I’ll be honest. I am not fit. I have never been fit. I have never before really imagined myself being fit.
Having said that, I embarked today on a training program that’s designed to get non-runners off of the sofa and up to running 5K within 2 months (see here for the program outline). I had never giving running any consideration as an exercise regimen before, as I was always just a little too chest for it to be comfortable. However, after having breast reduction surgery 2 months ago (and having a whopping 7 lbs 3 oz of bounce removed), I’ve decided that if I’m ever going to do this, the time is now.
I started the program today. The first stage is a warmup, then alternating periods of 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes. This gives you 8 minutes of running. Considering how totally out of shape I am, I’m going to be generous and allow myself 2 weeks each on the first 4 stages and stretch the program from 9 weeks to 13.
I think I can do this. I feel good about what I did today. I’m outfitted with new, good running shoes (Asics Gels), new socks with arch support and cushion, new sports bras (whee, I can buy an exercise bra off the rack now!), my MP3 player is loaded with tunes, my heart rate monitor has new batteries and I’m all set.
So…do any veteran runners have any tips for me? Anyone with fitness resolutions for the new year that wants to join me? I’ve created a support and feedback community over in LiveJournal if anyone wants to check in (CouchTo5K).
I do the 5k a lot. I’m not awesome like some guys, but I’m pretty good. I would have been able to do a lot better fall season and this spring season, but I keep injuring myself. Early september I screwed up my ankle until mid-October, and first Saturday of December I screwed up my knee and I still can’t run.
The advice that comes to me now is to run everyday, even when you don’t feel like it. It is hard to run by yourself in the morning and get your butt off the couch -I understand where you’re coming from. If you don’t run every day and get in the habit of running, that just makes it even harder. They say if you go almost a week without running, you’ll lose a month of your training. What’s worse than that is if you go a week without running, you’ll lose most of your desire and ability to run the next week, and then it just gets harder.
Don’t let that phase you; the hardest part is getting out the damn door. Once you get out there, and to the end of your street, you’ll feel great.
And also stretch real good everytime you go running. Do a quick warmup (I usually do half a mile) and stretch and hold (NO bouncy stuff). If you don’t get a good warmup and stretch you’ll get injured easier. That’s how I screwed up my entire spring season.
I was running in Lake Houston State Park (I didn’t know there was one until that day) with some other guys and it was friggin cold (we’re Texans, level with me). So instead of warming up we wanted to get right into the run and took off into the woods for an hour at sub 7minute pace. On the trip back (we went to a specific spoint and turned around) I noticed my knee starting hurting and I started slowing down and I had about three miles or more to run in after that. That sucked.
Run every day, and warmup/stretch before you get onto your run, and cool down/stretch when you’re done. You’re just starting off at 8 minutes so you don’t need to worry bout the warmup as much, but when you do get there know that the warmup and cooldown are just slow jogs; not full running.
Make sure you get a very good pair of shoes. I use Brooks Glycerine, and they work great for me, but they were like the 5th pair of shoes I tried before I found a good pair for my feet. Ask Scylla what a bad pair of shoes did to my feet when we did a half-marathon together. I could barely walk and had to quit before the end. If your feet start to hurt even the least little bit, start walking to where you’re going, and take that as a sign that you either need to break them in a bit better or you need a new pair altogether.
If you destroy your feet you’ll never be able to stick to your plan. Take my word for it.
My shoes seemed good last night, which was the first time I ran in them. I have hard-to-fit feet (I have enormous feet for a girl, think along the lines of Barney Rubble), and the girl at the shoe place I went was really helpful in showing me brands of shoes that tended to run wider, which ones came in wide widths, etc. I tried on about a dozen pair before I bought the ones that I did, and they really did feel great in the store.
So far, I’m only running on the treadmill. The weather here in northeastern PA isn’t really conducive to running outside, but I’ll give it some consideration in the spring when things are nicer. Maybe by that point, I’ll be in good enough shape to actually enjoy outdoor running.
I did a long warmup and some short stretches before I ran last night, and then stretched again before I left the gym. I feel pretty good today, minor soreness in my legs, but nothing I can’t handle (I’m not incapable of walking up stairs or anything). I’m going to do yoga on my days off, so that additional stretching on non-running days should help, I hope.
I started this program last year, in spite of my bad knees.
