Big Pete 1982

Well you have to admit, running as compared to cycling is very high impact. Also, we're in the Clydesdale/Athena section so for some of us, that impact is even greater than normal. I don't think running is bad for anyone. I just think it's a painful experience for me and many others. I see some people running and it's like watching a gazelle. Me? Thump, thump, thump, thump. It's not pretty and it can get physically painful. Cycling? Not so much. If I must travel on 2 feet, I prefer to go hiking.

Sayre Kulp 

Yes, it does have some impact on the joints. But most peoples' joints were designed for it! And yes, we clydes and athenas tend to be bigger folk, but we probably got here because our daily routine doesn't involve running from jaguars or chasing mammoths anymore, but rather sitting behind a desk for 8 or more hours. Nothing about what I do when running is "pretty", but it is healthy. That being said, I understand it isn't for everyone. After all, tennis isn't for me, and that's fine too. But this idea that it's BAD? C'mon now....

Axiom

I think I might try this C25K program since it seems like the ideal way to start out.

Big Pete 1982

I thought I offered some helpful advice to the OP about getting properly equipped. I never said running was bad for you, just that it can be painful.

CJ C

i dont think the early humans were carrying an extra 150-300 lbs when they were running, maybe carrying and extra 50 lbs of gear but not 24/7 like use clydes.

yes our bodies have adapted since then but if being on the big side of things was ok for our bodies then there wouldnt a discussion on running for weight loss here.

i think our skeletal/muscle structure is not designed for the extra weight and pounding running does. i am also reminded of this after each run i do, my body says "WTF man!!!" hours and next day after i run. when i was in college and 145-150lbs my body didnt yell at me after like it does now. yes i understand youth comes into play there but being 230lbs now doesn't help at all.

all said i would rather be a runner and run every day to loose weight plus stay in shape and do fun leisure bike rides just for the joy of it.

Hill-Pumper

It's a great way to start out. I did a couch to half marathon program last year and actually finished in my goal time. I highly recommend using the Jeff Galloway programs. He developed his training programs to be injury free. Start at the basic conditioning steps first and then work up from there. The other thing I like about his programs is that he only has you run three days a week. Usually there are two short runs during the week, and a longer one on the weekend.

https://www.jeffgalloway.com/

vesteroid

I have some recent personal experience with this.

I started "running" right after thanksgiving. I was gaining weight and feeling poorly, so had to pick something. I went online and bought shoes(randomly picked whati thought were good ones).

I used my iPhone and downloaded a couch to 5 k. It's a great app, it tells you when to run, when to walk, and it let's you use your own playlist from iTunes. These plans however are all over the Internet and all you really needs a watch, but the iPhone makes it so much easier.

The requirement here is patience. You may have the cardio base to run more than the prescribed workout for that day, but I strongly suggest you do not. Your tendons, joints, etc. do not have the conditioning your cardio system may have.

I had almost constant pain in one form or another. My knees hurt, my hips hurt, well you get the picture. I kept at it. Every now and again, I had to add an additional day of rest between workouts, but I never fell off the program.

I finally went to a running store to have my gait analyzed and found out I had purchased the wrong type of shoes for my running style. When they put me in the correct shoes, the knee pain Almost instantly disappeared.

Here is my specific adivce. Do not push, do not increase distance over what the program recommends regardless how good you feel. Make yourself run the intervals if at all possible. Don't listen to,that voice in your head telling you to stop a minute early.

Go slow. I mean go slow. Find a pace even if it's only slightly faster than walking that allows you to complete all the run intervals. You should be able to carry on a conversation at this pace. If you are huffing so. Uh you can only get out a few words, slow down.

Take your rest days....repeat after me, take your rest days

Lastly find and follow a running specific stretching program.

I didn't do the last one and boy did I pay for it. Now I do and it's made all the difference in the world.

And...and...and. Find a core strength routine and follow it. I didn't, and again, now that I do, boy do I wish I had done this from the beginning.

Just to give some additional perspective, I was dying at each step I took for the first 6 weeks or so. I am now in a alf marathon training group and have completed a 7 mile run...so far.

Don't get me wrong, I am still dying at the end of those runs, but I wouldn't have been able to run 7 minutes when I started.

squirtdad

Go to a running store, best if it is local, to get shoes. Not big chain athletic store, not big chain shoe store in the mall. Local specialized running store. The goods one's won't sell you a shoe that is wrong for you.

