Running Problems

So I am trying to restart my weight loss journey and I'm coming up against the same issue time and time again and I'm wondering if anyone could suggest ideas as to what the issue might be.

If I am swimming or cycling I can do hour long stretches and be fine at the end of it all, unfortunately due to the pandemic pools are closed and my cycle path is over-run with erm... runners and walkers. So I tried to join them, but I run out of breath minutes in and I am out of breath for a long time afterwards. Put it this way, I finished my run at 2.15pm and Im still slightly short of breath now at 3.45pm.

My route was about 1.65km and I jogged about 95% in about 15 minutes, but my joints were aching by the end of it, I was struggling to breathe and I had an excess of phlegm that took about 20 minutes to disappear totally.

In terms of size and weight, I'm just under 18 stone, but I dont look that big (I look overweight, but people are constantly surprised when I tell them how much I actually weigh). I was diagnosed with asthma years ago, but that was after a severe bout of flu, and as I say this only affects me when running, usually I have no problems and I work in a fairly labour intensive job.

Whenever I try running I usually give up after the first try, because I hate it anyway. But I don't want to this time. I don't know if it's just because it's the first time I've been out in about a year or if it's something like "exercise induced asthma". Obviously I'm not asking for a diagnosis, but a pointer as to whether I should talk to a doctor or whether it's normal when starting out would be nice to know.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
    Some thoughts as I'm also trying to get back into shape for running.
    It may feel embarrassingly slow, but build up into your old routine, and it may help if your course is longer than 1.6km
    • Use a HR monitor
    • Do a fast walk the first day+, I was surprised at how much a fast walk can get the heart rate up, without stressing joints with all the extra weight I'm carrying now.
    • Then introduce intervals of jogging, walking, jogging for defined times or distances (HR monitor very handy here)
    • With the HR monitor, you can safely build into a full jog/run of your distance. It also allows you to monitor your recovery time
    Heart rate recovery ( HRR ) is commonly defined as the decrease of heart rate at 1 minute after cessation of exercise and is an important predictor of all‐cause mortality and death associated with coronary artery disease
    https://www.verywellfit.com/what-is-recovery-heart-rate-3495557
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    No need to use a HR monitor. It will only confuse you as you won't know what your maximum heartrate is. Go with how you feel. Run at such a pace that you can still kind of talk. If you can't then you're too fast. Thus slow down. You'll get faster in time. It's also possible that you have mild exercise asthma, which might pop up from breathing too hard. Thus again the advice here is to slow down. Also to warm up beforehand and not go full power. Give your lungs time to adjust, and time to get used to the running.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 702 Member
    Slow down, walk when you need to. Trying to go all out is a good way to hurt yourself.

    Running is different, and being a swimmer and cyclist doesn't mean it will be easy. Also remember you have probably lost some condition because of lock down, I certainly have.

    I run regularly and like to swim. Although I've kept up the running the first few times I can get back in the pool will be hard.
    I will have to slow down, stop sometimes, and build up. Same rules apply.
  • vanmep
    vanmep Posts: 410 Member
    I have asthma and that’s what it sounds like to me. Running is harder work than biking so maybe that’s why? Do you have a rescue inhaler you could use before you run? Obv consult your doc first.
  • Porochaz
    Porochaz Posts: 2 Member
    I dont, as I say I got diagnosed straight after a bad flu and have never had a need to use an inhaler so kind of just forgot about it.

    In terms of slowing down, I feel like if I slow down any further I might as well just walk tbh. But I've been doing that regularly and dont feel better for it.
  • bubus05
    bubus05 Posts: 121 Member
    That is just the way it is, at 19 st I was able to ride my bike 50 miles but not run one single mile. 19 st or 18 is a lot of weight to carry, simply too much for your joints not to mention your heart. You will need to lose some weight
    before you can actually enjoy a run. If bike is not possible I would try walking.
  • xbowhunter
    xbowhunter Posts: 1,256 Member
    Couch to 5k. Why? because it works! :)
  • lhcp12
    lhcp12 Posts: 11 Member
    Slow down and slowly work to build up speed. Despite what it feels like, my slow jog is still faster than a walk and I can maintain for 5K. When I speed up, I can't maintain the pace without becoming winded. I vary my runs between working on distance and working on increasing my pace, I currently can't do both together but I will get there. So I guess the question is, what is your goal? Running for a specific amount of time or running at a specific pace?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Swimming, walking and cycling are all easier to moderate down your intensity level to match a low fitness level than running. Especially if you are someone like me who has always struggled to run slowly - it just feels lumpen, awkward and jarring. To run any significant distance I've always had to either do run / walk intervals or simply build my fitness with other cardio so that I can run at a pace that feels natural, smooth and light on my feet.

