Beginning Running Advice Wanted
JulieSHelms
Posts: 821 Member
I just lost 125 lbs and am transitioning to maintenance. I'm 50. I had never run a day in my life, but I have been going to the gym for about 7 months now--elliptical and strength training (thank you MFP friends!) So some local friends challenged me to run a 5K with them sometime in the future.
I did look up the C25k info everyone here talks about first. But that just looks so fussy to me-- a lot of stuff to remember. So I just hopped on the treadmill and ran (slowly). It's been about three weeks now--doing it twice a week (with elliptical every day in between). I can run 1.5 miles continuously (in about 18 min) but I'm dying by the end. I realized I was sort of applying the weight training idea of lifting till failure, and maybe that's not a good idea. I would like to enjoy this, but knowing that I will always be ending in serious discomfort is not making me look forward to it. Am I approaching it wrong? Should I just run a mile and enjoy it for a few weeks, then suddenly find I can increase it by some increment (quarter or half mile more) and it will come more easily? ...ya know, avoid the heaving breath, screaming legs part altogether? Or is that just part of the process and I should shut up and take it!
I did look up the C25k info everyone here talks about first. But that just looks so fussy to me-- a lot of stuff to remember. So I just hopped on the treadmill and ran (slowly). It's been about three weeks now--doing it twice a week (with elliptical every day in between). I can run 1.5 miles continuously (in about 18 min) but I'm dying by the end. I realized I was sort of applying the weight training idea of lifting till failure, and maybe that's not a good idea. I would like to enjoy this, but knowing that I will always be ending in serious discomfort is not making me look forward to it. Am I approaching it wrong? Should I just run a mile and enjoy it for a few weeks, then suddenly find I can increase it by some increment (quarter or half mile more) and it will come more easily? ...ya know, avoid the heaving breath, screaming legs part altogether? Or is that just part of the process and I should shut up and take it!
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The key is to run slowly. Really slowly. As you get fitter you'll get faster without extra effort.
You can choose distance or time - a couple of miles, or 20-30 minutes, and increase this as you get fitter. If it hurts or you can't breathe, it's ok to walk.
If you want to improve faster, aim to run at least three times a week. Good luck, and enjoy!3 -
I find intervals very helpful. Run / walk - push yourself, but don't overdo it.
If you don't like C25K, try Running. Similar concept. These help because you can concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other and the program takes care of the music and time to run or walk.
Drink water!3 -
Unfortunately, to get to where you want to be you have to tolerate 'fussy'. Plans like C25K are designed to get you to your goals without burning you out and causing injury. Going too hard for too long is a recipe for both. I suggest sticking to the plan.
BTW - With running this never changes. Even now as I prepare for a marathon I have to stick to my plan. If I do too much I will end up injured.
Good luck.6 -
I would pick a distance, say 2 miles and run til you have some trouble taking while running. Then walk a bit and resume the run. Do this every other day at a minimum until you no longer need the walks. Add some more distance gradually like a quarter mile every other run until you get to three miles. Stop there and see if you can stay at three miles but decrease your time. When you feel comfortable with your improvement start adding distance again. Keep it all very gradual to avoid injury.1
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Run slower... walk every so often. You shouldn't feel like you're dying by the end of it. Doing that is a recipe for injury.4
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I would pick a distance, say 2 miles and run til you have some trouble taking while running. Then walk a bit and resume the run. Do this every other day at a minimum until you no longer need the walks. Add some more distance gradually like a quarter mile every other run until you get to three miles. Stop there and see if you can stay at three miles but decrease your time. When you feel comfortable with your improvement start adding distance again. Keep it all very gradual to avoid injury.
Every other day as a minimum is quite a lot...1 -
Regarding C25K (I'm starting week 7), the app gives audio prompts when to walk, run, warm-up, cool-down. Takes all the guess work out. And they play over any music you have playing. I found it to be really easy and it slowly builds you into the increased running time. It has allowed me to build up my endurance to where I ran for 2 miles without stopping on Sunday. (Seriously, this was a major win. LOL) You can repeat days as needed too. But as the others are saying, go slow. I know you are using the treadmill, but do you have some good shoes? I run outside and after getting fit for good shoes, I don't get the leg/joint pain I used to get with my old, unsupportive shoes.4
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TavistockToad wrote: »
Every other day as a minimum is quite a lot...
How often would you recommend? I had picked twice a week because I have a history with knee and hip joint issues and I don't want to re-injure, but so far no joint pain at all. But it was a random number that I picked.
