Running advice

So, here is the deal. I really enjoy going for walks outside and all around my neighborhood, I'm lucky to live in an area with great trails and all sorts of other places great for outdoor activities like walking, biking, and running. My problem is, I hate running. Because I am terrible at it, I don't know how or why but my entire life I have been a terrible runner. I get out of breath, cramps in my sides, legs start to burn - and I'm fairly active so I know its not just regular exercise fatigue - I am an exhausted wreck after running for more than about 5 minutes, its really pathetic, and also strange. What am I doing wrong? I would LOVE to start running and actually be able to enjoy it. Any advice?

Have you looked at the Learn to Run thread stickied to the top of this forum?

^^^  What she said...

and I recommend doing run/walk or walk/run, which ever suits you :-)  I told my wife I would never run.  Three years later, look at me now :-)

BTW:  A friend just completed a marathon in IL doing a run 2 minutes walk 1 minute routine.  You don't have to kills yourself to enjoy running.

ditto the hate running part.  I have asthma and have never liked running, but now I'm training for the Honolulu Marathon.  I've been using a program by Jeff Galloway.  I think the book is called "Marathon: You Can Do It!"   It advocates something similar to what wesmckean said about run 2 min, walk 1 min. so that's what I've been doing.  My long runs are now 15 mi., but with MUCH LESS pain and suffering.   And I still hate running.

I highly recomend the running/walking routine. It makes it much easier to go the distance and it is much easier on your body but with great calorie burning and health benenfits. Also, I have been a runner off and on for 15 years. I always feel miserable about 5 minutes into it; the warm-up is the hardest part. Once you get past that and stick with it, you feel much better and it gets easier every time.

I started on this site about a year ago, at 250lbs i couldn't jog a half mile without stopping.  I hated running because i couldn't do it, consequently i quit for a while, i took up cycling till i could get my heart and lungs built up a bit.  One day I decided i'd try to run again, i did 3/4 a mile.  Long story short i just did what i could, ran a half mile or 3/4 mile, walked and jogged as much as i could back.  I'm still not a strong runner, i'm not fast and i can't run 10 miles, but any given day I feel confident to do at least 2 within army qual times.  So the best advice i can give you is just do you feel comfortable with, if you run 5min, thats better than 4.  Run your 5 mins, then just walk, if you don't enjoy your exercise your going to give up on it.  Then every time you run just try to run a little farther, a little longer. 

Sorry for the long speal but good luck!

i mostly love running, but when i'm having that kind of day where it just feels ****, i do run/walk intervals: 4/1, 6/1, 10/1, whatever feels good.  it's amazing how refreshing one minute of walking can be.

also, i often dress for a run while telling myself i'm going for a walk, because once i get out there, i'll probably want to run.  sometimes i only run downhill!

It is not unusual that you think yourself in shape and find you can't run.  If there is one thing I have learned in my fitness journey is that one activity in only SMALL ways prepares you for the next activity (thought I would be good on the elliptical because I was a fairly far distance runner -- NOT).  As a runner of only 1.5 years who started after having smoked for 15 years and was 50lbs overweight, I too thought I couldn't run.  I needed a program to follow to TEACH me how....it is not necessarily as simple an activity as children make it look :).  I am on my third training program, still have lots to learn about running and my body, and will run my first half marathon in three weeks.

Give it a good try by using a training program that fits your lifestyle and then decide whether or not you like it.

You still hate running and you're up to 15 miles???
ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!!

Not what I want to hear!

Missamandak: I started out running small increments on my treadmill and continuously added a little bit each week. I'm almost up to four miles now (and still hate it but love seeing the calories rack up on the monitor). I LOVE LOVE LOVE to hike, was hoping I would eventually grow to LOVE running, but it ain't happening. I believe that it's just the fact that it feels so good when you stop...

You can not force yourself to love running.  My suggestion is to make a really good playlist and listen to music while you run, that helps to keep your mind off of the actual running part.  For me my best runs are when I'm really frustrated or stressed out.  So next time you are really pissed off at someone go for a run and you might actually feel good.  Good Luck!!

Don't start running until you have strengthened your lower body. Do intervals of walk/runs for at least 8 weeks...slowly increasin the running time and decreasing the walking time.

BUT..if you don't like to run..then don't! Walk those beautiful hills and if your looking for more cardio, there is plenty of other types of exercise that may be a better fit for you.  It's not worth it i f you are miserable.

I am a runner and I've never met a runner who didn't LOVE to run!

Life is short...make it FUN! You will be more likely to stick with a routine if you like it, it does not cause you pain and you are able to feel accomplished at it!

I'm in week four of the 8 week from couch to 5K running program and I have found it to be great...just slow enough a transition from walking to eventually running.  It's at http://coolrunning.com.  Check it out. 

Love those walk breaks! I've been running for a few years and have done a few half marathons and I run 10/1 or if I feel tired 5/1 - if I need to walk more, I walk more. Most of the time I love it, some of the time I hate it. But even if I hate it when I'm running, about 30 minutes after I finish I feel great and am glad I ran.

Just do your best, forget the rest!