I haven’t been much of a runner ever. Sometimes my side would get a ‘stitch’ in it and hurt alot. Other times my knee(s) would scream bloody agony after a few runs. Generally speaking I hate running so I must be doin something wrong…but I want to run.
Nowadays I am pretty out of shape. Cardio-vascular and just overall body-wise.
I am 37 and I would like to start running on the right foot. Or left. Whichever…but I want to do it the right way. I do have a heart rate monitor…which I think is the way to go. It should allow me to build my cardio and muscles/tendons etc. etc. in a safe and progressive manner.
Should I start by going for brisk walks and just focus on getting my heart rate to around 60% of my max for a few weeks, and then start “jogging” with the addition of doing easy days/hard days for awhile? I guess this would help build up my muscles and tendons and stuff…
Walking will help to some extent, but proper equipment and surface will make a much bigger difference. Good running shoes is very important to reduce the shock your knees take when you run. Running on pavement or roads is really hard on knees, so don’t do it unless you have no other choice. Look for a dirt road or maybe an athletic track.
You may very well be simply pushing yourself too hard to start with. If you’re out of shape and starting running I’d expect no more than fifteen minutes of running every other day at most for the first few weeks. Walk for a while after the run as well and your body will thank you later.
Also, don’t think running means sprinting! Shuffling along at a speed barely faster than walking is a good place to start.
FWIW my advice comes as someone who has problems with knees while running and the experience of being an off-and-on runner. I know someone who runs marathons and when I’m getting back into running I typicaly run slower than him, but once I’m back into it (usualy a few months) I run faster than him, but for shorter distances/time. Having a pacer with a good attitude can help a lot.
If you back off for a while and your knees are still hurting when you run or walk, I really think you should talk to an orthopedist and/or podiatrist and make sure your feet and legs are lining up correctly as you move. If they are not, and you try to bull through the pain for any length of time, you can end up worse off than when you started.
That’s a good idea, although **Eben **has offered some good suggestions, too. But I wouldn’t bother with the heart rate monitor-- just pay attention to your breathing. If you can’t talk, you’re probably going too fast.
Go to a good athletic shoe store and have them fit you with proper running shoes. Make sure the have do a little jog around the outside of the shop and that the salesperson observes your gate-- some shoes are better for certain gates than others are.
Yoga wouldn’t hurt either. It will strengthen the connective tissues and small support muscles and will lead to less pain in the knees. Also, do NOT over do it. Progress in time and distance slowly and gradually. Allow your legs to catch up.
I second this. Some people overpronate, meaning their feet roll inward a little with each step. This wreaks havoc on the joints. You can get shoes that help with pronation. If you look at your everyday shoes, sometimes you can see by the wear pattern of the treads whether you overpronate or not. ETA: I’m rather “frugal” (read “cheap-ass”), but proper footwear is one of the areas where I have no qualms in investing more moolah.
Start slow! I’m returning to running after a mild injury and I’m already getting IT band issues from trying too much mileage too soon and running too fast. You gait can be affected by all sorts of muscles. In my case, I get IT band issues because I have a super wimpy butt muscle. So in addition to starting back super-slow, I also have to do butt stregthening exercises and a whack of IT band stretches (regularly).
Come to think of it CateAyo yoga would probably help my running quite a bit.
CoolRunning’s Couch to 5K is always a good place to start. At the RRCA you can find a nearby running club. They can steer you to any nearby running shoe stores that can fit you properly plus being a source of info and support.
(This is turning out longer than I thought but I’m enthusiastic about the topic so bear with me)
I didn’t really start running until a few years ago, and I got really into it within the last two years when I started to lose weight. I was always active (tons of hiking and weightlifting) but running just seemed to pound on my knees painfully.
I just turned 38 and I’ve dropped about 40+ lbs (the running has really helped) and I run quite a bit; my long runs are 20 miles and a half marathon is a “no problem, I think I’ll go do that today” distance. Knees feel better than they have in a very long time.
