Transitioning to Running

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lilharumaki
lilharumaki Posts: 112 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was wondering if anyone had some advice about starting running! I am a martial artist and generally get my workouts in by punching, kicking, and moving around a ring.

However, I thought maybe I should start running to improve my fighting stamina! But I have asthma and a lot of times I try to start running too fast too quickly and I get blue lips and have to stop and take my inhaler. Any advice on how to ease into it?

Also is it true that your athletic performance really decreases after 25? I’m 25 next month... am I really already over the hill... already dreading the fact I am halfway to 30 lol.

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  • lilharumaki
    lilharumaki Posts: 112 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    Try couch 2 5k. It works. Slow down.

    Thanks! Downloaded right now.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,676 Member
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    You may want to start with brisk walking, then do C25k. Keep your running portions slow and easy. If your asthma is a problem, talk to your doctor. I know several people with asthma who run marathons, but it takes some time to adjust.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
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    Definitely start slow. Turtle slow. You want to be able to stay at a conversational pace, which can be hard if you’re just getting started (I used to struggle even in the early days/weeks of C25K and had to repeat a couple). I have heard some people say they can power walm faster than their slow jog.
  • GummiMundi
    GummiMundi Posts: 396 Member
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    C25K is a great way to start running. Like the previous posters said, start slow.

    As for your age... well, I started running two and a half months ago. I'm 48. ;) I'm not in it for the athletic performance, I'm in it for me.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
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    25 is not over the hill, trust me! I restarted with running at 34 after some health scares and am in better shape now than I was in my 20’s, there is no doubt in my mind! Actually, I venture to say aside from college soccer training, I am probably in the best shape of my life (cardiovascularly that is, after 4 children I know my body will never be the same :lol: ).
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,676 Member
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    One nice thing about running is that if you decide to race, your competition is mostly within age groups. So at 30 you'll be competing mostly with other 30-35 year olds (unless you're really fast and hope to win the race outright.) One of the things that got me involved in racing was when I discovered that I could win my age group of 55-60 year olds, even though I thought I was a slow runner. I came in second in my age group at my first half marathon, and again in my first marathon. I might be middle of the pack, but I can still take home a prize. I was also able to qualify to run Boston, because I was older and the requirements are different for different age groups.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    lilmakiroll wrote: »
    Also is it true that your athletic performance really decreases after 25? I’m 25 next month... am I really already over the hill... already dreading the fact I am halfway to 30 lol.

    Your potential maximal athletic performance declines with age - but very, very few people actually get close to their maximal performance in their 20's or any other decade. Even those few who do hit their peaks can strongly influence how slowly their decline happens right into later life by how they train.

    I didn't hit my cardio endurance peak until my 50's because I had always been focussed on shorter duration stop/start sports up to then so never got close to my endurance potential until I seriously trained for it. Had I been a serious cyclist as a young man I'm sure I wouldn't have set a Century ride PR at age 59!

    Really depends how you define and apply "athletic performance". Strength and endurance peaks are commonly hit later in life (and later than 25), speed and explosive power may be earlier. During my lifetime it's very marked that as sports science has improved professional and recreational sportsmen and women are now having longer careers at elite level and participation at ages my parent's generation would never have aspired to.
  • lilharumaki
    lilharumaki Posts: 112 Member
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    Thank you so much for the advice, everyone! I appreciate it and I’m going to take your advice for sure!
  • Jenpiddles
    Jenpiddles Posts: 44 Member
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    Another vote for C25k! It's a great program! Another tip: take your inhaler pre-run to prevent any asthma flare ups for now. Go slower than you think you need to, and never run through pain! Get fitted for a good paid of running shoes as well! Pricey but worth it.
  • lilharumaki
    lilharumaki Posts: 112 Member
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    WitePhantom wrote: »
    Hi! I’m a martial artist as well, and a runner. (Ten years of karate and five in TKD.) I actually started running when I was 29 because I move away from my dojo and couldn’t find a new one.

    First of all, as a martial artist you know how to breathe as you move. That will help you a lot. But when people say “start slow,” they mean it. It feels like you’re barely going faster than you would be walking, at first.

    Second, while C25K is good and I’ve used it over and over, it may not work exactly as written for everyone. If you’re running on hills, you may not be able to progress as fast as it thinks you should. Remember that it’s ok to stop and walk while you catch your breath, then start running again. Also, you should have a day off between runs when you’re starting out or you’ll injure yourself, and if you need to repeat a level a few times, that’s ok. Weather, what you ate, and how much sleep you got will affect you more running than it ever did in MA, so learn to listen to your body. For me, if I don’t run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, my runs are awful. I don’t know why. Figure out what works for you.

    Thank you, awesome advice!! Nice to meet a fellow martial artist! ^^
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
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    I tried C25K and then learned I have really bad knees. Going to try to lose some weight first and build some muscle and then see if it’s any easier on my knees.
  • BruceHedtke
    BruceHedtke Posts: 358 Member
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    C25K is a great program to build your endurance and cardio. Once you are able to run a 5k, you can also download a C210K app and keep going.

    Another thing I found useful was to download an interval app. Most interval apps should be customizable so that you can set up your workout however you want (intervals of sprinting followed by walking for however many sets you want to do). Interval apps are more for fast burst exercising, so they won't help much with endurance but they do get your heart rate up quickly.

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