Beginner Runner

Hey ya'll ... I want to stat running outdoors this summer as the evenings are getting lighter  and warmer!

I'd rather aim for constant running rather than run/walk/run, even if it means I'm only out for a while....

Anyway... should I start off by aiming for a particular time or distance??

My cardio fitness level is average, I'm 123 lbs and 160 cm.

Hey Julie , it's great to hear you want to start running. I've been running for years and the progress I've made never ceases to amaze me (I was never very athletic before). It's one of my proudest accomplishments - it's made me see how strong I am, both physically and mentally.

Anyway...back to you...it's hard to say, before you actually start running, how long you'll be able to run for.  When I started running I could only go for about 2 minutes then I'd walk for a bit and go again.  After a while I could run through a whole song- it seems funny now, but that was a milestone! Eventually I could run a whole kilometer, then 2, and so on.

So, in the beginning, don't worry about how far or long you can run. Run for as long as you can and build up from there. It's not a bad thing to break up your running with walk breaks - most running programs start off that way. You're more likely to stick with it if you don't pressure OR hurt yourself. Good luck.

Hey I personally think running is 90% mental stamina 10% physical.... It's really easy to not push yourself further (that being said you obviously can't push yourself to the bring).  Everyone is different so try setting personal goals.  If you are running outside try giving yourself goals...like running to that street sign...or fire hydrant...etc....everyday a bit further or faster.

When I first started running 2.5 years ago I was the same way as runyourlife...I would have to walk/run 1 min intervals..finally i got to 5mph, then 6...then 7.....tthen last year I finished my first marathon....  and now I can run a a marathon at 7.2mph.  it's all about pushing yourself! everyone is different....it depends if you are a distance runner or if you run for speed...just whatever you are comfortable with!  

don't be so quick to discount the run/walk intervals.  i've been running for awhile (not always consistently), but just started up again after more than four months off.  on a good day, i can run 35-40 minutes or more and it feels great, but some days the recovery walks make the difference between a decent workout and a casual stroll.

today, i just didn't feel like going, but i went.  it didn't feel good at all, so instead of trying to run the 4k that i'd intended, i decided to do 6/1 intervals.  by the third interval, i was running faster than i had in the first or second and was feeling pretty good.  i ended up doing five sets instead of three or four, for a 34-minute 5k-and-a-bit.  that's not fast, but it's a whole lot better than running for ten minutes and then quitting.

I guess that would depend on what an average cardio fitness level means. Since your topic title says you are a beginner runner, I think it may benefit you to not start off aiming for constant running without walking breaks. If you're unaware of your limits, you could endanger yourself running outside.

Anyway, I think the best way to work up is with intervals. If you don't want to walk, then for the walking intervals, keep the running motion but do it slowly enough so that you can recover.

I don't think it really makes a difference whether you make your goal time or distance. You may find you prefer one or the other after you start. I prefer distances, and I mapped out a path outside before I started. My first route was a one mile circuit, because I knew I could run a mile without a problem, but wanted to be close to home the first time just in case I was actually in worse shape than I thought.

Good luck! I hope you enjoy yourself

First, I want to second what pgeorgian said. Run/walk intervals, or sprint/jog intervals, do a lot as far as calorie burning/muscle growing is concerned. 

I started out just jogging around my block (which is like a half mile I'm guessing), very slowly, walking when I got tired. Then I did it twice, then I did the whole neighborhood, then did that twice. I eventually got up to jogging five miles a day, until I got to the point my joints hurt so bad. My advice would be, before you start at all, get yourself a good pair of running shoes, and rather than run on the asphalt, run in the grass on the side of the road if its possible. Or even better find yourself a nice cross country course with dirt/mulch. And if you don't already have an iPod or some such thing, they're really great to help keep a steady pace/distract from how much you want to just fall over.

Anyway congrats on your new decision I'm sure it'll be lots of fun. For me running is great therapy. It really  helps me clear my head and its like I'm just leaving all that stress behind...its awesome. : )

I started running 7 weeks ago in a class. I am still very much overweight (220 lbs) but I am doing it anyway. I go s-l-o-w. My teacher didn't allow us to start before we bought good shoes and gave us a good interval planning for our practice outside the running class. She said that most people start way too fast and too long and then get hurt. Any pain is a signal that you overstep these aspects.

So we started with intervals between walk - active walk - jog. When we jog we do not get faster than someone who walks actively (we even practice this with partners where one walks and the other runs) and we still build the same condition. At first I could not run more than 30 seconds and that was quite milestone! I never imagined I would ever run. Now I can do 2 minutes. I tried to build it up faster but then my muscles start to hurt and I will lose time instead of win time.

We are not allowed to practice more than 1 time during the week besides the lesson. And I am convinced that because of that I'm still boo-boo free and have fun running (even with my weight) while someone else whom I know got hurt after 3 weeks becuase she went too fast and too far.

I hope you'll have fun and get where you want to be...

Jo

Thanks for all the comments guys...

the reason I would rather just do a block run instead of intervals is because I think it would be easier to track my progress, like if I run/walk/run, how do I record or remember what I've done? :S is it just basically about increasing the run:walk ratio in order to improve?

