Beginning Running Has NOT Been Fun!

[Artista]

So I got a bug to begin running. I don't particularly like to run but I like having run. I'm in pretty decent shape but didn't want to risk seriously injuring myself as I started my routine. I got a C25K app for my iPhone to work into running slowly.

The first run was fine. I was proud that I had gotten started and looked forward to my second run. On my second run I tried to correct my tendency to toe out on one side by consciously pointing my foot forward. Bad idea! I managed to cause pain just below my knee on the side that I tried to correct. I went to my lrs to have my gait and shoes analyzed. Their opinion was that my natural form was pretty good, I didn't toe out too badly, and that I was already in the best shoes for my feet and ankles. They suggested that I let my body do what it wanted to do without trying to correct anything for at least a month until I built up some distance.

I continued to experience mild discomfort in my lower leg going up and down stairs over the next few days. I also managed to strain something in my groin on the other side by doing nothing more than rolling over in bed. I rested for a few days. I still experienced some discomfort from the injured body parts but they felt better as long as I was careful with my bio-mechanics.

I decided to try my third run today after a solid, walking, warm up. I felt some discomfort from the injured body parts during my first few running steps but nothing major. Then I pulled my groin on the other side about 30 seconds into running! I presume that I my form was poor in an effort to protect the sore body parts. The poor form may have contributed to the groin pull on the other side. I "cried Uncle", drove home, climbed on my bike trainer and did intervals. I'm not a big fan of "nowhere bikes" but at least nothing hurts when I ride.

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm just not cut out to run. I don't enjoy it enough to work with a coach to overcome these problems. I'm thinking that I'll ride the trainer for a few weeks until I can get all of the strained body parts healed up and maybe try running again. If it doesn't work then, I'm done!

I'm really just gritching here...and expressing my disappointment in my failed running attempts. I'm open to suggestions, though, if anyone has words of wisdom to share.

[Melalvai]

Last year I decided to start running. I didn't really have running shoes, so I started looking online and reading reviews. People were really raving about barefoot shoes "back then" (a whole year ago). So I got a pair of Vibram KSO Trek.

I'd heard that you need to break into them gradually. I thought that wouldn't be a problem for me since I was just beginning running anyway.

My running was really loud compared to other people who used those shoes. Slap-slap-slap. I asked about that and someone said that those shoes teach you to run with proper form. I watched people run, I experimented with different forms, and I realized that I'm a heel striker. I decided I should land on the ball of my foot.

It didn't take long to develop stress fractures in my left ankle. I had built up gradually with the shoes, but I had then suddenly changed my running form and it hadn't occurred to me that that, too, needed to be gradual.

It took a few weeks to heal. I read about Chi Running and decided to correct my form once again-- no heel strike, but not ball of my foot either, more of a midfoot strike. I am gradually increasing my running this time. I decided that I can run 30 minutes without a problem, so I took that as my base. I'm using an increase of 10% every 6 weeks-- very slow increments. I've heard you can do 10% every week, but "Daniels' Running Formula" said every 6 weeks and that seems safer to me.

According to Chi Running, 85% of runners experience injury! There's new fad shoes and fad running forms and fad running programs all the time. Chi Running may be just another fad. Barefoot running may be just another fad. I actually want to go all the way barefoot for a practical reason. Shoes generally last about 500 miles of running. I can save a lot of money if I run barefoot! I'm such a cheapskate. :D

When I started back to running I was very nervous about injuring myself. If a run made me sore, I didn't run again until the soreness was completely gone. So I only ran a couple times a week. I asked around about that, and a doctor told me that I could run sore so long as it wasn't getting worse. Using that approach, I was able to increase to 3 times a week, and after a couple weeks I'm no longer sore at all. In a couple weeks I'll be adding in a 4th run per week.

If you have injured yourself, it's very important to heal completely before running again or you'll make it worse. That's what I did with the overuse injury stress fractures in my ankle. It hurt, I ran anyway, it hurt more, I ran anyway, it hurt a lot more, I couldn't run or walk. When I finally went to a doctor I was told I should be completely pain free for a couple weeks. (He may have said for 3 weeks and I ran that through my own wishful-thinking-interpreter.)

