What kinds of exercises/activites will help me with endurance for running?
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magicpickles
Posts: 286 Member
I am about to start training as a runner, and I'm wondering what other activities I can take up, that may be more enjoyable than running that will help me.
I've heard that if you want to get good at something, it can help to train in other areas because it will make you stronger overall (not just in health and fitness, but in all sorts of areas like photography, science, sky diving, whatever...).
Quicker way to get my 10,000 steps, I can eat a much higher amount if I run enough and its excellent exercise for my dog.
I probably don't enjoy running because I am unfit and heavy. I used to love sprinting when I was younger and weighed less. My parents were both runners before they got old and fat.
I've heard that if you want to get good at something, it can help to train in other areas because it will make you stronger overall (not just in health and fitness, but in all sorts of areas like photography, science, sky diving, whatever...).
Quicker way to get my 10,000 steps, I can eat a much higher amount if I run enough and its excellent exercise for my dog.
I probably don't enjoy running because I am unfit and heavy. I used to love sprinting when I was younger and weighed less. My parents were both runners before they got old and fat.
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Replies
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If you want to become a better runner, you need to run
If you do not enjoy running, then why are you trying to become a runner? 3 -
If you want to become a better runner, you need to run If you do not enjoy running, then why are you trying to become a runner?
Quicker way to get my 10,000 steps, I can eat a much higher amount if I run enough and its excellent exercise for my dog.
I probably don't enjoy running because I am unfit. I used to love sprinting when I was younger and weighed less. My parents were both runners before they got old and fat.0 -
Any other activity that improves your aerobic capacity and endurance helps. Cycling, hiking a more challenging route, incline brisk walking...etc. Those will help with the breathing part of running. For the muscular endurance part, unfortunately, you will need to run more. Might I ask why you are considering investing your exercise time in something you don't enjoy? There are plenty of ways to train your cardiovascular system that don't involve running.1
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amusedmonkey wrote: »Any other activity that improves your aerobic capacity and endurance helps. Cycling, hiking a more challenging route, incline brisk walking...etc. Those will help with the breathing part of running. For the muscular endurance part, unfortunately, you will need to run more. Might I ask why you are considering investing your exercise time in something you don't enjoy? There are plenty of ways to train your cardiovascular system that don't involve running.
I answered that question above. I should also mention I have a treadmill, and netflix, so I can multitask (and for those that say this isn't possible, one of the trainers at my gym did this while training for a marathon). I haven't ran and watched a tv show, but I have walked.
I am 112.4kg and 5'8... my goal is to lose weight and run 10kms by the end of next year, even if its mostly fast walking to start off with.0 -
At this point, I would suggest you focus on walking and following a beginner runner's program. Start with something like couch to 5 k, assuming you are already at the point where you can walk at a fast pace for at least 30 minutes. If not, start there.
However, I would at this point suggest patience, or you will end up hurt. The common mistake of all beginner runners and all runners trying to get back into running is trying too much too fast too soon, as I am sure your parents can verify.1 -
magicpickles wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »Any other activity that improves your aerobic capacity and endurance helps. Cycling, hiking a more challenging route, incline brisk walking...etc. Those will help with the breathing part of running. For the muscular endurance part, unfortunately, you will need to run more. Might I ask why you are considering investing your exercise time in something you don't enjoy? There are plenty of ways to train your cardiovascular system that don't involve running.
I answered that question above. I should also mention I have a treadmill, and netflix, so I can multitask (and for those that say this isn't possible, one of the trainers at my gym did this while training for a marathon). I haven't ran and watched a tv show, but I have walked.
I am 112.4kg and 5'8... my goal is to lose weight and run 10kms by the end of next year, even if its mostly fast walking to start off with.
I was writing that before I saw you post. I'm not judging, by the way. I was just curious. I run exclusively on treadmill and do audiobooks. I currently weigh 93 kg and yes, running is easier now than it was when I was 112. A trick that might help is to slow down, and I mean REALLY slow down, so slow that if you tried to run any slower you'd be forced to walk. It's really motivating when you find yourself able to run longer. I actually use my heart rate monitor on my long runs to make sure my heart rate is low enough to last the entire distance I have planned.
Since you have a treadmill and Netflix, you might also want to consider incline walking. You can get great burns comparable to running walking an incline, even at a slower pace, and it allows you to zone out and pay attention to your TV shows more since it doesn't involve as much focus as running. Plus side, it also helps improve your aerobic capacity quite impressively without the hard impact of running.2 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »magicpickles wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »Any other activity that improves your aerobic capacity and endurance helps. Cycling, hiking a more challenging route, incline brisk walking...etc. Those will help with the breathing part of running. For the muscular endurance part, unfortunately, you will need to run more. Might I ask why you are considering investing your exercise time in something you don't enjoy? There are plenty of ways to train your cardiovascular system that don't involve running.
