RUNNERS!! i NEED HELP TODAY

I have no idea about the blocks in a mile. But, I would concentrate on time before distance anyways. Say you want to run 5 minutes straight with a 1 minute walking break and repeat that 5 times....for example. You could always go on the mapmyrun website to figure out the mileage if thats important to you. I usually say there is 100 cals burned for every mile. Just an average obviously. As for breathing you'll figure it out.

1) No clue.
2) In and out
3) Maybe around 100.
4) Do what you can.

It's just running. You evolved to do this well. Just put on shoes and run.

Dont think so much! Just get out out and alternate walking and slow jogging. Use an app like "map my exercise" or ease into 5k. I love the "ease into 5k" app. Great for beginners.

Every block is a different size, so it's hard to know for sure. If you really want to track distance, I'd go to just about any store and buy a pedometer, which tracks your steps and tells you how far you ran and how much time it took to do it. Just remember - when you start, the key is to go SLOW! You need to build the right muscles before you can work on improving speed and time. It may feel like you're going slower than you would walking - that's ok! The key is to keep up the jogging motion.

Here's a link to a site that will help you build an achievable plan for starting to run.
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

All of that being said. If you like your run and plan to keep doing it - do yuorself a HUGE favor and go to a running store to get fitted for shoes. It is AMAZING the damage you can do in the long-term running in the wrong shoes (no matter how much you paid for them). The people are running stores are trained to do this and are super friendly to all levels of walkers and runners. NOT a sporting goods store. A real running store.

Hi Regina,

I can totally relate to how excited you must feel and also "why" you want to know the below. I am on MFP to regain fitness lost from a period of illness but I've been a runner now for 4 years - however - like you, when I first "did it" I had no clue where to start.

1. I'm in the UK so we don't have this, but I work on the basis of a slow jog at 6mph is a 10.5 minute mile. Slow jog, 10 - 12 minutes you should have covered a mile.
2. OK breathing, it can be a toughie when you first start, I know this will sound silly but actually the best advice I can give you is - BREATHE - I forgot first few times I went and was holding my breath. That makes running pretty tough.
3. MFP has loads of options - search cardivascular, then type jogging, you'll see lots of options (my slow option is in there)
4. This will depend on your overall fitness. I'd say a slow steady jog at decent fitness you should be able to complete the 10 - 12 mins, but if you want - try this Jog a minute, Walk a minute - do this for 25 minutes - you'll cover around 2 miles, but technically will have run at least your one mile you set out to do.

I wish you all the luck with your running, I started out just like you, in November of this year I'm signed up to my first half marathon. YOU CAN DO THIS.

Ps.. search ebay for a book called Running Made Easy - you may find it useful

Another Couch to 5K voter here. Most of us can't just go and run a mile because we want to. It's why most people say they hate running, they need to build up to that and it can take some longer than others.

I would tell you to go and buy good shoes that you get fitted for at a real running store. This is VERY important so you avoid injuries.

I'd never run before last year and now I love it and I REALLY credit the C25K program for that.

1. I also would suggest you focus more on time than distance in the beginning. Set a time, say 20 mins or 30 mins and then measure how far you go. If you have a lot of endurance and/or a fast pace, you may find that you exceed 1 mile after 20mins. If you have a smart phone, you can download an app like RunKeeper or Ease into 5K/C25K that will help you track distance, calories, pace, etc. You just focus on the time for now.

2. For breathing, you want to make sure you're not running to fast and get out of breath. Set a nice and easy pace, not a fast one because you're aiming for a long run not a short sprint. There's no special breathing technique for running that I use

3. It really does depend on how fast you're running and for how long. An app like RunKeeper can do all those calculations for you, so all you have to focus on is keeping your feet moving.

4. I highly recommend walking/running in the beginning. When you're more comfortable and have a better sense of your fitness level you can try running all the way, especially if you have a specific time target you're trying to beat. With The Running Room run clinics, even marathon training clinics practice 10 and 1s (10mins running, 1 min walking).

Use mapmyrun.com to map the route you run. It will give you the distance much easier and more accurately than counting block. Take a watch or stopwatch with you and time your run. Input the time into mapmyrun.com and you will get the pace. MFP will give you the calories but only based on speed so you may need to take the pace and go to one of the many sites that will convert pace to speed and so on. Or you can just input the calories manually based on what mapmyrun says. Doing this for each workout is a bit of a pain but it will give you the info. you want.

The other answer is to just go out and have fun. Take it easy at first and don't overdo it. If you're just starting out, it's far more important to just make time to run at whatever speed. Focus on time spent running, not distance or speed.