To Run or not to Run

What ever works for you is good!

However, there is much to be said for diving in! :-)

I have heard about a C25K program (couch to 5 kilometers). Starts off real easy, run 1 min - walk 1 min and progresses over few weeks until you are running 5 k straight.

Might be something to check out?

From my experience, the elliptical won't help you prepare for running. When I first started working out I got on the treadmill and cranked it all the way up to...4mph. And I felt like I was going to die after a minute or so of what's likely the slowest jogging known to all mankind.

So I decided that I would use the elliptical to build up endurance and get myself all awesome and ready to start running one day. So I worked out for months, almost every night, on the elliptical. I did between 45 minutes to 75 minutes every time. I did intervals, I did it in reverse, I pushed as hard as I could every time. And I was usually bored as heck (thankfully I streamed movies to keep me on the darn thing) But eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and decided that I was starting a new year, I was going to make it the year I started running.

The next night, I went to that treadmill and set it at 4.5 mph, no problem, right? I mean, I can go 75 solid minutes without stopping on the elliptical at, what the machine said, was over around an eight minute mile. I HAD this.

I felt like I was about to die after about a minute.

I haven't been back on an elliptical since. But, I did start working on the treadmill and basically did what was sort of my own version of Couch to 5K that I made up as I went along. (I'd never heard of C25K) I'd run for as long as I could, then I'd walk to regain my breath, then run as long as I could, walk to recover, and so on, for whatever amount of time I'd allotted for my workout that night.

My personal rule was to not stop running because I wanted to, only because I actually had to. So the running parts eventually got longer and longer and I was taking fewer and fewer walking breaks. Very soon I was running 30 minutes solid, not long after that I ran 45 minutes, and then 60 minutes. Throughout it all my pace naturally quickened and I spent most of my time running between 5.5 and 6 mph.

Now days I run about a 6.3 mph hour pace on my long runs (that's what I finished my half with) and last night I did a two mile run at around 6.7 mph and wasn't even fully pushing since my stomach was a bit upset.

So my advice? Skip the elliptical, buy some good running shoes, and make this the year you start running.

I transitioned off the elliptical and into running full time by doing less elliptical and a little more running until I was just done with the elliptical. A lot of my friends have gotten back into running again by doing very short run/ walk combination, like run for 30 seconds or a minute and then walk for 2-3 minutes etc. in 3o minute intervals. Does that make sense? Do as much as you can comfortably and then just get rid of the walking all together. Running outdoors is "the best" and your dogs would love it! Good luck.

Definitely get outside. I like the elliptical, but running outside is far more enjoyable and combining exercising yourself and your dogs is always a good idea.