Don't know if my story is inspiring, comforting, or depressing. It's fine to adjust your form but any adjustment should be made gradually. When I switch to actual barefoot running, I plan to carry my shoes with me and only run as long as it is comfortable, gradually and slowly increasing the amount of time I run barefoot.

[Biciclista]

I'm not a runner, but just turning your toes in when you run is not going to fix the issue. your toes out posture is a result of entire groups of muscles that are out of sync. Just turning your ankle in does nothing for the back, buttocks, thighs, etc that are also involved in this postural problem. Sorry, it's just not that simple. I think if you're going to run, (after you heal) you should not fuss about your toeing out so much...

[7rider]

Mimi may not be a runner, but she is wise.

As a beginning runner (1.5 years of constant struggle and a ambivalent/hate relationship with running...I can't honestly say I have ever grown to "love" it), I think the best two things I did was 1. Have a gait analysis done with a trainer. This trainer identified issues and gave me prescriptive exercises to correct muscle imbalances. And 2. Watch ChiRunning videos and take a ChiRunning clinic. While I can't say I 100% incorporate ChiRunning form into my workouts, I do try. And it makes me aware of what I'm doing.

Yeah, my co-worker and I josh around with "Shut up and run" but for those of us who are not natural athletes, didn't spend our high school years running track, and took up this sport, um..."later in life" - it's not a natural movement and yeah...you have to give it some thought and some effort to be sure you're doing it correctly.

It's a learning process, and it's not going to happen with 1 C25K program, or 3 runs, or even a season of running. It's ongoing.

ETA: Oh, and #3 would be to make sure I had proper running shoes - which you seem to have done - so great going there! I couldn't run to the end of the driveway without hurting myself until I got a pair of shoes that were designed for my awful feet.

[OakLeaf]

Well. The Chi Running approach would be that you should correct the turn-out by turning in, not by forcing it, but rather by relaxing your whole leg and allowing it to track straight. Obviously there is a muscle imbalance, but Chi Running holds that the most effective way to correct that is to bring your muscles into balance while running. There are other opinions, obviously.

But it does take awareness. I think that's true for everyone.

[Wahine]

Following a slow progression in a plan is a great way to get started. Try to stick to the plan progression but you can always stretch out the timeline if needed. You can also take a break for a week then start back up with the last week that you completed to be on the safe side.

As for form, there are a lot of different types of runners out there. Sometimes little running asymmetries are meaningful and sometimes they are not. You could have a muscle imbalance as other people have said and that might be worth sorting out, or you could have a slight difference in the anatomical alignment of your skeleton, most likely the angle of the neck of the femur. If that is the case, trying to push yourself to toe-in might be very counter productive.

What I tell new runners is to have fun and don't over think it. Run and try to find joy in being outside and running. If you end up with more injuries and want to continue to run, well then you'll have to have some assessment done to sort it out. Or if you decide you love running and want to train for longer distances, then again you may need to adjust things to prevent injuries as you increase mileage.

But for now, rest until you feel better then just run for the fun of it.:D

[SadieKate]

A local coach commented the other day that injuries are most common among new runners who are fit from other sports, start out too much/too fast, and don't get a bit of coaching.

Local running shops usually have weekend groups or weekly runs with varying degrees of expert help, but a little research should help you find some help with minimal expense.

[Crankin]

I'm pretty much with Artista. I have a love-hate relationship with running. I am sure I love the idea of running, but it's just hard and painful most of the time. I am pretty tough with pain, which is how I got my stress fracture last fall. It's pretty much healed, in that it's not hurting when I do other sports now, but as soon as I try to run, even a little (like 3 3 minute intervals) it's aching again. And I am so slow. I did manage to increase my mileage when i was running consistently, but speed, not so much. Perhaps the comment that those coming from other sports overdo at first, is true. While I am not a fast cyclist, either, I am OK for an old lady who started in her late forties.
Some have said maybe I should just forget about running, but there's something that makes me not want to give it up. What I do need is different shoes; that's a whole other issue. I got a pair of sort of minimalist shoes a year ago, so as not to inflame my bunion. Unfortunately, that's when all of my issues started. I need heel cushioning. I've been using my training shoes (like for the gym) for my strength and core class, which involves some running and jumping, as well as when i run on the treadmill. But, I won't use them outside.

