I am fairly fit, able to get through a spinning class or a high intensity aerobics class or play raquetball, but I can't run more than 1/2 mile without quitting and feeling awful. Is it a mindset or is it physically that much more challenging?
Try music--it's probably a mindset thing and I find if you can distract yourself from hearing your breathing etc you tend to do better. But then again some people have different preferences...I can run for miles at a time but doing Tae Bo kills me so therefore I don't choose that as exercise I do. Just my opinion...
You can be very fit and still need to work up to running/jogging. Try a Learn to Run program, building up gradually from mainly walking to mainly running. You'll be amazed how well you do. But don't increase your running distance by more than 10% per week to avoid injuries.
Keep trying - running is a joy, especially in cooler weather.
Running/jogging is definetly more challenging, and I love it... There is no way I could run 1/2 mile the first time out, and I biked, walked, did aerobics, etc... You definitely need to start gradually 1:1 (run:walk) within a couple of weeks you'll be up there with the rest of them...
Liz -- I don't like to hear my breathing either!! It makes me feel like I'm out of breath or something, I put the music up very loud, the people passing me though must think I'm about ready to die ...
My suggestion is to slow way down. My dh was having trouble starting running until he took this advice seriously. Then he could run 5k at once without too much trouble. His only complaint is that he felt like he was going too slowly. He does a lot of cycling, so he was already pretty fit, he just needed to learn how to pace himself with running.
ITA w/ only me that's what helped me was to slow down and pace myself this is not a track meet, I'm just leisurely running. Think about the amount of mileage that you want to do and pace yourself. Also as everyone else mentioned it's best to work your way into it. Try a running program like this http://www.runningplanet.com/article...article_id=340 It has great tips on how to work your way into running 2 miles. Or even the couch to 5k program could help tremendously.
Thanks for the reply! I always thought something was wrong with me. I can even do the elliptical machine, but runnng seems different. Running is just cheaper than joining a gym. I've always had this question, although I broke my ankle very badly last summer and can't run very far ( a few yards) without quitting because of the ankle. I really want to work up to it, but it might just be too high impact anyway, rendering this a moot point.
Thanks for the reply! I always thought something was wrong with me. I can even do the elliptical machine, but runnng seems different. Running is just cheaper than joining a gym. I've always had this question, although I broke my ankle very badly last summer and can't run very far ( a few yards) without quitting because of the ankle. I really want to work up to it, but it might just be too high impact anyway, rendering this a moot point.
Thanks guys!!
Sorry to hear about your ankle, just to let you know that hopefully it shouldn't stop you running. I smashed my ankle into bits about two and a half years ago and had to have a plate put down one side of my ankle and two pins in the other side to hold it all together (I broke my tibia and fibia I think) - two scars for the price of one!.
It was a while after that before I started trying to run, but my ankle hasn't really been an issue with it other than once at the very beginning when my foot flared up because I'd tried to increase my distance/time too quickly. Because my ankle/foot alignment is possibly a bit off it magnified the problems of trying to do too much too soon and I got a very swollen very painful foot for a couple of weeks. Once I tried to build up my running sensibly and slowly it got used to it and it's never given me a seconds pain when I've been running on it, I can run for an hour now without it being an issue.
Why is running/jogging harder?
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