:smack:
In my answers, I’ll pretend that this is 7 years ago when I used to jog 5-6 times per week training for a marathon.
How do you do it? Where do you jog? In a park? around your home? How far?
I leave my house. I have routes planned that are 3, 5, 8, 13, and 15 miles. I live in the middle of Baltimore city. I never got hit by a car.
How did you get started? Didn’t you wonder if your neighbors were thinking "Hey there goes the fatty, it’s about time (s)he started jogging?"*
This is a silly question. Just jog. Don’t care what your neighbors think.
How do you warm up? How long?
Never warmed up once. Never stretched once. Ran a marathon. I hit the bottom of my steps and started running, and ran until I got back.
What do you do when it rains?
I ran in the rain, but I also used rain days sometimes as “unscheduled surprised rest days”. Don’t get too into that mentality, but people who are ALWAYS running in shitty weather are probably running too much.
How do you keep it interesting? Jogging isn’t very much fun.
Says you. The thing I miss most about long training runs (sometimes 16-20 miles) is the mental aspect. I used to consider it mediation – deep breathing and long repetitive nothingness. There were times I was out running and I couldn’t even remember what I’d seen for the last 5 miles. It was almost like sleeping while awake and like I said, it’s what I miss most.
I would highly recommend NOT getting any sort of headphone device. If you embrace the loneliness instead of battling it, it will be better for you in the long run.
I’ll second (or third) not running with headphones, especially if you’re running outside. While they may allay any boredom, I’d use them strictly for treadmill running. It’s safer because you can actually hear the cars around you (so you’ll be more likely to get out of the way in case of an accident), and you really, really need to be aware of other people for a couple of reasons - first, if you don’t hear a biker, or rollerblader, or other jogger coming up from behind you on the same path, you could get smacked into and possibly injured or injur someone else (I once saw a runner who wasn’t paying attention get clotheslined by a biker who also wasn’t paying attention). Second, if you’re running through an unsafe area for whatever reason, you need to be aware of other, potentially dangerous people.
Just wanted to say this thread inspired me to get up and go run last night after a hiatus of a few months. I ran about 2.5 miles, walked half a mile, then got home and took a cold shower. WhoooooOOOOOoooE! does that ever feel good.
I’ve never been a “serious” runner, nothing more than 2-4 miles per run, 2-3 days per week, mostly off but sometimes on over the last six or seven years.
In running/jogging, like any strenuous exercise, I think one of the most important things is to learn to listen to your body. Feel a (I don’t know what they’re called, but it’s a sharp stabbing pain in your lungs/upper torso) coming on? Then slow down for a minute or four until it passes. Right quadriceps feeling tender? Make sure you don’t aggravate it further, and give it extra attention when you stretch during warm down.
In my experience, it’s more important to warm down than to warm up. I usually try to walk at least several blocks after a run, and sometimes I’ll walk half a mile or more to cool down. I’ll also stretch my legs at the end of a run if I think they need it (most of the time I can feel some muscle somewhere on one of my legs that needs a stretch.)
As far as shoes go, just make sure you’re comfortable, although I think you’ll probably do better with a $50-80 running shoe than a $14 wal-mart shoe.
I don’t do every morning, but my schedule is to run 3 times a week - which I usually do. Some of it is outside jogging, some of it is inside, at my gym, on a treadmill, watching TV.
Yep. Not all the time, sometimes I will just run out of my front door. But, there’s a great park that’s a few miles from my home - that’s where I started jogging, in fact. There are two trails around a lake - one is 2.8 miles, one is 3.2. The smaller has 1/4 mile markers (so I can make deals with myself (“just 1/4 more mile, that’s all, then I can turn around”)), and people are always there. Really, from 5:30am to 10:30 pm, no matter when I’ve gone, no matter what the weather, there are people going around the lake. Which makes me feel much, much safer. And it’s flat…my neighborhood is not. Plus, it’s beautiful.
So, definitely, drive to the park and jog there! You won’t be the only one.
Sometimes you’ve just got to do it. But, from time to time, I convince myself to get up a little bit earlier, run, come home, and get back in bed for 15 more minutes… the reward works.
for the earlier questions:
Triathlon.
Most people go from jogging to triathlon, I went the other way - I did one without being able to run almost at all, thought it was fun as anything, and was determined to run it the next time.
I went to the park mentioned above, so, no neighbors.
I stretch a bit, and then I start incredibly slowly and build up to moderately slowly.
I live in Seattle, and I started before I belonged to a gym. When it rained, I wore gloves (if my hands get cold, I’m miserable). Now, I cheat and go to the gym sometimes, but sometimes, I still go out in the rain - it really isn’t that bad.
I’m goal oriented, so having a definite thing in mind (when I started it was “I want to go 3 miles, non-stop”) Sometimes it’s a certain distance. I almost always take a walkman. If you can convince a sucker…um, “friend” to go with you, do.
Oh, when I started I spent a great deal of time at the runnersworld.com beginning runner forum. I’ve not been there in quite a while, but it was incredibly helpful.
I get an hour lunch break during work, so I use that time to jog along a highway. It’s a slight uphill grade one way, downhill the other, and I’m guessing it’s about 1.5-2 miles–not much but I’m relatively new at this too. It seems to be a good distance to start with if you’re not in shape. As far as warmup goes, I’ll do some stretches, maybe walk around for a minute.
Jogging can be fun. You just have to revel in the sweat and heat. Love it baby! I’m training for the Marines, so my jogs may be slow runs, which are a bit wearing. Still, you can have fun and keep a good pace by huffing cadence songs:
Running through the jungle with my M-16
I’m a mean mother****er, I’m a U.S. Marine!