If you are worried about price...ask for a discount....many will do so in my experience. But any incresed cost is offset by fit and service.

The local store will also often hav runs, clinics and other sources of information and advice.

CraigB

When I started C25K, it was the cardio that limited me, despite the fact that I was a long-time cyclist. The fact that the muscles are used in a different way, and that it's 100% weight-bearing exercise, had me out of breath after 20 seconds. And that was at what most would consider a shuffle, so the old adage of running no faster than you can and hold a conversation at the same time was totally out of the question for me. I wasn't even going as fast as a double-time march. But that was the great thing about the program - it leads you through all of that. There were plenty of times it was kicking my butt, but in pretty short order I was astonished that I could get through 10 minutes straight without walking. And it ultimately got me to the point where the clock was no longer my focus, but mileage was. Instead of using seconds or even minutes as my unit of measure, I now think in terms of quarter miles. I haven't pressed too far in my regular running sessions since then. My time available for runs is usually limited to about 30 or 35 minutes, so including warming up and cooling down I rarely go much farther than a couple of miles or a little more. But so far it's been enough to keep me going in 5Ks. I did 3 last year and will be running one tomorrow. I took two walk breaks in my first one, and none in any of the others since.

And I second the notion that the place to get your shoes is a good running store with a reputation for gait analysis. It's way too easy to get the wrong kind of shoe and hurt yourself. That means you're probably going to spend $100 minimum, but it's worth it.

Rimmer

I'm not a clyde, but I'm kinda stocky. I really want to get back to jogging. I have very flat feet, and I overpronate quite a bit. The shoe store recommended me to wear motion-control shoes. They put me on a treadmill and recorded my foot strike with a video camera. All my pain is usually around my feet and ankles. I've sprained my ankles too many times. Pain in top outer part of my feet is noticeable. I've been walking on my non-cycling days for about a month or two. I'm considering using an indoor track or treadmill. Concrete is harsh.

CJ C

funny thing for me is i hurt my knee when i started jogging on the treadmill. all my jogging last year was on concrete and my last jog on concrete i did 7.2 miles. it was the month on the treadmill that i hurt it. (well also the increased days of jogging may have hurt it too)

Rimmer

Yeah, running on the treadmill is less natural and people do weird strides on them. I may stick to the indoor track. I've never had knee pain in my whole life. Only time was on the outside which was due to overuse cycling (too much too fast). That was muscular though from tight hamstrings. That's what my physio thought. I've never followed an exercise program before. I'll try C25k next week. First few weeks look really easy. My cardio is pretty good from all the cycling. It's not like I'm going to going anaerobic like I do on the bike.

lucienrau

+1. Running is a very different exercise than cycling, you'll be much slower than you expected. Cycling, you're using the large muscles in your legs and in a very limited manner. Running and walking use lots of tiny muscles. You'll improve quickly but take it slow. I can ride the better part of a day but I went for an hour walk with my daughter and it had me so sore that I could barely move for a day. I've started jogging as part of work with a trainer, three weeks in I'm still very slow but I can jog/speed walk two miles. I have to push pretty hard on a bike or elliptical trainer but jogging gets my heart rate up pretty quickly.

Definitely seek out a local running store, the knowledge and help is invaluable. Don't go to city sports or something like that, they don't have the expertise or even the same shoes. Our running store diagnosed some ankle issues that I didn't know that I had, which has eliminated some knee and lower back pain.

Hill-Pumper

Here is a link to some tips on what to look for when buying shoes. It happens to be where I bought my last pair of shoes, but the knowledge is good for any good running shoe store.


LINK

jmccain

Running and cycling is Mother Nature's way of agreeing with Darwin.

dstrong 

I'm 53 and took up running 7 years ago to augment my cycling. We're lucky to have a great local running store (RunTex) and I went there for my first pair of running shoes. They put me in a pair of Brooks and I've worn nothing else since (just got probably my 9th pair). I started as others have suggested...very slowly...knowing that I needed to be cautious about over doing it. Today my regular run is 3.1 miles and it takes between 27 and 29 minutes. I run the hike & bike trail, which is primarily crushed gravel. I like how quickly I can get a good workout in and especially in the summer, the scenery on the trail is good. I do the Turkey Trot most years, which is 5 miles and it's usually my longest run of the year and the only one I do on pavement. I don't really have much desire to run further but I wouldn't mind running faster.

gbg

STICK WITH IT!!! You need about a solid 6 weeks every/every other day to start enjoying it.