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Three or four days a week is good. No more than that right now. Or do every other day so you do 3 days one week and 4 the next. The rest days are important, especially starting out, but it's hard to make progress on only two days a week.
If you don't want to do C25k, I would just pick a time - 30 minutes is a good place to start - and run as far as you can, then walk a minute or so, then go back to running, then walk a bit, then go back to running, etc. Let your body tell you what it needs. Just do the whole allotted time, even if you have to walk the last 10 minutes. Actually, it is a good idea to both start and end with 5 minutes walking. You want to warm up your muscles before you try to run and cool them down afterwards. Keep the running pace really really slow. The goal is "conversational pace", where you can chat with a friend while jogging along, or recite the words to your music as your run. When you can run 30 minutes straight, once a week add 5 minutes to one of your weekly runs. Every 3 or 4 weeks, cut back a bit and take it easier, then go back to increasing your time.2 -
JulieSHelms wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »
Every other day as a minimum is quite a lot...
How often would you recommend? I had picked twice a week because I have a history with knee and hip joint issues and I don't want to re-injure, but so far no joint pain at all. But it was a random number that I picked.
Start with twice a week, 3 x gives you plenty of recovery time as well.
Swimming or cycling are excellent cross training for running.3 -
JulieSHelms wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »
Every other day as a minimum is quite a lot...
How often would you recommend? I had picked twice a week because I have a history with knee and hip joint issues and I don't want to re-injure, but so far no joint pain at all. But it was a random number that I picked.
Most beginner running plans specify 3 days a week, and stress that the beginner should not run on consecutive days. The purpose of this is to have a rest day to allow your body to repair the small damage done by running and come back stronger. Later, when you have developed your running chain to support it, it will be possible to run on consecutive days.
The "run slower" advice is standard. Most new runners receive this advice and don't understand it until they get injured. I was no exception. The major problem with running slower is figuring out how much slower to run when you have no history of what your natural paces are.
At a guess, I'd suspect that you are gravitating toward lactic threshold when you run. Being wiped out after 18 minutes simply means you haven't developed your cardio-vascular system to support that pace for longer. 1.5 miles in 18 minutes give you a T pace of 12 minutes per mile. If I play a bit with the Jack Daniels VDOT calculator to get a T pace of 12 minutes per mile, it says your E (as in "easy") pace should be in the 14:15-14:54 per mile range. That's how slow you want to do most of your running, at least until you're developed enough as a runner to support a faster pace without injury.
Don't worry. On race day, you will run that 5K faster than a 14 minute mile. But in training, you run slower to get faster on race day.3 -
My beginning running regimen is as follows:
Speed does not matter. Only frequency and distance matters5 -
Unfortunately, to get to where you want to be you have to tolerate 'fussy'. Plans like C25K are designed to get you to your goals without burning you out and causing injury. Going too hard for too long is a recipe for both. I suggest sticking to the plan.
BTW - With running this never changes. Even now as I prepare for a marathon I have to stick to my plan. If I do too much I will end up injured.
Good luck.
This pretty much. C25K might be "fussy", but it's designed to get you running 30 minutes straight by the end of the program, and it works. You might as well give it another try as your method isn't working.
dewd2, is also right about always sticking to a plan as a runner. I'm currently training for another half-marathon. You bet I'm sticking to my plan.2 -
TavistockToad wrote: »I would pick a distance, say 2 miles and run til you have some trouble taking while running. Then walk a bit and resume the run. Do this every other day at a minimum until you no longer need the walks. Add some more distance gradually like a quarter mile every other run until you get to three miles. Stop there and see if you can stay at three miles but decrease your time. When you feel comfortable with your improvement start adding distance again. Keep it all very gradual to avoid injury.
Every other day as a minimum is quite a lot...
I like to run daily with a rest day on the weekend so maybe I am biased but when I started I walked daily and mixed running in daily until I slowly built up. To the OP,I guess listen to your body may be a better model. You should feel like your leg muscles and lungs are getting stronger but not sore. Same is true with joints. You should be able to slowly build and not hurt or get sore. Hopefully one day it will hit you and you will say "I love running"2 -
TavistockToad wrote: »I would pick a distance, say 2 miles and run til you have some trouble taking while running. Then walk a bit and resume the run. Do this every other day at a minimum until you no longer need the walks. Add some more distance gradually like a quarter mile every other run until you get to three miles. Stop there and see if you can stay at three miles but decrease your time. When you feel comfortable with your improvement start adding distance again. Keep it all very gradual to avoid injury.
