Hi all --

I've never been good at exercising (Hate it, plus leftover gym class trauma). Now I have to do it to work with my band so here I am.

I know there are some runners out there, and i'd like to ask for your advice. I have never run before but want to try it because:

1. running burns many more calories/hour than walking and other exercise that I can do. (I don't swim.)

2. I don't have to buy special equipment except sneakers.

3. It looks/sounds cool.

But I am really scared: what if I get hurt? That's the big one. But also: What if I hate it? What if I suck at it? What if I can't do it because I am too fat?

Should I try running or just go with something easier?

frog.

You're completely right -- running is the simplest and most efficient exercise. You have to do it quite a bit before you start loving it, but you WILL start loving it, at least if it's moderately OK for your body.

My best advice to you is to try it in small doses and see if you can tolerate it at your current weight. If you can't, wait a few lbs and try again. Never run 2 days in a row and increase your distances SLOWLY. You want to stay healthy so you can run for a long, long time to come. Injury is the enemy.

Also, check out the "couch to 5K" training program on coolrunning.com (under the "training" tab). It takes you from walking to running by doing different intervals until you're running a solid 3 miles without a break. When I did it, I was about 250 lbs and I tripled it, meaning I did each stage 3 times instead of one time. So if it was an 8 week program, I took 24 weeks to complete it. But I lost a TON of weight during that time....

Good luck. Running is GREAT. Bandsters who run get thin. Go for it.

frog,

I have been doing the couch to 5k program. I am about 232 or so now. I am on week three this week. I love it. I love it. I love it. I don't know if I will ever be that good at it, and I would not say that I run, I more slow jog, and I don't know if I will keep doing it after I am done with the nine week program but for now I love it. It feels good on the legs, and my lower legs are looking just about as sexy as they ever have even when I was a thin person. I also ride bikes between 70-100 miles a week so I have something else to do besides jogging. I say go for it. Give it a try.

Ok. Gulp. I looked at that couch to 5k. (My fat a** is screaming "5k?!?! Are you kidding me?!?!?" I'm pointedly ignoring it.) I'm going to go get some shoes so I can give it a try. Thanks for the encouragement. :nervous

frog.

P.S. Deanna -- Dang, girl! If I could bike 70-100 miles a week I wouldn't need to run! Woo! you rock!

You're completely right -- running is the simplest and most efficient exercise. You have to do it quite a bit before you start loving it, but you WILL start loving it, at least if it's moderately OK for your body.

My best advice to you is to try it in small doses and see if you can tolerate it at your current weight. If you can't, wait a few lbs and try again. Never run 2 days in a row and increase your distances SLOWLY. You want to stay healthy so you can run for a long, long time to come. Injury is the enemy.

Also, check out the "couch to 5K" training program on coolrunning.com (under the "training" tab). It takes you from walking to running by doing different intervals until you're running a solid 3 miles without a break. When I did it, I was about 250 lbs and I tripled it, meaning I did each stage 3 times instead of one time. So if it was an 8 week program, I took 24 weeks to complete it. But I lost a TON of weight during that time....

Good luck. Running is GREAT. Bandsters who run get thin. Go for it.

WHINE ... i wanna run ... i wanna run now ... but im too chicken to even TRY to run at my gym ... plus, i really dont want to get injured.

i want the pounds to melt off of me ... i am sick of being fat.

Hi,

I started running last year just for a different exercise so I would not get burned out on the same things I was doing. Start slowly! Walk and then run...if you are on a treadmill, walk .25 and then run .1 and rotate that...or pick your own distances. From my experience...it took me a while to get up to being able to run 2 miles w/o stopping and then it seemed like nothing to increase that to 3-4 miles. That first 2 miles was the toughest for me. However, it's AWESOME! You will feel SO good! Have fun!!!

WHINE ... i wanna run ... i wanna run now ... but im too chicken to even TRY to run at my gym ... plus, i really dont want to get injured.

i want the pounds to melt off of me ... i am sick of being fat.

Losing,

At what weight do you think you'll be comfortable trying? It doesn't take much running at first to really see results -- like 30-45 second intervals with 5 min of walking in between. I was 250 when I started and I'm only 5'2. Definitely don't do it if anything hurts, but I think you may be closer than you think (if not ready now)....

Julie,

i dunno ... i think part of it is sheer fear of extreme embarrassment. i am a complete and utter KLUTZ and dont want to trip / fall off the treadmill.

at what speed do you suggest i start?

i havent been on the treadmill for awhile (March-ish) due to shin splints cause i couldnt get my HR up so i did a 15% incline. i guess i need to at least start walking on it and just do it... but im a chicken.

congrats on the 1/2 marathon BTW.

I also tried running last friday. Couldn't do it. I walked to warm up for 6 minutes, then I took a deep breath and increased the speed until I was jogging. It lasted 60 seconds and then I couldn't do anymore. I lasted about another 4 minutes on the treadmill walking, then I was way pooped! I may try it again in a month, see what happens...

