have that base you should have no problem finding a training plan that appeals to you.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    TheRatorGade wrote: »
    What is the best way to increase my speed so I can finish in under a half hour like 80% of the participants do? And what do I need to do to prepare myself, because I want to participate in my first 10k in June, and my first half this coming September. How often should I run per week to train for them? How long should I make my runs last in order to be ready for them? Any suggestions are welcomed

    So I appreciate that C25K didn't work for you in the past, but you've now worked up a fair amount more stamina by walking and it may be a useful tool to move on with now.

    Six months is more than enough time to prepare for a 10K, but you'll benefit from some structure.

    The main thing that you're looking to achieve is run continuously, so with that in mind don't worry too much about speed. Use the plan to develop your ability to run, then once you can do that for 30 minutes you'll find that your speed has increased anyway.

    A good guide to your running pace is something that you can sustain whilst talking out loud. Just short sentences, nothing too grandiose. From what you describe I suspect you're trying to run too fast.

    Take a look at http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/30-couch-to-5k-running-program-c25k for advice and support.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I couldn't run at first either. I could barely do a 10 second run. What I did was build up my aerobic capacity using incline walking. I started by walking at a 0 incline conversation pace, then increased my incline by one every week. By the time I reached a 10 incline at that same speed I had enough aerobic capacity to start a program similar to C25k, and all of a sudden I found myself running 3 consecutive minutes comfortably, which was a great achievement! It also helped that I ran slower than I could walk. I told myself if I could run any slower, I was going too fast. It all worked out in the end! I'm still a very slow runner, but I can run! Which is something not many people can do at my weight. Next goal: increase speed while continuing with incline training. Incline can be a very effective way of increasing my aerobic fitness with less impact.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
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    It took me a while to run mellow music even though I run so that I can zone out. I used to use an elliptical a lot with dance/club music and I basically played the same music in a different environment so that my body and mind wouldnt freak out that I was actually running. I dont care much about speed. I looked at my personal records - 5k 9/min mile, 10k 9/min mile, 13 miles 9/min mile. I know I do get somewhat faster though running slow. I still get the high :)
  • heathereh2015
    heathereh2015 Posts: 76 Member
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    When I was running I used jeff Galloway methods! He has an app as well, he is part of the Disney races!
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,222 MFP Moderator
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    TheRatorGade wrote: »
    Good to know.... As a new runner~ I'm not sure what are realistic goals or not..... I just know, most people that run with my local running store all run on average six minute miles.... I can't ever imagine getting that fast, so I compromised with the ten minutes~~~~~ but maybe that is a stretch for me!

    Most folks do NOT run 6 minute miles. Even seasoned runners commonly run 10 minute miles or slower. I've been running for several years, and my mile times range from 9 to 12 minutes per mile, depending on what I'm doing (long run, tempo run, something else)

    When I got back into running, I started with C25K, hated the 'structure' and downloaded Zombies, Run, which was fun and I liked it enough to stick with it until I remembered what endorphins felt like and why I love running. Some advice you've already gotten that I think is important:

    Run SLOOOOOOWWWWWWWW. In some cases, you may even be running slower than you walk. It's not the speed that will help you get better. It's the running motion (bouncing).
    - If you run slow, you'll be able to run for longer distances.
    - If you run for longer distances, your speed will increase.

    You need lots of very slow 'miles' or minutes running. You'll be amazed at how quickly your ability to run as well as your pace will increase. Just take it very very slow.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    TheRatorGade wrote: »
    Any suggestions? I'm not a music person~ so I don't even know what would be a mellow song~~~~~ heck, when I run, I can't even talk to my friends, let alone sing!!! But that seems like a good idea

    You're running too fast

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