Running

I started the same way. I could only run a few feet at first but, just kept walking and added running a little further each time. Little by little, I got stronger and the past 2 weekends have been able to run over 3 miles straight thru. It just takes a while to build up but, if I can do it...anyone can!

It takes tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime. But if I can do it, I truly believe that anyone can! Good luck!

Ditto everyone else. I used to run back in high school/college, but gave it up when I got married. Now am trying to get back into it. C25K is the BEST way to do it. It takes you very slow but by the end of 9-10 weeks you will be running 3.2 miles! :-)

Good luck, keep us posted, would love to encourage you on if you need.

I started C25K in July and will be running my first 5K in 3 weeks :-)

I was never athletic, if you told me 3 months ago I'll be ENJOYING running, I'd laugh at you. And yet, here I am, loving it and running almost every day. You can do it!

I have been doing the Couch 2 5K for four weeks now and I would highly recommend it. I had never run before I started and the first day I felt like I would never be able to run farther than the 60 seconds. It's still hard but I keep adding time each week. Next week I will be doing 8 minute run segments. I have the app for my iphone and it tells me when to alternate running and walking.

Binka,

Slow and steady does the trick. If you try to rush it, you will injure yourself (shin splints etc..) or you will get so frustrated that you will get turned off from running altogether. I run 5k about 4 times a week, but it took a lot of building up (over months). My three recommendations are;

1) Couch25k - my sister is doing it now and LOVES it
2) Find some really good fast paced music and mix up your music often. You can google search running music. I prefer techno/dance/hiphop so I google those words + running music. There are many lists of suggested songs. The music is what keeps me going.
3) Get a really good pair of lightweight running shoes. I'm an Asics fan myself, but it depends on your foot structure. Take the time to try on a lot of shoes and like I said, lightweight is key!

Good luck!!
Monique

Take it slow at the beginning and work your way into running from walking. I started running on July 4 of this year and for the first four weeks I did walk/jog interval training in which I alternated jogging and walking over a set distance. Each week I would walk progressively less and run progressively more. It took me the noted four weeks before I was able to run 2 or 3 miles without stopping or walking. I recently ran my first 5K and will be running in a 7.8 mile trail run on my official 90th day of running. It was rough the first couple of weeks, but if you are patient and don't push too hard too fast you will see positive progress.

My other advice would be to make sure you have proper shoes (they make a huge difference) and make sure to stretch at least after each run if not before as well. (There are mixed opinions on this. Many folks will tell you not to stretch before; I can't run if I don't stretch before.) I post regularly to my friends about my training and progress, as I've really fallen in love with running, so feel free to send a friend request if you're looking for support from a novice runner who's picking up steam!

Edit: I am not a C25K devotee...do not care for the structure of the program or its reliance on electronic devices. (Many get good results so I'm not knocking it per say...) There are good BOOKS out there too. I used the New York Road Runner Club's guide to develop my training program.

I also started working the couch to 5K program. I found that at week 5 when I switched from using the times listed to using the distances listed, it was too much of a challenge for me, so I'm kind of doing my own thing now. I think the biggest thing to remember is be patient with yourself. You're not going to be a runner overnight and that's ok, but you will make progress and you SHOULD be proud of it!

Also, a friend told me when I started running that the first 5-10min of running straight through will always suck because your body is switching from aerobic to anaerobic respiration (or maybe I have that backwards, but it is switching). Therefore, while using the intervals to build stamina is important, the intervals are probably always going to suck until you get into a groove and a longer running time. At least I found that to be true. Now I can run 1.5miles straight through and I find that I DO actually zone out and get the "runner's high." This is something that I thought would never happen for me. I have tried running several times before and I always quit because I didn't like it, but I stuck with it this time and I love it!

Make a decision. Set a goal. Stick with it! It took me 2 months to get up to running 1.5 miles. And I don't run fast. I run at 4.6mph on the treadmill which is a bout a 13min mile. Just because your progress may not be fast, doesn't mean it's not progress

Feel free to add me if you want!

sounds like you need to slow down! i am a big girl, and started the c25k about a month ago, start slow, build up.. and get good running shoes!