[GLC1968]

I was in your shoes (probably, quite literally!) two and a half years ago. In my case, I was also overweight, too. And man, did I HATE running...with a passion. In fact, my hatred of running is what got me to buy my first road bike 5 years prior to that.

I needed to learn to run to do a triathlon. So I put on my old/new shoes (old style, brand new pair that had never been worn that I'd saved) with my old orthotics (custom from a podiatrist) and followed the C25K program. I really had to force myself to stick to the prescribed intervals because I REALLY wanted to do more than it was letting me. But I made myself stick to it. Oh, and I'd read Chi Running, so I was using those techniques as well (a few of them, anyway). I found that it was easier to get the Chi running techniques without my orthics, so I removed them. So far, so good.

When I'd progressed to about 20-25 minutes of running, my old ball-of-foot injury came back. What struck me as weird was that my feet always felt better when I took my shoes off after the run, so I decided to try kicking them off DURING the run. (I was in socks on a treadmill). Interesting...no pain. So I saw a new podiatrist and told him of my discovery. Sure enough, the shape of traditional running shoes were forcing my toes to crunch up.This tweaked the way my foot was landing causing injury to my sesamoids and the nerves and tendons around them. When my toes were allowed to spread, the pain was less and my foot could heal properly. So I searched high and low for the right running shoe for me. That's a whole multi-page post in an of itself, but the end result was that I had discovered that with the right shoes, I COULD run foot-pain free. So I kept going, slowly working my way up as I conditioned my calves and the muscles and tendons in my feet and lower legs (this took quite a while for me). There was a LOT of pain in the beginning, both when I was running and when I wasn't.

By May, I'd gotten to where I could survive the run on my first tri (a 5K leg). That was 7 months after I started - so it was not a fast transition. Then I ran sporadically all summer, competing in a few more sprint distance triathlons.

The following fall, I decided to focus on running for the winter, so I did more of it. I had a simple training plan designed to get me a good base so that I could follow some of the more advanced triathlon training plans. As I lengthened my runs, I started realizing that I was pain free for the first 3 and then 4 and then 5 miles. That was encouraging. By the following May, I'd dropped 5 minutes off that 5K (in a sprint tri) time. But I still had to force myself to run. I was still not a fan.

I signed up for my first half marathon last fall. Last August, I started really focusing on my run training in prep for it. I was running further and more importantly, more often (and consistently), and I started to enjoy it. At some point, I realized that my pains were pretty much gone unless I was increasing my distance. When I got up to about 18 - 20 miles of running per week (total, not in one run), I started actually craving the run. Wow! I enjoyed that half marathon and promptly signed up for more of them!

And now I really like running. I'm still not fast but I really, honestly enjoy running. I still have occasional sucky runs, but most of them are either ok or really good. And pain from running now comes only when I do something new (like increase distance or intensity). I no longer have pain just from running like I used to.

I'm relating all of this to encourage you. Keep in mind, if you are not a runner naturally (and if you did not run in HS, then you probably are not a natural!), it takes time. If you had told me when I started that it would be 2 and half years before I was able to run completely pain free, I might not have bothered. But it's a reality for some of us. Don't give up. Take it SLOWLY. And listen to your body.

I'm here to tell you that it's worth it. Looking back now, I'm SO glad I stuck it out. It did suck...but it really and truly is worth it.


