How Do You Not Hate Running?
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A lot of people here say that you don't have to run in order to be fit. That's only partially true.
You don't have to run in order to lose weight or to help avoid certain degenerative diseases. However, you do need to run so that you CAN when you have to... in an emergency situation, for example. When you have to rescue a child that's fallen into a pool, for example. Or when you need to escape a dangerous situation.
So you don't need it in order to trim down a bit. If you want to deal with the rigors of life though, I'd urge everyone to do a least SOME running, even if it's not the backbone of one's fitness program.
Fail2 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »Would you agree that those people are exceptional, though? The vast majority of people, even those who are otherwise fit, would not be able to complete a marathon in decent time. Relying on examples like these is foolhardy, to say the least.
I know quite a few people who don't do much running in between marathons.
When you run one every weekend you don't need to do a significant amount mid-week, giving you time for other things
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Again, it's not simply a question of being able to put one foot in front of the other. It's a question of how well you can move. An adrenaline rush can only help so much.
Can you run "effectively"? If you're lucky, you can run effectively enough to deal with the emergency at hand without preparation. Otherwise, you're screwed.
Doing other forms of cardio will help, but they're not substitute for doing the motion itself. In the same way, strengthening one's legs will help, but it's no substitute either. I've mentioned that I've met plenty of strong fellas and people with cardio endurance who can't run worth spit.
That's how I used to be. I'm still not a fantastic runner, but I've largely overcome those limitations -- in part, because I do run even though it's not something I naturally enjoy. There are things you can do to compensate for a lack of running ability, but as any athletic coach can tell you, these are poor alternatives to doing the actual motion itself.
I don't run...I primarily cycle and lift and do a little rock climbing...when my now 5 year old was 3, we were at a friends house attending a pool party. My then 3 year old was sitting on a little seat ledge in the pool and reached for a toy that was floating away and fell off the seat and went under.
I was able to get up and hurdle the patio chair in front of me and sprint to the pool and dive in and get my boy out in a matter of seconds...all without being a runner and all. My wife is a distance runner and I moved way faster than she did, nor could she hurdle the patio furniture.
I guess to be fair, I was a track and field sprinter and jumper growing up...and was at one time (briefly) ranked 3rd in the state in the 100M...but my last meet was in 1993. I was also a summer time lifeguard for a couple seasons in high school. But yeah...I haven't run in like forever and even was I was at my peak in track and field, I was never a good distance runner...just a good sprinter and jumper.
I've also had to run to catch a train or bus and haven't had any particular issues with being a non-runner.7 -
KombuchaKat wrote: »A lot of people here say that you don't have to run in order to be fit. That's only partially true.
You don't have to run in order to lose weight or to help avoid certain degenerative diseases. However, you do need to run so that you CAN when you have to... in an emergency situation, for example. When you have to rescue a child that's fallen into a pool, for example. Or when you need to escape a dangerous situation.
So you don't need it in order to trim down a bit. If you want to deal with the rigors of life though, I'd urge everyone to do a least SOME running, even if it's not the backbone of one's fitness program.
Fail
I think it's far more apt to say that having some level of cardiovascular fitness makes completing daily tasks like walking distances, climbing stairs, carrying groceries more manageable and can crossover into other fitness pursuits. It doesn't need to be running and you don't need to exercise to lose weight.6 -
rheddmobile wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »A lot of people here say that you don't have to run in order to be fit. That's only partially true.
M
You don't have to run in order to lose weight or to help avoid certain degenerative diseases. However, you do need to run so that you CAN when you have to... in an emergency situation, for example. When you have to rescue a child that's fallen into a pool, for example. Or when you need to escape a dangerous situation.
So you don't need it in order to trim down a bit. If you want to deal with the rigors of life though, I'd urge everyone to do a least SOME running, even if it's not the backbone of one's fitness program.
I can't believe you would have to be a runner v. someone who, say, incorporates aerobics and has some strength in order to get several yards to a swimming pool to save a child. Or to run out of an alley.
