Taking up running

RachelM

Full Member
I've found a really great guide from runners world magazine thats going to get me up to jogging for 2 miles in about 8 weeks from my current fitness level (which is after 4 minutes of jogging, inevitable death!). Just wondering if anyone has any tips or advice for a beginner? Mucho appreciated!
 
Hi Rachel, I don't have any advice sorry, but it'd be great if you share your info here as I would love to start running too. My level is currently 2 mins, gasp, splutter, wheeze, aahhh!!
 
copied from runners world:

it's also at The Smart Coach Running Training Program at Runner's World.com

The training plan that follows is designed to get you to the point where you can run 30 minutes (about 2 miles) at a slow, relaxed pace. It's a simple, progressive program that begins with more walking than running, and gradually evolves into more running than walking. Each week's plan also includes a motivational quote and a training tip. Once you are able to run 2 miles nonstop, you can decide on your next goal. You might simply want to continue running 2 miles at a time, three or four days per week. Research has shown that this is enough to help you lose or maintain weight, and improve many other important health markers, ie, your cholesterol, blood pressure, and insulin response. Or you might decide that you want to do more, in which case you can consult the many training programs offered by the Runner's World SmartCoach. Don't be intimidated by these programs. The first 2 miles is the hardest 2 miles you will ever run. Once you have reached this level of fitness, it's relatively easy to do more. You simply have to budget the time, and be patient and disciplined in your training.

Here are 4 key points to consider before you begin the 8-Week Program.
If you are over 40, not accustomed to any exercise, or more than 20 pounds overweight, consult with your physician. Unless you have a known health risk, your doctor will probably encourage you to begin a run-walk program, but it's always wise to check.
Schedule your workouts. You won't find time for them unless you make time for them. Put them in your PDA, computer, daily appointment planner, on the front of your refrigerator, or wherever else you keep your schedule.
Expect bad days. Everyone has them, but they pass quickly, and the next workout is often better than the previous one. So stick with the program.
Don't rush. In the fitness world, rushing leads to injuries and discouragement. Be patient, and go slow. The goal is to reach 30 minutes of continuous running, not to set any records getting there.
WEEK 1
"Sit as little as possible. Give no credence to any thought that was not born outdoors while moving about freely."
--Friedrich Nietzsche
Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
1 Run & Walk
Run 1 min
Walk 2 min
Repeat 10X Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 1 min
Walk 2 min
Repeat 10X Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 1 min
Walk 2 min
Repeat 10X Run & Walk
Run 1 min
Walk 2 min
Repeat 10X Rest

Training tip:
To fuel up for your workout, have a piece of fruit or an energy bar about 2 hours before you lace up your shoes. An hour later, drink 8 ounces of a sports drink. The drink will ensure that you are fully hydrated, and also that you have sufficient sodium and potassium for a healthy workout.

WEEK 2
"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."
--William Faulkner
Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
2 Run & Walk
Run 2 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 10X Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 3 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 7X
Run 2 min Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 4 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 6X Run & Walk
Run 4 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 6X Rest

Training tip:
Always walk 2 to 3 minutes for a warmup before you begin your workout, and walk another 2 to 3 minutes as a cooldown afterward. Don't stretch prior to running. Save it for after your workout or in the evening while you're watching TV.

WEEK 3
"Obstacles are those frightening things that become visible when we take our eyes off our goals."
--Henry Ford
Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
3 Run & Walk
Run 5 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 5X Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 5 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 5X Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 6 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 4X
Run 2 min Run & Walk
Run 6 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 4X
Run 2 min Rest

Training tip:
Hold your arms comfortably at your sides while running, aiming for maximum relaxation. Bend them 90 degrees at the elbows, and move them forward and back at your waist. Bend your fingers into a relaxed grasp, and don't let your hands sway back and forth across the middle of your torso.

