Taking up running. I need help.

The Running Room offers an eight week class that is very much like the C25K. As long as you can run for one minute (no matter how slow) you are ready. We all start somewhere. Running teaches you that your body will respond to new demands, as long as you are progressive and take it slow.

Tips I've learned over the years:
If you haven't gotten fitted for shoes, I'd highly recommend it. They will watch you run on a treadmill and recommend the type of shoes for you to provide adequate support/cushioning.
Your breathing should get into a groove that you're comfortable with. If you're feeling like you're gasping for air, you're going too fast and should slow down. They say you should be able to carry on a conversation while you're running at a good (YOUR) steady pace. You should also try to keep as upright as possible and looking forward which will keep your chest more open and able to take in more air with each breath.
Take your time and go at your own pace, it'll be easy to get caught up in the "race" and the next thing you know, you'll be out of breath wondering why, but that's okay too! Just take it easy and enjoy the company.
Keep your arms close to your sides and try to not twist your core/torso too much during your strides which results in a "punching the baby" sort of motion with your fists. That ends up using up more of your energy with the needless motion and you should just be pumping your arms forward and back.


Copying my response to another thread from a new 5K-er:
Even most of the people who enter to "race" will provide encouragement as they know you're there the same reason they are, which is to challenge yourself. And to give you a frame of reference, I like to say I'm part of the "reluctant runners club" and I'm currently around a 8:40/mile pace which I thought was pretty good, I signed up for the Global 5K with Runkeeper and that put me in the 20th percentile which served me a slice of humble pie and made me remember that it's more about how I've improved my personal time over the last three years.

TL;DR
Have fun and take your time :-)

mum23 wrote: »

"thedcubed1
thank you so much, lots of information there. I found treadmill running FAR easier than being outside. I was out with a friend who has MUCH longer legs than mine, may be i was trying to keep up with her without thinking about it.

You're very welcome! And yes that is very easy to do. Don't be afraid to ask your friend to ease up a little if you start feeling out of breath or even to walk for a bit. And about the treadmill, after a little over three years of being part of the "reluctant runners club" and starting off like you with my love of the treadmill over being outside, I now get super bored with being on the treadmill and crave being outside in nice weather, ideally partly sunny morning with temps in the low 60s

If you can run 3 miles, couch to 5k isn't for you (speaking from experience), and you'll be able to finish a 5k now. However, you can incorporate altering running and walking that the program uses if you find that helpful. If you're gasping for breath slow down. You should be running at a pace where you would be able to hold a conversation. You'll get faster as you run more regularly. Pick 3 non-consecutive days per week to run. Gradually, increase the distance for one of the runs. You'll find that you can pretty quickly increase your distance, but resist the urge to do so or you risk getting an overuse injury. The general convention wisdom is not to increase your mileage by more than 10%. Don't try to add speed work until you've been running for several months. Just focus on slowly increasing your distance, and you'll get faster.

You should run with whatever foot strike naturally comes to you. Be sure not to hunch forward or stare down at your feet. Your upper body should be relaxed and not tense.

You should get fitted for shoes at your local running store if you haven't done so yet. They might have a beginner running group, if you are interested in running with others.

Be sure to incorporate some strength training and stretching to help prevent injuries. MYRTL is a pretty basic quick routine that can be done after running, which focuses on areas (glutes and hips) where muscle imbalances or weaknesses commonly lead to injuries:
Video: https://youtube.com/watch?v=2GLrKr54yA0
PDF: https://google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwi-xcPp8qzNAhWJ7iYKHXW3DWIQFggkMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coachjayjohnson.com%2Fassets%2FRT_15min.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGLKfdATrln0YQ6KivqhaUQEr0_lQ&sig2=fQUnb3DeDZTNHu5kWTVttQ

A lot of factors including heat, sun, subtle changes in inclines/declines, even WIND, when you last ate, how much water you've been drinking, how you slept the night before, the music you're listening to, etc! Just get yourself into a slow and steady routine and you'll start seeing improvements before you know it. Also, if you have a smartphone, you can download apps like Runkeeper/MapMyRun which will track your run through headphones and tell you your current pace, distance, etc. That can help you track during your run if you're going faster than you usually do and you can adjust accordingly.

Hi! A couple of things I learned.

Running on a treadmill is easier than running outside, if you run on a treadmill in preparation for an outdoor race, try including a small incline to the treadmill. It'll be more beneficial to your training.

When breathing, it is recommended to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. I have allergies and would suffocate with this method, instead, I breath through my mouth and count steps. Breath in, 1, 2 step, breath out, 1, 2 step. Every two steps you're either breathing in or out. This can help you find a comfortable rhythm.

Good Luck!!

Changing the pace even a little will change an easy run in to a miserable one. I don't even try and pace myself with my own daughter. It would frustrate both of us.

You can endure longer if you go slower.

Breaking to walk for 30 sec/1 minute is not cheating and will help you go longer.

To go faster you go longer. The speed will come as your muscles and your cardio adapts to your new demands.

The first to adapt is your cardio endurance which improves within a few days. I think this is so cool.

The second to adapt are your muscles. If you think of doing a set of reps, you know your muscles slowly get stronger if you push them just enough to get a good burn going. Push yourself similarly in s run and in a few weeks you will be stronger.

The final adaptation are your joints and tendons. If you slack off on your stretches or run through pain, you can do damage that takes months to recover. So pay attention, do your stretches, and slow down for joint/tendon pain.