Can you run toward a pool even if you're not a runner? Sure. Can you do so in time to save the child's life? Maybe, maybe not. Being properly conditioned for running makes all the difference.
"But it's only a few yards!" you say. Sure... if you're lucky. Personally, I'm not going to be a child's life on being close enough to handle such emergencies without preparation.
The same principle applies when it comes to running out of a burning building or away from an active shooter. Can someone who never runs "run" in a situation like that? Of course. Can they do so well enough to save their lives -- or to save someone else?
Or if you have to catch a bus. Or a train. Heck, I was once in a situation where I had to pick a stranger's luggage up and dash toward a gate just so she could meet her connecting flight. If I hadn't been properly conditioned, there's a good chance that she would never have made it.
I stand by what I said. There are situations where you have to run -- and I don't just mean putting one foot in front of the other in a running motion.
I don't think anyone is arguing that it isn't important to be fit. My specific skepticism is that someone who regularly runs in a way associated with endurance exercise is more likely to be able to sprint to rescue someone or evade an active shooter as opposed to another fit person who has selected a different form of cardiovascular exercise.
First, I was talking about running, not necessarily endurance exercise. Sprinting is an example of running, for example. Not all running involves long distances.
Second, someone who either sprints or does distance running will still be better at running that someone who merely walks or does Zumba. You can be skeptical all you want, but running makes one better at running.
Tell ya what. If you can convince me that someone who doesn't run can get out of a burning building as someone who does incorporate running into his or her fitness program, then I will gladly concede this point. How would you go about defending such a position?
What the hell kind of super sonic hearing do you have that you (alone) are going to hear a child's head bob under pool water from a quarter mile away?
What if you're on the second floor of a house and, looking out the window, you see the child fall into the pool? Or, to use a scenario that was discussed here recently, what if you're indoors and you see a child dart into the street? You don't need to be a quarter mile away to require running quickly, and none of these scenarios require superhuman hearing.
Good grief. When people need to resort to such exaggerations to make their point, that speaks volumes.
If you're inside the house, unless you are Lestat or Louis (or Superman) you are not getting to that darting child before the car hits. I don't care how fastly-effective a runner you are. Idea: how about using YOUR VOICE in that situation? Just a thought.
And exactly how far away is the car in this scenario that I painted? Look very closely.
Oh, that's right. I didn't say that the car was mere moments away from colliding with the child. In fact, I said nothing about a car at all. All I said was that the child had just darted into the street -- a place where the child could be hit by an oncoming vehicle. A responsible adult would want to retrieve the child ASAP instead of saying, "Oh, well. I'm not Superman. May as well not bother."
I've been pointing out situations wherein, due to an emergency, one would want to run as quickly as possible. After all, functional fitness is all about dealing with everyday scenarios and the occasional emergency. You keep exaggerating the scenarios, though-- distorting them into situations that require superhuman hearing and superspeed. I think we both know that this isn't a logical way to make one's point.
Saying, "I do hula hooping and other kinds of cardio. I'll do fine" is tremendously naive. So is saying "I'm just gonna rely on adrenaline. That'll be enough." If you're lucky, this will be adequate, but that's a pretty big IF.
I've lived almost half a century, and so has my husband. We know a fairly large variety of people. I have never been in or known anyone who has ever been in a situation where the difference between running like an ordinary fit person who doesn't practice running and a person who practices running would be critical.
I can personally think of several situations wherein being able to run HAS been helpful. These situations aren't hard to imagine. I related the story of helping a woman catch her flight because I was able to carry her luggage while running through an airport, for example. And more recently, after getting lost in the woods, I was able to escape just before total darkness set in-- again, because I had practiced my running. In the latter case, having proper running for was critical, especially in the cold weather.There's an article on one of the runner forums about a lady who does marathons and has never trained as a runner. She's just fit and does other things. Which makes her able to run a marathon in a respectable time.
I'd say you are the exceptional one, in persisting in the belief that specifically training in running, as opposed to any other cardio program with similar benefits, is essential, despite universal opposition.7 -
As others have repeated, provided you don't had an impairing disability you don't have to be a "trained" runner to "run" when you need to do so. Will you be able to run a marathon? Probably, not, few can. Will you need you to do so. Certainly not.