I answered that question above. I should also mention I have a treadmill, and netflix, so I can multitask (and for those that say this isn't possible, one of the trainers at my gym did this while training for a marathon). I haven't ran and watched a tv show, but I have walked.
I am 112.4kg and 5'8... my goal is to lose weight and run 10kms by the end of next year, even if its mostly fast walking to start off with.
I was writing that before I saw you post. I'm not judging, by the way. I was just curious. I run exclusively on treadmill and do audiobooks. I currently weigh 93 kg and yes, running is easier now than it was when I was 112. A trick that might help is to slow down, and I mean REALLY slow down, so slow that if you tried to run any slower you'd be forced to walk. It's really motivating when you find yourself able to run longer. I actually use my heart rate monitor on my long runs to make sure my heart rate is low enough to last the entire distance I have planned.
Since you have a treadmill and Netflix, you might also want to consider incline walking. You can get great burns comparable to running walking an incline, even at a slower pace, and it allows you to zone out and pay attention to your TV shows more since it doesn't involve as much focus as running. Plus side, it also helps improve your aerobic capacity quite impressively without the hard impact of running.
Thank you so much for all of that advice, so helpful! one of my friends said to try running even slower than I walk!
What is your heart rate goal? do you use a chest moniter?
What incline number/percentage would you use? can you walk slow? I find it hard.
I find it hard to believe I will lose weight, I suck at the eating thing.0 -
I have found that cycling has really improved mg running, but as already stated, to get better at running you just need to run.
And I second c25k!1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »I have found that cycling has really improved mg running, but as already stated, to get better at running you just need to run.
And I second c25k!
I don't have a bike, but I have a scooter that I use sometimes.0 -
magicpickles wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »magicpickles wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »Any other activity that improves your aerobic capacity and endurance helps. Cycling, hiking a more challenging route, incline brisk walking...etc. Those will help with the breathing part of running. For the muscular endurance part, unfortunately, you will need to run more. Might I ask why you are considering investing your exercise time in something you don't enjoy? There are plenty of ways to train your cardiovascular system that don't involve running.
I answered that question above. I should also mention I have a treadmill, and netflix, so I can multitask (and for those that say this isn't possible, one of the trainers at my gym did this while training for a marathon). I haven't ran and watched a tv show, but I have walked.
I am 112.4kg and 5'8... my goal is to lose weight and run 10kms by the end of next year, even if its mostly fast walking to start off with.
I was writing that before I saw you post. I'm not judging, by the way. I was just curious. I run exclusively on treadmill and do audiobooks. I currently weigh 93 kg and yes, running is easier now than it was when I was 112. A trick that might help is to slow down, and I mean REALLY slow down, so slow that if you tried to run any slower you'd be forced to walk. It's really motivating when you find yourself able to run longer. I actually use my heart rate monitor on my long runs to make sure my heart rate is low enough to last the entire distance I have planned.
Since you have a treadmill and Netflix, you might also want to consider incline walking. You can get great burns comparable to running walking an incline, even at a slower pace, and it allows you to zone out and pay attention to your TV shows more since it doesn't involve as much focus as running. Plus side, it also helps improve your aerobic capacity quite impressively without the hard impact of running.
Thank you so much for all of that advice, so helpful! one of my friends said to try running even slower than I walk!
What is your heart rate goal? do you use a chest moniter?
What incline number/percentage would you use? can you walk slow? I find it hard.
I find it hard to believe I will lose weight, I suck at the eating thing.
Well, I did start running slower than I walk (I mean considerably slower! At 4-4.5km/hour where slower was physically not possible for me). I have been running for a good while now so my numbers have improved. I'm still slow at 7.5 - 8 km/hour but considerably faster than what I used to be.
I use a chest monitor and I aim to keep my heart rate between 145 and 160. There is this cardiac drift where the longer you run the higher your heart rate creeps up, that's why I use a range rather than a number where the first 5 or so minutes my heart rate is 145 and by the end of a 45 minute run it's closer to 160 at the same speed, sometimes higher if it's a hot day. Your particular range depends on your own individual max heart rate, but a rule of thumb would be to try and keep a conversation pace.
