Wannabe Runner-Any advice?? :)

KristenStone
KristenStone Posts: 106 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Everyone!

So I have never been a runner-hated it, never did it, and was always "sick" in PE in school on run a mile day.

I am 25 years old and I recently started on my weight loss journey 2 months ago. I have been walking on the treadmill and mainly walking outside of the gym. So here is the kicker-I want to run. I started out on the treadmill and ran a full 30 seconds before almost passing out. (hahaha terrible right?) and I kept trying and trying. So 2 weeks ago I ran for TWO MINUTES STRAIGHT. Biggest deal of my life...lol

So I want to run. I ordered a jogging stroller so my 3 year old can come, even though I'm pretty sure if she was on foot she could run farther than me.

Any advice for a wannabe runner? I need to get fitted for some running shoes and other than that-i'm pretty much stumped! I know to just run, but does anyone have any advice? I have no clue why, but i'm kinda scared!!
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Replies

  • Minnie_Moo
    Minnie_Moo Posts: 239 Member
    Did you think about trying the C25K programs ?

    Hope this helps you out a bit......

    I found an application for iTouch/iPhone/iPod on iTunes and it is called Ease into 5K by bluefin software which is very good but not free, maybe around $2.99 This app has good ratings and lets you use your music playlists from your iPod in it.

    I believe there is anothe app similar to the one above by someone else and is free but don't know about it......


    I also found a podcast on iTunes called NHS Couch to 5K which is "free" and like that one too but it doesn't let you use your own music and it has its own music built in......
  • visiri
    visiri Posts: 173 Member
    I second using C25K programs. I use Get Running on my iPod. Can't remember the cost - the speaker is Australian and is really good at keeping you going with comments like 30 seconds left, 10 seconds left, you've just run 3 times longer than you did 2 weeks ago etc.

    Good luck!!!
  • militarydreams
    militarydreams Posts: 198 Member
    Start slow and be patient. Keep pushing through the C25K program. Know that you have to want it more than you want the burn to stop, in the beginning that comes from tenacity but later on it will fuel itself as a hobby.

    Running is an amazing exercise but requires an unusual mix of patience and determination, a structured program like C25K helps
  • stephlw
    stephlw Posts: 18 Member
    I've tried many C25K programs and I'm sorry. I'm not the kind of person that can listen to someone tell me, "Start running, Stop running, almost there" I run farther when I can tell myself...run till the stop sign and don't stop till you get there, okay my heart rate is lower, now pick it up again.
    I run and find little goals. Like this past time I ran 3 blocks without stopping. thats a goal for me big time. I'm not a huge runner but my plan is to go out there and always go further! First to the mail box, every other phone pole, every other stop sign..Just keep pushing yourself and soon you will see results. Its also cheaper. :)
    And I run every other day mostly. I try. Sometimes life gets in the way and I'll do a big cardio workout instead to keep my endurance going. (I don't like to run at night)
    Anyway just keep it up, sounds like you are doing a wonderful start.
  • 2012asv
    2012asv Posts: 702 Member
    That sounds like ME. I absolutely hated running. I'll admit I'm still not a huge fan of it, but I hate it much less now that i "can" do it. 50% of people like treadmills, while the other like the outdoors... first figure that out. Second, get some GOOD music. Third, stretch "really" well.... then go. Dont try to "run"... start by jogging. Focus on your endurance and breathing first. Once you get that down, you'll find yourself struggling WAY less and going faster.

    I [make] myself run everyday on my lunch. Some days are harder than others, but generally I am getting better. My first day took me like 20 mins to run a mile!! By the end of the second week I ran 2 in 25 mins.
    The best thing you can do with any exercise is... DON'T GIVE UP.

    Good luck! :drinker:
  • meagalayne
    meagalayne Posts: 3,382 Member
    Any running, jogging, walking, crawling is progress. You won't be a good runner from the gates. Hell, you might not even be able to run for more than 100m at first without breaks. That's where I was when I started.