In an emergency, you just need to be able to sprint for the few secs or a maybe minute to get to safety. Most people can do that as long as they know where the threat is coming from.
I'm sure there were a at least a few really FAST runners in Las Vegas when the shooter opened fire on the crowd but no one can outrun a bullet, especially if they don't know where it's coming from.
There were a lot of slow untrained runners who were able to find cover out of the line of fire. So, being a "runner" probably had little to do w/the the chances of survival that day. Location on the grounds probably had more to do with it than that.
Also, FWIW, as I said b4, I hate running and have no interest in ever running again. However, that doesn't mean that I can't run. I just choose not to do so.
I'm 67 now. The last time I had to run was in the police academy when I was 46. I was old for a cadet but I could still run faster than 1/2 of my class of 40 people made up mainly on 20-30 yr olds.
I am in as good, if not better shape now, than I was then, and I think I'd still do well overall in comparison w/other people 20 yrs younger than me and would still expect to end up in the midde of the group, which wouldn't be bad for an old man surrounded by 40 yr olds.
LOL!4 -
As others have repeated, provided you don't had an impairing disability you don't have to be a "trained" runner to "run" when you need to do so. Will you be able to run a marathon? Probably, not, few can. Will you need you to do so. Certainly not.
In an emergency, you just need to be able to sprint for the few secs or a maybe minute to get to safety. Most people can do that as long as they know where the threat is coming from.
I'm sure there were a at least a few really FAST runners in Las Vegas when the shooter opened fire on the crowd but no one can outrun a bullet, especially if they don't know where it's coming from.
There were a lot of slow untrained runners who were able to find cover out of the line of fire. So, being a "runner" probably had little to do w/the the chances of survival that day. Location on the grounds probably had more to do with it than that.
Also, FWIW, as I said b4, I hate running and have no interest in ever running again. However, that doesn't mean that I can't run. I just choose not to do so.
I'm 67 now. The last time I had to run was in the police academy when I was 46. I was old for a cadet but I could still run faster than 1/2 of my class of 40 people made up mainly on 20-30 yr olds.
I am in as good, if not better shape now, than I was then, and I think I'd still do well overall in comparison w/other people 20 yrs younger than me and would still expect to end up in the midde of the group, which wouldn't be bad for an old man surrounded by 40 yr olds.
LOL!
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Dup post deleted.0
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A good ol' fashioned internet pissing match. What fun. What started out as a nice thread with folks offering good advice to someone wanting a little help not only with running, but wanting to run turned into ridiculous arguments and scenarios.
@MISSNYA92 you got some good input in the first page page of this thread. There may have been some good stuff in after that but it might be hard to find. I do hope you give running a chance using some of the good advice here. I used to absolutely hate running less 3 years ago (at 48 and 50 pounds overweight) but an odd turn of events have turned me into a runner and I'm now training for my second ultramarathon. Unlike what someone said in the first page, it IS very possible to love the actual running part, not just the feeling you get afterwards (which is also awesome).
Start slow and short and gradually work your way into it. Walking is an AWESOME way to start building your fitness and stamina on the way to running as long as you raise your heart rate. My first time ever running was when I completed a 5K, running the whole thing. I never ran before that but did do 2 months of power walking. That was a rush I'll never forget!10 -
I'll provide a slightly different perspective than the previous posters who hate running.
I used to run 50 to 60 miles a week before I overdid if for about a year straight (chasing a PR in a very stupid way) and messed up my knees. Now I mostly do other things for cardio fitness and really only run for fun when my knees are feeling good.
My experience was that once you get fit enough to run without it being a huge effort (i.e. for easy runs to be about the same effort as brisk hiking), it's a wonderful way to spend time in the outdoors. Every year when I go to visit my dad I run in the mountains around his house near the Appalachian Trail. I love it around Christmas because there is often a dusting of new fallen snow and it's beautiful. I've run in cloud forest in Central America, pine forest in Canada, desert in Egypt and once in South Africa where I rounded a corner and came upon a family of giraffes. I've seen the tourist sites of Boston and London, and in my home city of Washington DC I've found dirt trails that let me run through woods out of site of cars for mile after mile right in the heart of the city.