. I actually want to go all the way barefoot for a practical reason. Shoes generally last about 500 miles of running. I can save a lot of money if I run barefoot! I'm such a cheapskate. :D


You don't need to go totally barefoot to save money on shoes. Shoes with zero cushion don't break down like those with it, so they last WAY longer. VFF's and shoes like mine (NB Minimus) that have no cushioning only need to be replaced if the tread wears out or the uppers fall apart. I found that I didn't have the patience to really condition the soles of my feet to true barefoot, so the shoes I wear now are a great compromise. They are way more comfy in the winter, too. ;)

[OakLeaf]

Heh, the tread on the midfoot of my shoes with plenty of cushion are nearly worn through after 450 miles. :o

[zoom-zoom]

Something more new runners need to hear and follow is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "don't overthink things."

Yeah, I'm not a fan of overly bulky running shoes, but I'm also not sure that the barefoot trend is any better when we are a culture of people who are shod the vast majority of our waking hours--like most things, moderation is key. People who try to completely switch to barefoot running without any gradual transition often end up very injured. And attempting to change one's form without any real reason for doing so is generally unwise, as well. Kids run all over the place and never give any thought to whether or not they have "perfect form." You'll also see elites who are heel strikers mixed in with the midfoot and forefoot strikers. Messing with one's natural form can be a recipe for owies!

I did have to work a little on my form maybe 6 months after I started running, as I was over-striding and starting to have issues with my right hip flexor. I don't have long legs and attempting to make myself have a long stride was counterproductive. I essentially had to stop trying to have a long-striding form that wasn't natural for my body. If the Chi/Pose methods work for people it's because they help runners to stop trying to go faster by taking longer steps, which to a new runner may seem like the way to get faster, but often ends up the way to get injured faster. Since bulky-heeled shoes cushion over-striding foot plants, people want to blame shoes for causing their injury woes. More minimal shoes don't cushion the heels as much, so they make overstriding uncomfortable. It is possible to run without overstriding in a bulkier shoe...but why wear the shoe if the bulk isn't necessary, though.

I'm personally a fan of what typically falls into the lightweight performance trainer category -- sort of midway between a barefoot shoe and a bulkier trainer. I still need my Superfeet insoles, though. I wear them in my cycling shoes, as well. Within a week of trying to go sans Superfeet I will invariably feel it in my right knee.

[soprano]

Something more new runners need to hear and follow is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "don't overthink things."


Yes.

Part of what I love about what running - and what's pulled me back in after a 4 year break - is the discipline. I have to be disciplined about going for my runs, about pushing when I need to push, about eating well and drinking enough water throughout the day to run well. But, I also need to be disciplined about *not* running too much/too often/too hard and not overthinking it. These last two are more difficult than the other things.

[OakLeaf]

Good article (actually a collection of opinions): http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/19/how-to-avoid-running-injuries?newsfeed=true

[Artista]

Thanks for the great input everyone. I'm seeing two themes here. One is that many of you worked through lots of problems to become runners and that I shouldn't give up too soon. The other theme is that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I should point out that while I never considered my tendency to toe out as being "broken", a physical therapist that I worked with to rehab my broken ankle led me to believe that it was a problem. The therapist was constantly after me to straighten out my foot and keep my knee over my toe to protect my knee during the exercises. This idea was reinforced when I read Chi Running. I thought that straightening my foot while I ran would protect my knee. It sure didn't turn out that way, (although the pain isn't so much in my knee but right below it). I'm just gonna go back to my natural way of moving after this experience.

Oakleaf, I haven't read the link yet since I wanted to acknowledge everyone's responses before it got too late. Looks interesting, though.

I'm off to ice my leg. Now I'm looking forward to trying to run again. I don't love it yet but I'm open to the possibility.:)

[zoom-zoom]

I should point out that while I never considered my tendency to toe out as being "broken", a physical therapist that I worked with to rehab my broken ankle led me to believe that it was a problem. The therapist was constantly after me to straighten out my foot and keep my knee over my toe to protect my knee during the exercises.

Sounds like trying to drum up business, IMO. :rolleyes: Yeah, if you're doing lunges or squats you want to concentrate on your form, but trying to change your natural form too much while running is recipe for disaster. It's like trying to force your foot into a degree of rotation on the pedal that doesn't feel good. some people's toes point quite straight ahead, while others are more comfortable with a bit of toe-in or toe-out. I know that if I rotate my cleats even a degree too far one direction or the other and have pedals without a little bit of float that my knees and hips and glutes feel it almost immediately.

