Running survey thread spinoff....

[ctdoula]

I loved reading the running survey thread, and found it very inspriring. I would some of the seasoned runners to give advice for newbies just starting out.

What's the best way to get started (other than C25K)?

How do you make it so your lungs don't feel like they're going to burst?


Do you listen to music?

What other tips can you share for those just starting out?



Thank you!!!

[mtbmomma]

I'll chime in here as a seasoned runner, however I have been running since I was 12, I'm 27 now, and so I don't really have much experience with getting started. That being said, I think what really motivates me to get out and run and also to enjoy the run is thinking of it as a time I get to myself to do something special for me. I don't think about the fact that I'm running, I think about things that I don't have the time to think about when I'm chasing around a toddler all day. I also like to think how I am setting an example for for my DD, who is only 18 months, but can already run incredibly fast and for quite a long time.
As far as the "can't breathe feeling", I would say take it easy in the beginning and try not to push it too hard. If you really want to stick with running you need to make it fun. Go run trails, or through some new neighborhoods. Take walking breaks if you need to, and make sure you aren't increasing your mileage too quickly. That being said, it is good to push yourself a little. I find picking up the pace for the last 200 meters of my run is always a good way to add in some speed, but not die to early. Then if you want to, you can add some more strides after that.
I have also found having a running partner really motivates me to get out and run. Search online for running clubs in your area, or ask at a local running shoe store. Or seek out some running moms in the parks, a bonus for this method is you can see if they have a similar running speed to you. You don't have to be friends outside of running, but it is really nice to have someone expecting you to join them on the morning run.
Good luck, and if you keep it up, running does become a lot easier, and can be a wonderful way to get your body up and moving in the morning, or to unwind at the end of the day.

[cornflake girl]

Lots of great advice already so I don't have much to add. As far as getting started, I didn't know about the C25K when I started out but I kind of did the same thing on my own. Run a block, walk a block, and repeated over and over until I was running 2 blocks then 3 blocks, etc. until it was a mile or two.

As far as your lungs feeling like they're going to burst, you probably need to slow down. Don't worry about how fast you're going, don't even worry if it barely feels faster than a walk, just keep at it and you'll get faster as you gain more endurance.

I was never an athlete or in any kind of cardiovascular shape, so for me, running has a dirty little secret, and that is that it's really, really hard to get started with and get to the point where it feels good. It took me awhile to get to the point where I could say that I really enjoyed it and craved it. And yes, music is a great distraction from the discomfort.

Happy running!

[Penelope]

I started running at 33, and like CG was not athletic at all, although I hiked a lot in my early twenties.

I set a goal (a 5K in the spring) and all fall ran a couple of miles at a time, several days a week. I ran in the winter around noon since it was warmer, and although my time wasn't fabulous on my 5K I ran it and had a great time.

If I had any suggestions:

1. get fitted for good shoes. And buy a decent running/sports bra. Other than that, you can gradually pick up running clothes as you find them on sale. I'm a really sweaty girl, so I like tech clothes because cotton chafes pretty quickly, but lots of people run in cotton tees and whatever athletic-type shorts they happen to own.

2. you can use a stopwatch to figure your basic pace if you've mapped your route beforehand. I love my running watch but it's expensive for a beginner. Wait until Christmas.

3. don't be afraid to increase your distance! When I ran my first 5K, I'd been running for more than six months and had only gotten to a distance of 2.5 miles per run. It would have been fine, and easy enough, for me to gradually increase the distance of one run a week to get a stronger base. But it felt kind of scary.

4. love the iPod.

Great good luck!

[JayGee]

1) I've been running since I was 18, and I'm now 42 ! The times when I've re-started (after my children were born), I've done a walk/run combo and increased the running while decreasing the walking, usually based on time (ie run 3 min, then walk 1 minute, repeat).

2) I think if your lungs hurt, you're going too fast.

3) I don't run with music. Like the mtbmomma, running is the time to think about the stuff I don't usually get to think about. It's very meditative for me at times, and I think about nothing at all .

4) Pick a 5K in the fall as a goal, and then, go for it! I love having a racing goal to motivate me. Join a running group (our local Y has a good one for beginners). Find some friends who want to run the 5K with you. Until you "love" running (and even after that), accountability is important. Have fun!

[MamaChicken]

Runnersworld.com has some good beginners programs. Basically it is similar to the idea of C25K, but not on a podcast. I guess you would have to be able to time yourself or measure your distance- on a treadmill, around a track, nice even blocks, plot out your path and milestones ahead of time...

Theyalso have some good advice about preventing injuries, ect.

[LeslieB]

I've been running since I was 8, and I'm 34, so it's been a long time since I started, but I guess after giving birth and getting back into it really felt like starting again. I just went out the door and ran. I didn't time it or measure it at first. I just did what I could at a pace that felt like I was pushing myself a little bit. Not too hard, but not too easy, either. Then I bought a treadmill so I could run while my son napped. I ran 3 miles. When he was old enough to go in the jogging stroller at 6 months, I upped it to 4 miles. So, by the time he was 9 months old, I was in pretty good running shape. The past four years have been a gradual process of going farther and faster and running a lot of races.
I second the beginners forum at runnersworld.com. I frequent the forum there a lot ("llamaring"). I think there's a lot of helpful advice on there.
Good luck. You will get over that initial difficult hump if you just keep trying.

ETA: I occasionally listen to music, if I'm feeling sluggish that day, but I mostly run without. Running really clears the mind.