You don't HAVE to run to look the way you want, but if you feel like doing the training to get to the point that running is fairly effortless, it can be really fun.10 -
There's definitely the starter stuff. Get good shoes, start slow, nobody really cares what you look like, etc.
But to really enjoy running I need distractions. I listen to a lot of stuff on my iPhone - music and podcasts. And I get out for a trail run whenever I can. For some reason when I'm jumping over trees I barely think about running.2 -
I also enjoy hiking, and especially going for long hilly, mountainous hikes with great views.
...
About a month ago, I took up running.
But by being a runner, I can easily pump out 20-30 mile days in the mountains . it's really effective cross training!
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I'm a swimmer.1
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People here keep missing the point.
Can someone who never runs at all in an emergency? Sure, but that's never been in dispute. The question is whether this person can run well enough to deal with that emergency -- to save her own life, for example. People are saying that they'll rely on adrenaline and the cardio conditioning that they get from stuff like hula hooping. That's basically whistling in the dark -- rolling the dice and hoping that they get lucky.
People are also saying, "But these situations haven't happened to me yet!" Good for you. That's the nature of an emergency, though. These are situations that aren't extremely common, but for which it's good to be prepared.
Besides which, it's not just about strength or cardio conditioning. As a personal trainer pointed out to me last night, it's also about training the neural pathways to function efficiently, which is especially important in an emergency. This is why runners do form drills-- to help the muscle memory kick in when it's needed.
Almost everyone has some basic running abilityt. Also, adrenaline, cardio conditioning, and so forth can help, but only so much. Would these be good enough to deal with emergency situations? Only if you're lucky, which is why incorporating at least some running into one's fitness routine is important for well-rounded functional fitness.3 -
I don’t know. Running sucks. I’ve tried getting into it several times and always give up because I hate it. There are other forms of exercise.0
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People here keep missing the point.
Can someone who never runs at all in an emergency? Sure, but that's never been in dispute. The question is whether this person can run well enough to deal with that emergency -- to save her own life, for example. People are saying that they'll rely on adrenaline and the cardio conditioning that they get from stuff like hula hooping. That's basically whistling in the dark -- rolling the dice and hoping that they get lucky.
People are also saying, "But these situations haven't happened to me yet!" Good for you. That's the nature of an emergency, though. These are situations that aren't extremely common, but for which it's good to be prepared.
Besides which, it's not just about strength or cardio conditioning. As a personal trainer pointed out to me last night, it's also about training the neural pathways to function efficiently, which is especially important in an emergency. This is why runners do form drills-- to help the muscle memory kick in when it's needed.
Almost everyone has some basic running abilityt. Also, adrenaline, cardio conditioning, and so forth can help, but only so much. Would these be good enough to deal with emergency situations? Only if you're lucky, which is why incorporating at least some running into one's fitness routine is important for well-rounded functional fitness.
I'm calling baloney on this. For most emergencies, running is a minor part of dealing with the situation. Running will be less important than balance, flexibility, and coordination. Parkour will probably be about the most useful training program (outside of something designed specifically for emergency response). Someone who gets their cardiovascular fitness from running will not have any significant advantage over someone who gets their cardio from, say, Zumba.4 -
For the OP - this song. I used to hate running, and now I don't.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSavwX4C240
I still dislike running. But this song is what got me away from HATING running. It actually makes me WANT to run, and it's helped me improve my pace and my endurance. And it's short enough that I know I can run to the break, speeding up a little bit about every 30 seconds (supported by shifts in the music), and it gives me a little cool-down at the end.
And who knows, if I keep it up, maybe I'll continue to dislike running less and less, until I don't dislike it any more.0 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Make sure you can comfortably walk for 30 mins to an hour
ditto on this. Running is hard; walking is comparatively extremely easy, so I would agree that you should make sure that walking for significant lengths of time at a decent pace is easy before trying to run.
