I remember my runner friend was teaching me to run, and she told me to just start by having a first goal of running for 8 minutes on the treadmill. I thought to myself, "Hah! 8 minutes? i can do that, piece of cake." But then by minute 2 or so, I was huffing and puffing, sweating like mad, red in the face and couldn't finish and had to walk. Even when I did make it to be able to run for 8 minutes, I hated it. I thought it was the worst exercise ever and didn't understand how people liked it. I remember thinking that the treadmill was invented to make time go by as slow as possible.
Now, I've reached the point where I can jog comfortably for about 5 miles and not ever be gasping for breath. I also feel great after running. You just gotta get past that beginning hurdle and you'll start to love it.
Interesting, because I'm just now deciding I'm going to become a runner! My father and sister are great runners, my children are terrific runners, so I KNOW I have a running gene in here somewhere, and I'm going to find it!
This is my 7th week at the gym, 3rd week running. At first, I could barely run 2 minutes without having to walk for 2 minutes, then run for 2...(rinse, repeat) until I hit 20 minutes. Next week, I could run for 3 minutes, walk, run... It hurt. I was winded, and red faced, and thought about giving up. Even this 3rd week was hard. But I realized, it got easier once I past the 5 minute mark. Granted, it's a slow run/jog pace, but it's improving. I can do 2.75 miles in around 30 minutes now, with only a few walking intervals in between.
I'm actually looking forward to being able to run without taking the walking breaks. And going for runs next summer with my children.
It was only 30 min, but I really pushed myself. I warmed up, started running until I couldn't run anymore, walked until I caught my breath, and then jogged/walked/jogged/walked. I mentioned earlier that I actually have a problem with running too fast. It feels more natural to me than jogging, so I get winded quickly.
I really do enjoy running. I LOVE the feeling when I first start out and I'm not hurting yet. I'm sure I don't look it, huffing and puffing and bumbling along in my baggy sweatshirt, but I feel graceful for the first 30 seconds or so when I get a good rhythm going. I'm looking forward to keeping that good feeling longer and longer before it starts to hurt.
I started out barely being able to run at all! If you would have asked me to run back in July, maybe I could have gone 30 seconds or so before I'd poop out!! I started Couch to 5K in August, completed it in November (it took me longer than the prescribed 9 weeks), and I did my first official 5K yesterday. I usually use run/walk intervals for my training and races (Jeff Galloway's method), so I technically don't run for more than a few minutes without a short walk break, but I CAN run 3-3.5 miles without any walking if I go slowly enough. My typical pace is somewhere in the 10:30-11:00/mile range, e.g. a 5K in around 34 minutes, which is what I did yesterday.
Seriously, I NEVER imagined I could get into running until I got myself out there and tried it! I am constantly amazed by what my body can do if I just give it a chance. I am running my next 5K in two weeks, and I am looking into doing some 10K races in the spring and a half marathon next fall! This is the girl who could never run more than a lap on the track in junior high PE class.
I started out running a few hundred metres and then walking etc etc. One day I felt like I could probably go further and so just did, made a mini target like - run to the next light pole, got there and thought...i could do more, made anothe mini target, got there and though, hey I CAN do more and made another target and then another and another and before I knew had run about 4kms.
The furthest I have now run was 30kms (19 miles) and that was just for the sheer **** of it. I regularly run between 8kms (5mile) and 14kms (9 miles) but will push it out to 18kms (11miles) or so on some days. Love it!
I totally this thread as well! I want to run one day but am starting with walking. I am going to walk a 5K in March and am starting training now. I hope to walk a 10K and half marathon by the end of the year as well and then see if I feel more confident running...it's nice to see others didn't just start out born runners, though!
I started with the C25K program, so I started with 1 minute jogging, 90 seconds walking intervals - and I felt like I could barely move afterwards!
Now, I can run a full 5K (albeit really, really slowly) and I'm working on getting my speed and endurance up. I'm planning to do a sprint triathlon next summer, which is sort of hard for me to wrap my mind around. Back in HS, I dated a guy in cross country who told me I could never be a runner, and I believed him. Now, I'd like to find him and rub his nose in a big pile of dirt (seriously, not a good guy - low self-esteem + HS will make you do silly things...)
I started out being able to jog slowly for ... 2 minutes maybe? Now, after working out for 3-4 months, I'm up to 30 minutes on a good day! Albeit i'm a very slow jogger (5-5.5 mph) but it still thrills me nonetheless. I just love that I am now one of those people that can just get on a treadmill and run!
this thread as well! I want to run one day but am starting with walking. I am going to walk a 5K in March and am starting training now. I hope to walk a 10K and half marathon by the end of the year as well and then see if I feel more confident running...it's nice to see others didn't just start out born runners, though!
