Hi there...I have started jogging a little with my walks...I just can't seem to get my heart rate up without it. I have been bitten by the jogging bug now and want to see if I can work up to running a 5 mile fun run next year in September. I figure I can do it if I have a year to train :-).

Does anyone have any tips? How long should I run at first? What kind of stretching should I do? Should I even be running at 240 lbs?

Any help will be much appreciated....

Megan

I started the way you arent meant to, lol, just went out and did it. I made 3kms my first time. But all you need to do is add in jogging stretches and go for as long as you can with them, then walk. Probably do that 3 times per week and walk or do something entirely different maybe 2 or 3 other days. Gradually increase the jogging/decrease the walking until you are jogging for a short distance, probably 1 to 3 miles. Then when that's easy-ish you can start to work on distance - the idea is to do a long run each week adding 10% to that distance weekly until you reach your goals.

If you have a look at www.coolrunning.com there's a couch to 5K program there to get you started and the forums have heaps of advice for newbies.

Above all take it slowly, the biggest mistake people make is doing too much too soon and getting injured. Be sensible if you do get injured and take time to recover. Seek out soft surfaces if you can - gravel or grass rather than concrete, it really is a lot easier on your joints. And get yourself some proper running shoes.

Stretching really does make it easier to avoid injury - there's no proof that stretching before running achieves much but afterwards when you're warm its very beneficial. I do hamstrings, quads, calves and achilles, ITB's and lower back, oftentimes I spend half an hour on the floor in front of the telly stretching.

Thank you so much for the advice! I'm going to go check out that website. I need all the help I can get!

Thanks again!

Megan

Be warned - its very addictive, lol. And just when you think you're running along looking all so professional and good at it, you pass a window and catch sight of yourself, eeeeeek. But nonetheless its a great sport.

Hi,

It's great that you are starting running! I'm the slowest runner in the world and I still love it. I have a trainer I work out with twice a week and she started me running when I was on a plateau. I look forward to it now (did I REALLY say that?). HAHA.

I started out on a two mile trail. I would run a tenth of a mile and then walk one. In a few weeks, I did two running and then walking. Then went up to 5 and walked 5. Now, I'm walking two miles up the trail and running two miles down without stopping. A big accomplishment for me!!

On days I don't work out in a class an hour before running, I could easily run 3 miles. That's my next goal! I usually work out an hour first in a very intense Cardio-Sculpt class, so my legs and glutes are toast when I go out for a run.

Keep going. Do what you can do. Get your heart rate up and then walk a bit, catch your breath, and then run again. You'll love it.

Rose

I just started walking and then a little running at a time and now I can do 3 km like nothing, I also started going to every run I can like the charity ones cause I like the competition and just finnished my second one ever and did 8km run!! I almost puked at the finnish line but well worth it and I finnished in 51 mins!! whhooo hooo very addictive

Yeah, the fun runs are AWESOME. Its so so gratifying to finish one, I too did myt first every 7.5 last weekend in the Melbourne marathon and I was bawling as I crossed the finish line.

it really gives you something to work towards, now I've finished that I want to do a 10km one in December. Its motivating and gives you the chance to really map out a proper training program - now that I can run longish distances, I do a short run, an interval run, a tempo (speed) run and a long slow run every week - and every week I'm adding .5km to the long slow one to build myself up to 10.

I've always figured I would run ... when a big hungry dog was chasing me. Even with that I think I'd let the dog have me.

But now with reading all of these posts and getting myself prepared for my weightloss journey - I can't wait to try jogging and even bike riding.

I love the couch-to-5k info on the coolrunnings website. I never got past week 2 but that was before...

One of my goals is to do one of the Iron Girl events in 2007.

www.irongirl.com Maybe not the duathon in Minnesota in September but a december AZ vacation for the 10K in Tempe would be FANTASTIC!!

Sonia

Lets see, when i started I was pre banded and walking with the weight of 286lbs@ 5.8

After the band ofcourse I had a month off. That jarring was a little much. Walk a 1/8 lap and jog a 1/8 lap. Thats how it started. I have never given up my jogging and never will.

I do 6.6 mile now @209lbs. The effects on my knees I can feel. I have done this up to 3-4 times a week. I sometimes do only 4 miles a couple times a week.

I have done a few marathons. Which I thought was the stuff. I was very proud of this.

As I continue I sometimes get bored running. It comes and goes but never leaves for long. The stress release I have is worth it and ofcourse the calorie burn is neede to maintain my pitance of weekly weight loss now..

Shoes, stride, heart monitor, Ipod. All a must for me...Cold weather, no problem either. I prefer it.