Go easy at first.. A lot of people need to go slower than even C25K - either starting with much more walking with very short bits of running before working on their week #1 and/or repeating weeks. Also-your body will need to adjust to it. Don't go too long or too frequently when starting out - this can lead to injury.
Find somewhere you enjoy (or a new somewhere every day) if you get bored easily. New sites to explore while running makes it much less tedious. (Not inconvenient if you run after work and drive since you will already be in the car heading from work to home and can just take a detour). There are sites like ridewithgps.com where you can pre-plan a route of known distance. Also, pick some music that makes you want to run (unless you prefer running without- some people do) and/or within a certain bpm range that will encourage you to keep to a cadence that isn't either too slow or too fast (Spotify has some playlists for this).
Strength training will be helpful to the running. Stronger arms and legs will result in less fatigue while running. (weak quads= legs will feel like noodles early on in a run; weak arms = lower cadence thus lower speed (less of a concern starting out); weak hamstrings=difficulty on uphills and more prone to injury,..). Meanwhile, the extra aerobic endurance you develop running (and I have come across nothing I can do locally that taxes it as much even when I'm going slow/'easy' .. mountain climbing requires travel and cycling is only this intensive if I'm really pushing the speed or drive out to the hills) will help you in pretty much everything else (climbing stairs, hiking,..).
On the running-saving lives thing (totally off topic anyway)... Agility factors more than running endurance in many of these scenarios (so the Zumba-ers might actually have the advantage there). And strength, swimming ability will be more important than running speed for that kid. Whether you are physically capable of pulling him up and out (while maintaining balance and not falling in yourself)(so bent-over-row & deadlift ability here) or hold him afloat if you have to swim to him (swimming skill) will matter more than a few seconds of sprinting speed (which most people can manage whether runners or not).
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People here keep missing the point.
Can someone who never runs at all in an emergency? Sure, but that's never been in dispute. The question is whether this person can run well enough to deal with that emergency -- to save her own life, for example. People are saying that they'll rely on adrenaline and the cardio conditioning that they get from stuff like hula hooping. That's basically whistling in the dark -- rolling the dice and hoping that they get lucky.
People are also saying, "But these situations haven't happened to me yet!" Good for you. That's the nature of an emergency, though. These are situations that aren't extremely common, but for which it's good to be prepared.
Besides which, it's not just about strength or cardio conditioning. As a personal trainer pointed out to me last night, it's also about training the neural pathways to function efficiently, which is especially important in an emergency. This is why runners do form drills-- to help the muscle memory kick in when it's needed.
Almost everyone has some basic running abilityt. Also, adrenaline, cardio conditioning, and so forth can help, but only so much. Would these be good enough to deal with emergency situations? Only if you're lucky, which is why incorporating at least some running into one's fitness routine is important for well-rounded functional fitness.
Oh, I thought the point was: the OP literally HATES running, she even leads the thread with that, plus she has asthma so hey, should she get out and running? If so...how? If not, how can she get lean and healthy in some other fashion?
And that has been answered (pretty well, IMO).
So...you're welcome, and merry Christmas!4 -
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People here keep missing the point.
Can someone who never runs at all in an emergency? Sure, but that's never been in dispute. The question is whether this person can run well enough to deal with that emergency -- to save her own life, for example. People are saying that they'll rely on adrenaline and the cardio conditioning that they get from stuff like hula hooping. That's basically whistling in the dark -- rolling the dice and hoping that they get lucky.
People are also saying, "But these situations haven't happened to me yet!" Good for you. That's the nature of an emergency, though. These are situations that aren't extremely common, but for which it's good to be prepared.
Besides which, it's not just about strength or cardio conditioning. As a personal trainer pointed out to me last night, it's also about training the neural pathways to function efficiently, which is especially important in an emergency. This is why runners do form drills-- to help the muscle memory kick in when it's needed.
Almost everyone has some basic running abilityt. Also, adrenaline, cardio conditioning, and so forth can help, but only so much. Would these be good enough to deal with emergency situations? Only if you're lucky, which is why incorporating at least some running into one's fitness routine is important for well-rounded functional fitness.