As written, it’s too ambitious for my 51 year old knees and ankles. I’d like to try it again, but slower. I’m still not sure that my knees could handle it. (I had knee surgery a few years ago and lack some of the cartilage in my left knee.
But right now it’s winter (even though I’m in GA, USA), and I keep feeling like I should be hibernating. I’m not very good at winter.
As many others have said, good shoes are key. A small discomfort, such as a slightly snug toebox or too little support around your ankles or arches, can become incredibly painful very quickly. But it sounds like you’ve got that covered.
Also, running three times a week is a fabulous start. But, you might want to add another day or two of some other exercise, such as a good, brisk walk, or biking or swimming - just something with less impact than running. I’ve been running since I was a freshman in high school - I guess that’s around 15 years now (I’m 28), and every time I take a hiatus from running, adding an extra day during the week of some exercise other than running really helps prevent me from getting sore. That way you’re giving yourself an active recovery day where your muscles are working, but you’re not getting so much impact on your legs.
Drink lots of water, too. If you’re not used to doing that, or if it makes you cramp, start slow and start drinking a while before your run, with maybe a glass of water 30 minutes before you start and another as soon as you’re done. Since you’re running on a treadmill, the temperature is more controlled than it would be if you were running outside, but you’ll still probably lose more water than you might expect. I’ve noticed that when I’m training for any race, whether it’s a 5k or a marathon, I get really bad headaches if I don’t keep myself properly hydrated. Those headaches can nag at you all day, too, so drink up.
And one more thing before I end my dissertation on running (my screen name is overlyverbose for a reason) - once you’ve worked yourself up to a full 20-25 minutes of running on the treadmill, definitely try running outside. A treadmill can be much, much easier on your legs than the road, which is awesome when you’re starting out. But when you get closer to racing, you should find out what type of surface you’re running on - asphalt, concrete, a trail - and if you can, run on that type of surface to get your legs used to it. You’ll perform much better, and you won’t be nearly as sore at the finish.
I just ran my fourth marathon on Sunday, so my one piece of advice is one that I am taking to heart myself right now:
listen to your body
It’s okay to take an extra day off. It’s okay to run a mile less than you originally intended if it’s not feeling good. It’s okay to take it easy and go slower than normal.
Pushing yourself too hard too fast is a recipe for injury. I firmly believe my lazy tendencies have been what’s kept me injury free in the 5+ years I’ve been running.
I think it’s cool that you’re doing this, and having a goal is definitely a good way to ensure you’ll get out there and consistently exercise.
Today was Day 2 of my training program, and I had to cut the last two running segments short because my left knee started hurting about halfway through. I don’t know what’s wrong…it didn’t hurt at all the first day. I don’t know if it’s just because I’m too fat to be running and the strain is too much, or if my gait is wrong and I’m twisting something, or something else entirely. I’ve never had knee problems before…but then again, I’ve never tried to run before either. ::sigh::
I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to run again on Friday…should I even try, or should I go back to the elliptical trainer (non-impact) for a while and let my knee rest?
I’m interested in how you do with this. I’d like to start running, but I need a good program to start with. I’ll also be using a treadmill instead of running outside.
I’m trying to train for a 10k. I did a 5k in november, and it was so much fun. I jogged and walked, in a time of 35 minutes, which was amazing for me, as I am a very slow jogger. Knee problems will probably keep my 10k to mostly walking, but that’s ok. I can walk fast, and it is fun. I’m trying to add a mile a month to my work out. Right now I’m at 4.2 miles, and the race is in march. Good luck on your training!
That’s interesting that you bring up your knee, Jadis. I told you how screwed up my knee’s been, but today I ran an interval workout -repetitions of shorter distance that are both very painful but are to improve your ability to deal with lactic acid buildup- and -sort of- blew out my knee. It felt great to be running a regular workout again, but gosh darnit my knee hurt the whole time, and when I was done I couldn’t even jog back home. Hurt badly the whole trip did. Iced my leg when I got back and for some time after that, so I’ll have to try again tomorrow. Or until my knee really does blow out, whichever comes first. Heh. I’m an idiot. Don’t be like me.
Sorry about that Jadis. Try not to be discouraged. Frankly, I think you should take at least a couple of days off. Make sure your knee feels completely fine for at least two days before you try to run again. By all means, use the elliptical trainer. Just make sure you’re using it properly. They too can stress your knee if you let them pull your knee through the rotation.