WEEK 4
"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
--Theodore Roosevelt
Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
4 Run & Walk
Run 8 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 3X
Run 3 min Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 9 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 3X Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 10 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X
Run 8 min Run & Walk
Run 11 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X
Run 6 min Rest

Training tip:
In hot, sunny weather, wear sunscreen, sunglasses (to relax your facial muscles), and a visor or cap to keep the sun off your face. Expect to run slower in particularly hot, humid weather, and take more walking breaks as necessary. Run in the early morning or late evening if you can.

WEEK 5
"Sweat cleanses from the inside. It comes from places a shower will never reach."
--Dr. George Sheehan
Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
5 Run & Walk
Run 12 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X
Run 4 min Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 13 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X
Run 2 min Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 14 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X Run & Walk
Run 15 min
Walk 1 min
Run 14 min Rest

Training tip:
On occasion, skip your running and walking workout and do a cross-training workout instead. Bike for 30 to 40 minutes, try the elliptical trainer in a gym, or join a circuit weight-training class. The break from running will refresh you, and you'll learn new skills while developing new muscles.

WEEK 6
"You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, if you hold that desire with singleness of purpose."
--Abraham Lincoln
Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
6 Run & Walk
Run 16 min
Walk 1 min
Run 13 min Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 17 min
Walk 1 min
Run 12 min Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 18 min
Walk 1 min
Run 11 min Run & Walk
Run 19 min
Walk 1 min
Run 10 min Rest

Training tip:
Running is a great way to build strong bones, but you also need plenty of calcium--1,000 milligrams a day, and 1,500 milligrams if you're over 50. Drink a glass or two of low-fat milk per day, or enjoy a cup or two of low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese. Dark green, leafy vegetables are another great calcium source.

WEEK 7
"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go."
--T.S. Eliot
Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
7 Run & Walk
Run 20 min
Walk 1 min
Run 9 min Run & Walk
Run 20 min
Walk 1 min
Run 9 min Run & Walk
Run 22 min
Walk 1 min
Run 7 min Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 24 min
Walk 1 min
Run 5 min Run & Walk
Run 26 min
Walk 1 min
Run 3 min Rest

Training tip:
Beginning runners often develop shin splints or sore knees. These pains should pass quickly if you treat them immediately with ice packs after your workouts. Put a bag of frozen peas on your shins or knees for 15 minutes. If the pain persists, take several days off before beginning your training program again.

WEEK 8
"One cannot consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
--Helen Keller
Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
8 Run & Walk
Run 27 min
Walk 1 min
Run 2 min Run & Walk
Run 20 min
Walk 1 min
Run 9 min Run & Walk
Run 28 min
Walk 1 min
Run 1 min Walk
Walk easy
30 min Run & Walk
Run 29 min
Walk 1 min Run & Walk
Run 30 min Rest

Training tip:
For clean air and healthy lungs, try not to do your workouts at the side of a busy street or during rush-hour traffic. Find low-traffic streets where any exhaust will be dispersed quickly. Even better, as often as possible, try to run in greenbelts--in parks, on bike trails, around reservoirs, and the like.Success may come quickly to you as a beginning runner, but the race is never won. Run for life.




I'm on holiday next week but I intend to start the programme on Monday 15th September, I can't wait to get started!
 
Tired just looking at that!!!

Can't hack running - and have heard jogging as opposed to actually running fast is really bad for your joints so that's my excuse!!!!! A friend had to stop exercising for months and months - not just a few days- after she got shin splints from running, so be careful.

Glad they start you off walking too - Power walking burns as many calories and is low-impact - maybe you could try that too!

Good on you for getting started!!!

Carol x
 
Wow, it looks scary but challenging. I imagine the programme standing there in a tracksuit, whistle round neck, stopwatch in one hand, bellowing (in baritone voice of course): "now try me if you dare". And I imagine me looking back defiantly saying "I dare, and here I go!" Now to translate that into action!!

Thanks for posting this Rachel, it's a great help. When are you starting?
 
I know! I needed something like this as I had no idea how to build up my fitness for running. I'm starting it on the 15th, a week on Monday. I want to start it now but Ill be away on holiday and I've been banned from taking my kit with me haha. I'm so excited about starting it!
Have you set a start date yet?
 