If your toeing-out had never caused issues before I really have to wonder why a PT would encourage you to change. Is the PT a runner, themselves?

[Owlie]

Something more new runners need to hear and follow is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "don't overthink things."



Thanks for validating my thoughts on the matter. I've been trying to add a little running to my routine (it' s a lot easier to run around the neighborhood than kitting up for a ride when I'm crunched for time but the weather's too nice for being inside). It's easy to get sucked in to "I should be doing X, Y and Z," yet at the same time, I think "This is what my body wants to do. It hasn't failed me quite yet." I have weird feet and knees. I guess they know what they want, and woe betide me if I argue!

And the short steps don't work well for me. I'm all legs!

[Susan]

Two contrasting thoughts on this topic:

It took me ages to be ale to run and enjoy it. To run a whole 3 mile round through the neighbourhood was a major achievement for me and took some month of practising.
There was a point though, where running started to feel good. When I had this break-through after some month, I started to really enjoy running and was able to do more miles.
I like the versatility of running, that you can run anywhere with minimal equipment. It's a really good workout when you can't do anything else.


On the other hand, of all the different workouts I do, running seems to be the most "dangerous", where I seem to be most prone to injury. I bike and swim, do circle training, body weight exercises and a little bit of weight lifting and seldom experience problems. But I hurt myself in various ways when running (this is while striving for good form). So even if I like running, I try to limit my running to small amounts. Maybe I am really just not made for running.

[Artista]

Sounds like trying to drum up business, IMO. :rolleyes:
The therapist is a runner and cyclist but I never discussed running with him. His reminders to point my foot forward were concentrated on walking in his clinic and doing a ton of backwards and lateral exercises like step-ups, monster walks, and walking backwards against tension. His reminders, and the exercises that he gave me, did seem to influence my foot to naturally point straighter ahead during easy activities like walking on flat ground. My foot still wants to point out when my leg is under stress, like walking uphill, running, and doing lunges and squats. My knee never complains about my foot pointing out a bit but it sometimes feels stressed when I try to bring my foot in. This makes me wonder if my tendency to toe out is a combination of anatomical alignment, as Wahine suggested, and muscle imbalances that I may have developed over the years. Regardless of the cause, I've decided to embrace the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach.

ETA: The point I didn't get to in this post is that the therapist never suggested that I try to correct my foot while running. That hairbrained idea was totally mine.

[emily_in_nc]

Artista,

I will chime in here because I am also not a natural runner, never ran in high school (avoided all sports, in fact). I started jogging just a bit in college, but it was only done to lose weight, not because I wanted to be a "runner". I am sure my longest run then was two miles.

I never ran again until a few years ago (in my late 40s), and it is not something that came easily to me either. I have only done a few runs of five miles in my entire lifetime. For the past couple of years, I mostly ran on the treadmill at the gym at work 2-3x a week, 3-3.5 miles was my usual, at a slowish pace.

We moved to Belize in August, and I realized I wouldn't be able to do the long road rides that were my fitness mainstay in North Carolina. We do have bikes, but they're beach cruisers for the sandy roads and beaches here, and there are very few paved roads where we live.

So I started up running again. It was intensely hot when I started, back in September, and I started with very short, slow runs. At times I could barely make 1.5 to 2 miles, because it was so hot and sunny, even very early in the morning. I felt like my heart was going to fly right out of my chest. I was not acclimated to the heat/humidity at all, even after living in NC. But I made a habit of running three mornings a week, and as of today, finally have hit the five mile mark again! And I did my first-ever 5K back in November. I wasn't fast (30:28 was my time), but I finished, and I was pretty proud of that!

