question for the runners

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  • Colofit
    Colofit Posts: 177 Member
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    I have ran 5 half marathons and one full marathon as well as many "fun" runs....but I am a very slow runner and have never considered myself a "runner"!! When I started running I could hardly get around my block!!! Honestly!! What I would do was set a goal like to just get around the block and would start out and say "jog to that mail box up ahead" and then I would walk a few houses and then set the next target to jog to! A few weeks later I could make it around the block and then I slowly added on that way! I also would go run with a friend once and a while who was better than me and so would push me to go further than I thought I ever could. gradually people started asking me advise which blew me away! I never worry about times but rather what I can complete! Stick to it, you will be amazed what you can achieve!!!!!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    If you ran 5 minutes you are ahead of where I was 14 months ago. The thing is that starting a running program is hard. It will keep being hard until your body begins to adapt. Fortunately that doesn't take long. C25K or some other program like it will get you there.

    You also have to remember that even when you are done with C25K you are still at the beginning. Your ability to run can improve for years if you keep doing it consistently.
  • igoharder92
    igoharder92 Posts: 40
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    thank you for all the responces! It sounds like couch to 5k is the majority and I just signed up lol! Your success stories are amazing, to even picture my self running a mile straight is crazy to believe but I one day I hope to have a success story like yalls!
  • MelissaGraham7
    MelissaGraham7 Posts: 403 Member
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    Lots of excellent advice here! Couch to 5K is great. Here's the biggest thing - if you get drastically out of breath, SLOW DOWN. You are simply running too fast. You have to remember you aren't use to it. Work on walking faster as you go and try running just from one telephone pole to the next -it doesn't have to be a lot faster than your walk. Control your breathing. If you can't control your breathing - slow down some more. Maybe you will think you are not running. It isn't about how fast you go. You run slow enough you can breathe and control your heart rate. Your speed will come up as you practice but it is all about teaching your brain and your body and your lungs to go slow enough that you can control them. I made that mistake so much when I was starting out - and gasping for breath. SLOW DOWN!! ;) and the Couch to 5K is a great way to do it but if you are just starting out - you could do walking first - walking until you can do a mile in 15 minutes.... then start sprinkling in little spurts of SLOW running.
  • Masterchef2000
    Masterchef2000 Posts: 127 Member
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    I didn't read anyone's replies so far so forgive me if I repeat. I took my walk to outside. Each time I kept track of my time and tried to beat it. It took me 6 weeks to work up to running and a further two weeks to run a straight mile. I'm now up to 6 miles in an hour. Speed walking worked pretty great for me to build up some muscle so that I could run. I never thought I would be a runner either! YAY for us! :-)
  • kyunda
    kyunda Posts: 340 Member
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    i agree with everyone about C25K, its great. Also find a group to run with that is what is helping me. And as far as you back side( mine use to slap me around too,lol) old navy as these dri workout clothes that keep you dry and holds everything in one place so you can run without thinking about if everyone is looking at your butt,lol.
  • elizamc
    elizamc Posts: 285 Member
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    I totally know what you mean. I was like that when I started. :)

    The "couch to 5k" program is a pretty solid program that a lot of people have success with. My trainer gave me a more simplified version of that and it's basically this:
    Plan on running 3-4 days a week, at least 1 mile each session.
    Week 1 - 1 minute running, 2 minutes recovery (walking)
    Week 2 - 1.5 minutes running, 1.5 minutes recovery
    Week 3- 2 minutes running, 1 minute recovery
    Week 4 - 2.5 minutes running, 30 second recovery

    Past that, push yourself an additional 30 seconds each week with no more than a 30 second recovery. Honestly, I found that by week 3 I was way past this and doing 3 or 4 minutes at a time.

    It really really helped me to have good music and proper clothes and shoes. It's hard to run when you're worried about your pants falling down or your boobs flailing all over. ;) And I cannot stress the importance of going to a running store and getting fitted for some GOOD shoes.

    I started out like you and now I can easily run a 5k. The other day, I did five miles just for the heck of it. I couldn't do that every day (yet!) but it was a huge difference from where I started.

    Everything IveLanded has said! I started to run a year ago and couldn't do the C25K because it's targets were set much too high for me. So when I began I could just about run and walk from lamppost to lamppost and I very gradually increased this - when I was ready - to running for 45seconds, walking for 45 seconds and slowly slowly built up. I didn't try to run fast, I aimed to finish in one piece!

    I never believed that I could run but last year, at 56, I decided to give it a go and was thrilled to run three 5k's; I encourage you to aim for a fun run at some realistic time later this year, they're great fun and a huge motivator. And oh what an amazing feeling when you get round the course!

    Believe in yourself, don't measure yourself against others, you can do this!

    Please friend me if you wish - I'll certainly encourage you!
  • sscott79
    sscott79 Posts: 13 Member
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    Get a good pair of compression pants/shorts. Will help with the booty swinging!! I like podrunner.com for the ease in to 5k program and interval training as well.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    I'm doing the Couch to 5k, like almost everyone has already mentioned. I'm on week 2 right now (so I can't give you any awesome stories about how I'm this super awesome runner now) but today I decided to just go out there and run and see how far I got and.... it was pretty pathetic. Not even half a mile lol.
  • igoharder92
    igoharder92 Posts: 40
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    Lol i am deff going to invest in some good pants to keep everything in place! As far as the shoes go, I just have a pair of Nike Air's and right now i can't really afford to buy a new pair. I can't wait to say I am running a 5k!! that is so awesome!
  • 70davis
    70davis Posts: 348 Member
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    bump

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