question for all you joggers out there

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I could have written this post several months ago. I was following the C25K program but could not increase the duration of my jogs.

I took a little break and did interval sprints on the treadmill - 30 seconds at the highest speed I could handle, then 90 seconds at a fast walk. I did this for 20 minutes, then I did 20 minutes brisk walking on an incline (level 10 grade - pretty steep). I did this for about 6 weeks.

Then I went back to try to jog for longer than a minute or two. I started out at a much slower pace this time around and built up my jogging time in 1 min. increments. Just this week I was able to jog straight for 16 minutes. It was not a fast pace - average 4.3 mph, but I figured it is best for me to get endurance at a slower speed and once I can jog continuously for about 30 minutes I will start work on increasing my speed.

I still do the interval sprints twice a week - it helps because I do these at a much higher speed than my jogging so that when I have my jogging days the slower speed is easier to handle.

Set a goal for a race date and work toward that. Try and find a buddy to run with. You could try to find a running club or group to train with.

Good Luck, running is great!

What's ended up working for me was slightly different than the other people have posted so far on this blog. So keep in mind that what works for some might not work for all. I just wanted to share a different perspective.

I had been jogging 2-3 days a week at until July 2011, when I broke my ankle. I had to stop completely, and when the doctor gave me the go ahead to start again, he put me on one of those run/walk training programs, starting by walking at 4 mph and jogging at 6 mph. I ended up just as winded as you, somewhat bored, and it honestly bothered my ankle, so I switched to spinning for my indoor cardio.

Yesterday I was in a particularly aggressive mood and wanted to run. Instead of trying the training program methodology, I just wanted to do what felt right. I increased my speed to 7.2 mph and didn't stop. The faster pace felt better on my body (I have super long legs so its easier for me to glide at that pace) and it challenged me enough so that I wasn't bored and tempted to stop. I didn't go down to a walk, but if I started to feel tightness in my side I slowed down .1 or .2 mph until it felt ok again. I maintained a 7 mph pace for 30 minutes, which was all I had before work, but I felt like I could have kept going.

I definitely wouldn't recommend increasing the speed for everyone. All I'm recommending is playing around with your cadence a little and try to figure out what feels best on your body mechanically. When you get winded, only decrease the speed by .1 mph, for 30-45 seconds at a time, until you can breathe again. Then try to maintain it for a bit.

Like I said, it's not what most people who have posted are recommending, but it worked for me.

Silly question: how do you guys measure your speed? Do you use another app at he same time as couch to 5k?

Couch to 5K is AWESOME!

WOW!!! I was so interested when I saw this as like many others who have replied, I felt and feel the same way... although I've lost almost 50lbs from the start of my journey, I'm finding that jogging is difficult. It doesn't help that I'm a smoker, but even my trainer was a bit impressed as my jogging has improved. I had such a mental block to start a jog at my weight that when I picked up the pace and just did it, I could have kicked myself for having those foolish fears... mind you when I feel the blubbler in my legs jiggling, it makes me conscience of my size and all, but I keep going.

Right now, I can barely do 1 to 2 minutes of jogging straight. I feel I've got a lot more stamina when I've got my trainer beside me than when I do it on my own. But like others have said... everyone has their own pace and what matters the most is that you keep trying to improve and do not stop!!! More power to you, me and all of us that are trying to improve our health and be fit!!!!

Thanks to the person who left the link for the couch to 5k... am definitely going to check it out and if there is an app for my blackberry, will definitely download it!!!

Stay strong and don't stop!!!

If you already have some kind of fitness base, which is sounds like you do (in other words, you've already been doing some cardio in other ways), you shouldn't feel "wiped". Out of breath, tired legs, maybe, but not "wiped". That makes me think there is something else going on. Here are some other things to consider:

Is there any extra stress in your life (work, family, whatever)? For some people, stress can make it hard to push yourself physically and you can feel wiped out when you run. How is your nutrition in general?

Are you eating/drinking anything before you run? If not, your body might just not have enough fuel, especially if it's been a while since your last meal. You might try eating a little something with carbs that will give you some extra energy. Something easy on the stomach, around 200 calories, like a piece of toast or half a bagel, a banana, 8 oz of juice, a small smoothie are all good options. Also, something that is not heavy, and doesn't have much fat or fiber can be helpful. It might take some trial and error to find what works for you.

How do you feel mentally when you start running? Are you getting bored or telling yourself self-defeating thoughts? Your mental state can be a big part of how your run goes. Some people find it easier to use landmarks instead of your watch as your run interval. Pick a mailbox, car, whatever to run to instead of time on your watch.

When you are running, make sure you are not going too fast. You should be able to carry on a conversation with someone else. That conversation might be a little breathy, but you shouldn't be pushing it so much that you couldn't talk to someone else.

If you suspect there's something underlying, go see your doc. There are some medical problems that can cause fatigue or breathing problems - asthma or heart problems, for instance. Also, not getting enough good sleep can wreak havoc on your endurance.

Finally, if you find that running for 1 or 2 minutes is just too much, back it off to running for 30 sec. to 1 min, then walk for 1, 2, 3, 4, whatever minutes. It's completely, totally, absolutely fine to adjust your run:walk ratio to whatever works for you! You might need to start with run 30 sec, then walk 5 min, then repeat. That's fine!! You can always adjust those ratios as your endurance increases and you feel ready to run for longer.

Thanks for all the good suggestions everyone! What a wonderful group you all are! I'm going to look in to getting the Couch to 5K program and start there. I think I've tried to do this myself and I need a structured plan to get me going. I think I can do this, just will take some time.

Thanks again

I have found that having the structured program makes me push myself harder than I would if I was doing it on my own. Good luck!

So, I've been training myself to jog. I guess. I don't feel like I'm getting there. I warm up by walking briskly and then into a nice steady jog. It starts out ok, but I can't jog for more than a minute or two and I'm wiped. I do several of these walk, jog reps, but I don't feel like my jog stamina is increasing.I've been at this for several weeks, but just recently took my routine indoors to the treadmill.
I look at these joggers that are going for twenty minutes or more and I think to myself, 'how in the world do they do that?'. So I need to get some tips from the veteran joggers on how to get to that nice, steady jog??

work on endurance. go slow. starting to feel tired? go slower. who cares if you are walk faster than jog? just keep going!