    Don't let yourself get discouraged if you aren't instantly awesome at it. It will be uncomfortable and hard. Don't stress out too much over having the right gear, the perfect form, the right "training program". Just get out and move and move a little more each time than you did the last. Know that every run won't feel good. Or be your best run. And some days will just plain suck.

    And know that the HARDEST part is getting out there for your runs. Leaving the house is often the worst part. Just don't think about it - it's not a choice or option. Throw on your workout clothes without thinking about it, lace up, and get out of the house right away. No time to talk yourself out of it.

    You will NEVER regret a run. I promise ya!
  • sma83
    sma83 Posts: 479 Member
    Bump....I would like to run to and am curious to see what people have to say on this.
  • luvmybeebees
    luvmybeebees Posts: 681 Member
    Bump - looking for ideas too! I am signed up for a 5k soon! :tongue:
  • mitchellmom71
    mitchellmom71 Posts: 4 Member
    Just remember that no matter how slow your start to running is... your still going faster than someone sitting on the couch! :)
  • meagalayne
    meagalayne Posts: 3,382 Member
    Sorry - I forgot to mention: I did NOT do C25K when I started out. I waited until the weather was getting warm, found a trail that had markings every 200m, and just tried to run a little further each and every time I went out. I stopped to walk when I needed a break but would set out with a few small goals in mind and try to hit them. For example, I'd go out for 5 running intervals, or 8, depending on how short they were. Or I'd say "I'm going to spend 30 minutes on my feet, regardless of the activity level".

    The best way to make progress is not to sell yourself short. 9 times out of 10 you can do ONE more interval. You can try ONE last time. You can push yourself ONE extra minute. It's those "extras" past your comfort zone where you'll be making most of your progress. Both in your physical endurance and running abilities and your attitude and confidence about running.

    Once you realize "I CAN push myself further than my body is telling me I should go" you will be amazed at the progress you can make.

    In Oct 2010 I ran my first ever 5K and I had to take multiple walking breaks.
    By the end of Oct 2010, I ran a 10K race.
    By Dec 2010 I was able to complete a 10mile race in 1:44:09
    By 2011 I had run my first 1/2 Marathon, and this month I will be running my first ever 30K.

    If you are willing to push yourself outside of what's comfortable - you can do it.
  • thinclo
    thinclo Posts: 164 Member
    good post! bump
  • militarydreams
    militarydreams Posts: 198 Member
    A few tips that might not be so obvious:

    To run faster don't lengthen your stride, quicken your steps
    When going up hill shorten your stride to reduce strain on your lower back
    Your head weighs a lot, don't move it around too much, keep it in a neutral position looking straight ahead when possible
    Don't cross your arms over your chest, keep them low and parallel. High arms is a big noobie mistake and wastes energy
    Breathe into your tummy, not your chest, your chest has to move a lot more weight to expand thus costing more energy
    Don't bounce around or move side to side, concentrate on keeping energy expendature to a minitum in your strides
    Breathe with strides, In for 2, Out for 2
    Strike the ground with your heel and roll onto the ball of your foot to spread the impact
    Run on grass/mud where possible
  • meagalayne
    meagalayne Posts: 3,382 Member
    A few tips that might not be so obvious:

    Strike the ground with your heel and roll onto the ball of your foot to spread the impact

    Heel striking can cause major joint discomfort for some - If you can land on the forefront of your foot instead, do so. It is more effort and can be difficult to get used to, but heel striking is also a big noobie "no-no" and it's a TOUGH habit to break!
  • KristenStone
    KristenStone Posts: 106 Member
    A few tips that might not be so obvious:

    To run faster don't lengthen your stride, quicken your steps
    When going up hill shorten your stride to reduce strain on your lower back
    Your head weighs a lot, don't move it around too much, keep it in a neutral position looking straight ahead when possible
    Don't cross your arms over your chest, keep them low and parallel. High arms is a big noobie mistake and wastes energy
    Breathe into your tummy, not your chest, your chest has to move a lot more weight to expand thus costing more energy
    Don't bounce around or move side to side, concentrate on keeping energy expendature to a minitum in your strides
    Breathe with strides, In for 2, Out for 2
    Strike the ground with your heel and roll onto the ball of your foot to spread the impact
    Run on grass/mud where possible

    Thank you for this! I saw a tip not to long ago to breathe in to your tummy and it made such a difference! It really makes it easier to manage jogging/running because you are not stopping due to shortness of breath-but because your legs are on fire! :)
  • islandjumper
    islandjumper Posts: 369 Member
    So I starting writing a response and it just disappeared :-/...so anyway, take 2
    I'm very much the same way. Hated running...could never do "the mile" in school. I'm not about halfway through c25k, and while I don't absolutely love running, I do like it, and I like what it's done for me.
    My advice:
    Take it slow....stay within your own physical limits. The first few times I tried running I tried doing too much and going too fast and I ended up hurting myself (knee injury). C25k is a great program for that reason...it lets you ease into running. If however c25k week 1 is too much for you (like it was me) you can create you own...example jogging 30 seconds walking 1 minute...or some kind of similar intervals.
    If you choose to go with c25k (and I really recommend it, or a something similar) there is an iphone ap...or you can download podcasts for your mp3 - which has someone reminding you when to start and stop jogging. It beats looking at your watch.
    Get yourself fitted for a good pair of shoes. Good shoes can balance out a stride (if your foot strikes too far one way or another), so getting a fitting is the only way you'll really know what kind of shoe you need...go to a non-chain real running store for this.
  • militarydreams
    militarydreams Posts: 198 Member
    Heel striking can cause major joint discomfort for some - If you can land on the forefront of your foot instead, do so. It is more effort and can be difficult to get used to, but heel striking is also a big noobie "no-no" and it's a TOUGH habit to break!

    The heel strike is the preferred method in British Army training. While I totally respect that both are valid it's a bit much to call Soldiers noobie runners.

    Interesting that it causes discomfort for some though, I didn't know that
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    Honestly, I just worked myself up to it. I started out doing 30 minutes on the elliptical, and one day went "sure, I'll try running" and I ran for like... eight minutes at a 15 minute mile pace. But I slowly started getting better. Each time I would challenge myself to run longer or faster, and I would stop and walk when needed. It's been about five months, and now I consider myself a runner. I've run four miles without stopped, and three miles in under half an hour. I'm doing my first 5k in April. It just takes time a patience, and a little perseverance.

    I know some people love C25k, but that program never appealed to me. I just ran until I was tired.
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    I started doing some jogging this time last year, on the c25k programme, and I was struggling to do the full 1 minute jog in each interval. For various reasons I stopped with c25k (the programme is great, I just got distracted with other exercise etc), but started jogging again a few weeks ago.

    I can now proudly say that I can jog for 20 minutes none stop, and last night covered 4.75km with two 0.25km walking breaks in the middle.

    So start slow, build up gradually, and I'm totally recommend the C25K programme. You can do this :)
  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 675 Member
    Hey there! I always HATED running. My endurance only let me go for 30 seconds before feeling like I might die! LOL But I've always been curious about running and admired the people I see running on the treadmill or out in the neighborhood.

    Through a bout of confidence and curiosity, I decided to try C25K to see if I could improve my endurance. I'm now starting Week 5 and feeling absolutely AMAZING about my progress. Don't get me wrong, the progress is slow...and some days are just awful. But there is progress being made each week. I don't follow the program to a tee...I do some extra intervals when I have time...and I change up the intervals a bit. For instance, this week (week 4) I was supposed to run 3, walk 90 sec, run 5, walk 2.5...I was feeling strong, so I decided to instead run 5, walk 2.5, run 5, walk 2.5, etc. I push myself a bit harder when I'm having good days, and I think it's paying off!

