Hi,
I'm new to running and I was just looking for a bit of advice really. Firstly, I'm overweight, I'm 5'5 and weigh 13 stone 4 pounds. I'm having difficulty finding what is the best way to 'ease in' to running. I don't know how long is best to run or at what speed. I find myself getting out of breath quite quickly and yesterday when I really pushed myself on the treadmill to do 30 minutes and the 8.0 speed setting, I got off feeling dizzy and sick. My Dad and boyfriend are both avid runners but I feel too shy to ask them for advice. To be honest I'm terribly embarrassed about how unfit I have become, I used to be on the netball, cross country and swimming team at school and was a healthy weight but since joining university I have gained 3 and a half stone due to not exercising anymore and eating the 'student diet' of alcohol and takeaway foods. I want to start running again to help shed the weight but also just to feel general healthier, I'm tired of getting out of breath walking up stairs. Anyway, sorry for the rant, if anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Hi Rosie - I'm no expert but my advice would be to take it slowly, if you got off the treadmill feeling sick and dizzy then you may have over done it. Have you thought about trying one of the training schedules on this site, maybe a good place to start.
Good luck.
Rosie, dont be embarrassed. You have made a genuine posative decision thats going to change your life.
Im sure if you read some of the beginners training plans on here they will help you start up. When I got back into running some months ago I didnt start by running. I wasnt overweight but I didnt want to shock by body. So I took advice from a wonderful proff running friend I have and just sarted off with three long walks a week for about a month. Then I started walking and running once I felt I was ready.
Im sure others more qualified than me will give you advice.Just remember to get out there, dont be put off by any idiots. Look after your body:eat enough and make healthy choices. By the middle of the summer try to visualise how you would like to look.Maybe some new clothes and out in that sunshine going for a nice run. x
Hi Rosie,
If you have been sporty in the past it will all come back. Be patient. You still have the same strong heart and lungs. As Steady said, have a look at the C25K type programs and stick to it even if some of the stuff feels too easy. I came back to running after a long break. A year ago I could just jog 2 miles, 12 months on I am 8 weeks away from a marathon and really enjoying my running. My target when I started was a half marathon in Sept' (which I completed).
Give yourself a realistic goal(s) and work towards it. It doesn't need to be an event but that is what works for me. Take it steady and you will get there.
Well done getting started.
Slab
Taking no excercise, 5'5 and 13 stone 4 and being able to go for 30 minutes without stopping is amazing.
The feeling dizzy and sick is normal. It is just the body's way of saying, 'you take no excercise, you follow this diet and now you want to take me running - are you having a laugh ?'
The fact that you have been fit before with the cross country and the like means that you wil get back to it quicker than someone who has not been there before but you will have to work for it.
Provided there is not too much stiffness left in the muscles, just stick with what you are doing ( apart from the student diet that is ). If you can manage it the same 30 minutes routine every other day and you will be amazed about how much easier it is after 3 or 4 weeks and then think of a new plan.
Dear Rosie, - congratulations on making the choice to start running; there is a lot of good advice here and I would agree, especially regarding setting realistic goals. There is no point setting goals which are unachievable, be realistic and increase them in small increments 30 mins today, 35 mins next time, 40 mins time after. The targets will whizz by and you'll have much more of a sense of achievement. Also, I would recommend getting off the treadmill and outside when you can, or at least occassionally. Treadmill running is so boring, being outside is more enjoyable - the landmarks pass you by, so you feel like you are "going" somewhere. You'll have such a sense of achievement if you can say "I ran to ........" - so much more tangible than treadmill running. Good luck, keep it real and remember it's about you, not what other people can do.
i agree with all the above, and in regard of feeling dizzy after getting off the treadmill i used to suffer with this too. i spoke to the gym instructor who told me to start slowly and gradually increase your speed to get your equilibium in sync, after you have finished slow down gradually and once you have stopped stay on the treadmill for 30 ses or so, so that your equilibrium settles again. when you are more confident and progress to going out road running you shouldnt have this problem.
RM x
well done for having a go! the hardest bit is always the first step. i would try going slower on the treadmill, then speed up as you feel better about it. just do small amounts and build up when you find it easy. look at the c25k etc
good luck. x
Hi Rosie - I started running about 10 months ago and was in a similar position to you. I think 30 mins at 8.0 is probably a bit too much to start with (much as I hate the treadmill I have been using one occasionally over the winter and I don't go a lot faster than that now if I am going to do 30+ minutes non-stop). Also it is really important to slow down gradually on the treadmill - I walk for about 5 minutes after my "run" and sometimes I still feel a bit "off-kilter" when I do stop. If you have an mp3 player I would really recommend downloading "Couch to 5k" from the NHS website. It is a great walk and run programme and a very nice lady tells you exactly what to do and when so you don't have to focus on anything other than getting your feet moving. Not sure how it would go on a treadmill though - I ran up and down the road (very early in the morning so noone would see me) and now I can run 7-8 miles fairly comfortably (albeit slowly) and have lost over a stone (without any dieting at all). If you find it hard you can repeat a week or if it goes okay you could even skip one (I never managed that though). The important thing is to keep going - I never thought I could run even 100 yards and now I am looking at a half marathon for September.
I'm a similar weight and only slightly taller than you, I'm also in my 40's and had surgery on my back. I am new to running, started about 7 weeks ago on a Couch to 5k app and at first I thought I would never manage to run for more than 1 or 2 minutes at a time.
I have found it really tough sometimes, but a few weeks ago I realised that I was also sometimes enjoying it, much to my surprise. I am now running for 25 minutes without stopping and managed 5k today. I have a long way to go, but am very determined, in fact I have entered the Great North Run in September, so I'm now committed!!
I have only run on the road or track, it would be too easy for me to get off a treadmill, and I usually run with a friend which I would strongly recommend if possible.
I do find carrying the extra weight really tough, but it is slowly coming off, with the help of WW also.
Listen to the wealth of advice on here, I find it very inspiring, and take it slowly....I'm sure you'll get there.