Yeah I will need to get a good pair of running shoes, I'll look into that.

I live in Scotland so I dont even know if these nice evenings will last, but hey a run in the rain cant be too bad  might even be better!

Forgot to say...

I can only run about twenty mins on the treadmill , so whether it will be the same outside I dont know.

x

In response to your first post - you can track your progress by recording your intervals i.e. 5 sets - 2min run with 1min walking - total 15 minutes.  Gradually increase the running and keep the walking.  Eventually you'll be running longer and the walking will become optional.  You'll be surprised at how quickly you progress if you ease into it.

As far as running on the treadmill vs outdoors - it is different.  Running on the treadmill is level and foot strikes are predictable and "cushioned".  When you run outside you'll use new muscles to compensate for the hard, uneven ground - your legs will be sore after the first few runs.  AND... this might sound odd but... I believe there's a difference when you're actually moving your body forward through space rather than being in one spot on the treadmill - not sure how to explain that one though  - get what I mean? Hope this helps.

Original Post by julie_6789:

Thanks for all the comments guys...

the reason I would rather just do a block run instead of intervals is because I think it would be easier to track my progress, like if I run/walk/run, how do I record or remember what I've done? :S is it just basically about increasing the run:walk ratio in order to improve?

i see what you're saying, but i do think you'll see much better progress if you allow yourself to walk.  focus on the total length of time you're able to keep it up rather than distance (if you want to track your distance after the fact, i use google earth.  lots of people prefer mapmyrun.com or others, but trails show up on google earth, so i use that). 

it's good to be systematic.  if you go to my profile and go all the way back to my first journal entry, you'll find a very good begin-to-run program.  you'll probably be able to start a few weeks in, but try not to be too ambitious; you'll be more likely to stick with it if you don't push yourself too hard early on.

have fun!!

Run/Walk is an excellent way to get started running.  Check out some stuff on it at www.jeffgalloway.com.  I think the best way to get better at running is to follow a plan.  Pick out a 5K plan to get started and get outside and give it a go!!

i moved my begin-to-run program to my profile page.  because it's spring.

Please listen to the others and stick with run/walk intervals in the beginning and take it slow and easy. Don't push too hard too fast or you will get injured. I made that mistake and strained my hip which set me back several weeks. Once I got back at it, it was like starting all over again. It's taken me three months to get back to where I was, but I'm doing it slow and correctly this time. Good luck to you!

Hi Julie,  I second all the replies about a run walk program. I injured my knee (not traumatically) and it is an almost constant state of annoyance for me. (I did this by being too ambitious in my goals-trying to go from not running at all to half marathon in 6 months.)

I will never, ever, underestimate again how irritating an injury-even minor- can be-when everything used to work perfectly before!

Be careful and definitely get the right shoes-have someone analyze your gait as you run-they do that at some stores in the US. And do some strength training! Good luck.

I'm doing the from couch to 5K program found on http://coolrunning.com and love it--downloaded a podcast from itunes that you can listen and they play music tell you when to run ...etc.  I really think it's worth doing the slow run/walk program.  Within 6 to 8 weeks anyway you'll be where you can run for 3 miles straight...if you rush it, you will regret it I think.

for me, giving myself permission to walk often makes the difference between running and skipping it all together.

and when i was starting out, having a program that told me to walk removed all that BS pride/embarrassment about not being able to run the whole way.

Congratulations on starting to run! It will amaze you at how good you'll feel when you get back from a run! Running is my favorite thing to do, and I know manyyy other people agree with me!

For a starter, I think you should just head out of your house in sweat pants and a tee-shirt and go jog around the block. Even if you have to go kinda slow, it's ok. If you feel good after you get around the block, go again if you want! I hope you enjoy the sport!

Alright, I know I might get beat up here, but I'd like to take a different stance. I'm not trying to play devil's advocate, but this is just how I did it. 

Julie said that she can run on a treadmill for 20 mins, so she's not a total beginner. And yes, I know, it's definitely not the same. The pavement is hard and impacts the joints a lot more. 

But, I say that if Julie wants to start by running without stopping, then I say she does that. When I first started running, I never picked up the run/walk programs because stopping to walk - TO ME - had a negative mental impact. I thought I was giving up. So, four months ago, when I set out on my half marathon plan, I never stopped to walk once during a training run and never during my race. I think it was the key to my mental and physical preparation for the race. 

I'm not saying walking and running is bad, but for some, especially me, walking is not running. Many people say that, during a race, it's totally fine to stop and walk. Some even stretch. In my mind, you just stopped the race. Many of those people still ended up beating me too, haha. But my biggest goal was to run a half marathon race without stopping and I was mentally prepared to do this. Did it hurt? OF COURSE. It's a friggin' half marathon! But that's how you achieve your goals.

So, I say, if you want to run without stopping, do it. Yet do it in a smart way. Don't increase your mileage too quickly or you will get injured. Which is both physically and mentally harmful. Also, learn about all of the ways to prevent injuries and follow them religiously. Good shoes, ice after runs, ibuprofen, stretch, practice good form, etc. Google can help you find these. 

Perhaps my viewpoint is more for someone wanting to do a race and not just regular runs...yet if you do really get into running, it will probably lead to a race as it did for me.