As far as the stitch in your side goes I wouldn’t be concerned about that - that’s generally an indication that you are working too hard too fast. Slow down! As your aerobic condition gets better it’ll be a non-issue. As someone else mentioned go at a pace where you can carry on a conversation (even if you are breathing hard) or sing along with your iPod.
Regarding your knees, first thing is definitely to talk to your doctor and perhaps a sports therapist about it. Things that have given me knee pain in the past included water on the knee (cure was rest) and insufficiently strong quadriceps (which help to stabilize the knee. Ironically I used to have extremely strong quads when I was weightlifting). Cure was some strength training for my legs. But it could be something else so get it checked out and get a “thumbs up” before you start running a lot.
Things I’d recommend or second and which worked for me:
Start by walking. You burn nearly as many calories per mile and you can ease into it, start slow, pick up the pace as you get into better shape, vary the terrain (add some hills, etc).
Really stick with it - as long as nothing is hurting, get in a good brisk walk every day. You’ll see faster improvements.
Lose some weight if appropriate. If you’ve got a 20lb gut there’s no reason to carry it around (and plenty of good reasons not to). Losing the ballast makes everything else easier, and you get more exercise…it’s a positive spiral.
Pay attention to your body - if something is really hurting, stop, rest, get it checked out. Taking a week off to let a sprain get better beats having to deal with a joint injury for years.
Appropriate footwear - if you’re walking, find some good walking shoes. When you start jogging, get running shoes. As everyone else said you’re much better off going to an actual running store, not the big-box sporting goods place. The person helping you get fitted for running shoes should be an actual runner. Do your feet a favor and get good socks while you’re at it - cotton is poo, look for light wool or synthetic socks. The difference is amazing. If your feet are comfy you’ll find it much easier to keep going. It’s worth paying for quality shoes and socks.
When I started running again I’d pick a nice route and then break it up - jog at a comfortable pace until I need to slow down, then walk briskly till my wind came back, then jog to the end of that next block, etc. The next time I was on that stretch I’d try and run one telephone pole farther or something. It’s all about small improvements, you’ve got plenty of time to get better. As my runs have gotten longer and faster I’ve noticed that I’ve changed my stride - more gliding than pounding, I try not to take big steps “up” so that reduces the landing shock. Shorter and faster.
Cross train - do some other aerobic exercise (swimming, biking, etc) to work muscles that running doesn’t. Do strength training as well, upper and lower body as well as your core (abs, back). You can break all this up over the week so you aren’t beating on one part of your body all at once - maybe you went jogging today so do some pushups and crunches tonight while watching TV. Having your whole body stronger will make running easier and help you avoid injury.
Some gadgets can help - as much as I love running I enjoy my longer runs better with my MP3 player, otherwise I tend to get a bit bored. I break up the long (10+ mile) runs with short walk breaks so I got a watch that has an interval timer and beeps to let me know when it’s time for the next break.
Exercise with friends - make regular “walk dates”, find a running club, etc. Great motivation.
Be patient and you’ll find yourself getting much better much faster. Have fun!
In terms of cardio you simply have to build up to that. That can take 6 months or more. As for your knees that may never correct itself. But the answer to that is swimming. Swimming is great for people with bad knees and back, but and here’s the thing, swimming means swimming, not floating. If you’re doing laps your body should be just like it is in any forms of cardio. That said, swimming is equal to any other kinds of cardio, if you actually swim and not just float, like most people do.
I can only echo what the others here have said - shoes, shoes, shoes!!!
If you’re serious about it, spend the extra money and get some decent running shoes. There will always be someone who will come in and claim that they run 100 miles per week in Wal-Mart specials. Seriously, though, it will make a huge difference if you start out in a well-fitted comfortable shoe.
When I started running I had problems with sore knees, until I learned to NOT land on my heels. Make sure, when running, that the impact is on the ball of your foot rather than the heel. That sends a lot less shock up to the knees. Good shoes help, too.
