Advice on running

12 weeks to run 5 miles? It really isn't that far and unless you are seriously overweight or injured in some way you should be able to jog 5 miles in a couple of weeks max. You don't have to break any records, just get out and run/walk

I get what you're saying but everyone is different and everyone is trying to help, the good thing about Rooters post is it doesn't tell him he should be running at any particular pace and if he gets in to a routine he can adjust. it is a basic starter plan.

There is one previous post that says he should be running at 7-8 Min per mile pace after 6 weeks, he's currently running at 12 min per mile pace and to up it that quick can be unachievable or even dangerous if the OP is unknown to the poster.

IMO the most important thing is the shoes he intends to run in.
 
Amen to decent shoes. I got back into running last year, as I wasn't sure if I would keep it up, I spent £20 on some runners from sports direct. Worst decision of my life, now I have had Achilles problems for over 2 months and have used my properly fitted Brooke's runners once! I over pronated whatever that is and it's ruined my ankle...
 
Exactly Paul, my routine I posted was a rough example. Worst thing you could do is just keep running as fast as long as you can, you will burn out, get bored and frustrated and most likely injured. Slow and steady wins the race!
 
12 weeks to run 5 miles? It really isn't that far and unless you are seriously overweight or injured in some way you should be able to jog 5 miles in a couple of weeks max. You don't have to break any records, just get out and run/walk

Does 5 and a half stone overweight count?

Working on this so maybe the running will help as well.
 
Amen to decent shoes. I got back into running last year, as I wasn't sure if I would keep it up, I spent £20 on some runners from sports direct. Worst decision of my life, now I have had Achilles problems for over 2 months and have used my properly fitted Brooke's runners once! I over pronated whatever that is and it's ruined my ankle...

I've not been fitted but got a mid range pair of Asiics. Feel comfortable when at the gym, so will leave it for now.
 
Does 5 and a half stone overweight count?

Working on this so maybe the running will help as well.

Depends. If you are 6ft 5 and built like a brick out house then it's not so much.

I have a mate who is around 6ft 3 and weighs 19 stone. He's big, but doesn't look overly fat in say his belly. It's quite an even distribution of weight. He has signed up for the Reading half and is training and aiming for around 11 min miles pace. For his training he just gets out and plods along.

You're not trying to break any records and I'm fairly confident you could walk 5 miles, so just get out there and try it. Aim for a circuit that you head out half and then head back. That makes it harder to quit midway and gives you a boost when you are over the halfway mark. Just build up so for your first run, head out a mile, turn around and head back home a mile. Next run, head out 1.5 miles and turn around and you've done 3.

If you have to walk, then walk. Just try and get past the point you started walking next time you do the circuit.
 
I've not been fitted but got a mid range pair of Asiics. Feel comfortable when at the gym, so will leave it for now.

You can see how your running style impacts your feet for free in most running shops. It is worth doing, especially being over weight as you could injure yourself.

It will also make running easier as you will have the support to combat your natural running gait
 
Fair play to anyone who actually gets out there exercising, and I'm not knocking anyone's perception of what is easier or harder.

But personally, I can't get my head around this "treadmill does it for you" argument. It's obvious that if the treadmill is travelling at 13kmh, you have to run forward at 13kmh to stop yourself flying backwards.
 
I have never used a treadmill in my life, so I can't comment on the difference. When I trained for a 10 mile "fun run" many many years ago I ran outside and found having music in my ears helped alot, but get the right music with a nice steady rhythm as it can affect your pace. Concentrate on your breathing, try to breathe in time with your running. Personally the run-walk-run thing didn't suit me, I found that even just jogging at walking pace was better than walking as starting to run after walking for a bit was just too hard, it changed my heart beat and breathing. I found it much easier once everything was steady after a few minutes.
I do really think that running under 12 minutes per mile is achievable, even with the weight problem. I don't think I could do beer and cake afterward a race though, just sipping water is all I could ever manage.
Good luck though.
 
Fair play to anyone who actually gets out there exercising, and I'm not knocking anyone's perception of what is easier or harder.

But personally, I can't get my head around this "treadmill does it for you" argument. It's obvious that if the treadmill is travelling at 13kmh, you have to run forward at 13kmh to stop yourself flying backwards.

Me neither, treadmills have there place, any one training on one will benefit, we used to say 2 increments up on the incline replaces the resistance, they are easier to get into a rythm, but christ is it boring using one.
 
