For the runners

[calena]

How did you "morph" into becoming a runner? I have been a sporadic walker for years and am training for a 5K right now. I started by walking 3 minutes/jogging 2 minutes then up to walk3/jog3 and so on. Now I am walk 2/jog5. I also do this four days a week with other exercise 2 other days and one day off! (AT LEAST THAT IS MY GOAL) LOL! Is this how others trained to go from walking to jogging? I would just love to say "I am going for a run" one day and do it! I also am not a fast jogger but it is faster than walking. Any encouraging stories would be great!

 

[littlegreydonkey]

as the adverts say - just do it!!! you've got a good base with 5 minute intervals, so just go and give it a try - go round and round the block near your house so you're never far away from home when you decide to stop (nothing worse than ending up 30 minutes down the road which is a 1 hr walk back, trust me) and run for as long as you comfortably can. Forget about speed, just aim to jog instead of walk, if you do say 10 minutes and want to try another 10, have a walk break for 2-3 minutes, then go again - you might suprise yourself!

 

[calena]

I am up to 40 minutes now!

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Congratulations! You are doing it.
I agree about not going in one direction so that you have to come back all the way when you decide it may be a bit difficult. I usually park in the "center" of my walk/wog/jog so if I need to break off a bit sooner I am not all that way.

Stop by the marathon/half marathon thread. There are several books listed at the top of that thread that will assist in your training program.

Keeping to the OP question, I just leaned forward one day and found out that it works! Take it slower at first and build up speed as you are able. Those reference books have some great advise about building up your pace.

Most importantly, have fun! WISHing you the best with your new goal.

 

[AprilN]

I certainly didn't set out to become a runner - I never expected to like running, let alone love it. So this was just what worked for me - definitely not following a specific technique or plan. When I first started this journey, I walked two miles each morning M-F, which took about 40 minutes (20:00 pace). I mapped out a course around my neighborhood and walked it each morning, listening to my MP3 player.

Over the weeks, I got a little faster, but still walking the entire time. I even added a bit more length to my walk to get back up to 40 minutes total. I would typically try to match my walking pace to the current song in my headphones, a nice quick pace that felt good, but something I could maintain. Then, one day during a particularly quick song (Humphrey Hop from Classic Disney Vol. 5), I realized that I was walking so fast, I might as well jog - so I did... very, very slowly!

Then for a while, I would just jog during the fastest of songs - not even every morning. Eventually, I decided to sprint (or at least what felt like sprinting to me) at the very end of my walk, just the last block or so. That stretched into the last two blocks (jogging the first, sprinting at the end), then the last three blocks... and finally one morning I decided to jog the entire way!

Holy moley, I was a runner! My pace has grown faster over the months, and I moved from 2 miles up to my current 4.25-mile workout. I've run a 4-mile race along with a couple of 10K races, and I'm even thinking of eventually training for a half-marathon - or maybe even a triathalon, although the swimming would absolutely kick my butt right now.

I've never done the whole interval-training thing - many sources say it's a great workout method, so I'm not going to disagree. It's just not something I've tried out. Perhaps if I really want to improve my mile time, I should look into it.

Good luck - you can do it!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Started small and built up

Actually hit the ground training for a marathon---did it as a run/walk the entire season (about a 7-9:1 ratio--7-9 minutes run, 1 minute walk).

I was trying to build up to straight running--from Feb 1...to May 8th....built up to 6 miles at a stretch. Car accident on Monday---so back to the starting block. When I restart (as long as it is not too long a hiatus)--I should be able to do at least 3 miles....I'm hoping!

You can build up either by time--or by distance..and the rule is no more than 10% increase per week of the weekly total. Best to sprinkle those increases over all runs...occasionally, I add the total additional time to the long run for kicks.

 

[plutosmyfav]

I think you are doing exactly what you should. Starting with intervals that will eventually take over the whole session!

As for me, 4 years ago after a complicated pregnancy and 8 weeks of bedrest I could barely walk 20 minutes at 3.0 mph. But I was determined and kept at it until I could "jog" small intevals at 4.5 mph. I alternated endurance (mostly walking with few jogging intervals) with speed work (short sessions with as much jogging as I could handle).

Today I can run short distances at 7.0 mph or long distances (12 miles) at 6.0 mph. I absolutely love/crave it! I hope to run a half and then whole marathon during 2005/2006.

I just had minor leg surgery today. In the OR someone said "she must be an athlete", another said, "she runs". Then someone said (I was too groggy to follow who was who). It turns out the reason they thought I was an athlete was my resting pulse was 38!

 

[calena]

Thanks for all the encouragement and tips! Yesterday I went for broke and walked 2 minutes and jogged 10 for my 40 minute jog/walk. FELT GREAT. I had been walking 2 and running 5 and when I was at the first 5 - time to start walking, I saw someone I know, and I figured I would keep running instead of walking, so I did and then I thought I would try 10 minutes and it worked and then I was able to repeat that several times until I ran back to my door. I go 20 minutes in one direction and turn around. I like to go out pre-dinner and I find this also supresses my appetitte then.

 

[calena]

I just have to post again. I ran for 40 minutes last night 2 minutes walk/10 run. I just feel SOOOOOO Great to be able to do this. This is so major for me because I was always the kid in gym class who lagged behind the rest. I was no good at sports, but I can do this now at 40! Feel's great. I am becoming a runner. You gals are an inspiration to me. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[chimera]

So can we get you to join us for the marathon or half-marathon?
You're already way ahead of me in training

Pop on over to the training thread, even if you're not planning to do the Disney half/full. You'll find a lot of great advice and support!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=815725

 

[calena]

Yesterday I was thinking about the half, but Disney is not on the schedule until 2007, so we will see. I will pop over there for info/encouragement though. Thanks!

 

[zoegirl]

You go Calena!
I started running about 3 years ago, and made a 10k my first goal. I just ran until I couldn't then walked. I did my first 10k in like 1:40 or something. I was so proud of myself you would have thought I ran it in 43 minutes.
I just kept building from there and lo and behold I've done 3 marathons in two years and getting ready to train for another one.
Just set a goal and stick to it. Who cares how fast you are, you're doing it and that's what matters.