Want to start running...need encouragement

BillOh · 09-08-2009, 03:55 PM

Ready for the 5k yet, Ebony Rose?

EbonyRose · 09-08-2009, 04:21 PM

Hi Everyone!

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillOh

Ready for the 5k yet, Ebony Rose?

Hey Bill!

Not quite - I'm doing good on my distances - keep adding distance, the time is the same, so I know I'm getting faster. I have mapped out a 2.5 mile route near my house that I've been walking to see how it felt, and this coming weekend I'm going to jog it.

I signed up for a 'Step Out for Diabetes' event at the end of this month - the course is supposed to run somewhere between 2.5 miles and 6 miles (no details yet on the distance). My goal is to get stronger between now and then, and to RUN the course, not just walk it.

I've signed up for a team and have already gotten two donations, so I HAVE to do it...nothing like having people depend on you to make you get off your butt. Since I'm a type II diabetic, it's perfect for me - I get to challenge my new-found fitness and do some good for fellow diabetics at the same time.

I'll keep reporting in - Monday's run was good - tough, but good. My hubby runs with me, and because his legs are longer (and he's stronger) I'm usually chasing him. He calls himself 'the rabbit'...LOL...he keeps pushing us to go farther in the same amount of time, so it's working okay.

Some days I just wanna kill him, but he's helping me get stronger, so I can't complain too much

I still love my running...looking forward to the race!

soonergirl · 09-09-2009, 01:56 PM

What a great thread! I was actually doing a search on the band and "fueling" for long distance runs with a new fill (hard to eat enough).

I only started running about 4 months ago. When I started I could not even run for 100 yards. I am now training for a series of 10K, Half-marathon and 20K races coming up. You ahve all shared such great tips and encouragement!

I started with a modified C25K that was designed for distance running. The first was a 10/10/10 walk/jog/walk. There was no way I could jog for 10 minutes. I somehow made it through the first few weeks and then every week there after became a new milestone.

My runs now are about 5-6 miles during the week and 7.5 on the weekend.

My advice - run slow!!! you will be able to get more distance in if you pace yourself. Once you get used to the distance you will be able to work on your speed.

If you want to go for longer miles - JOIN A GROUP! check out your local running store, they will know where you can find one. The support and encouragement you will get is like no other. Many of them have a Walk 2 Run program or even walking programs.

You will have good days and bad days - don't let the bad ones get the best of you! Cross training is also Great! Just another good tip that you can do anywhere for shin splints is a toe tap. Think of the way you would just tap your toe up and down as if you were mad at your husband :) or wife. now do this for one minute on each side. Sound easy?....try it. Does wonders for shin splint prevention.

I hope that everyone continues to share their successes on here no matter where they are in the process. I have a 10K next weekend don't think that is as impressive to me as it was for me to run for 20 minutes without stopping for the first time!!!! BTW - once you get to 30 minutes without stopping, you are ready to start adding the miles!! You will be shocked how easy it will feel to move from 30 minutes to 5 or 6 miles in a matter of weeks. Much easier than going from 10 minutes to 30!!

Keep running!!

BillOh · 09-09-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soonergirl

My runs now are about 5-6 miles during the week and 7.5 on the weekend.

My advice - run slow!!! you will be able to get more distance in if you pace yourself. Once you get used to the distance you will be able to work on your speed.

If you want to go for longer miles - JOIN A GROUP! check out your local running store, they will know where you can find one. The support and encouragement you will get is like no other. Many of them have a Walk 2 Run program or even walking programs.

!

Good advice. I'm holding off for the 1/2 marathon till next summer. I'm signed up for 5k #10 and 10k #3 already.

krtork · 09-13-2009, 03:04 PM

Bill - I did it! Finished my first 10K! Woo Hoo. I did not have my best run today, but I finished and I was not last! Waiting for official times, but my nike+ was at 1:12.

I have not found another 10K, but I am looking at a relay race and hoping to find some partners for the run. It raises money for the Family Access Network that helps kids in our schools that don't have much. Good cause, so I think I will be able to put together a team!

