Looking to start running?
For those looking to start running.
Knowledge is everything when it comes to our postop lives, and it is extremely helpful as you enter the world of exercise. Many of us start out walking and then want to run, but how do we do it? Well yeah you can just start running but for how far or how long?
We hear of things like C25K and Interval training but do we know what it means? What is the benefit of it?
10 months ago I started out on my new life walking a couple 3 miles everyday like my doctor told me to, this was actually shorter distances than I was doing preop but as we know surgery takes a lot out of you and it takes a while to recover. I tried C25K and consider myself of C25K Failure. What caused me to fail? I simply couldn't keep up with the program and didn't understand why. My solution was simple I would walk when I was tired and run when I could, as time progressed I changed my run and walk distance making the runs longer and the walks shorter, but I still wasn't making any progress.
Only after I started educating myself did I learn that I was doing what was called interval training, the only problem as I look back is that I didn't push myself enough when I needed and then would push to hard when I shouldn't.
Even now that I understand some of the biology of running I am still frustrated. After all I spend 5 days a week in the gym for like 2 hours a shot and want to run longer distances or run faster. Lets face it we all look at the guys in the gym and see them booking along at 7.5 mph and feel pretty defeated when we are huffing and puffing at 4mph. Being someone whose weight loss has stalled or been on a shallow down angle for a few months I have those moments when I say "If I was 15lbs lighter I could run another mile or I could run a bit faster" The reality is I couldn't. Why because my body is unable to support it at this point. Being able to run fast or for longer distance is about conditioning yourself about working your body to the point that it needs to develop the systems to support you in your endevors.
By learning about why your body has these limits and how you can overcome these limits will allow you to accomplish the goals you may have. Remember every mile you log is important it doesn't matter if it is your first or you 1000th, it is a mile to build upon it is a mile that your body has learned to do. With work and some dedication you will be able to run the whole 5K rather than walk it, or do that full marathon you only dream of doing.
The only thing that will stop you from doing these things is to not try. Here are a couple articles that I hope can help people just starting or those who are currently struggling.
ENJOY! off to do my 5miles!
http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Breathing-Tips-for-New-Runners.htm?cmp=291&memberid=110964083&lyrisid=22276275
http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/9-Easy-Ways-to-Stay-I njury-Free.htm?cmp=282&memberid=111047663&lyrisid=21910261
Knowledge is everything when it comes to our postop lives, and it is extremely helpful as you enter the world of exercise. Many of us start out walking and then want to run, but how do we do it? Well yeah you can just start running but for how far or how long?
We hear of things like C25K and Interval training but do we know what it means? What is the benefit of it?
10 months ago I started out on my new life walking a couple 3 miles everyday like my doctor told me to, this was actually shorter distances than I was doing preop but as we know surgery takes a lot out of you and it takes a while to recover. I tried C25K and consider myself of C25K Failure. What caused me to fail? I simply couldn't keep up with the program and didn't understand why. My solution was simple I would walk when I was tired and run when I could, as time progressed I changed my run and walk distance making the runs longer and the walks shorter, but I still wasn't making any progress.
Only after I started educating myself did I learn that I was doing what was called interval training, the only problem as I look back is that I didn't push myself enough when I needed and then would push to hard when I shouldn't.
Even now that I understand some of the biology of running I am still frustrated. After all I spend 5 days a week in the gym for like 2 hours a shot and want to run longer distances or run faster. Lets face it we all look at the guys in the gym and see them booking along at 7.5 mph and feel pretty defeated when we are huffing and puffing at 4mph. Being someone whose weight loss has stalled or been on a shallow down angle for a few months I have those moments when I say "If I was 15lbs lighter I could run another mile or I could run a bit faster" The reality is I couldn't. Why because my body is unable to support it at this point. Being able to run fast or for longer distance is about conditioning yourself about working your body to the point that it needs to develop the systems to support you in your endevors.
By learning about why your body has these limits and how you can overcome these limits will allow you to accomplish the goals you may have. Remember every mile you log is important it doesn't matter if it is your first or you 1000th, it is a mile to build upon it is a mile that your body has learned to do. With work and some dedication you will be able to run the whole 5K rather than walk it, or do that full marathon you only dream of doing.
The only thing that will stop you from doing these things is to not try. Here are a couple articles that I hope can help people just starting or those who are currently struggling.
ENJOY! off to do my 5miles!
http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Breathing-Tips-for-New-Runners.htm?cmp=291&memberid=110964083&lyrisid=22276275
http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/9-Easy-Ways-to-Stay-I njury-Free.htm?cmp=282&memberid=111047663&lyrisid=21910261
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
Yes, knowledge is power!!
I tried to start running in the middle of training for my 60 mile walk. I was at the track and would try to run the sides and walk the curves.
My knees started killing me. I realized (thru the wonderful exercise board) that I wasnt doing any strength training. Hello? I need some muscle to support myself. Oh, and my lungs were burning all the time cause I didnt have the lung capacity to run yet.
Ive stopped running for now. One 60 mile walk to train for is enough for now...
GREAT POST PAUL!