I read Chi Running and several of John Bingham's running books (http://www.amazon.com/John-Bingham/e/B001ILIFC0) and all were super helpful. I don't push myself to go too fast or too far, and I have managed to completely avoid injury despite never having a formal shoe fitting, gait analysis, or coach. I do feel fortunate for that, especially since all of these things are probably near about impossible to find where I live now.

I guess the purpose of my post is just to encourage you not to give up. Just last week, I was berating myself for not being a real runner, whatever that is, as I just barely pushed out a 3.75-mile run. But this morning I did 5.1 with ease, and I realized that the difference was the weather (sun/heat last week vs. overcast/cool today). Today I felt like a runner!

Running is definitely not easy -- if it were, everyone would do it. But if you stick with it, don't try to do too much too soon, there's a good chance you'll eventually come to enjoy it. I know I felt on top of the world today both on and after my run, and it's made me all the more enthusiastic and itchy for more. So, like cycling, running really can get under your skin, as GLC's post also illustrated. It can become fun and something you look forward to.

Good luck! :)

[Artista]

Thanks again for all of your inspirational stories and words of wisdom.

I ran again yesterday for the first time since I injured myself. I disregarded everything that I read from the "experts" and just let my body do what it wanted to do - no focus on leaning, no gait corrections, no altering the way my feet landed, and my body was happy. I'll continue running "naturally" as I build up distance and speed slowly, very slowly.

I'll never be a "runner" but after reading all of your stories, and experiencing a modicum of success yesterday, I have faith that I can become a cyclist who also runs.

[emily_in_nc]

I'll never be a "runner" but after reading all of your stories, and experiencing a modicum of success yesterday, I have faith that I can become a cyclist who also runs.

Don't say that, Artista! You set yourself up for failure when you talk to yourself that way. Sure, you may never be a *strong* runner, or as serious about running as about cycling, but a runner you are. Already. :D

Glad you had a better run by not overthinking!

[zoom-zoom]

if you're running you're a runner. It doesn't matter how much or how fast you move. If you're moving faster than a walk, then you're running.

[Melalvai]

I'll never be a "runner" but after reading all of your stories, and experiencing a modicum of success yesterday, I have faith that I can become a cyclist who also runs.
I know what you mean, I feel the same way.

[Artista]

I know what you mean, I feel the same way.
Yeah, I think that a person has to enjoy running to consider themselves a runner. I'm open to the possibility that I could learn to enjoy it but I'm not quite there yet. I'll take my satisfaction in enjoying having run for the time being;)

[OakLeaf]

No, you know, I don't know why it's so hard to think of oneself as a runner, when it seems easy to think of oneself as a cyclist. Maybe it's just because of all the ad models and TV coverage of the sport? Some time after my second marathon I started to occasionally entertain the idea of being a runner, but as I train for my third I'm really not comfortable with the term.

[emily_in_nc]

No, you know, I don't know why it's so hard to think of oneself as a runner, when it seems easy to think of oneself as a cyclist. Maybe it's just because of all the ad models and TV coverage of the sport? Some time after my second marathon I started to occasionally entertain the idea of being a runner, but as I train for my third I'm really not comfortable with the term.

Whaaaaa? You've done marathons and still don't consider yourself a runner?! That makes no sense to me.

I've never done more than a hair over five miles, and I know I am a runner. When others zip by me in their cars, golf carts (down here), and bikes, and I'm slogging along when I could be walking, biking, whatever, you better believe I'm a runner. Even when it sucks. And it often does! ;)

[Artista]

I've had the good fortune to be able to ride many times over the last couple of weeks so running has been on hold. My plan is to stop posting in my whining thread and start posting in the monthly running threads after I accomplish a few runs within one week. I'm not there yet as I've been opting for riding or well needed recovery days over running lately. I'm still hopeful that I can complete my C25K plan by the end of spring.

Speaking of C25K, I've been following your progress in the monthly running thread, Crankin. Good job! You're my inspiration right now.