I generally say running sucks, but that's because I always start and then quit, so I am always starting (under 6 weeks).
Long ago I did stick with it and was running 18 1/2 minutes for 3 miles, that crossing 3 busy intersections going out and then again coming back.
It actually was enjoyable after you get used to it and your running muscles get stronger. Cycling and running use different muscles,
running more gluts/cycling more quads, so you have to get used to it.

I would even suggest the tread mill for the first week or so, but if you can run 7 miles/hr for 60 mins on the treadmill,
you still won't be able to do that on the real road.

CraigB

YMMV. I've been doing it for a year and I wouldn't say I enjoy it, even now. I enjoy that I'm able to do it. I never could as a kid - I was the fat one who couldn't even meet the generous time cutoff in the standard 600 yard walk-run test. I'm amazed now that I can run at least 3.1 miles at a time without dying. But while I'm out there I still wonder why the hell I'm doing it.

vesteroid

Shoot a 27 min 5k is nothing to sneeze at. Heck I am still trying to get under 30 with a long way to go. I haven't run a 5k full out in a few months but I bet I would struggle below 35 still.

vesteroid

If you have an 18 min 3 mile time you are in the top tier of a amateur runners.

I think the op should never consider running every day, and not even think about pace until you finish the c25K

gbg

There's lots of research that shows stretching before is not good. One large study showed the pre stretching group
sufferered 15% more injuries than the non stretching group. Starting slowly and warming up is better. Stretching AFTER is very good, once the muscles
have been warmed up.
An interesting finding was that a stretched muscle is up to 10% weaker than a non stretched muscle.

Axiom

I am going to start the C25K program tomorrow. I actually found a store that will fit me so I am going to go there and get a pair. I did another half an hour of cardio and again, the only pain I have is in my calves and feet, which only lasts about half an hour after I am finished with my jog/walk. And as far as stretching goes, well, I don't stretch, I walk.

vesteroid

Perhaps you will be different, and never need to stretch, and in fact I didn't stretch until I got up to 6 miles.

My first long weeks in half marathon training were 4 Tuesday, 3 Wednesday, 4 Thursday, and 6 on Saturday. The following Tuesday, I thought I was feeling good and decided to go for 5. Somewhere in there my left knee had a shooting pain and that was it.

I have been rehabbing it now for two weeks. My PT pretty quickly showed me what was wrong. He started doing these stretches on me and it was obvious my left side (the side I hurt) was over twice as tight as my right.

I now stretch twice a day with a 15 minute routine and a couple times a week with the P90x stretch program.

I did 3 miles yesterday at a very easy pace, and the knee felt better but not 100 percent. Going to stay on the bike and elliptical one more week and then try my long run this weekend.

All I am saying is you may think its ok not to stretch at all, but I suspect your body won't agree.

Btw as far as when I do VERY light stretching prior, really just enough to warm up the muscles, and then do my serious stretching when I get back. For me that's like 15 seconds on each stretch before and more like 3 minutes after.

vesteroid

Would you mind sharing some more about your experience with this program? I looked at it, but never adopted it. What kind of paces did you do your short and long runs at, and what intervals did you use? And when you list a pace, does that mean an overall pace including walks?

I seem to think I am still pretty slow. I can't seem to get under about 12:30 on a long run. And that pace over 6 miles really hurts lol. I find I do much better over the long run if I drop closer to 13

But for my group, that's no where near middle of the pack....that's faster than the walkers but slower than most runners.

So that got me thinking about the intervals, was wondering if taking the walk breaks may help me run at a faster pace in the run section and perhaps overall it may average out faster?

FrenchFit 

I've found they complement each other, but I suffer more leg cramps mixing running and biking each week. My runs are 3.5 miles, but I mix a walk into the front and back..it seems to loosen up the legs and ankles and it rounds out at about 5 miles. I like the routine alot, but the run is much, much harder on the body than a one hour ride.

Running on roads/concrete is too much impact for me. I run at the gym, which allows me to pick the incline and decline, or run at the HS track, which is nice and soft. My two cents is if you start to get knee pain, stop. Municus surgery is no fun, you need to listen to what your knees are telling you.