I tried to start running in the middle of training for my 60 mile walk. I was at the track and would try to run the sides and walk the curves.
My knees started killing me. I realized (thru the wonderful exercise board) that I wasnt doing any strength training. Hello? I need some muscle to support myself. Oh, and my lungs were burning all the time cause I didnt have the lung capacity to run yet.
Ive stopped running for now. One 60 mile walk to train for is enough for now...
GREAT POST PAUL!
Banded Feb 23, 2009 / Revision to RNY Aug 25, 2010 
Well, you can't know how much better this makes me feel! I started out that C25k thing, and failed miserably... there was NO WAY that I could run the full time, even at the beginning of the program!
As I've lost weight, I still haven't done great with running... but now I'm wondering if I set myself up for failure. When you started running, what speed were you running at? I would usually walk intervals with speeds around 4mph (some lower, some higher too)... so when I started trying to run, I thought I needed to really boost it significantly. I'd usually set it at 5.5.... and while I can do that for a minute at a time, it's not sustainable for much longer.
Suggestions on speed for a true running beginner? Should I just try 4.5 and go for as long as I can?
tori
As I've lost weight, I still haven't done great with running... but now I'm wondering if I set myself up for failure. When you started running, what speed were you running at? I would usually walk intervals with speeds around 4mph (some lower, some higher too)... so when I started trying to run, I thought I needed to really boost it significantly. I'd usually set it at 5.5.... and while I can do that for a minute at a time, it's not sustainable for much longer.
Suggestions on speed for a true running beginner? Should I just try 4.5 and go for as long as I can?
tori
What speed to start at is always difficult as it depends on so many things about the individual.
So you would walk intervals at 4mph, was that your interval or your recovery? if it was your recovery then I would say sure shoot for 4.5mph as you interval.
Remember there are multiple way to do intervals and for me the 2 main ones helped increase my distance and my speed.
for you base pace find a speed where you are comfortable and could carry on a conversation be honest with yourself on is it to slow or to fast you want the comfort of that speed. For me itstarted out at about 3.5mph after months of training it is at 6mph, and I know people whose base is 7.5mph they have also been running about 2 years longer than I have. So don't worry about how slow or fast it is you want it at the top of your comfort zone.
Interval 1:
do a .25 mile warm up at about 1 mph below your base.
do .1 miles
do .1 miles at Base +.5mph so if your base is 4.5 do it at 5 (if this is to easy then take it up by .1 where you are working for the minute but not miserable)
Repeat. for 1mile THEN
increase base by .2mph and repeat the above sequence.
Interval 2 is almost the same but take your intervals from .1 miles to .5 miles with the recover or base pace portion being .1 mile. For this you will probably only want to start .5mph above base.
On this second form I do it 2 waysone helps me add pure miles and the other helps me add pace to the later miles.
To add miles keep your interval pace the same and simply add more intervals, again if you are to comfortable add .1mph until you are at your top of comfort.
To add speed to your later miles do each interval slightly faster so something like this
.1 4.5 (Base)
.25 5mph
.1 Base
.25 5.2mph
.1 Base
.25 5.3 mph
. Repeat until you are out of your comfot and have to really work for the .25 then revearse the interval
.1 base
.25 5.3mph
.1 base
.25 5.2
...
These 2 main training runs took me from a 47 minute 5K to a 29 minute 5K or a 48 minute 2 miles in about 8 months.
So you would walk intervals at 4mph, was that your interval or your recovery? if it was your recovery then I would say sure shoot for 4.5mph as you interval.
Remember there are multiple way to do intervals and for me the 2 main ones helped increase my distance and my speed.
for you base pace find a speed where you are comfortable and could carry on a conversation be honest with yourself on is it to slow or to fast you want the comfort of that speed. For me itstarted out at about 3.5mph after months of training it is at 6mph, and I know people whose base is 7.5mph they have also been running about 2 years longer than I have. So don't worry about how slow or fast it is you want it at the top of your comfort zone.
Interval 1:
do a .25 mile warm up at about 1 mph below your base.
do .1 miles
do .1 miles at Base +.5mph so if your base is 4.5 do it at 5 (if this is to easy then take it up by .1 where you are working for the minute but not miserable)
Repeat. for 1mile THEN
increase base by .2mph and repeat the above sequence.
Interval 2 is almost the same but take your intervals from .1 miles to .5 miles with the recover or base pace portion being .1 mile. For this you will probably only want to start .5mph above base.
On this second form I do it 2 waysone helps me add pure miles and the other helps me add pace to the later miles.
To add miles keep your interval pace the same and simply add more intervals, again if you are to comfortable add .1mph until you are at your top of comfort.
To add speed to your later miles do each interval slightly faster so something like this
.1 4.5 (Base)
.25 5mph
.1 Base
.25 5.2mph
.1 Base
.25 5.3 mph
. Repeat until you are out of your comfot and have to really work for the .25 then revearse the interval
.1 base
.25 5.3mph
.1 base
.25 5.2
...
These 2 main training runs took me from a 47 minute 5K to a 29 minute 5K or a 48 minute 2 miles in about 8 months.
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
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