Running!

Its easy to get injured trying to run fast or too much too soon. I would recommend running no more than 3-times a week until you are close to maintenance weight. That;s not a bad idea even if already at maint weight if your just starting out. If you want more cardio, augment it with bike riding, swimming, etc. Lift a little twice a week or so.

I just ran my 1st 5k in 20 years or so today. i was able to make it without stopping and ran a 9:45 min/mile pace (30:14). I was excited about that since 7-months ago I could probably do 1/4 mile at a 12:00 mile pace. I'm running 3 x week and lifting twice and have two rest days a week. I'm older (54) so I need my rest. I started running at the beginning of the year and was walking before that.

You should run at a comfortable pace continuous. When can't do that, then walk a little and run a little alternating after the continuous run. Extend the continuous run on successive workouts. You can eventually build up to how ever far you want to go.

coalz wrote: »

I'm not big on running but have heard varying between jogging & short sprints of different speeds is beneficial for boosting metabolism & building endurance.

Don't even think about sprinting unless your close to maint weight. It is a sure thing you will get injured.

I ran a lot in my late teens, 20s, and early 30s and competed in track for several years. I got out of shape and have tried getting back by running and have done a lot of crazy stuff remembering the good old days when I did a lot of sprinting and I always end up injured.

One way to not get locked in at a slow jogging pace is to do fartlek style running which is speed play. You warm up a little with a slow jog then run harder for a short distance and then run really easy for a short distance (this part of the running may be slower than walking for a little bit of it but you still do the running motion). Keep doing this and add on time. Rest a bit and top it off with some continuous even paced easy jogging. The extra cardio load you get by not stopping will keep you from sprinting or running too fast that can injure you. The goal is to not sprint but to just pick up the pace your running at when your going hard. I'm doing this now and do 200m hard, 400m easy and am up to about 25 minutes of it. I do that twice a week and do continuous running once a week. My goal is to increase these runs to an hours duration. I'm only running 3xweek right now so I don't run consecutive days right now. I may bike 1-day a week also to get in some more easy cardio. I also lift twice a week. When I lose a little more (I'm about 20 from goal weight), I may start running 4xweek.

When sprinting, you need to also not overstep your base endurance. If sprinting it should only be a small part of your running (unless your training to be a sprinter). If you only sprint and don't do distance, you will increase your sprinting ability but you will not get much improvement in the endurance department.

What you described sounds like a fartlek run except I wouldn't sprint between the jogs and would just pick up the running pace to some pace you would like to be running your distance runs at.

Good luck.

What you're eating will be a far far greater factor in your weight loss than whether you run each day for 20mins or 200mins. Your sole objective is to achieve that calorie deficit and whilst exercise can help, it's mostly down to what you eat and how much of it. Be very careful not to overestimate your calorie burn during your workouts and be mindful that most people suggest not to eat back any or more than half of the calories you gain by doing this (provided that your goal is weight loss).

Weigh your foods, and record everything - drinks, cooking oils, nibbles here and there, sweets etc.

Good luck and I also highly recommend the C25k plan. A few years back I followed a similar Runners World 'run your belly off' plan, not that I was overweight but it was the same principle of building up to a 5k. I have now run a Marathon, half marathons, Olympic triathlons and race 5k every Saturday - I'm on my 95th. So trust me that c25k works

For the first year of running be especially mindful to take it really easy. Most injuries happen from training too hard too fast or increasing mileage too quickly. As other users have suggested, Couch to 5k is a wonderful way to safely work up a successful 5k. While there is nothing wrong with the treadmill, definitely supliment your training by running outside. Pay attention to your body and never try to run through pain, and remember there is no shame in walking. As you get more fit you can start adding speedwork and increase your mileage. I reccomend browsing through some of the articles on runnersworld.com, specifically the ones aimed for beginner runners.

Good luck!!

Agree Couch to 5k is a great program. You can just use a timer/treadmill info to keep track yourself with the free plan online, or there are also apps that will tell you when to stop/start etc. You could probably start mid-program since you can already run 1.5k. Also Hal Higdon has a beginners 5k program (also free online).

As you are a beginner, I would not do ANY speedwork now (no sprinting, no intervals). I would also have a mandatory rest day in between each day you jog, and only jog 3x a week now. When you can go 5k (3 miles) without stopping, I think that's the point that you can add a 4th day.

I disagree you need to be at maintenance weight to add another day or run faster. Don't sacrifice the good for the perfect. Plenty of overweight people run just fine. It's more about conditioning your muscles and tendons in a gradual way. But agree with: don't even bother with trying to intentionally go faster right now. You will burn yourself out or get injured. Work on increasing distance slowly. Never add more than 10% of weekly mileage each week. Make sure you have good shoes, get fitted at your local running store.

sarabushby wrote: »

What you're eating will be a far far greater factor in your weight loss than whether you run each day for 20mins or 200mins. Your sole objective is to achieve that calorie deficit and whilst exercise can help, it's mostly down to what you eat and how much of it. Be very careful not to overestimate your calorie burn during your workouts and be mindful that most people suggest not to eat back any or more than half of the calories you gain by doing this (provided that your goal is weight loss).

Weigh your foods, and record everything - drinks, cooking oils, nibbles here and there, sweets etc.

Good luck and I also highly recommend the C25k plan. A few years back I followed a similar Runners World 'run your belly off' plan, not that I was overweight but it was the same principle of building up to a 5k. I have now run a Marathon, half marathons, Olympic triathlons and race 5k every Saturday - I'm on my 95th. So trust me that c25k works

Nice! Good job! I totally concur that the weight will come off easier by dieting than the exercise. i tried for years just with the exercise and didn't get very far.

I love running (or jogging?). I run on the treadmill at the gym and do 2 x 5ks during the week and around 15 minutes on my lifting days, and then on Saturday I run outside for 4 miles and 5 miles on a Sunday. I'm not particularly fast but faster than anyone still in bed or on the sofa! I started c25k January last year and continued. It's a great program. Oh. And I'm still obese! Around 197 pounds. I am fitter than I have ever been but one disadvantage is that it takes a lot more effort, ie running faster, to burn the calories that I use to burn when I started as I am much fitter. My resting heart rate has gone from 77 to 54/55 and during my runs now it takes far more effort to get my heart beating the same. I'm no expert but I guess that must be why I previously burnt 14 cals a minute on my runs rather than the 12 cals a minute I burn now.
Start the program. It will get you where you need to be.