    Here are some tips for a noobie, from a fellow noobie..
    1) Get fitted for running shoes! I know they are expensive, but the cushioning is amazing and it really helps with your stride. My ankles have stopped hurting when I run - it's amazing!

    2) Go SLOW. My boyfriend calls my running "barely a jog" (jerky comment from him, I called him out on it...he's a couch potato so he has NO room to talk!!! LOL)....but going slow allows me to go LONGER. The speed will come eventually!

    3) If your aim is to run a race, for the love of God, practice running outside atleast half of the time. A treadmill is totalllllly a different workout. The pavement is much less forgiving. Besides, the weather is gorgeous right now!

    4) If you're afraid of people looking at you jog/walk...get over it. It was a BIG hang up for me, and kept me from pursuing this goal for YEARS. Anyone who has the audacity to make a snarky comment about your form/speed/weight is an *kitten*...and you'll be leaving them in the dust as you run/jog off!
  • Femtec74
    Femtec74 Posts: 347 Member
    just do it - start on the treadmill or on a track - start with C25K program or make up your own (that's what I did) I started out running as long as I could and then walk a couple minutes - then back to running. Once you get started, you'll want to keep challenging yourself. Make sure that you do strength training as well so you don't injure yourself. A tip - if you really want to find a good training program, find a site for a marathon and look at the training tips on the page.

    Here's the one I started using - I got it from the Disney Marathon page... http://www.jeffgalloway.com/

    Good luck!
  • EricDe90x
    EricDe90x Posts: 51
    I tried the Couch 2 5k program a week before cross country. It didn't help that much because my lack of motivation, but it WILL work if you stick to it.
    In cross country, we started at 5 miles. I walked most of it and got cramps. But I kept getting forced into these runs with the team. The team definitely motivated me to catch up. Everyone on the team lost belly fat and gained leg muscle within the first month. I was able to run 5 miles within a month and a half. It's about pushing yourself. I can now run 6.5 miles.

    Tips:
    1. Avoid cramping (Try not to eat within 1hr before running).
    2. Start light. Maybe a 2.5 mile jog. Walk when you have to, but try to push through. When you can run 2.5 miles easily, up it to 3, then 3.5, then 4, then 4.5, then 5, then even 5.5 and 6.
    3. Run 5 days a week.
    4. STRETCH and eat a lot of protein after running. This will ease the soreness.
    5. Having a dinner of complex carbs REALLY helps (pasta, rice, etc)
    6. Have a pre-workout snack (less than 125 calories) an hour before running to fuel your run. (Or a light breakfast if you're doing this in the morning).
    7. Wear the right sneakers for you. The wrong sneakers will cause injury. I hurt my right knee and shin for 1 week because I had the wrong shoes.
    8. Try to get people to go through the journey with you. If it wasn't for the team, I wouldn't have the motivation to go on.
    9. Warm-up before running with a slow jog and/or plyometrics (jumping jacks, high knees, butt-kicks, march, leaps) and then stretch.
  • mostaverage
    mostaverage Posts: 202 Member
    There's a C25K group on here, got lots of advice in there..

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/398883-tips-tricks

    HTH
  • jennmoore3
    jennmoore3 Posts: 1,013 Member
    Honestly, I just worked myself up to it. I started out doing 30 minutes on the elliptical, and one day went "sure, I'll try running" and I ran for like... eight minutes at a 15 minute mile pace. But I slowly started getting better. Each time I would challenge myself to run longer or faster, and I would stop and walk when needed. It's been about five months, and now I consider myself a runner. I've run four miles without stopped, and three miles in under half an hour. I'm doing my first 5k in April. It just takes time a patience, and a little perseverance.

    I know some people love C25k, but that program never appealed to me. I just ran until I was tired.

    See if I ran till I was tired, I wouldn't get half as far as I would if I was pushing till the lady said walk now. lol I NEED someone to tell me what to do. No matter if it is a friend or the C25K APP.