    Would suggest either cycle somewhere else or simply walk briskly for now. C25K is also a good suggestion to build your fitness progressively. You are trying too much, too soon.
  • jennypapage
    jennypapage Posts: 489 Member
    When i first started i couldn't run for 3' straight. 4 years ago with c25k i went from never having run in my life to running 20k (about 2h non stop). I had to stop because of an injury and i just recently restarted with c25k again. 6 weeks on i can run for 25' straight. So i definitely suggest it. You'll be less prone to injuries as well cause it helps you to build up your stamina slowly.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Porochaz wrote: »
    I dont, as I say I got diagnosed straight after a bad flu and have never had a need to use an inhaler so kind of just forgot about it.

    In terms of slowing down, I feel like if I slow down any further I might as well just walk tbh. But I've been doing that regularly and dont feel better for it.

    It's fine to walk if you prefer that type of exercise, but you can always slow down your run. And you SHOULD if your current pace is leaving you feeling exhausted. You slow down NOW so you can run faster once your fitness increases. It's how you get to that level.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    briscogun wrote: »
    Lots of good advice above. I've started and stopped running a half-dozen times, and yes it is hard when you first start back up again and get back into it. Even when I'm "up and running" and do 3 miles at a time, it takes me like a full mile to actually catch my breath and get my breathing right.

    C25K will be your best friend. You'd be surprised how quickly you will get up to speed, so to speak. And I will echo a lot of the other comments about going slow. It's not a race, there's no clock on this thing. Slow and steady. Speed comes later.

    It's true, you should never judge a run by the first mile. Even when you're used to running, it can feel weird.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,745 Member
    A quote I take to heart, "The first mile is a lie." In my case, it usually takes about 2 miles to get warmed up, so I always give myself at least that much distance to decide whether I want to extend my run or not. I almost always do.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    Working up slowly is key. Walking a full mile before breaking into a run would be a good idea. Alternating walk/run intervals is great. C25K is a method where you work up through an increasing series of interval workouts to get to the full run. (I used the ZenLabs app several years ago and I'm still at it. It really took me nearly a year to be able to run a 5k comfortably. Now I can run up to 10k or more.)

    But: in terms of fitness, you never need to get to a sustained running pace. Fast walking or run/walk intervals are fine. Check out the book Run-Walk-Run.
  • barefootbridgey
    barefootbridgey Posts: 81 Member
    i have always found running to be a much bigger head game than other forms of exercise. I lost 50 lbs in my early thirties and took up running. I trained and ran a half marathan, 2 10.5 mile Tough Mudders and was running about 5 day a week, 4-13 miles each run. I had never run before, I had never really even exercised before, and what I learned from running is that (for me) after I run the first 2 miles/20 minutes (depending on the day) I feel a millino times better and could run forever...,butt hat first chunk was ALWAYS miserable - and i don't mean that I just hated it, it lit literally felt like my legs and lungs were going to give out. I could easily do an hour+ of a high intensity fitness class and be fine, but that first chunk of running was awful. And anytime I run on a treadmill it's awful.

    I went through some life garbage, got divorced, had a baby, etc etc and gained back all of the weight I had lost and hadn't run in years and started back up - same thing. For me, i HAVE to keep in mind that after i make it past the first bit where I feel like I'm gong to die, it wil be better. I have to have the right music. I have to run on an empty stomach. I have to wear the right socks and pants, etc etc. I'm not nearly as rigid about other forms of exercise, but running is it's own beast and eveyrthing has to be just right. So. Check you head, because it might not be as hard as you fee like it is.

    But also I second the walk/jog suggestions.
  • Onedaywriter
    Onedaywriter Posts: 326 Member
    Try to shoot for time moving as a goal for now, rather than a distance. As a goal-walk/run or run slooow- enough to keep moving for half hour. Maybe run for 30 seconds and walk for a minute or two or something like that- or jog slowly for a little longer. It will build quickly.
    At about 22 stone I couldn’t run a full 400 meters without walking. At 14.5 stone I run 10k(very slowly) routinely. At about a fifty lb (3.5 stone) weight loss, a coach had me hold two dumbells equaling that weight and walk/run to my car (about 200 m) It was HARD! But it made me realize how carrying that weight affected everything I did.