Every other day as a minimum is quite a lot...
I like to run daily with a rest day on the weekend so maybe I am biased but when I started I walked daily and mixed running in daily until I slowly built up. To the OP,I guess listen to your body may be a better model. You should feel like your leg muscles and lungs are getting stronger but not sore. Same is true with joints. You should be able to slowly build and not hurt or get sore. Hopefully one day it will hit you and you will say "I love running"
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I've been a runner all my life. Minus the 3 or 4 times I stopped due to injury, lost interest etc. What works best for me when I'm starting out is telling myself I'm going to go out for 30 minutes. I will run as long (slow) as I can without being uncomfortable, and when I start to be, walk for a minute or 2. Repeat until the 30 minutes are up. If you end up running 10 out of the 30, and walking 20 - that's ok. Each time you run, try to run a little further. When you are able to do the full 30, try to run farther in that 30. When you're happy/comfortable with that time/pace, add on more minutes. Repeat.
Good Luck - Running is a fantastic way to blow off steam. It's also amazing in the summer time.4 -
I can't add too much to this other than to stress slow running and recommend the C25K or C210K plans. At 12 minutes/mile you are most likely beyond a conversational pace. I started running 4 years ago using C25K and have run more than 2000 miles since then. I learned the art of slow running the hard way (injury). Having just come off of 3 months of no running (cervical disk problem) I am using C210K again to build my endurance back up (I run it 2 days at a time, every other day). The other thing is to insure that you go to a reputable running store and get fitted for the proper shoes if you are going to continue to run - picking them off of the wall is another path to injury. Once you know the type of shoe you need a little research online gives you multiple brands to choose from when you are replacing them. Run strong - run slow!!!!3
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What others have said... start very slowly, like barely a shuffle and then build from there.
Make sure you have the right running shoes! Super important.
When you run, try to run more on the balls of your feet vs. hitting your heels and try to swing your arms bent of course, but straight up/down-back/forth keeping your elbows in, not flared out and side to side... doing that takes a lot of energy because you're twisting your core back and forth.
Remember..... save the racing for the races
I also find that intervals on the tread mill helped me build up my endurance.
Start with something simple like one minute on, two minutes off.
A great tread mill work out that I found is this:
4.0 mph at a 5% incline for 5 minutes
6.0 mph at a 2% incline for 3 minutes
7.0 mph at a 2% incline for 1 minute
3.0 mph at a 10% incline for 1 minute
Total - 10 minutes
Repeat as many times as you want.
It's great for endurance, strength and it's a really good calorie burner as well.
Enjoy!2 -
if you don't want to do the full C25K you can go simplier and even works on the treadmill - run 1mil at like 5.0, and then walk 2min at 3.5 repeat until you hit your 30min or 5k (depending on your goal), slowly adjust either the time for your run/walk or your speed for the run
I do a variety of run/walk intervals depending on my goal for the day. Today is supposed to be 6 mile easy - so i'll program my running watch with the following intervals - 2min run/3 min walk (nets me about a 13:30 per mile pace) - so it will take me about 1.5hrs
last week, I was supposed to do a 5mile with increasing speed per mile - so I started of 2/3 and adjusted my intervals down (although it then got subsumed by work, so I didn't get my run in)2 -
I've been a runner all my life. Minus the 3 or 4 times I stopped due to injury, lost interest etc. What works best for me when I'm starting out is telling myself I'm going to go out for 30 minutes. I will run as long (slow) as I can without being uncomfortable, and when I start to be, walk for a minute or 2. Repeat until the 30 minutes are up. If you end up running 10 out of the 30, and walking 20 - that's ok. Each time you run, try to run a little further. When you are able to do the full 30, try to run farther in that 30. When you're happy/comfortable with that time/pace, add on more minutes. Repeat.
Good Luck - Running is a fantastic way to blow off steam. It's also amazing in the summer time.
^ This is exactly what I do (except I prefer to run in the fall).
When I first started, I did not use any structured plan (C25K, etc.), I would just walk for a few minutes and then start to jog *very* slowly. I think I ran slower than I walked! Whenever I got out of breath, I stopped to walk until I got my breath back and would run again. I would keep doing this for the same route/distance. I think this method is what helped me stick with running since I never let myself get too uncomfortable.3 -
Hey thanks everyone--this advice was just what I was looking for.