    I was just like you. Hated running with a passion. My good friend at work and I decided just to do it. We were so pitiful. but now I can run for 3 minutes in a row. I did my 1st 5K in snow and mud in 47 minutes. My second race was 41 minutes a week later. Remember with a race it is not the place, just that you finish!
  • kbailey33
    kbailey33 Posts: 2 Member
    I started running around 3 yrs ago. At first it was, "how far can I make it w/o stopping?", then every time I would go for a run, I would tell myself, "I know I can do it! I did it last time!" and I found myself pushing harder, even just a few seconds. The accomplishment I felt would bring me to tears. However, as I've developed as a runner, (ran my first 5K last year) I've learned that I have to listen to my body. I tried to do an easy day (1 mi for me at that time) and I went .5 mile. I was down. Then I told myself that It would be better the next time. You will have ups and downs. Just don't stop. I've entered my first 1/2 marathon for November. It keeps me motivated. You can do it!! Good Luck!!
  • hsh0927
    hsh0927 Posts: 259 Member
    Get awesome running shoes. They're pricey but worth it. Shin splints are huge pain in the *kitten* and you can't really avoid them 100% but the right shoes help a lot. (they did for me anyway.) I also highly recommend the couch to 5k plan. I'm starting it and don't have a phone that gets the app so I download a free podcast:

    http://www.kissmyblackass.org/podcasts/couch-to-5k/

    There is also one on the c25k website but it's techno music which I hate. This music is way more me. It tells you when to run/walk so you don't have to try to keep track of the time yourself.
    Good luck to you! :flowerforyou:
  • Tiffany789
    Tiffany789 Posts: 42 Member
    Did you think about trying the C25K programs ?

    Hope this helps you out a bit......

    I found an application for iTouch/iPhone/iPod on iTunes and it is called Ease into 5K by bluefin software which is very good but not free, maybe around $2.99 This app has good ratings and lets you use your music playlists from your iPod in it.

    I believe there is anothe app similar to the one above by someone else and is free but don't know about it......


    I also found a podcast on iTunes called NHS Couch to 5K which is "free" and like that one too but it doesn't let you use your own music and it has its own music built in......

    C25k is awesome. I highly recommend it. I started last summer, and will now complete my first marathon at the end of the month.
  • taryn_09
    taryn_09 Posts: 196 Member
    i was never a runner in my life. about 2 years ago i decided one day i wanted to be a runner. so i hopped on a treadmill and boom went. (well more like slowly went hahaa ) i started by just seeing how long a mile took me at the gym. nice jog comfortable pace. then from there increased the speed just a bit to make it more challenging. then i wanted to add millage so i said how about 1.25 1.5 1.75 etc. to increase speed times i did intervals. 2 min my jog pace, 1 min hard pace. every other day. the other days just regular jog. slowly times got faster! millage grew to 8 miles. now my 3 miles is about 17.5 min single mile once was 13 min now its a nice 5.50 - 6 min :D
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
    C25K group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/30-couch-to-5k-running-program-c25k
  • Linbo93
    Linbo93 Posts: 229 Member
    I'm 1 week into the "Ease into 5k Program" myself...basically spreading out 6 minutes of jogging through a 26 minute walk at this point. I was never a runner either, but decided I wanted to try it! I go to a local trail and run there! its hard, but it's starting to get easier, and the time spend outside in this gorgeous weather is TOTALLY worth it!! :OD
  • darias_mommy
    darias_mommy Posts: 127 Member
    I've read all the posts ahead of me and you have really good info, but the "head game" you play on yourself is the worst part. I HATE running.
    First I started out by playing the same playlist every time i ran. Each time I'd try to add a song to my time. I'd walk whenever I had to and pick up the pace so I never stopped moving.
    next, I ran really slow- 4.8 on the treadmill until I finally hit 3 miles. if you want it you can do it. Focus on sometihing else and go slow- I learned to enjoy it once i was able to add songs on the playlist. You can do it!

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