Me neither, treadmills have there place, any one training on one will benefit, we used to say 2 increments up on the incline replaces the resistance, they are easier to get into a rythm, but christ is it boring using one.

Mind-numbingly boring that is for sure. There are TV's in the gym so I might try to synchronise my visits when the footy is on or even SSN on the Saturday. Headphone music is OK - rage against the machine works well.:thup:
 
Mind-numbingly boring that is for sure. There are TV's in the gym so I might try to synchronise my visits when the footy is on or even SSN on the Saturday. Headphone music is OK - rage against the machine works well.:thup:

It's like a tip for running in a race, follow something. That's what I do get myself on a machine and follow something :whistle:
 
Back when I used to go to the gym, rather than run outside I had a bit of a moment.

It had been banging down with rain for weeks. Proper biblical stuff, with frogs thrown in. So I was on a treadmill, happily shuffling along, watching pointless, or jasper carrots rubbish, in a row of machines, behind another row of similar, etc.

Anyway, on the machine in front of me is some vested, head phoned, Greek god, thumping away at a pace that would shame Mo Farrah. Above him there is a sag in the ceiling tiles. Getting bigger by the second.

I'm still running on, when the ceiling gives way, and dumps about 2 gallons of freezing cold water on the bloke in front of me, along with the soggy bits of the suspended ceiling.

Laugh? Heck yes.

So much so, I stopped running, and was spat off the back of my tread mill into the one behind.

This doesn't happen when you run outside.
 
I do about 15miles per week, running on the treadmill is boring as hell so do it all outside.

Done 5 half marathons now and the best advice I ever recieved was to never add more than 10% to the target distance each week.

Did someone say 7-8 min miles was achievable? After 6 weeks? I'd be very surprised if anyone got anywhere near that with virtually no training at all before hand.
 
Simon

I'm never have been a distance runner (short legs and overweight) but as an old frat trying to keep fit I have learnt the following....

Treadmill is great for building up a bit of stamina but use a few degrees of incline. Not only will it more replicate actual running but will also help with potential foot problems. Too many people run on a treadmill flat footed which does not replicate actual running.

Avoid as much as possible running on tarmac, concrete, or other hard surfaces. You will knacker your knees.

Get down to the beach as much as you can for training. Running on sand or shingle will do much better for you than twice the time on treadmill or track.

Plus all the other comments about shoes, training schedules, etc, etc...........

Good luck mate.
 
I stopped running, and was spat off the back of my tread mill into the one behind.

Just to put a bit of a dampener on this and as a bit of a warning, a few years ago a good friend of mine was in training for a "holiday" to reach the summit of kilimanjaro. He was an "all or nothing guy" so in his training he really committed.

His heart failed at max speed on the treadmill (??15mph??). He was dead before he hit the treadmill behind. My wife's boss who was there at the time had to take a while off work.

Don't push too hard guys.
 
Went for a run tonight user error on my garmin watch meant I only recorded the last 1.9 miles of the 2.7 mile lap.
For that 1.9 miles averaged a 11 minute mile which I'm very happy with considering my fitness levels.

Feel tired now I've stopped but it's a good tired :D
 
Went for a run tonight user error on my garmin watch meant I only recorded the last 1.9 miles of the 2.7 mile lap.
For that 1.9 miles averaged a 11 minute mile which I'm very happy with considering my fitness levels.

Feel tired now I've stopped but it's a good tired :D

I'd celebrate with a decent curry washed down with a few pints :smirk:

Well done, keep it going Simon, the pain will be worth it, no pain no gain buddy.
 
Keep it going Paperboy, but easy does it and have sufficient rest days, which are as important as training. The body has to have time to recover.
Who remembers the great runner David Bedford, won everything going, until the Olympics where he had over trained so much that he hit the wall big time.

If the run you're going to take part in is on road, then train on road, if on cross country, then train on cross country etc etc. The problem with running on a treadmill is that it does not have the same training effect on muscles as on the hard surface of the road. So if training is only on a treadmill and the run is on road then the legs will not have the pounding effect that they would get from the road. And as has been said - get a really good quality running shoe purchased from a running shop whose staff will have the knowledge and offer good advice.

Just as an aside, when I was running, the shop where I used to buy my running shoes from had a tarmac road laid down the centre of the shop for customers to try their shoes out on. It was called "The Jog Shop" in Brighton.

Oh, and good luck with the run. :thup:
 
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