Ditto to what everyone else has said here. If I don't get my run in I get grumpy now - it is my new "addiction"

I am ramping up to a marathon in November. I did my longest training run yet this weekend of 15 miles. My toes are a bit sore and my legs a little stiff, but boy did I enjoy it.

And all this from a (male) former couch potato who weighed 315 and is now at 225, and can comfortably wear 36" pants (from 56"+)!

I think if you're heavy I'd echo Julie, dont run two days in a row and really space it out.

But in earlier attempts to lose weight I always got frustrated with walking, I just cannot (even NOW that I"m thin and fit) walk fast enough to get my heart rate high enough for it to be effective. My gait would go weird and I'd hurt my back. So I used to run for a minute (or till I had to stop really) then walk for five mins or so, my HR would stay up that way and walking gave me a real workout.

I'd suggest starting like that.

My introduction to running this time around was kind of weird, since I built up good fitness on an elliptical beginning before my surgery. I hadnt realised quite what it had done for me fitness wise, so when I decided to start the couch to 5K program, I cautiously tried it out and found I just didnt need to stop at the suggested times. I ran 3kms the first time I tried it, but I was staggering by the end of it, my heart and lungs stood up fine but my legs got so tired.

It takes a long long time to build up the leg strenght and pelvic stability you need to run long distances without being injured, so you really do have to take it slowly.

I found running on a treadmill was really how I started, I ran outside very little at first because I was afraid of injury, and the treadmill was much kinder to my ankle. I did interval style training, I used cardio coach (Cardio Power Fitness Music | Download Workout | Cardio Music Workouts | Cardio MP3 Downloads for iPods) a lot.

Always alternate it with another non impact activity if you can in the early days, 3 days per week was a strict limit I set myself.

My BMI was 31 or so when I started though, physically I could not have run at a BMI of 35 which is where I started, my ankle was too bad and I would have been injured.

at what speed do you suggest i start?/quote]

When I first started, 3.0 was a VERY fast walk for me, so my jogging intervals were at about 4.5. I spent a long time alternating between 2.7 (walking usually for 4 min) and 4.3-4.5 (for 30-60 seconds).

Now I can walk at 4.5 and run at 6.5-7.0. Running is so great.

thank you so much Jacqui and Julie.

i think i'll try tomorrow. took today off! (after 11 days of hard cardio and strenght training - im tired!!)

Hey all those scared of the 5K remember that is Kilometers so it's only like 3 something miles. That is not so bad.........yeah right I know what you are thinking "SHUT UP", don't worry I am not offended because I just told myself to shut up too! LOL!! Anyways, my husband is a police officer and is currently training new recruits at the police acadamy. He tells me to warm up, walk a little at first, then run as long as you can. He says that when I feel like stopping push it just a little more starting with 10 seconds past when you feel like stopping, then stop and walk. Each time let it go a little more before you stop and you will soon be running as much as you want. Yeah, I told him that he doesn't understand because he is skinny and in shape, but let me tell you it works. Remember to that you don't just have to run or walk on a treadmill. It is actually better to walk on a road because it has the natural ups and downs bilt in; AND it is not predictable. I know that when I do it on a treadmill I am always looking at the meter saying ok I only have so much more to go. Try jumping off that thing and enjoying walking or running outside. A change of scenery always helps the mundane. I always had a hang up that I would look like a dork to people passing by. I just have to tell myself that they don't know me and I don't know them so why am I worried what they think. But let me tell you it feels good to exercise then jump on that scale and see it working. GOOD LUCK TO YOU. I hope to be joining those of you who enjoy running....i have my doubts though. I raise my glass of H2O to those of you who do it because it is not easy!!

I have to jump in here too. When I started the couch potato to 5k program I tripled it just like Julie. Also, before I even did that I started running 30 seconds and then walking 2 minutes... I did that for a total of 20 minutes, twice a week to start with, then 3 times...

Now I run 4 days a week and am training for a 1/2 marathon in January (Disney baby!!). My training run on Saturday was 14 km. I am not fast at all, but I love the feeling when I am finished.

If I can run for 1 1/2 hours (I still take 1 minute breaks every 10 minutes... it is a very popular philosophy) then there isn't anything I can't do... that is what running does for me.

BTW, I have never been a sports girl and was shocked when I found out that I truly was addicted to this!!

Best of luck all of you... If I can do it so can you.

DAwn

Banded April 4th, 2006

Montreal

358/163/148

You half-marathoners are soooo inspiring!! Maybe one day I'll be there.

This morning I managed to increase one of my running intervals to 75 seconds instead of 60 (or to be honest, 55!). If felt great! My first thought was that I must have been going downhill or running really slow or something. But then I thought "What the heck. 75 seconds is 75 seconds. I'm claiming it!!"

frog.