I don't know what it is about THIS STORY about a woman who lost 55 pounds running, but all weekend, all I can think is: I want to run!

Can anyone give me ideas where to start? Any more success stories? Hers is SOOOO motivating!

I can't get that article to come up for some reason -- I'm just getting the title and a blank page. My computer's screwy lately. I'll try to read it later. Anyway ... many of the folks on 3FC who have become runners started with a program called "Couch to 5K," which you can find on coolrunning.com. I started with that, though I tweaked it a bit, and now I've lost 103 pounds and am training for a half marathon. Here are some bits of advice from what I've learned:

*Start out VERY slow. It may feel like you're more "plodding" than "running," but it's all about getting your body used to it gradually. Do NOT worry about speed for a very, very long time, if ever!
*When you get to the point where you can run for 30 minutes straight, sign up for a 5k and start training for it. That's a surefire way of making sure you stick with it! And then KEEP signing up for races!
*Read and post in the Cool Runners thread -- you'll find lots of inspiration there.
*Track your runs in a spreadsheet or exercise log so you can see all the lovely progress you make.
*Don't assume that running will make you lose weight. Obviously it's a fantastic cardio exercise and burns tons of calories, but sometimes people make the mistake of believing they can eat lots more if they run. You still have to track your calories and burn more than you consume.
*Believe it or not, running is highly addictive, and you may be tempted to do more of it than you should. Take extra precautions about staying injury-free -- research how to prevent injuries on websites like coolrunning, and definitely see a doctor about anything that feels sketchy!
*Shoes, shoes, shoes. Speaking of injury prevention, it's all about getting the right shoes for your feet, so you probably want to visit a store that specializes in running shoes.

Most of all, have fun with it -- it really is addictive, and if you have an inclination toward it, you're probably going to love it. I was the most unathletic person on God's green earth, and I ran 12 miles the other day. A year ago, I couldn't run 12 feet. ANYONE can be a runner.

Check this plan out The Couch-to-5K Running Plan many new runners start there...

Good luck, keep us posted on your progress and visit our Cool Runners thread where we share running experiences

Eh. There are many, many runners who run for years or decades and have no interest in racing.

Yes, but they are a LOT of fun and very motivating

For people who want competition or comraderie, they're fun. For people who aren't interested in competition, or who don't want to get up at some obscenely early time on a weekend morning, or who love running because it's not a group activity or because it's a chance to be alone with their thoughts or because it doesn't have tangible goals, races are more like torture. There's room for everyone, and my point was that you don't need to race in order to run.

Of course what you say is true, MariaMaria, but why be so negative about it? Are you one of the runners who doesn't like to compete?

There's room for everyone. No one is saying that anyone HAS to enter races--it's just an idea for those who might want to try it, as motivation.

Jay

I want to run a 5K not because I want to compete with anyone, I'm not really a competitive person, however I know how absolutely amazing it would feel to cross that finish line and know that I made a goal, actually trained for it and succeeded. I would be so proud of myself!

But I'm getting off topic. As someone said above start slow and don't get discouraged! When I first started I couldn't even run for a full minute! Now I can run much longer, I can run hills, I can actually run sprints, it CAN be done! Just keep at it and you can be a runner

Another late-onset runner here. You've gotten great advice already from Lisa and the others, but I thought I'd chime in with another recommendation for the couch to 5K plan on the coolrunning website. I followed this program when I started running, and it was perfect for gradually easing into running in a way that lets you build up your muscles and endurance safely.

I also feel the need to echo Lisa's advice on the shoes - it really is so important to get a pair that works for your individual needs. Do not just go to a sportmart-type store - instead, you should visit a store that specializes in running shoes so that they can analyze your stride.

Finally, if you're looking for a little inspiration, I'd recommend a book called "The Courage to Start". The author was an overweight, out of shape non-athlete who took up running in his middle age and now runs marathons and has a column in Runner's World for the "penguins" of the world (i.e., those of us who are a little slow and don't have the most elegant stride, but still keep plodding forward!)

Good luck, and please do come and post on the coolrunners thread, we'd love to hear about your progress!

Well of course Maria, racing isn't for everyone. I mean come on - talking about stating the obvious. Why did that even needed to be posted? This is about supporting people and their efforts - not making people feel uncomfortable. I'm just not quite sure I get the purpose of this post -

I don't get the purpose of that post either. As everyone knows, I'm slow as molasses, so the idea that I think races are about competition is pretty laughable anyway. The reason I suggest signing up for races is because it's one way of making you stick with running. If you're not always motivated to get up and run because of the sheer love of running, you might get up and do it because you know you have a race coming up. That works for me some days, and as I said...I was giving advice based on what I have learned, as an unathletic person who became a runner.

The funny part is that being alone with my thoughts is probably the biggest reason I love running. That and racing are hardly mutually exclusive. Races happen every few weeks or months (whenever you feel like doing them) -- they don't happen every time you run. I know that sounds like stating the obvious too, but apparently I need to.

I'm sorry if I sound a bit hostile -- it's just that this isn't the first time someone has been extremely negative toward one of my posts about running, and I'm not thrilled when people put a damper on my enthusiasm about something that has changed my life. Especially if negativity seems to be the ONLY thing they have to offer.

Has anyone been really overweight when they staerted running? Is this possible? Is it a good idea? Love to hear your opinions!

I started running early on in my weightloss journey when I weighed around 240, then I became a slacker, stopped and didn't start again until I was quite a bit lighter at 210 or so. I heard lots of people saying I should wait so as not to put all that stress on my joints but then I also read a lot of articles written by people who know what they're talking about that running isn't really as bad as everyone thinks and that running can actually IMPROVE joint pain because it strengthens all the little muscles around your joints that support them. For me this was totally true. Yeah for the first week I was really sore but after I got into my routine I noticed my knee pain going away. About a month ago I slacked off and stopped running for about 2 weeks and when I started again I noticed the knee pain again, but after another week of running it went away!

So anyway I suppose this is my long winded way of saying that you can start anytime! Just try it out, start with short intervals (as I said above I could only run for about 30 seconds when I first started) and work your way up!

thanks, Wisher! its always good to hear from someone who's been there!

I am a bit older, and I only just started jogging and running briefly, now that I'm down from 198 to 155. I have to be careful because jogging and running can make my joints and ligaments sore. Also, the thing about the shoes is absolutely true--you need the best ones you can get, that fit your foot correctly.

Jay