Just to answer a few questions... running shoes: I wear a kind from New Balance that my doctor actually told me to get to deal with my plantar fasciitis. The sales guy mentioned that they were a very good running shoe, too. At the time I didn't care, but for $150 I'm hoping that qualifies. They've completely solved the PF issue, so I think it's a good fit for me.
Running speed: I think I'm hearing from all of you to slow down. That sounds wonderful actually. I was aiming for 4.8-5 mph for a really dumb reason--so I wasn't running slower than the guy on the treadmill next to me was walking! Lol. I'm not one for comparing myself with others generally and I'm not at all competitive, but something about that was just embarrassing. But with all you experienced runners telling me it's ok, I'll get over myself on that issue and slow down. 2 -
if your shoes work for you, then they should be fine - what works for me, may not work for you - if your running store fit you (they should watch you walk barefoot, look at the tread wear on a previous set of shoes prior to recommending you a pair and THEN watch you walk/run in said pair)1
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JulieSHelms wrote: »Just to answer a few questions... running shoes: I wear a kind from New Balance that my doctor actually told me to get to deal with my plantar fasciitis. The sales guy mentioned that they were a very good running shoe, too. At the time I didn't care, but for $150 I'm hoping that qualifies. They've completely solved the PF issue, so I think it's a good fit for me.
If you're going to run for any distance regularly, you will want running shoes that you only use for running. It's okay to have the same model of shoe to run and to walk, but you want the pair you run in to be dedicated to running. This will make it easier to tell when the shoes wear out and it's time to replace them.
I have three pair of shoes (same model) in rotation for running, but that's probably overkill for someone just starting; I went to a rotation late in the training cycle for my first half marathon. I walk in a different model shoe, because I want heavier heel cushioning for walking than for running. One thing becoming a runner has done is make me fussier about my shoes, even the shoes that I don't use for running.0 -
JulieSHelms wrote: »Just to answer a few questions... running shoes: I wear a kind from New Balance that my doctor actually told me to get to deal with my plantar fasciitis. The sales guy mentioned that they were a very good running shoe, too. At the time I didn't care, but for $150 I'm hoping that qualifies. They've completely solved the PF issue, so I think it's a good fit for me.
If you're going to run for any distance regularly, you will want running shoes that you only use for running. It's okay to have the same model of shoe to run and to walk, but you want the pair you run in to be dedicated to running. This will make it easier to tell when the shoes wear out and it's time to replace them.
I have three pair of shoes (same model) in rotation for running, but that's probably overkill for someone just starting; I went to a rotation late in the training cycle for my first half marathon. I walk in a different model shoe, because I want heavier heel cushioning for walking than for running. One thing becoming a runner has done is make me fussier about my shoes, even the shoes that I don't use for running.
^This - me too. Once I find that brand/style that works, I buy them over and over. Makes shoe shopping a breeze, unless the company gets a bright idea to "improve" them. ha.3 -
Ok, here's an update. I took all your advice to heart and gave intervals and slowing down a try. It felt like I was going VERY slow but I was amazed at how long I lasted. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.
I did an interval of 2 min walk at 3.5 mph/3 min run at 4.3 mph. I did it for 60 minutes.
I had planned to stop at 30 minutes, but honestly I felt like I was just getting into my groove and the second 30 felt better than the first 30 (very weird). I was never winded--did some mouth breathing on the run part but never huffing--could sing along to my music the whole time. And nothing hurt. I felt like I could have gone longer but my water was out, my playlist was repeating and I had an appointment to get to! It was an amazing feeling that I felt like I could keep going. Though I must note my legs felt jelly-like when I stepped off the treadmill.
So if my calculations are correct:
Before: 1.5 miles for 18 minutes (12 min mile)--felt like I was dying.
Today: 4.0 miles for 60 minutes (avg. walk/run 15 min mile)--felt like I could keep going. (Total 2.25 miles running, 1.75 miles walking)
So this was a trial to see what slowing down and intervals felt like. I would love some suggestions on structuring a plan based on this. Should I back down to 30 min and increase the running interval, repeat what I just did, go longer at same pace?
@MobyCarp Thanks for the article on why going slower is beneficial--that was very helpful.9 -
JulieSHelms wrote: »Just to answer a few questions... running shoes: I wear a kind from New Balance that my doctor actually told me to get to deal with my plantar fasciitis. The sales guy mentioned that they were a very good running shoe, too. At the time I didn't care, but for $150 I'm hoping that qualifies. They've completely solved the PF issue, so I think it's a good fit for me.