Shorten your stride and increase your stride rate to about 180 steps per minute, and land directly under your center of gravity instead of in front of you. This minimizes the up/down motion and the stress on your joints. Running form is key to minimizing stress and using your energy more efficiently, so you should focus on your form before you focus on increasing your speed and distance very much.
Also, running is actually good for your knees. Think of it as exercising your joints. The impact strengthens the muscles around your joints and the cartilege that pads your joints. (Cite.)
Just curious, but why do you want to run? I know folks will tell you about the wonders of various shoes and techniques and running surfaces, but none of that changes the fact that running is just about the highest impact exercise available.
Just saying, if your joints are already complaining at you, don’t expect them to quiet down if you start running. Biking and swimming aren’t options?
Just talking as an ex-marathoner with knee and toe surgery over the past 3 years.
Don’t know if you have access to a pool but honestly swimming would be much better for you than running in almost every respect.
Better cardio, better tone, work more muscles, zero impact.
Just look at a magazine featuring runners and featuring swimmers and compare them. IIRC Sports Illustrated was doing some swimsuit pics years ago around the Olympics. The models were asked if they thought any of the athletes were hot and they all responded that the men’s water polo team were just amazingly buff.
Not disagreeing with you on the physiological benefits of swimming, Whack-a-Mole, but is there a more boring exercise in the history of the world? Hard to beat running in the fresh air / interesting trails / you can do it from your front door etc.
As far as the knees go - I’d just get started and see where they are at pain wise. I’d not run for years and recently trained for a 10k as something to do with my wife. There was definitely a lot of aches and pains in the first few weeks as I got into it, which subsided once I’d got my legs under me, so to speak. If you’re experiencing a specific knee pain then physiotherapy can be very helpful. Things like runner’s knee, iliotibial band syndrome etc are well understood these days and can be managed with stretching and pt.
I was a runner for years until I hit my mid-30s and my feet and knees started killing me. I couch-potato’d it for about five years, but am now biking a lot and loving it.
All to say that if running turns out to be too painful, try biking. I feel great, my knees and feet don’t hurt, and I’ve built up quite a nice cardio capacity.
I get too tired too quickly if I attempt to run, so at the wellness center, I just walk briskly on the treadmill and turn up the incline a bit. I also use the recumbent bike and sometimes the trainer (whatchamacallit–the machine with the big snowshoe pedals and you can pedal backwards while standing up straight).
I figure I’m still getting plenty of health benefits that way. I also take a two mile walk most nights with a friend around our neighborhood tracts.
I’m not the OP, but speaking for myself, running has an amazing mental effect on me that I haven’t found in any other exercise. I end every run feeling happy and inspired.
I also broke my ankle running last fall, and am not allowed to jog until May. When I do, I’ll definitely get fitted for a pair of shoes that give me better support.
I wanted to start running because it is one of those things that has always bothered me…all of the past tries and the failures because of knee pain, gasping for air, feeling like dog crap too quickly. I see it as a challenge to overcome this inability of mine to run long distances…and right now I probably couldn’t run around the block without getting pretty winded. I want to fix that.
I wonder if I should take a joint supplement. I have placed a lot of wear and tear on my knees. I played soccer…wrestled…judo…and cycling…over my years. Couch potato for the last few years unfortunately.
The gasping and getting tired is just a matter of pacing and endurance, IME that’s surprisingly easy to work on. The knee pain is something that you really want to get checked out - like I said it could be something minor, or fixable, or maybe your doctor will tell you that running will just aggravate it and to try other forms of exercise.
I asked my doctor about glucosamine/chondritin a few years ago and his response was “There’s no evidence that it helps but it doesn’t hurt so give it a try”. I took the stuff for a while and didn’t notice any improvement so I stopped. Maybe there’s been new research in the last couple of years.
When I do, I’ll definitely get fitted for a pair of shoes that give me better support.
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