I have two bad knees from football, and have had surgery. Running has made them feel a lot better. They haven’t bothered me in years. They bothered me some when I got started, though.
The most frustrating part of getting into running is the early stage, where you are now. Your body is changing and adjusting… and hurting from the changes you are making. You almost surely don’t have a good stride. You will develop one naturally as you continue to run. Your muscles and knees, and ligaments will strengthen, and the exercise will not be such a strain. But it takes some time.
Do not push it here. The goal is to get your body used to running, and have fun with it.
Just picture yourself with those nice sexy runners legs and tight butt. Imagine the confidence and strength and endurance you will have and how good you will feel. Don’t get discouraged, but take these sore knees seriously, and let them recuperate.
When you start again be sure and stop at the first sign of knee pain. Do not try to run or train through this kind of pain. You can screw yourself up. If it happens again, visit a running shop and a sports doctor. It’s very possible you simply have a bad stride.
If it’s possible, videotape yourself on a treadmill from front, back and both sides for about a minute from each angle.
Are your feet straight? Are you flopping a leg out to the side? Are you landing on an angle? You should be landing ball of the foot, toes and then rotating down to the heel.
Women particularly have to be careful. Wider hips means your legs have to come in at a sharper angle to your center of gravity as a landing point. This may add strain to the knee if your feet are not pointed straight ahead.
What’s worse is running bowlegged. That will mess up your knees.
Please keep us posted and feel free to email me if I can be of any help.
Don’t get down because of this. It happens to just about everybody.
Oh, and Airman blames the shoes, but the real culprit is his big floppy clown feet. I have never seen feet like that. It was like he was trying to run while he was wearing diving flippers or something.
I wonder if I’ll see him again at the next Chambersburg half marathon this March.
You should also avoid going heel-toe-heel-toe when running. Hit the front part of your foot first, and let the rest of it go down then. Scylla had a post on that in GD, if you read that it will explain it better than I just did. It’s a pretty good system. You won’t understand it at first when you read it, but try to do what he’s talking about and it will come to you.
Jadis, are you stretching before you run? The reason I ask is that I fought knee pain in one knee for several years, and even saw an orthopedics doc before I came across the right physical therapist who in a matter of minutes identified my problem. Turns out I just had a tight ITB (iliotibial band, which goes from the outside of the hip, around the knee and connects to the shin). She showed me how to stretch it, and within a couple of weeks, pain that had dogged me for five or six years went away.
Is there a good running store near you? One that’s frequented by regular customers, talking to the staff? If so, maybe they can point you to a good sports medicine person. In my case, it was a physical therapist who did show consults for runners for $25. She’d look at your feet and gait, and suggest the right type of shoe for your body, as well as point out any major risks she noticed.
Finally, it can’t hurt to throw in a low impact day from time to time, especially if it’s that or not work out. When I had access to an elliptical trainer, I loved the way it let me work on my endurance without aggravating an injury. Listen to your body.
Jadis, I did that exact Couch To 5K program last summer and had a wonderful time with it! The people on the bulletin boards there are awesome, and there is a huge range of posters from the very new to the very skilled, so you can get some great advice and support there. The best advice I can give is choose the songs you’re going to listen to (or sing to yourself in your head as I did) very carefully beforehand, as this is what will keep you going when you’re getting tired and wanting to quit. I found Man in Motion to always keep me going, and I quite liked Starry Starry Night because it made me feel glad to be outside and alive. Good luck with it! It’s amazing how many people can complete this program, even those ones who’ve had little training and haven’t been in shape in a long time. It works!
SuperNelson, yes, I’ve been stretching before I run. I’ve been doing a 10 minute warmup on the elliptical trainer, then stretching, then over to the treadmill for a brisk 5 minute walk before starting the running intervals. I had no pain the first day (except the mental pain of knowing how out of shape I am :D), so I don’t know what changed between sessions.
Thanks for everyone’s advice. I’m not aware of any running shops around here, and if the pain persists, I might try to see an ortho doc. For the time being, I think I’m going to go back to the elliptical trainer and see how that goes…it hurts to walk today, though, so I’m not sure how that will go. Shoveling snow this morning was a joy. Bleah.
I have a form question…I had read somewhere that the toe-to-heel gait was best for sprinters, but that distance runners should develope the heel-to-toe style of running. That’s what I’ve been trying to work on, but is that wrong?