BillOh · 09-13-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krtork

Bill - I did it! Finished my first 10K! Woo Hoo. I did not have my best run today, but I finished and I was not last! Waiting for official times, but my nike+ was at 1:12.

I have not found another 10K, but I am looking at a relay race and hoping to find some partners for the run. It raises money for the Family Access Network that helps kids in our schools that don't have much. Good cause, so I think I will be able to put together a team!

Impressive. You should look for a 5k in the next coming weeks, I'll bet you will blow your 5k best time away. I ran a 10k yesterday, hoping to blow away some younger skinnier friends this coming Friday night

EbonyRose · 09-14-2009, 08:32 AM

Good morning Everyone!

Back looking for some advice...I'm still extending my distances, but timed one of our morning "runs" and found that we (hubby and I) actually go SLOWER when we jog than when we walk fast. I don't seem to be able to keep my stride long enough when I run to keep the same speed level as when I walk.

We've actually extended the distance - are now doing 2 miles in about 35 minutes walking. When we were jogging, we didn't cover that much ground in the same time period. I only have the 30 - 35 min in the morning because of my commute, so more time isn't an option at this time.

Do I need to work more on flexibility? I find I'm short of breath a LOT when I run, but not so much when I walk. Oh, I'm still breathing hard, can talk a bit, but not carry on conversation, but when I run, it's nearly impossible to talk unless I'm going slower than I want to go (or feel I should go).

All you experienced runners out there (BillOH - are you listening?) I need some advice and counsel. I liked running, but if I'm not getting faster and the percieved level of effort isn't getting easier, what am I doing wrong? I've been walking the last couple of weeks - fast and long 3 days a week (hence the 2 mile distance now) and slower, more relaxed the other days. Did my 2.5 mile walk on Sunday and chopped 15 min of my previous time of 1 hour - even with dragging the dog the whole way. I probably could have gone even faster without him...and I plan to when I do the Diabetes walk at the end of the month, but...

I'm rambling now...looking for help and advice. Thanks in advance!

BillOh · 09-14-2009, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EbonyRose

I'm rambling now...looking for help and advice. Thanks in advance!

Advice? Keep at it, it will come?

I suspect the dog is a factor, but I do notice on your BMI, that you can crossed the threshold and are no longer obese and just overweight. I suspect this will make the perceived effort start to drop pretty soon. I don't think I even started running until I hit the 30bmi level (I'll have to check my WII and see what it was when I ran my first 5k)

BillOh · 09-14-2009, 09:25 AM

Two weeks ago when I ran my best 5k, I had run a 10k 6 days before, so I decided Saturday to get up and run that same 10k course again hoping it would help me this Friday night. Night time races are a lot harder after a full day at work. This Friday its the March of Dimes "Night moves" run through downtown Columbus in the dark. A couple of my wife's gym friends are running in this one, and I really want to be relaxing at the finish line when they finish, so I was motivated to get up early Saturday morning even though I was out till 2am Friday night. I suspect there will be at least 1000 runners Friday night which makes it fun. My wife has been slacking off, at least as far as the running this week, so I may run on the treadmill beside here tonight. (

I hate the treadmill) I'd rather run outside since the weather is and will be totally perfect tonight. But since I ran yesterday I could take the day off, but I think I will run shorter and faster tonight. I might crank the treadmill up to a 7 minute mile for about 14 minutes tonight just to scare her gym buddies a bit. (I love the mind games part of runnning

Jachut · 09-14-2009, 04:59 PM

It doesnt matter that you're running slower than you can walk, if you notice, its still tougher than walking becuase you have to leave the ground. What you're doing is building the strength to run.

I started out so slow I could have walked faster too. But it was important to me that I run and I could feel that it was harder on my body - therefore making me fitter. Over time it DID.

Running slow is how you build a good aerobic base. It is absolutely pointless going out too fast as you develop your anaerobic system and dont develop your aerobic capacity -which is your true powerhouse.

