I tried Couch to 5K and hated it. I hate running, period. I never feel good from it. I went back to dance instead.
I mean, it’s not abnormal not to like running - some people do, some people don’t.
I ran yesterday and felt good throughout the run. I still got very tired later in the day, but I think that is due to other health issues. IOW, what I’m trying to say is that at least on that one run, I got to a point where it felt good. Perhaps it will continue for me.
I have found substituting Irish Whiskey stops for your water stops can make the runner’s high arrive much more quickly. Of course, I get lost quite a bit more now than I used to, but I suppose that’s something of a trade off.
I have found that once you have gotten to about 20-minute-plus per day average, it starts to get pleasant. You don’t always notice it though, because it is pleasant and people don’t always notice the pleasant. They notice the unpleasant, but once you do start noticing it, you start noticing it more and more. Now somethings that will help (I have found) are; don’t be too intense - a laid back run is so much more fun, find a pleasant place to run - tracks are not fun (especially indoor ones), parks can be fun, cemetaries can be fun (unless someone is being buried and you run right through the procession), Running by yourself can be unpleasant, running with a klutzy friend can be fun. Finally, run a really long hard week followed by a very mellow one. It works on the same concept as hitting your head against a wall, after you stop that, anything feels good.
I love running, seriously. The hardest part of my life was when my doctor said I had to stop. Well, that and when I was blown up overseas, but that’s another story.
TV
I tried the C25K last year and got to about week 5 before I just couldn’t stand it anymore. It wasn’t that it was too hard, I just hated it. I’d been working out before, elliptical, speed-walking and weights mostly, and always kind-of enjoyed that, but I just don’t like running. I gained weight in those weeks and felt puffy and fat. Finally I said “screw it” and went back to workouts I enjoyed.
I am actually glad I did it, though, because it taught me that I can run if I need/want to. Before I just didn’t really believe I could. I tended to run on my toes and got shoulder cramps as soon as I’d start, so before C25K I’d never really ran more than a couple of blocks at a time (despite being in pretty good shape). Now I know I can run a mile or so at a stretch if I need to.
Have you chosen an event to run yet - when you do, maybe let me know. I’m always up for a 10k and am prepared to wander round the countryside to get to one.
When I decided to get back into swimming, I started with 2 lengths freestyle, 2 lengths breaststroke. Pretty soon I was increasing the number of freestyle lengths and dropping the breaststroke. Now I swim freestyle the whole way at a good pace - I was doing 2.4km in the lake over summer.
And this is why I like triathlon training - I may struggle with running sometimes, but I like getting in the pool and I usually enjoy the bike (maybe not today when it is snowing, but most of the time). So I tailor my training program to the way I am feeling.
Si
I’m nearing the end of week six, with a 25 minute jog tomorrow. I ran 20 minutes yesterday, and I barely even felt it. The biggest thing I was concerned about were my toes – they were cold and numb from the chilliness of my flat before I even put my shoes on, and they stayed that way! I thought they would warm up but it was like running on blocks of ice the first 1.5 miles or so.
I am beginning to think that my biggest struggle is going to be keeping my mind occupied. It’s so funny because I thought it was going to be keeping away from the feelings of drowning mentioned earlier. No…I’m just getting a bit bored. The podcasts are excellent and I’m not going to drop them, but I had to think about my latest craft project pretty stringently. I can’t think about things that distress me because I start breathing too quickly – found that out last night!
How do people keep their minds occupied during long runs?
Music. I like music with lyrics so I can “sing” along.
Or books on the iPod. I have a girlfriend who only “reads” when she cleans or runs. That means to finish a book, she needs to clean or run.
I listen to NPR podcasts or audiobooks on runs of 45 minutes or more. Interspersed with music to keep me motivated.