I'd like to start jogging and to do it as painlessly as possible. I'm already walking 3 - 4 miles a day.

I read somewhere that a good way to go about this is a run/walk plan. Would it make sense to break up the walks I'm already taking into alternating running for two minutes with walking for three minutes? And how long should the session be at first? How quickly can I expect to be able to lengthen the amount of time I spend running?

Disclaimer: I have NEVER jogged in my life.

When I started a program like this (a while ago) I borrowed books for beginning runners from the library.

My pattern started out:
warmup walk- 5 minutes
walk- 3 minutes
jog- 2 minutes
walk-3 minutes
jog- 2
cool down walk- 5 minutes



I repeated the central walk/jog several times until I'd reachedtwenty five minutes, not including warm ups or cool downs. I kept the same pattern for for two weeks, then I increased the jog part by a minute & left the walk part at two minutes. Every other week I increased the jog time. After a couple of months I started eliminating the walk parts.



Do this very slowly & don't try too much too soon. It's very easy to hurt yourself by trying too much too soon. I ended up with a very severe case of shinsplints because I pushed myself too hard.



Good luck!

I had never jogged in my life until just recently. I started a program that I found on the internet, sorry I don't know where it was now. But there are tons of them out there that you don't have to pay a dime for.

I am doing a walk run routine. It is a 16 week program and takes you from never running to a 3k in that time period. I think I started with 5 min walk fast pace warm up 30 sec run 2 min walk rotation for 20 min. I am now in week 5 and doing 5 min warm up walk 3 min run, 3 min walk, 90 sec run, 90 sec walk for three rotations. I feel absoutly great and I gotta tell you that nothing seems to get me going like running. Be very careful not to start out with to much as it is common to get injuries while running. If you start a program and feel a lot of pain in your shines or knees back off so you don't cause further damage. Make sure you have a good pair of shoes to run in!

I hope this information helps you out!

Thanks GenreGirl and HarleyMom! I'm going to give it a try.

check out a C25K program (it stands for "couch to 5K"). my brother started it last week (he's a good deal overweight and hasn't exercised in a good 5 years)-- and he says it really eases you into running.

try googling for it, or looking on www.coolrunning.com

Ilene told me to just go faster and join the cool runners thread. I feel a little goofy posting there but hey ...

Thanks kms7z! I found the C25K program and it looks like a good way to start.

I did the coolrunning.com couch 2 5k program...takes 8 weeks. When I first started the first session called for me to run 30 seconds...man I was winded (I was soooo not a runner) now I am on week 5 and I can run a mile straight in about 10 minutes without being too winded. This program eases you into running both physically and also by helping you get through those mental blocks that make you think you could never be a RUNNER, and you cannot possible run for X amount of time etc...

Other tips that I have learned along the way...

• Running on a track is easier to focus on your running in the beginning...no need to dodge mailboxes...cars...people etc...also easy to judge distance. Also harder than on a treadmill...
• Get a watch with a stopwatch function on it, bought mine at walmart for 6 bucks...
• Get some running shorts and some bike shorts to wear under them...this will keep them from riding up on you while you run...hard to run when you are self conscious.
• You do not have to be running fast...take it slow and focus on your distance.

By no means am I am authority on running, these are just some things I wish I would have known when I started and have learned along the way. Good luck with this...it is so worth it. Going from being a non runner to being a *gasp* RUNNER is such a sense of accomplishment and great for your body.

I ran in highschool and not since. I picked it up sporatically but always got bored. I started running races recently and i am running a 10k this weekend I am really excited, and my personal key to a successful running plan is a buddy. When i run by myself, i lose focus and motivation and ultimately stop and dont go as far as i could. Find a running buddy, maybe a neighbor, or someone with a flexible shcedule or a husband or boyfriend, to go with you a few times a week. Start small and work up. I found that having another person motivates you and keeps you going. I can run farther and its a pace setter. We dont talk, its just nice to have a person keeping you going. Hope that helps. Good luck with it!

Well, I'm off to buy some running shorts and a stopwatch (thanks for the advice, Stephie!)... and then I'm going out there. Fortunately it's a nice crisp day and I won't feel the heat too much. Wish me luck! :-)

Well, like Stephie said about her first session... I am soooooooo not a runner! The coolrunning C25K plan calls for 60 seconds of running in the first workout week and I had to make it 30 seconds. I had no idea how long 30 seconds can be! And my shins are sore and tight.

But I'm going back out in about half an hour and I'll see how it goes.

Thanks for checking in on me, GenreGirl!

I wrote out the couch to 5K first week routine. I am expecting the no-bounce bra I ordered to arrive within a week. Until then, I decided I would get up early everyday and walk briskly for 20-30 minutes. Today was my first day!!! Hopefully, I can get a routine going.

When I started the Couch to 5 K I did a week of 30 second runs to start with too, and then started the official program the next week. You will be amazed at how fast you progress. Take your rest days in between though. It is very important as your body needs time to adapt and heal. You can crosstrain on your "off" days, but not run.

Good luck!

Sign up for a run. I wanted to start running this year, and began training in April. But I signed up for my run way back in February I think it was, if not earlier! It gave something to aim for. I decided to start with a 10k.

I completed my first 10k today. I am tired, my feet are tired, my legs are tired, and how do I feel??? Fabulous!!!!