This saturday sounds good but first I need to decide which other days I can do and schedule them in. (Oh no, can't back out now, got Rachel to answer to...!)
 
Great stuff, keep me posted on how it goes! It'll be nice to have someone else to discuss it with (think my OH is rather bored by it all now lol) Good Luck! And don't forget to stretch
:whacky068:
 
Hi, I've been following a similar training plan to get me up to 10k in 12 weeks. So far i'm on week 6 and it's going really well - before I couldn't run for longer than a minute and now I can run for 15 minutes non-stop.

I find that using a stopwatch is really helpful as you can't kid yourself that you're doing more than you think. I've got one on my watch, so i don't have to look like a pe teacher with one hanging round my neck!
 
Wow, well done Jenny. Have you had to go running 3 times a week a achieve this? I'd be delighted to get to this level.
 
Yes, usually, although it's been twice a week several times too.

Some days I find it really hard, but other days it seems a complete breeze. Following the plan though is honestly the best exercise thing i've ever done though, as it pushes me that bit more than I would myself and I can definately see the improvement.

I never would've believed that I of all people would enjoy running!!
 
Wowee! Good to know it is doable, but you guys all blowing away all my excuses now -lol!
 
hiya all, this looks really interesting, i think i may give it a go too, can't wait to get started actually, how sad is that??!! lol x
 
Hiya,
Good luck with your running.
I started running about 3 years ago, couldnt get to the next lampost without wheezing, but within 8 weeks had done a 5k without stopping then another month went by and I managed a 10k. I unfortunately stopped through a bad ankle injury which needed physiotherapy, put on the weight and found it hard the last time I tried, so I am building up my walking again, shedding a few pounds to be kind to myself and strapping the trainers back on.
I really miss it, theres nothing more enjoyable than pounding through the countryside with your ipod to get rid of any frustrations and negative thoughts.
You will be amazed how quickly your fitness will progress, my friend who started at the same time as me, but didnt have to stop now regularly does half marathons, and she had never run before either.
I can't wait to get back on track again - In fact I've noticed you are starting on the 15th September, I may just work myself up to that date too!
x
 
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Oh and by the way - once you start you WILL bore everyone with stories of how far you went, how long it took, what route you went...........................:D
Another tip - Look out for specials in Lidl and Aldi(good idea to sign up to newsletter), sometimes have great deals on running kit, good socks and base layers etc.
 
Wow, I am inspired; Flumpster, that was a real achievement. My only excuse now is that the weather is changing, and it might be harder to motivate myself when the sun is not out....
I really do want to be able to run though.
 
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Hi, I've been following a similar training plan to get me up to 10k in 12 weeks. So far i'm on week 6 and it's going really well - before I couldn't run for longer than a minute and now I can run for 15 minutes non-stop.

I find that using a stopwatch is really helpful as you can't kid yourself that you're doing more than you think. I've got one on my watch, so i don't have to look like a pe teacher with one hanging round my neck!


Hi Jenny

Well done on your achievements so far. Where can I find the plan you are doing at the moment? It sound very interesting and im keen to try it.
 
It's on the Cancer Research Run 10k website - I've found it builds up nicely, for me it seemed more appealing than other beginners plans that seemed to have you running loads right at the beginning!

Run 10k : Training

I would advise using a stopwatch as to start with you think you've done much longer than you actually have, and then as you get better you've actually done more than you think!!
 
thats really inspired me! Thankyou muchly x
I started my running programme this morning at 7.45, todays training was 1minute running followed by 2mins walking and repeat 10 times.
I thought it would be easier but it felt like it was pretty hard going especially towards the end! I was rather out of breath haha, thoroughly enjoyed it though and I'm pleased to say I completed it without any injuries or embarrassing episodes! I'm looking forward to completing my first week on Saturday even though it seems so far away.
 
Well done Rachel - I always find the hardest bit about exercise is actually getting up and out to do it!

You'll be surprised at how quickly you improve.
 
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