Many runners believe you have to keep your heart rate down around 65% of its max when running to develop your aerobic system to its fullest and that's actually REALLY hard to do.

EbonyRose · 09-14-2009, 06:30 PM

Back again...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jachut

It doesnt matter that you're running slower than you can walk, if you notice, its still tougher than walking becuase you have to leave the ground. What you're doing is building the strength to run.

Thank you, Jachut! I believe you - I know you are a very experienced runner...and you've been where I am trying to go!

I started out so slow I could have walked faster too. But it was important to me that I run and I could feel that it was harder on my body - therefore making me fitter. Over time it DID.

I agree - when I check the calorie burn on my Bodybugg, the days I "wog" the burn rate is higher...once in a while I get close on one of my fired up walking days, but I'm already a walker and I WANT to be a runner...

Running slow is how you build a good aerobic base. It is absolutely pointless going out too fast as you develop your anaerobic system and dont develop your aerobic capacity -which is your true powerhouse.

You've helped me make the decision to go slower, but keep on running - at this point, I don't have any more tiime (30 min before work is all I have, but I do walk during the day as well) so I've got to maximize the burn while I can. Back to 'wogging' it is for me!

Many runners believe you have to keep your heart rate down around 65% of its max when running to develop your aerobic system to its fullest and that's actually REALLY hard to do.

Thanks a bunch for the info - I know what I have to do!

Jachut · 09-14-2009, 07:31 PM

lol at "wogging". My DH kindly called it joggling. Not that he managed to get off his ass and do any. Pretty easy to be an armchair critic, hey?

BillOh · 09-16-2009, 03:11 PM

Just in case you haven't seen this or something similar, I thought I'd share a website I use for measuring running distance and planning routes.

Running Routes - WalkJogRun

BillOh · 09-21-2009, 12:28 PM

Well, I'll probably be keeping this thread alive awhile, hope to hear from all of you again. 5K number 10 was Friday night, did pretty well, not a personal best, but I was #51 out of 514. Not sure how I did age group wise, I don't think they kept track on this one. We will have 2 more 5ks in the next 2 weeks, but I've signed up to run a 10k with my Army Capitan nephew who has been back from Iraq, and will be in Afghanistan over Christmas. That race will be in Erie, Pa where we both were born and I will be visiting Mom and family over Thanksgiving. That is a way to burn off the holiday calories before consuming them. The area is known as Presque Isle State Park, and it could be very cold and windy in November.

EbonyRose · 09-21-2009, 01:00 PM

Hi Everyone (especially BillOH)!

Well, the Step Out for Diabetes event was yesterday - I had intended to run the 3-mile course, but ended up walking it. I arrived and warmed up with everyone else, and when I started the course, we were on asphalt...then it went to gravel, then grass (bumpy in spots), then sand, then more gravel, then dirt with tire ruts (service road, I think)...well, you get the picture.

I was afraid to run the unfamiliar terrain, so I power-walked the entire course. It was two laps of a 1.5 mile route, and I started off in the middle of the pack, passed a bunch of folks, held the lead for a while, then got passed by this jackrabbit of a guy who I chased for the rest of the second lap...

Never did catch him, but I did the 3 miles in right around 30 minutes, so I didn't feel too badly...last year at this time, I wouldn't have been looking to walk the whole thing, or if I did, it would have been very slowly...

I'm happy I did it - now on to the next challenge...going to schedule a 5k run in mid-late October or very early in November, and that will probably end my "race season". If it's icy underfoot, I'll have to figure out what I'm going to do...I'm really apprehensive about falling.

If I can't run outdoors, I'll make time to get to the gym, or to get a treadmill in my house; I've also got a rowing machine, but it's not the same. Darn winter - it will be showing up just as I'm ready to do a lot of roadwork!

Anywho...I feel great, my weight is dropping again after being stuck for about 6 weeks (also had a fill recently) and I'm loving how I 'crave' wogging / running / walking.

Thanks for all the encouragement - I'll definately be back to report my progress along the way!