For the incline, I started walking slow at 3.2-3.5 km/h on a 10 degree incline. That's comparable to my slow running shuffle back when I started in calorie burn. Currently I do 4.5-5 km/h on a 15 degree incline, which is comparable in calorie burn to my current running speed. A good strategy is to find your most comfortable and natural walking pace and just adjust the incline accordingly until it feels comfortably hard where you aren't gasping for air or breezing through.
I'm by no means an avid runner or a fast one, but that's my experience as someone who started running morbidly obese and how I got better.2 -
magicpickles wrote: »
I find it hard to believe I will lose weight, I suck at the eating thing.
Unless you are going to dramatically increase your physical activity levels, like replace a desk job with a job where you spend 8 hours per day walking and carrying heavy things and then you spend 4 hours at they gym or running etc, you will not be able to outrun bad eating habits. You can lose weight and not add any exercise at all. But relying on exercise to lose weight, it is almost impossible, unless you plan to literally build your daily routine around constant moving.1 -
magicpickles wrote: »
I find it hard to believe I will lose weight, I suck at the eating thing.
Unless you are going to dramatically increase your physical activity levels, like replace a desk job with a job where you spend 8 hours per day walking and carrying heavy things and then you spend 4 hours at they gym or running etc, you will not be able to outrun bad eating habits. You can lose weight and not add any exercise at all. But relying on exercise to lose weight, it is almost impossible, unless you plan to literally build your daily routine around constant moving.
Yep, if you become a runner you may well get rungry...
Plus, what happens if you get injured and can't exercise? Don't get me wrong, I love eating back my exercise cals, they taste the best, but you need to be able to maintain the deficit before exercise.0 -
@aggelikik @TavistockToad Well, I'm trying a new food approach with my personal trainer. Theres a way of eating that he recommends, which is 3 meals a day and 3 snacks. You eat sensible portions and every three hours. You eat a fruit/vege with every snack/meal and a protein or 2. You eat half a serve of carbs on non training day and 1 or 2 serves on a training day. I've done it for a week, and its been hard, I'm not used to eating so much/often. Usually I eat less for most of the day, but then binge later on and my diet wasn't very healthy/balanced. I am supposed to eat well 80-90% of the time.
This is what I ate/will eat today:
Meal 1 (6:10am) 2 pancakes, 2 tsp sugar, 1 banana, 1 piece bacon, lemon juiceMeal 2 (9:10am) 1 tomato, lettuce, 2 tsp sour cream, 1 tsp sweet child sauce, 2 eggs, glass of milk, 1 cup grapes
Meal 3 (2pm) Handful of almonds, lemon juice, cheese, 1 tomato, wrap with beans and chicken etc
Meal 4 (?!?/assorted times) Chicken roll, half a piece of lollycake, 2 baby sized gingerbread men, some grapes, a large diet coke (I went to the movies)
Meal 5 (8:40pm) Roast beef, peas, broccoli, parsnip, kumara (sweet potato), gravy, mint sauce, lemon juice
Meal 6 (10pm) Smoothie (strawberries, 1 banana, greek yoghurt, water)
It isn't perfect, but its an improvement on what I was doing. I'm not tracking yet because I have unhealthy tendancies towards it.1 -
magicpickles wrote: »@aggelikik @TavistockToad Well, I'm trying a new food approach with my personal trainer. Theres a way of eating that he recommends, which is 3 meals a day and 3 snacks. You eat sensible portions and every three hours. You eat a fruit/vege with every snack/meal and a protein or 2. You eat half a serve of carbs on non training day and 1 or 2 serves on a training day. I've done it for a week, and its been hard, I'm not used to eating so much/often. Usually I eat less for most of the day, but then binge later on and my diet wasn't very healthy/balanced. I am supposed to eat well 80-90% of the time.
This is what I ate/will eat today:
Meal 1 (6:10am) 2 pancakes, 2 tsp sugar, 1 banana, 1 piece bacon, lemon juiceMeal 2 (9:10am) 1 tomato, lettuce, 2 tsp sour cream, 1 tsp sweet child sauce, 2 eggs, glass of milk, 1 cup grapes
Meal 3 (2pm) Handful of almonds, lemon juice, cheese, 1 tomato, wrap with beans and chicken etc
Meal 4 (?!?/assorted times) Chicken roll, half a piece of lollycake, 2 baby sized gingerbread men, some grapes, a large diet coke (I went to the movies)
Meal 5 (8:40pm) Roast beef, peas, broccoli, parsnip, kumara (sweet potato), gravy, mint sauce, lemon juice
Meal 6 (10pm) Smoothie (strawberries, 1 banana, greek yoghurt, water)
It isn't perfect, but its an improvement on what I was doing. I'm not tracking yet because I have unhealthy tendancies towards it.
