Help me run

[HappyHollydays]

I want to run, but here's the problem. I have a very high resting heart rate. It's always high. And any amount of exercise I do I just can't sustain for very long. I get out of breath really fast. I am actually very thin and tall (no excess weight). I've been thin my whole life and have a very fast metabolism. Never in my life have I been able to run a while mile 😞 I am going on a vacation next February and there is a 5k I can participate so i'm setting it as a goat that between now and next Feb I can go from not running at all to a 5k. Is that possible? Any pointers? I'd especially love to hear from anyone in the same boat (high heart rate, and thin). People assume i'm very fit based on my looks, but i'm not 😞

[HappyHollydays]

Sorry for all the typos, I don't know how to edit...?

[Dominique]

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@HappyHollydays wrote:

Sorry for all the typos, I don't know how to edit...?

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Just click on the three dots in the upper right corner of your post, then select Edit reply 

[Dominique · Accepted solution]

Your heart is a muscle, and like any other muscle, it will become stronger over time if you give it a reason to. You need to progressively push it outside its "comfort zone". What works for many people is run-walk-run, alternating short periods of running and walking, as popularized by Jeff Galloway, a former Olympic long-distance runner. It’s perfectly normal you can’t currently sustain running for very long before getting out of breath. Your cardio fitness will improve over time, and what now feels like an extraordinary effort will become a piece of cake after a few weeks/months of training.

[TurquoiseTurtle]

A few years ago I ran a 5k.  I used the Couch to 5K program.  It's a 9 week program and starts out really easy.  I also have a high resting heart rate, but I'm not thin (average).  My resting heart rate does decrease when I exercise more, but it creeps back up when I quit.  

[chappy78rva]

Have you been to the doctor?  Just wondering if you have an overactive thyroid?