Hello fine people im new guy who hasnt exercised for a very longtime now but trying to get back in the door.

I used to be very active as a kickboxer and as a self-defence instructor till my, now failed, career took over, but now i have time to get back in shape and want to make the most of this time to establish a routine to get my fittness back since im 28 now and worried about getting too old to get into shape in the future.

My biggest problem is motivation and also knowing how far to run when im trying to see where my limits lie, ive created several routes which are close to me and offer a nice variety of environment, but i dont want to run too far incase i cant handle it but i also dont want to run too short a distance which would be too easy.

Part of getting motivation is understanding the right distance i should be looking at as well as the right pace i should be going for.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Welcome Nezodan.

For motivation I'd suggest you join a local running club...they will be able to keep your runs the right distance and pace and you'll get to enjoy the social side of running as well as enter races..if that's what you want to do...in due course.

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I need a break!

Welcome Nezodon
you can measure your runs on www.mapmyrun.com
As for the how far and how fast part, start by covering a given route at an easy pace. Work on running it faster until it feels that you're hurting a bit towards the end.
The time you achieve then should be a good limit for your normal run. Slower on easy days and faster on days when you want to challenge yourself.
I always have some points where I check my pace so that I know what time I'm running for.
For example, check where you reached 5 minutes, what time you have when you get to a certain tree/house, etc. And then do that every time you run that course.

And stay in touch here. The Forum is often a good source of motivation.

Too old at 28? Strewth, I was nearly twice your age (54) when I took up running to get back into shape! So you can get rid of that negative attitude for a start.
As Steve has already said, one of the best sources of motivation is to join a local running club where you'll find runners of all shapes and sizes and abilities who'll offer a lot of advise and camaraderie. Failing that, at least find yourself a running partner you can communicate with to relieve the initial stresses of pounding the pavements on your own when you're not quite sure what you should be doing. Take it easy for starters, don't hurt yourself by trying to do too much too soon and you'll find that rhythm, pace judgement and optimum distances will come naturally after a while.
Running is the most natural exercise known to man, the next step up from walking. Keep it simple. Don't get bogged down with science and technicalities. Just do it!
Cheers!

PS. Welcome to the Forum

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Give me the hills!

LOL............................................... ..............

You tell him RF.

Thanks for the responses, this forum moves quickly, im going to try going for a short run tomorrow early in the morning to start to develop the habit as this is the best time of day for me.

Im fortunate with where i live as im able to find some rather nice looking routes to take for this, but im only going to do a short route and it more than likely wont take too long but i just want to test my fitness, ive noticed my breathing isnt what it was when i was fighting.

Im trying to cut out unhealthy food and eat more healthy stuff *stares with guilt at Easter egg on desk*.

Thanks again folks.

Nezodon, I do most of my running early in the morning, sets you up for the day. And like Running Fox I was a late starter (52 for me) so get out there and get fit !

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Don

hello Nezodon,
I started running myself at 28 after I developed a bit of a belly and had become too unfit to even run 200 yards - this became apparent one day when I missed a bus because I couldn't make it before it pulled away! I stood there breathless and shocked haha. Like you, I had no idea of where to start, so I drove my car a couple of miles to a big open field and ran, or rather, I 'bombed it' in a square circuit for 6 minutes. Little did I know at the time that runners don't run like the clappers every single time they go running, so after a few observations of others I started going to a fairly large park and gradually increasing my circuit around there but at a much slower pace, and then I started to concentrate more on distance. I just took it dead easy and when I'd gradually made it to 20 minutes I was starting to feel good, even though it was still hard going for a good few months and I'd been running in old plimsolls too all that time! Obviously things got better when I bought some running shoes Then all of a sudden I was starting to increase my distances, they were slowly creeping up and I was getting a buzz every time I ran a different route and added another mile in here and there. After I'd done the park every which way around, I started to look for new challenges. After 2 years I had dropped 3 stone! My motivation always thinking I could add a little bit more on Sunday, do a different route, that kind of thing. I think I just found my own comfort zone after a while and settled at a pace that suited me. I'm 37 in May and I've just completed my first Half Marathon last month which, looking back, I should have had a go at ages ago, but never mind. Keep it up and keep visiting this board - the support and advice here is second to none. I'm learning lots here. Good luck and I'd love to hear how you get on with it

Don't beat youself up if you need to take a walk break - its all about time on your feet. Have a look at www.runinjuryfree.com

Chocolate releases happy sera tones, so it quite possible that it is essential to your diet Welcome to the forum and best of luck with your running.

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