whatever works...
i have 3 meals, 2 snacks (one pre workout) on week days and usually just 3 meals on the weekend0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »magicpickles wrote: »@aggelikik @TavistockToad Well, I'm trying a new food approach with my personal trainer. Theres a way of eating that he recommends, which is 3 meals a day and 3 snacks. You eat sensible portions and every three hours. You eat a fruit/vege with every snack/meal and a protein or 2. You eat half a serve of carbs on non training day and 1 or 2 serves on a training day. I've done it for a week, and its been hard, I'm not used to eating so much/often. Usually I eat less for most of the day, but then binge later on and my diet wasn't very healthy/balanced. I am supposed to eat well 80-90% of the time.
This is what I ate/will eat today:
Meal 1 (6:10am) 2 pancakes, 2 tsp sugar, 1 banana, 1 piece bacon, lemon juiceMeal 2 (9:10am) 1 tomato, lettuce, 2 tsp sour cream, 1 tsp sweet child sauce, 2 eggs, glass of milk, 1 cup grapes
Meal 3 (2pm) Handful of almonds, lemon juice, cheese, 1 tomato, wrap with beans and chicken etc
Meal 4 (?!?/assorted times) Chicken roll, half a piece of lollycake, 2 baby sized gingerbread men, some grapes, a large diet coke (I went to the movies)
Meal 5 (8:40pm) Roast beef, peas, broccoli, parsnip, kumara (sweet potato), gravy, mint sauce, lemon juice
Meal 6 (10pm) Smoothie (strawberries, 1 banana, greek yoghurt, water)
It isn't perfect, but its an improvement on what I was doing. I'm not tracking yet because I have unhealthy tendancies towards it.
whatever works...
i have 3 meals, 2 snacks (one pre workout) on week days and usually just 3 meals on the weekend
I'm not sure if I'm meant to have 3 snacks every day. It probably doesn't matter... if I'm not hungry, I won't eat it.0 -
I am guessing/hoping the trainer tracks for you? This meal sample you described would e.g. be well above my maintenance calories, even back when I used to spend several hours at the gym, so I hope your trainer has taken into account your goals?0
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Hi OP, i started running 5 months ago, to train for a 10K at the beginning of October there. i went too far too fast and ended up with shin splints; really painful and can be quite damaging if you don't let them heal. my advice would be be to go with a programme, c25k or or c210k, since that is your goal. it starts you off slowly and builds, allowing 10k in 60 minutes by the end of the 14 weeks. i'm nowhere near that, but as i have medical issues i figure that as long as i can do a 10k i'm doing ok. I also do an aerobics class once a week which helps with my general fitness (plus i get battery operated glow sticks lol)
be the tortoise, not the hare and you'll get there quicker.3 -
I am guessing/hoping the trainer tracks for you? This meal sample you described would e.g. be well above my maintenance calories, even back when I used to spend several hours at the gym, so I hope your trainer has taken into account your goals?
He gave me a basic layout of how to set up my food diary, he didn't actually say what foods to eat.
This isn't how I'm supposed to eat, I cheated a few times today and kind of had 2 breakfasts (meal 2 was supposed to be a snack), and I should have skipped the chicken roll and lolly cake later on. I went to the movies, and usually get popcorn and m&ms so I didn't eat as many as I would have.
I also did an hour work-out with him today.
He probably wouldn't be super thrilled with my food choices today, but I've made improvements in small ways as to how I usually eat, and if I keep adding new things, I should eventually be in the right place.0 -
I should mention, my trainer is going to help me with the 10k. I'm just wondering what kind of stuff I can do outside our sessions, besides running that will help me be a better runner.0
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magicpickles wrote: »I am guessing/hoping the trainer tracks for you? This meal sample you described would e.g. be well above my maintenance calories, even back when I used to spend several hours at the gym, so I hope your trainer has taken into account your goals?
He gave me a basic layout of how to set up my food diary, he didn't actually say what foods to eat.
This isn't how I'm supposed to eat, I cheated a few times today and kind of had 2 breakfasts (meal 2 was supposed to be a snack), and I should have skipped the chicken roll and lolly cake later on. I went to the movies, and usually get popcorn and m&ms so I didn't eat as many as I would have.
I also did an hour work-out with him today.
He probably wouldn't be super thrilled with my food choices today, but I've made improvements in small ways as to how I usually eat, and if I keep adding new things, I should eventually be in the right place.
your calorie deficit is the most important thing, if you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.2
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