Becoming a runner?

[klan7044]

I got to be honest with myself, I am and always have been terrible with running. I struggle with the pain and difficulty breathing to where I find it is no fun (I get a bad case of exercise induced asthma). However the more and more I work on my weight loss goals and compete in weekly challenges for steps I feel like it would benefit me to learn and progress as a runner.

I have a seditary job in a condo where we all work in what would be considered the living room. So I would love to be able to get those quick bursts of steps in a run before and/or after work and not waste an hour barely walking 6k. Plus I am sure my dog would love it. 

Pretty much I am looking for tips, personal stories on how maybe someone else progressed into becoming a runner. 

[shipo]

@Corney and @Bhuvana, like I wrote before, I suspect I am the odd man out on this because the only mental aspect to my typical run is whether I'm going to get out there or not.  This said, even that mental aspect has diminished dramatically over the last few years.  Why?  Simple; habit.  When 11:00 rolls around I grab my bag and head down to the locker room.  Once I'm out on the road the only question is, do I have time to do 12 miles; if no, I'll do 10, if yes, then the next question is, can I sneak in 14 before the cafeteria closes.

As for races, yeah, that might require an extra 10% or so of mental attitude; as with you @Corney, the distance is never the issue, only the speed at which the distance is being covered, and whether I can sustain the pace all of the way to the finish.  Even then it doesn't take a heck of a lot of thinking.  Why?  Prior to a few months ago I would not have been able to give you any plausible answer, however, last summer I read a study which tracked thousands of experienced runners, and they found a common thread among them; if you sent them out on a run of any given length, their brain automatically adjusted the pace to account for the distance, the temperature, the humidity, and any known physical obstacles (such as hills and technical trails), the pace they were running was without any conscious thought.  I'm the same way; I start out on say a 12-miler and my body automatically selects the pace right from the beginning.

[Corney]

Shipo I agree, saying the hardest thing about going out on a run was
putting on my shoes is factual, but I should also note that once the habit
has been established it was increasingly less difficult to put those shoes
on. I also agree once a good training base has been established the mind
will adjust to the mileage you plan on running also taking into account the
weather conditions. I always liked to run very early in the morning when
the air was not polluted by the all exhaust fumes from cars and trucks. I
also found that my early morning runs in the summer were much easier due to
lower temps and humidity. In the winter months I liked my early morning
runs before the sun was up because there always seemed to be less wind.

[45marathonsaaa]

I didn't tell the whole story why I say mental conditioning is so high for me. I ran competitively for around 10 yr's when I was involved in an accident. From the injuries it took alot of mental ability to 1st stand then walk and now jogging to running with a goal to run my 1st Marathon in 10 yr's. So for me it is alot of mental attitude (like 70 80 %) and eating the proper foods to keep me more mentally positive to run ignoring the pain but seeing the beauty of not only running but what's around me also.

[Bhuvana]

@45marathonsaaa Hats off to you! 

Bhuvana

[meisfit]

I used to hate running but then I was able to motivate myself by expecting high acheivements (which I really can't do) but it helped. I run almost everyday and have begun to enjoy it because it has become easier.

Motivational fact: After doing regular excersise for a few weeks, blood flow improves. After a few months visible ageing slows down. Then after a few years life excpectancy increases. 

[tatterbits]

Oh Klan.. I am so glad I saw this post. I never thought I was a 'runner' until I started walking on my lunch hours to get out of the office and it just seemed a natural progression to me. Here is how I started out. I got out of the office on my lunch hours and just started walking.. first with a friend, then I found a pedometer with a radio, so I had something to listen to if I was alone, to keep me 'distracted' from walking. I then progressed to a portable mp3 player with really good music to keep me motivated and give me that push to jog. I tended to just add jogging myself. I would make it to the end of the sidewalk, then walk, then jog to the next object, pushing myself further and further as my walking continued. Now mind you, this progressed over a year or two. This was not immediate. I also kept a journal of my walks and times so I had something to gauge my progress on. Nothing spectacular, just a notepad ( Yahoo mail has a note pad you can jot your progress down on and it never deletes.) 

I did this in spurts at first.. maybe a few months, maybe a year, then I would stop.... it got to the point where I missed 1) getting away from the office and work 2) letting the music take me away from EVERYTHING for an hour 3) actually missed the excercise. 

My last time I was jogging , I was jogging every M-F for 3 years or so, and the accolades I received from people that worked at my company and STRANGERS that saw me every day out there, helped keep me going. Now, this was still half walk, half jog at about 2.5 - 3 miles. I am guestimating as I had no way to track my actual distance. I just knew I was out there for about an hour. 

Here I am today.. after several years of not jogging ( several reasons/excuses .. change of schedule, different dept etc ) I am back at it. When I first started the walking / jogging again, I did a 2.8 mile route, about .5 miles of that was a straight jog ( some days better than others - and this was as of late October of this year ) until TODAY.. I actually jogged just under 2 miles. I have no clue why today I was able to do it.. but I did. I wasn't tired, legs weren't like jelly, my breathing was fine.. I was not out of breath when I finished, but I was oh so elated and so **ahem** proud of myself.  

My suggestion to you is just get in a routing to get out and start walking.. power walking or at least faster than a slow paced walk. What also works for me is the music. I downloaded a bunch of dance mixes, all different lengths so I don't get used to them - another distraction for me, and it works. Even if you don't jog, at least a 'power walking' speed will help burn off calories and feel more like excercise than just a slow meandering walk. 

Again, I did all of this without apps, taking my phone or anything except music and water 😄 I hope this helps and much success to you 🙂   Good luck!!!!

[Keith9]

I started to run 4 years ago after a period of illness! 

What I did was started slowly at first 2miles 3 times per week for a few months 

Increased to 5 miles after 6 months 

I now run 31 per week with 2 sessions of Crossfit and plenty of Walking,  I know your gonna say where do I get the time I just make sure I do!!

I am a roads engineer, which is office based, I train with my wife, however she misses the crossfit but does the jogging and walking

Just enjoy the running and it all comes natural, hope this helps

Keith

[45marathonsaaa]

KeithIn October 2007 I was involved in a auto accident that crushed my hip and pelvis broke the shoulder blade in half which pushed the vertebra into my spine which paralyzed me with additional injuries. I'd just completed my 45th Marathon 2 weeks earlier. After wearing a neck and body brace and 7 surgeries I started using a walker for 6 to 8 hours a day until I  started feeling pressure on the bottom of my foot. After that I  knew when to change feet from the pressure. Slowly I started to walk without the walker. Then after 2 years I started to jog and now have been running. The last Marathon I ran was 2 weeks before the accident. I've set a goal to race my 1st Marathon October 2017 after 9 years of working and getting back in shape. I don't think it will be a 2:23 Marathon which is my PR but I'm determined to finish at any time it takes. 


Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S® 6, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

[Keith9]

Absolute awesome, can't say anymore!!! 

[Bhuvana]

Absolutely amazing! Hats off to you @45marathonsaaa!