Growl that last part like you mean it and keep pumping.
I jog in the mornings before going to work- get up at 5 am. It is dark (well in winter it is) and getting out of a warm bed is a discipline. However because it is dark other folk don’t get a good look at what shape you are. And don’t forget it is not only very fit people who are out exercising- there are plenty just getting a bit of weight control in.
Also, other people have no idea how far you have run. Even if you are puffing and wheezing after one kilometre, others may think you have run 10.
How not to be bored? Look at things- there are always interesting small things around- birds, vehicles, fat people jogging… Don’t take a CD player- you can’t hear the traffic or other people running behind you.
And start slowly. There are plenty of ambitious middle aged corpses out there.
Hi guys! Well I just wanted to update you a little.
I did start jogging on Tuesday morning (I believe this thread is from Monday). I got my SO to wake me up. He’s so good…he comes over after the shower and sweet-talks me into getting up (only a few words, that’s all Ineed). Once I’m up, I’m fine.
So it seems I have come up with a good schedule…I will jog every other day. I have an excersice bike which I already used daily, along with aerobics, I cut that to the alternate days instead. Yesterday my legs hurt all day, even after the bike, but today I jogged again and I’m feeling much better!
So far I’m just biting the bullet and jogging in my own neighborhood (apartment complex). At least it’s safe and I can listen to my walkman without fear of getting run over!
Thanks guys! I’m grateful for all the advice!
I’ve also been trying to get into a jogging routine. I live in Baltimore City, which can make running on the sidewalk interesting, but the Inner Harbor is close enough I can just run down there if I choose. When I lived in the suburbs I used to drive to the Baltimore & Annapolis trail, which was near me, and thought nothing of it. The downside was that it was a big line, so at some point I had to just turn around and struggle back.
I do some basic stretches beforehand and maybe walk a little bit. Nothing extraordinary. Also, I’m a tall & skinny guy, so no one’s going to call me “fatty.” 
I should go in the mornings, but I don’t like getting up early and I’ve found forcing myself to go in the evenings gives me more energy. It’s a LOT hotter though, so I have to plan accordingly.
I joined a run/walk club that meets every Saturday morning as well. Hey Trunk, if you’re still reading, are you a member? E-mail me if you want to come out some time!
I started doing some running this spring/summer after years of sporadic activity. I run around our neighborhood or to and along a hiking/biking path that goes through town. I like that because it isn’t as hot as running on pavement, which is an issue this time of year since I run after work.
We bought a treadmill 1 1/2 years ago so I had been doing some walking/running on that for a while and once it started getting warm this spring I decided to try it outdoors. I’m not slender so some people may wonder about me as I plod along but it doesn’t bother me because I am doing it for me, not them.
I don’t really warm up other than taking it easy for the first half mile or so. I’m pretty consistent with a 6 mph pace so my ususal run is to go 3 miles in 30 minutes. I walk for 5-10 minutes after to cool down. I’ve run in a mist on occasion, but if it is raining I don’t go or do it on our treadmill. I run 1-3 times per week because I have also started riding bike to work (10 miles one way) some days. I will only do one or the other in a day, so I either run 3 miles or ride bike 20 miles 4-6 times per week. That is enough for me.
I also find running very boring and I don’t have any suggestions for you about that. I just keep telling myself that 30 minutes isn’t that long and that it will be over soon.
Good luck with your running. The main thing is that you know that you are doing a good thing for yourself no matter how far you go.
Thanks for the tip! I have been checking out their forums for the past few days and they have lots of good info there.
Av8rMike – not a member.
I ran a couple times with the Baltimore Road Runners back when I was training for the NY marathon. They leave (or they used to) from Hopkins track every wednesday at like 5:30.
On top of that, I’ve come to realize over the years that I don’t really like running with others too much.
And, because of my knee (ACL and meniscus) nowadays I can only handle distance on the treadmill. I’m primarily biking now, and have a long ride scheduled for Saturday morn, matter of fact.
Thanks for the offer, tho.
I jog 5-6 miles every other day at the gym, on a treadmill. This treadmill does have its own fan and TV, though. It takes me about 55 to 60 minutes.
I got started a) to lose weight and b) for mental health reasons. Regular exercise + yoga keeps my mild depression disorder at bay which is why I am very regular about it. I think I started to run regularly when I was about 19 or 20-5 to 6 years ago. I started off at a speed much slower than I go at now-not to mention the fact that I ran for less time and less distance. I didn’t particularly care what anyone thought of me-I was only about 10 pounds overweight at the time, anyway. This past year I took up rigorous and regular exercise again-after gaining a lot of weight at lawschool and after a serious relationship failed. I think this time around I had gained 15 excess pounds. I wasn’t happy with myself so I decided to exercise again-I didn’t really care what anyone else thought. Thankfully I lose weight quickly when I make the effort so I took about 10 of those pounds off in a month and by that time I was a little bit less embarrassed about jiggling or whatever. But I still pushed through the initial embarassment since I already had the experience and knowledge that I would lose it very quickly.
I stretch for about 10 to 15 minutes before I get on the treadmill. Man, I used to not do that but at this point I will put myself out for a week if I don’t do it. The first five minutes on the treadmill I just walk at the rate of 4 mph…then I gradually go up in speed, which I vary throughout my workout.
I can only run to music-otherwise I’m bored out of my mind. I play little games with myself. I watch TV, I run in rhythm to the song I’m listening to…I fiddle with the dials on the treadmill…lots of keep myself occupied type things.
I really, really like the gym. Paying for an expensive membership gives me the incentive and discipline to take advantage of what I get out of it. Besides, given that it is related to a mental health thing I am really careful about it.