Oh, I thought the point was: the OP literally HATES running, she even leads the thread with that, plus she has asthma so hey, should she get out and running? If so...how? If not, how can she get lean and healthy in some other fashion?
I'm absolutely certain that you know this. Previously, I pointed out that you keep exaggerating the scenarios that I posited, depicting them as situations wherein superhuman abilities would be required. Now you're acting as though you don't know which issue I was addressing. I think you know better than that.
As for the claim "balance, flexibility, and coordination" are more important, common sense dictates that this depends on the nature of an emergency. Balance and flexibility aren't going to count for much when you're rushing to catch a train, or when you need to escape from an active shooter. And even if they do count for more, that doesn't mean that you may as well dispense with running preparation. Functional fitness involves multiple variables, after all, as any sensible person knows.
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People here keep missing the point.
Can someone who never runs at all in an emergency? Sure, but that's never been in dispute. The question is whether this person can run well enough to deal with that emergency -- to save her own life, for example. People are saying that they'll rely on adrenaline and the cardio conditioning that they get from stuff like hula hooping. That's basically whistling in the dark -- rolling the dice and hoping that they get lucky.
People are also saying, "But these situations haven't happened to me yet!" Good for you. That's the nature of an emergency, though. These are situations that aren't extremely common, but for which it's good to be prepared.
Besides which, it's not just about strength or cardio conditioning. As a personal trainer pointed out to me last night, it's also about training the neural pathways to function efficiently, which is especially important in an emergency. This is why runners do form drills-- to help the muscle memory kick in when it's needed.
Almost everyone has some basic running abilityt. Also, adrenaline, cardio conditioning, and so forth can help, but only so much. Would these be good enough to deal with emergency situations? Only if you're lucky, which is why incorporating at least some running into one's fitness routine is important for well-rounded functional fitness.
Oh, I thought the point was: the OP literally HATES running, she even leads the thread with that, plus she has asthma so hey, should she get out and running? If so...how? If not, how can she get lean and healthy in some other fashion?
I'm absolutely certain that you know this. Previously, I pointed out that you keep exaggerating the scenarios that I posited, depicting them as situations wherein superhuman abilities would be required. Now you're acting as though you don't know which issue I was addressing. I think you know better than that.
As for the claim "balance, flexibility, and coordination" are more important, common sense dictates that this depends on the nature of an emergency. Balance and flexibility aren't going to count for much when you're rushing to catch a train, or when you need to escape from an active shooter. And even if they do count for more, that doesn't mean that you may as well dispense with running preparation. Functional fitness involves multiple variables, after all, as any sensible person knows.
For heaven's sake, need a hug?
I know what you posited and it has pretty much hands down been debunked. By everybody.
Again, no. All this had nothing to do with helping the OP, help (actual help) has already been given.
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Tried to read these threads they totally lost me2
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I am in a similar situation yet I can now run 10k.bMy gym teacher would be so proud now.
I first had my heart and lungs checked by a specialist. As my asthma is in part intensity induced and used to feel (when unfit) as if my heart was going to collapse I was literally scared to get started. So I wanted an all clear that the problem was my lungs only and they simply needed to get stronger.
I then looked at C25k and did that more or less at half speed of that schedule. I was diligent with my meds and made sure I had had used my inhaler about 15 minutes before I started. Always I took frequency over speed and distance So I'd rather do 3-4 times a week a short distance than 2 times longer.
Now a year after I started I can run 10K. I do not need my inhaler anymore (still on antihistamine pills daily though). Though still not a fast runner I am very happy with my progress and love running.2 -
Find what works for you. I get bored easily, so I like doing a variety of things and have running as backup if I don't have anything else to do that day.[/quote]
I do a variety of workouts. Running is not my forte but I do have a good pair (gait analysis approved) that I use on vacation and when running seems the most convenient exercise for certain days.
I'm a firm believer in incorporating strength, cardio and Pilates/yoga for effective overall fitness.2
This discussion has been closed.
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