If you're going to run for any distance regularly, you will want running shoes that you only use for running. It's okay to have the same model of shoe to run and to walk, but you want the pair you run in to be dedicated to running. This will make it easier to tell when the shoes wear out and it's time to replace them.
I have three pair of shoes (same model) in rotation for running, but that's probably overkill for someone just starting; I went to a rotation late in the training cycle for my first half marathon. I walk in a different model shoe, because I want heavier heel cushioning for walking than for running. One thing becoming a runner has done is make me fussier about my shoes, even the shoes that I don't use for running.
^This - me too. Once I find that brand/style that works, I buy them over and over. Makes shoe shopping a breeze, unless the company gets a bright idea to "improve" them. ha.
Yep. Me too. I've just bought a new pair of the original Saucony Hurricane (for an absolute steal). They're up to model #3 now, but I'm sticking with what I know.0 -
Thrilled to hear that you were so successful on your first time trying to run slower!!! Going forward if you want to change the structure try adding time to your running segment. The C25K plan would have you adding about a minute more to the running segments every time you went back out and slowly gets rid of the walking. I would try adding a minute to the run segments each day for the next several outings while keeping the 2 minute walk interval. If this is too much over 60 minutes switch it up 3/2, 4/2, 3/2. etc. Once you get to where you are running for 10 minutes knock 30 seconds off of the walk interval; repeat and so on. The other thing I do on the treadmill once I am running for lengthy periods with very little walking is to switch up the speed. I start really slowly (3.2 or so) and increase by .1 every minute until I am unable to go faster, at which point I start decreasing the same way. TM running can be fun as long as you keep switching it up and have good music but I love running outside with our dog more than anything else. Our weather should be good enough to get back outside this weekend at which point I ditch the music all together and listen to nature instead!
Run strong!!!
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BruinsGal_91 wrote: »JulieSHelms wrote: »Just to answer a few questions... running shoes: I wear a kind from New Balance that my doctor actually told me to get to deal with my plantar fasciitis. The sales guy mentioned that they were a very good running shoe, too. At the time I didn't care, but for $150 I'm hoping that qualifies. They've completely solved the PF issue, so I think it's a good fit for me.
If you're going to run for any distance regularly, you will want running shoes that you only use for running. It's okay to have the same model of shoe to run and to walk, but you want the pair you run in to be dedicated to running. This will make it easier to tell when the shoes wear out and it's time to replace them.
I have three pair of shoes (same model) in rotation for running, but that's probably overkill for someone just starting; I went to a rotation late in the training cycle for my first half marathon. I walk in a different model shoe, because I want heavier heel cushioning for walking than for running. One thing becoming a runner has done is make me fussier about my shoes, even the shoes that I don't use for running.
^This - me too. Once I find that brand/style that works, I buy them over and over. Makes shoe shopping a breeze, unless the company gets a bright idea to "improve" them. ha.
Yep. Me too. I've just bought a new pair of the original Saucony Hurricane (for an absolute steal). They're up to model #3 now, but I'm sticking with what I know.
I used to swear by Nike, then they started changing each version DRASTICALLY - to the point, the skeleton was different. I fell in love with Humara trail shoes back in the day, after 3 or 4 models/versions, I had to give up on them. I'm fairly new to Asics - right now I'm on my 2nd pair of GT 2000's. These newer ones are identical to the 2 versions earlier. So I'm happy It's like finding a perfect bra - when you do, you buy it over and over.
Ha. Cheers! TGIF!!
And to add relevance to the original topic: Keep trying shoes until you find the perfect fit. You'll know when you find them! Running shoes are a tool for running, very important, especially when starting off. Wrong shoe can = injury.1 -
I'm glad that the experiment worked so well for you. Maybe try splitting the difference for a while - 45 minutes? If your legs feel too tired at the end, then go to 30 minutes.
I also like to play with the speed and/or incline, keeping the pace easy but starting slower, then increasing .1every .25 or every mile until I am at a pace that feels moderate - still conversational, but not quite as easy. i.e. warm-up at 5.0-5.3, then a mile at 5.4, the next at 5.5, etc. Or I'll switch the pace or incline with every new song. If breathing gets hard, then back off the pace/incline. Varying the paces seems to make the time pass more quickly. I also take a while to warm up completely, but when I do I can go faster more comfortably.1
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