Start running (again)

[aND-fitting]

Hey everyone, hope I'm posting in the right place.

So, I recently (5 weeks now) got back into running after maybe like 6 years of heavy sedentarism, so naturally my condition was as low as it could be. I had a resting heart rate of ~80 and I couldn't make 1km running without my hr reaching 160 and I had to stop. Now I'm getting a little better, I'm running 5 days/week making the weekend rest days, and my resting heart rate dropped to ~55. I'm also making a diet so my weight went from 98kg to 91kg in these 5 weeks.

The thing is, when it comes to pushing and trying to run bigger distances I just can't do it.. And I don't know how to.. I feel like after 5 weeks I should be comfortable with higher distances maintaining a relatively slow pace of ~6:30". Started of running 1.6km with a stop at 1km mark, walking for like 2min and then do the last 0.6 running again. Now I'm running 2.5km, making a stop at 1km to catch my breath and make my hr go down from 155 to ~100.

Do you guys have any tips for me? How can I have a better performance?

(P.S.: I'm monitoring all my runs with my Fitbit, so if I can provide other useful information ask away (: )

[Esya]

Good job making that progress so far and losing that weight. Maybe stay at this level for a bit until it feels comfortable and then make the next push again. You already increased from 1.6 km to 2.5 km. Give your body some time to get used to it and it will also get easier the more weight you lose.

[Bhuvana]

@aND-fitting Welcome back to the running club. 

It will take some time to get back to the stage where you were before. So don't push too hard on yourself. start with run walk time intervals. Start with 5 min of running and 1 min of walk. Every week increase this up to 10 min of continuous running and 1 min of walk. Try not to go too fast. Pace yourself properly. You can increase the distance slowly.  (May be every week increase the distance to 1k or so. Depends on your ability). This is ideal for beginners or runners coming back from long layoff.

good luck

Bhuvana 

[emili]

@aND-fitting welcome to the forums! When I started running, I wasn't keeping track of distance- I was keeping track of time. In most cases its 6 of one half a dozen... but it worked better for me. I would run for 15 minutes straight and whatever that mileage was it was. Then 18, 22, etc. I would go for increase in speed when I hit the 25 minute mark because at a controlled pace that is somewhere in the 2.5 mile mark. I worked my way up to 6 miles in 52 minutes. But you do need to give yourself time to adjust. Do the same for 5 runs or so and then change something- either time or speed- do it for 5 runs, etc. Also remember some days its going to feel amazing and other days it will feel like you are dying. All as it should be.

[michellefree]

I have always wanted to be a runner. I just don't know where to start, what shoes to buy. I would have to run outside since I don't have a treadmill. I currently do a lot of walking, and hope to one day be able to run.