[freshprince]

Anyone else on here have that feeling that they are no way near fit enough and think that taking up running is a good idea?

I started about a month ago, but am struggling massively at the moment..... Can't seem to get going and am lacking motivation to improve.

Does anyone on here know how much I should be starting with, and how often and have any hints on ways to improve?

I want to set myself a challenge....... target, but not sure what is achievable. (I'm really unfit and need to start from the beginning)

 

[jager.beetle]

Getting yourself a HR monitor will help you to record progression if your serious about getting fit. Otherwise anything that gets you out of breath is good, the longer the better

 

[freshprince]

A heart rate monitor is worrying for me
My heart beats a damn sight too fast most of the time anyway... but I guess knowing what it is doing is probably a good idea.
At the moment, I'd struggle to run 1km....... not great.

 

[misterecks]

What are you doing at the moment? It would help to know a bit of exercise history, overweight or not etc.

To be honest a month is nothing if you are, as you say, quite unfit so you need to stick with it. Once you can run long enough to get over your initial shortness of breath you will start to make better progress.

I started running in the mid nineties, was a bit overweight, very unfit and coming off the back of a 40 a day habit. It took me a while to get into it but I kept going and pretty soon I was running half, then full marathons and there is really nothing special about me, honest. If I can do it anyone can :lol:

 

[Rich Jones]

find someone to run with.
I started about 18 months ago. The route is 3 miles. I ran little and walked a lot at first. So long as you get to your goal.
Gradually you'll be able to run more until you can run the whole distance -don't worry about time until you do.
Then gradually increase your speed and/or distance.
I only run 5 miles each sunday, will be increasing soon to 8. But Where I could hardly run at all and 3 miles was taking me something like 37 minutes, I did it in 22 recently. 5 miles I did in 44.20 best, but average about 46 now.
I'm not super fit and I'm still getting on for 14 stone, but my fitness and stamina is vastly improved.
good luck

 

[freshprince]

Not overweight, but do have lung issues (due to a previous collapsed lung) and my heartrate is high from the same incident....

But I was told I should be able to regain full function of both if I worked on it....

Just need to stop being lazy, as that was a good 7 years ago.

I'm young and in reasonable shape, just not very fit....

I don't smoke and at the moment, the route I'm doing is 2.5 miles... but quite a lot of it is walking...

 

[misterecks]

I'd just keep doing your current route until you are running the whole thing as well as doing a shorter route that you know you can run all the way. Don't worry about speed at this point just aim to build up your distance at a comfortable pace. It will come in time.

One thing I always recommend, if you haven't already, is to visit a proper running shop and get them to fit you with a good pair of running shoes that are right for you, best thing I ever did, after all you won't run very far when you are injured.

Also check out some of Smull's running related threads, a true inspiration.

 

[Rich Jones]

I'd just keep doing your current route until you are running the whole thing as well as doing a shorter route that you know you can run all the way. Don't worry about speed at this point just aim to build up your distance at a comfortable pace. It will come in time.

One thing I always recommend, if you haven't already, is to visit a proper running shop and get them to fit you with a good pair of running shoes that are right for you, best thing I ever did, after all you won't run very far when you are injured.

Also check out some of Smull's running related threads, a true inspiration.

agreed on all parts - especially the shoes. most I ever spent on a single pair of shoes is my running shoes. They take away a lot of the shock from your knees. I had forgotten to mention this, but I had to stop at first because I could hardly walk due to knee pain. I actually got about 1.5 miles once and took about 45 minutes to hobble back ot the car. The running shoes fixed it immediately with no recurrence.

 

[Lufbramatt]

yes dont skimp on running shoes

and dont listen to "helpful" uncles/blokes down the pub who come out with that "running shoes are bad for you, you should run barefoot" nonsence, yeah that might be true on a nice smooth synthetic running track, but real life is full of broken glass/dog shit/ broken paving slabs, which running shoes are quite good at protecting your feet against

 

[freshprince]

Todays run was HARD work....

I managed all of a 2 mile run with only about 500m of walking at the end...

Was hard, but I feel rather impressed that I made most of it jogging..

My speed was really low and I'm sure an old lady with a zimmer frame could have beaten me in a race :lol:

Listening to music really helped too.

 

[ricola]

I started last summer, I barely got the the pub round the corner! Initially my route was 2 miles but 50/50 running walking. I kept it up religiously every other day to keep to a routine, once I was able to do the first mile running I forced myself never to go back a step. After a while I ran both ways in one go, then on good days I'd extend the route a bit, first to 3.5, then 4.5, then 5.5, then one random day I was in a groove and did 12/13 miles! Now I go 3 times a week on the 4.5 mile circuit (not so strict with myself if I miss a day now and then but you certainly feel it when you go back!). I initially did it to lose some weight (22kg) but now it is just to maintain fitness, I still don't enjoy it but the benefits outweigh that...
As for times, I tend not to worry about it but I do always try to beat my last time. I started off doing 4.5 miles in about 42 minutes, now I'm down to a best of 34, usually just under 35 minutes...

