I already posted this on the 20-somethings board, but I thought maybe some people around here are looking for inspiration (this is a "if I can do it, you can too!" story).

I ran/jogged TWO MILES yesterday! For those of you working on getting in shape, here is some background:

My entire life, I have never been good at running/jogging, and I have always been out of shape. I never managed to run/jog a mile without walking. When I started working out (in September I think) I had not been to a gym in a LONG time. The gym here has a 1/8 mile track, and the first time I tried I couldn't do two laps without walking. I was taking a pilates class at the time and I was so discouraged by not being able to run that I decided to just stick with the pilates and skip the cardio.

This year my boyfriend suggested to me that I make some sort of goals for the new year (I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions usually). Trying to make realistic goals, I decided that I want to be able to run a mile and do a girly-style push-up (all the way down). I started to work on running -- I would at first jog a lap, walk a lap, jog a lap, walk a lap. The pilates class had ended so I had a lot more time for cardio. After a little while I was able to run two laps without walking, but I felt like I was going to keep over afterwards!

Each time I went to the gym (3 days a week) I would try to run just a little bit farther. Two laps turned into 3 pretty quickly, then 3 1/2, 4, 5, 5 1/2. Then one day I got to the 5 1/2 laps, and said to myself "okay, I can totally do one more lap." I did another lap, and then realized there was only one and a half laps left to a mile, so I kept going! It was really really hard, but I made it to a mile, and I was so happy!

I ran my mile on January 26. It only took ONE MONTH to work up to a mile! I couldn't believe I went from one lap to eight laps so fast.

Since then I hadn't gotten too far with my jogging. I'm really slow (about 14 min/mile), and I would run out of time for jogging. I got up to 10 laps, but that was it. I asked for advice on the 20-somethings forum, and a couple people suggested running intervals. I tried it yesterday, to see if I could maybe improve the time it took me to run a mile. At first, I thought the effort was so much I wouldn't even make a mile! But somehow I kept going all the way to a mile. Then I thought to myself, wow, I guess I'll just jog slowly for a couple laps and see if I can make it to 10 laps again. But I just kept jogging, and jogging, and jogging . . .

Next thing I knew, I had jogged TWO MILES! Three months ago I could barely jog 1/4 mile, now I can jog TWO!

And you know what? If I can do it, you can do it too! I may not be the thinnest I've been in my life (far from it), but I am in waaaaay better shape now than I have ever been. My scale hasn't moved much recently, it's kind of stuck, but I know that I'm getting fit, and my measurements are decreasing, and I'm building muscle. I've only gone down maybe 6 pounds since the beginning of the year, but my waist and hips have each lost 2 and a half inches!

This is what diet and exercise is all about. Getting healthy!! I know that if I can do it all of us can do it, because I am the laziest bum around and I have hated running all my life. Now that I can actually do it, it feels great!

Wow that's awesome, way to go! I've been running for some time myself and like you really feel like I've accomplished something everytime I come to the end of my runs. I too started out slow and easy and now run 30-60 minutes 3 days a week. I'm currently training for a local run and hope to do a half marathon by October. You too may be interested in training for a local event to work towards. Congratulations on all your running success and good luck in all your future goals.

I too have taken up running and totally understand how each little milestone makes you feel. Good for you!
I just started on week 3 of nike's 5k training program and it's all about intervals. I swear by them when training.

Heck yeah that's great. I just got to where I can run for 2 miles myself. Takes me 30 min to do it. But I get there. I must be doing intervals wrong. I tire out when I do this long before 20 min is up.

Hi shhambo, it took me about 28 minutes to do the two miles too. I only did intervals for the first mile though, and took the slow parts reeeeeally slow. I think my second mile took a couple minutes longer than my first. I did slow on the corners and fast on the straight parts of the track for my intervals. It's good to see someone else who is at the same point as me!

Hey paperclippy,
I think I must need to slow down my slow parts more. I get embarrased though, don't know why. I know I shouldn't worry about what other people think.
It is definatly need to see someone else about where I am w/running.
I will be watching for your posts to see how things are progressing. Maybe a 5k by summers end?

Congradulations. You are truly inspiring to me. That is one thing in my workouts that I have not tackled yet but am looking forward to. I was always slightly envious of runners -always wanted to be one. I have decided that come April (as the snow melts here in Canada) that is what my goal will be for the summer - to run a mile Keep up the good work!

I was embarrassed by jogging so slowly at first too, but at least at my gym, there are always people walking around the track too, so I could at least feel good that I was passing someone, even if the better runners passed me five times. Everyone has to start somewhere! I'm definitely considering a 5k . . . I'm not sure I want to become a marathon runner or anything like that, but it would be good to have something to work toward!

Just an update . . . today, for the first time, I jogged THREE MILES!! I can't believe it! Thanks so much to everyone for the support! Never in my life did I imagine one day I'd be able to jog so far and for so long without walking. I finished the first mile at 12:30 (a very fast time for me), I finished the second mile at 28:00, and I finished the third mile at 43:30. I feel great! I don't have any plans to run marathons or anything but I'm starting to think I might register for a 5k sometime soon.

Awesome!

next time im at the gym, instead of slightly fast walking on the treadmill im going to try and jog part of my time...........im going to build myself up to a mile
to hear a real person say it is do-able is very inspiring
thank you so much

Hi Tootoot! I know you can do it. Hey, if I can do it, anyone can! And it sounds like you're about the same size as me (the same exact weight, anyway!). A lot of the things I've read suggest doing short intervals, if you never jog, like to jog for 30 seconds, then walk 5 minutes, etc, and gradually increase the interval time. I didn't use that method, but I've heard it works really well for a lot of people.

Good luck!

well ive managed to diet for a year on and off, the end of march was my whole year of dieting give or take a few!! blips
now im adamant to get fit, so been going to the gym regularly for a month! whoppeeee but i have never in my life wanted to or enjoyed running, maybe now it will change

Hey toot!

Well DONE paperclippy! I broke my little toe 6 weeks ago, and I calculated how long it would take to get better, (London Marathon day) so I swore to myself that I'd take up running when it was better.

I was on a treadmill at the gym a couple of Mondays ago so I thought I'd see how long I could jog for! 2 minutes! 2 minutes! HAHAHAHAHA! I spent about 10 mins walking briskly too, so I could've started jogging again after walking for a bit, but I thought I'd just take it easy.

So last Friday I went out in the park with my FI and I managed to jog for 2 mins 45secs! It's sooooo pathetic it's funny! The strangest thing is, I can bounce about in Kickboxing class for ages, and be on the move and up and down on my toes for ages, but actual running has me floored (literally)!

Anyhoo, I am dedicating myself to learning to run cos I have hated it all my life! If I ever get to Marathon level I will go back to school with my medal and say "see this now!" HEHEHEHEHEHE but I guess my old crone of a gym teacher will have retired by then!

Tomorrow I am out running again, I'm going to try for 3 and a half mins! . I've promised a friend of mine that next time I see her I'll be able to jg for 20 mins! Blimey! I'll probably see her near the end of May, so perhaps I might make it if I train hard!

COOL RUNNINGS!

Hi 2Frustrated! Haha, you know when I started I was exactly the same as you! I could go 30-40 mins on an elliptical, but I could only jog for like 30 seconds! :P Just keep working, if I can do it then you can do it! I hated running all my life too, but now I know that I hated it because I was so bad at it. I hated any exercise, no matter what! Nowadays I look forward to my workouts though, and I even feel motivated to go for a jog on my off-days!