Granted it was on a treadmill with no tilt, and at a slow 15 min mile, but I jogged nonstop for a whole hour and encompassed 4 miles! That’s the most I’ve ever done in my (not too terribly short) life.
I joined the Planet Fitness down the way about 2 weeks ago, I run about 5 out of the 7 days and usually I’ll alternate 3 min walking and 3 min at a pretty fast jog. But I was bored and full of energy today so I thought “I wonder how long I can just…go”. So I put on Pandora and I just went and went and went and was originally gonna stop at 3 miles (5k length) but I thought I might as well keep going, so I did.
The only times I kinda slowed down was I fast walked once to take a drink and then once to take a picture of the treadmill and send it to Ms. Cups…but those were really short times.
I’m currently doing 4 mph at a level four incline…but only occasionally breaking into a jog to keep my heart rate up. I have also been pretty dedicated on the treadmill since early January and have improved tremendously already.* I can maintain that at a fast walk, but I think I’d collapse if I tried to run it for even 15 minutes. :eek: I can walk fast almost indefinitely, but running about kills my heart and lungs. Maybe I’ll try what you did and try running at a slower pace and less incline.
*I started at zero incline and 3mph and the first few times that had my heart pounding and I was out of breath. Which alarmed me, because I am not that young, plus I’m a (former) heavy smoker, so I’ve been doing a bare minimum of 30 minutes almost daily. It’s nice to see progress.
I did two miles outside. (It finally cooled down enough that I can run mid-day! But it won’t last long.)
I have a history of bad knees, and have come to realize that running needs to be part of my cross-training for cardio, not my major exercise source. I’ll probably do a few 5ks this season, but I expect to log most of my miles on the exercise bike, or on the soon-to-be-purchased rowing machine.
Cooled down. Heh. Opposite problem here - it is frequently very cold (well, not right now - we’re having a heat wave at 38 F currently but supposed to be back down in the single digits tomorrow) plus too dark before or after work to run or bike or walk dogs.
It’s been too many years since I ran a 10 or 5k, but I am planning on doing The Crimthis year.
Now I don’t know what I want to/should do…stick with my 3 heavy 3 light like I’ve been doing? Or stick to this for a bit but make it slightly faster and incliner each time
Very good job! Let us know when they kick you out.
Increase every few days focusing the increases on the heavy days. Add about .25 to .5 mile at a time. Every 3 weeks back down to half distance for a week. After 2-3 cycles, take a down week of just light days.
Congratulations! What an awesome feeling it is to find out that running doesn’t suck.
Listen to the coach… don’t do what I did in the beginning.
I was so stoked with my new-found mileage that I kept running more and more until I managed to give myself tendonitis in my ankles and knees. I was hobbling around like an old man for a month or two.
just don’t become one of those asshole runners who act like anyone who chooses a form of exercise that isn’t running is just a lazy fuck. yes, even though I can cycle 30-40-50 miles I’ve been called a lazy fuck because I don’t have a “13.1” or “26.2” sticker on my car.
The OP is already past a 5K. As you continue to add miles to a run, the stress and need for recovery increases and the body needs more time for recovery.
Doubling miles more than doubles the stress. The backing off allows extra recovery before starting another increase.
Tendons and ligaments lag behind muscle in adapting to the extra load, this also allows some catching up.