I always listen to music, helps me zone out and get in a rythm. I got proper shoes at a running shop after they watched me run on the machine. Got some proper running clothes, they keep you dry rather than sweaty.

Stick with it and I'm sure you'll get where you want to, look at what Eddie Izzard did!

 

[Iain_M]

Todays run was HARD work....

I managed all of a 2 mile run with only about 500m of walking at the end...

Was hard, but I feel rather impressed that I made most of it jogging..

My speed was really low and I'm sure an old lady with a zimmer frame could have beaten me in a race :lol:

Listening to music really helped too.

It will be hard work, even you're doing a 10 or more, the first couple on miles are hard, once you get in to it and get your breathing right it will get easier.

I'm just getting back in to it myself after not running for about ten years after screwing my back up so I couldn't walk without a stick let alone run.

I wouldn't worry about getting a HRM just yet, but a good pair of shoes is worth while.

 

[misterecks]

Todays run was HARD work....

I managed all of a 2 mile run with only about 500m of walking at the end...

Was hard, but I feel rather impressed that I made most of it jogging..

My speed was really low and I'm sure an old lady with a zimmer frame could have beaten me in a race :lol:

Listening to music really helped too.

Good work dude Don't worry about pace, that will come in time.

 

[6.6.6]

Yep, don't worry bout the pace. Just pop some music on and run. It really is as simple as that!just run a little bit futher/harder each time, you'll get into it after a while. I run home after I finish work in the bar at bout 12 when I'm working, it's bout 8 miles but once you get into the routine, I find it's nice having a bit of time to yourself and reflect on everything. It keeps you fit and gives you time to shuffle all that shit in your head out each time. I know it sounds a bit hippy-shit, but it's the only thing that stops me stressing out and wanting to kill someone!! Lol! Use it as a stressbuster, suddenly you'll have loadsa oooomph!

 

[NickBab]

Good effort fella, just keep building the time running and don't worry about pace at all to start. People setting targets too high just leads to demotivation and people giving up, so just make sure you set realistic goals.

I was in the same boat in 2002 and thought enough is enough and entered the London Marathon to give myself a target to aim for. Many years on, a few marathons and many triathlons, including 3 Ironman Triathlons my life has completly changed. I even coach others starting triathlon now.

Just stick with it. If goal setting helps for you then enter something like a 10K race - your 1st race will certainly be a personal best and will give you something to beat in the future. It's surprising how much fun the mass participation events are too.

Good luck

 

[freshprince]

I realised I was massively struggling and have since decided that I should get a program sorted.

Anyone else tried Couch to 5k??

Started on week 4 and hope to get up to speed over the next month or 2...

Fingers crossed

 

[Rich Jones]

couch to 5k is exactly how I started. 5k run/walk anyway. took me a few weeks to do 5k run.
Keep it up, try to think about anything but the running.
Don't rush to get a speed/distance. Get used to it first then work up. Get a nice comfortable (!) pace, don't rush.
Today we did 7.4 miles instead of the usual 5. You do feel the difference but I felt good today, could have done a couple more miles easy. We didn't rush, just stayed at a nice steady pace.

You'll get there, a step at a time - literally :lol:
Keep it up :hangloose

 

[Lufbramatt]

this thread inspired me to get back out running- havent run in about 2 years, but managed to get out 3 times last week and did a 3.5 miles circuit, gonna up it to 5 miles next week a few years back i used to be able to do 1500m in about 3 min 55sec, seems a world away now when im struggling to keep up 7 minute mile pace! think that was what was putting me off starting up again, cos it used to seem so easy and now im back to square 1 again, but just a case of sticking with it and building up a decent stamina base again.

 

[freshprince]

this thread inspired me to get back out running- havent run in about 2 years, but managed to get out 3 times last week and did a 3.5 miles circuit, gonna up it to 5 miles next week a few years back i used to be able to do 1500m in about 3 min 55sec, seems a world away now when im struggling to keep up 7 minute mile pace! think that was what was putting me off starting up again, cos it used to seem so easy and now im back to square 1 again, but just a case of sticking with it and building up a decent stamina base again.

Good work
Square one for you is square 4 or 5 for me :lol:

If I can get to the stage where I can run 3.5 miles without stopping to walk, I will be very very happy.

Although, I seem to be causing myself minor injuries... (any chance it's the poor shoes I'm running with?)

 

[Lufbramatt]

poor shoes wont be helping but little ahces and pains are probably just where your body isnt used to being used in this new way- lots of under-used muscles protesting! also how are you warming up? worth looking up a good warm up regieme, basically you want to to say a 5 min light jog to get your heart rate up a little bit then do some light stretching and mobility excercises to loosen up.

also worth doing is some basic core stability excercises (sit ups etc) as your back and stomach muscles do lots of work when your running and weak muscles are much more likely to get injureded