[Kim_anne]

Hi everyone,

I've been wanting to run for a long time now, but have been put off so many times. I'm never really been the athletic type as I had quite serious asthma in my school years.

My fittness has improved quite alot over the last year as I've been doing cardio 4 times a week and weights, swimming and pilates twice weekly. I can walk the legs of most people, but for some reason I find running a massive hurdle.

I'm slightly underweight and could probobly do with gaining some muscle, but the main problem is breathing. I become out of breath within a few minutes of running on the treadmill, while 'power walking' for up to an hour doesn't cause much excursion at all.

Anyway, I thought I'd introduce myself and give an overview of my situation. Maybe someone has some, if any advice for the hopeless newbie. :d

 

[jonesey10]

Hi Kim,

I have only recently taken up running and have found that I also get out of breath when I start out but have noticed that if you can keep running through that your normal breathing pattern returns and you can run and breath perfectly normally, you feel like you could run forever, unfortunately my legs don't have the same views as I do. :d

 

[Dave]

Welcome to you both.

I think you both need to slow down a bit when you are running.

 

[Trinity]

Kim... a newbie is never hopeless

You've obviously got a good fitness base but I agree with Dave... you probably start by running a bit slower until you feel more comfortable running further. The muscle will build on it's own at you run more regularly so you can leave that bit up to your body to sort out

The main thing is to enjoy it

 

[richardsimkiss]

Starting off too fast is something I think that most beginners do, I know I certainly did it, with a mentality of "your running now, so you can't slow down".

Try running a your power-walking pace Kim anne, it may feel odd running at a slow pace that you could just as happily walk at, but it's all about the motion of running, and getting your body used to the action of jogging - soon your body will get used to it and you'll be able to steadily pick up the speed & distance

 

[twinkle toes]

Welcome to RF

Hope all the advice given is a great help to you and this will get you onto a great start.

Keep us posted on how you get on.

TT

 

[Steve]

Welcome.

Patience is important. Gradually increase speed/distance...keep a log of your training and you will see how you've improved in no time at all.

 

[cheriton]

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[SarahE]

Hi Kim_anne,

I agree with what everyone else has said. I think alot of people new to running tend to put an awful lot of pressure on themselves at the beginning. This invariably leads to loss of motivation because they simply find it all to much! Start off slowly and work up .... you'll begin to enjoy yourself then! :d

 

[Steve]

Hi Kim_anne,

I agree with what everyone else has said. I think alot of people new to running tend to put an awful lot of pressure on themselves at the beginning. This invariably leads to loss of motivation because they simply find it all to much! Start off slowly and work up .... you'll begin to enjoy yourself then! :d

Good point.
Don't feel under pressure to look good or to "be good". We all run differently ...and unless you are Paula Radcliffe ( and even her sometimes!)...we all spend our time running
behind others !

Enjoy the feeling of running and the good it is doing you.

:d

 

[Kim_anne]

Thanks everyone for the welcome and advice. Very helpful. I appreciate it.

richardsimkiss, I tried this today on the treadmill and, to my suprise, it worked out very well for me. I managed 40 minutes, alternating between jogging and walking at the same pace. Obviously, as everyone said, it feels a bit odd - So I'll have to take time getting used to the motions. Though I enjoyed it and the time seemed to pass quicker than it would walking, which was another pleasant suprise. :d