What do I need to know about jogging?

Don't scrimp on your shoes. Get fitted at a running shoe store. Best investment you will make.

do a google search for c25k and theres a site that gives you a program to go by. it breaks it down for you so you dont do too much too soon. its supposed to help you reach the 25k within 9 weeks. if you cant find it i can try and find it and send you the link.

What do you need to know?............it's addictive. enjoy.
I'd never run ever until 3 years ago, i now can't stop!!

Don't scrimp on your shoes. Get fitted at a running shoe store. Best investment you will make.

BUMP THIS
One foot in front of the other.

You are going to do great. I started at 5'4 and 188 pounds and no injuries. I'm on Week 5 and love it!!

It's all about the shoes...bad shoes equals bad running and injury.

Besides that go for it and prove her wrong!

"Apparently I'm going to injure myself and I don't know anything and I'm too heavy to be jogging anyway. (207 at 5'9".)"

BULL! When I started the C25k I was about 270 pounds. I am 5'11". I agree with the others, buy some good shoes. Take it slow. You dont have to advance to the next week every week. Dont do it until you feel ready. In fact, I have been doing it since about May and I haven't made it past week 4. Sometimes I dont feel like doing week 4 so I will bounce around and go back down to week 2 or 3. It is hard, especially if you have never done anything like it. The first month or so I actually cried through most of my workouts, lol. Also if you feel a stich in your side you are pushing too hard. Your lungs have to be conditioned just like the rest of you. If you are running too fast you wont be able to run for very long.

You can do it!

Be sure to do stretching exercises before and after you run. Start slow. Start with walks that include short runs (1/2 mile or less). When it starts to feel easier add a little more distance.

how about walking and running, what shoes for that?

I wear my running shoes - with my brand new orthotic insoles in!

Here's my blog post with all my beginner's tips in one place:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/20-things-i-wish-i-d-known-about-running-when-i-started-103936

My favourite is:
1. When you start out, it’s HARD! Even if you think you’re fit, running is so different to anything else you’ve done before you will get out of breath quickly. Stick with it. Can’t manage a minute? Go slow. Still can’t? GO SLOWER!

I'm tempted to add number 21 now - don't listen to your mother!

make sure to do a good stretch and warm up. google dynamic stretching (it's the first few minutes of jillian micheals 30DS). do a full stretch (no static stretching), and a warm up of some jumping jacks and running in place (butt kicks). this is probably the most important thing in your run, especially while you are getting used to it. as you get better and more used to running, your warm up can be the first 4-5 minutes of your run.

proper form is important. you need to hold your head up, which will keep your back straight. that will help keep your stride nice and long. pumping your arms will help keep your stride wide, and help with your breathing. you want to be taking nice almost normal breaths. do not breathe like you are in a Lamaze class. Deep breath in, deep breath out. someone once told me that if you can't hold a conversation with someone running next to you, then you are exerting yourself too much.

what you run on is also important. if you run outside, avoid concrete. it doesn't give. asphalt and blacktop is better to run on, as it does absorb some impact. and personally, i love running up and down hills. much better and more fun then running on flat land.

if you are not used to running, you will probably need a few days to recover between runs. my first few times running, i think i needed like, 5 days between runs. now i can run every other day. rest days are important, they let your body recover and recuperate. take some some ibueprofen to help with swelling and speed up recovery. and remember, while your muscles should feel sore, your joints should never cause you pain. if they are, there is something wrong, either in your form, your shoes, or whatever.

Thank you so much, everyone! So, about how much did everyone pay for their shoes? And what store (if it was a chain that might be anywhere) did you go to?

I have giant feet, a size 13 as of my last measurement. I have to buy my shoes at Nordstroms Rack, they carry up to a 14. I ended up with a pair of Adidas running shoes. I was a size 12 when I got my first pair back in May. I have no idea what happened to make my foot grow a full size in the last 5 months, but those are too small now and I noticed my toenails were starting to turn black. So now I have the same shoe one size bigger.

Trust me... You are no where near too heavy!
When I started running the first time, I weighed around 300-310 pounds and I had just had a terrible car wreck that tore my ACL in my knee along with other things.
You CAN do it!
Just don't quit or give up!
Take a day off in between running and change the scenery up so you have stuff to look at!
Good luck!

Stick to the Program. Even if you think you can do more and want to rnu more often, stick to the guidelines.

I'd be interested to know these replies too!

I pulled ligaments in my lower calf/ankle in feb due to running on the treadmill and my crappy technique apparently! I got a gait analysis done and my left foot comes over my body and I also put too much pressure on my heels.

But I am going to start jogging again tonight. Am very nervous to say the least so I'll be reading the replies with interest.

Were you fitted with custom insoles? I too had gait analysis done (in London - very impressed with this) after a couple of injuries and was fitted with custom insoles which has resolved my knee pain in one fell swoop. Hopefully will keep me (relatively) injury free now. Wish I'd done this at the outset having known I had an arthritic foot problem.....ho hum