[Crankin]

Thanks, Artista, but frankly, I feel like it's taking time away from riding. I want to finish the program, but I am not willing to give up my training classes, either. Thus, I end up doubling up one day a week, to get a rest day.
Thankfully, it got colder and raw out, at least through Thursday, so I won't be riding, except on Wednesday and Friday. Next weekend looks beautiful, in the 50's; my perfect riding temperature.
I had one bad day, last Monday. I am hoping not to repeat that experience tomorrow at 5:30 or 6:00 AM. And, I do admit, when I was riding last Wednesday, and it was 81 degrees, I looked at my DH as we were riding over the Sudbury River and said, "How can you compare running to this? This is fun and beautiful." Nine weeks seems like a long time, and when I finish the C25K program, it will be prime riding season. After that, we'll see.

[Artista]

And, I do admit, when I was riding last Wednesday, and it was 81 degrees, I looked at my DH as we were riding over the Sudbury River and said, "How can you compare running to this? This is fun and beautiful."
I hear ya. I want my running to complement, not replace my riding and fitness classes. I'm also already doubling up on my riding and classes on the days that I have extra time. Running will come at some point for me. I'm just trying to avoid turning it into a chore right now 'cause I know that will turn me off to running altogether.

[Crankin]

I think my issue is that my classes are early AM on days I have little other time... so I end up either running after one, or worse running on a day when I have free time and then I ride.
I want to run only 2x a wk eventually.

[Trekhawk]

Running is definitely not easy -- if it were, everyone would do it. But if you stick with it, don't try to do too much too soon, there's a good chance you'll eventually come to enjoy it. I know I felt on top of the world today both on and after my run, and it's made me all the more enthusiastic and itchy for more. So, like cycling, running really can get under your skin, as GLC's post also illustrated. It can become fun and something you look forward to.

Good luck! :)

Emily is right running really does get under your skin. I started trail running last winter and although I still find a majority of my runs really hard work I could not give them up now. I never thought I would feel the same passion for trail running as I do for cycling but I had to admit to myself the other day that I do.:)

[Artista]

A modicum of success today! I've been doing the short intervals at the beginning of my C25k program but I realized that it's going to take me forever to get though the program if I run only once every 10 days or so.

We've been doing a few minutes of running in our fitness classes and it hasn't caused me any problems. I decided to bump up to the 3 minute runs in my program today and it didn't kill me! My legs were a little tired but didn't hurt. My breathing was heavy but I could have gone farther.

I'll use the program to bump up gradually from here. But 3 whole minutes of running without stopping! I feel like I'm getting somewhere now:cool:

[Melalvai]

It's like paying off the mortgage, it takes forever at first to get anywhere! Good work!

[Crankin]

Ha, Artista, you're ramping up when I feel like quitting. I took a rest day today and started my morning with recovery yoga for roadies. I am riding tomorrow.
Not sure when I will run again, but probably Monday, maybe Saturday. I'm starting week 4, which I am sure includes more than the 3 minute runs...
The assistant director at my clinic finished the program and did a 5K a couple of weeks ago. She is peer pressuring me into doing one with her. I know I'm already faster than her (I won't say her time) and could do it with no other training, like I generally do everything, i.e. centuries, metrics, the only 5K I've done. She is my son's age, but not in good shape, although she has an athletic background. So, I have that goal in mind for around June. Thankfully, I am leading a ride on May 5th, when she wanted me to do the next one.

[Artista]

Crankin, you've been pushing yourself pretty hard. Instead of quitting altogether, maybe it's time to stop ramping and just maintain what you've already accomplished with a run every week or two. You could start ramping again next fall when the weather is less conducive to cycling but still good enough for running.

[Crankin]

That's what I want to do, but something keeps pushing me toward running, despite the suffering when I actually do the run! The weather forecast now looks absolutely horrible for the entire weekend (for riding), so I suspect there will be at least one run. I am going to play it sort of by how I feel. I slept for 9 hours last night (unusual for me) and woke up feeling like a truck hit me. I worked this morning and then just came back from a 23.5 mile ride with Hirakukibou. I was so slow, my legs felt like lead. It is very windy, which didn't help, either.
Onward...

[Artista]

Interesting that you feel compelled to run even though you aren't always enjoying it. Sometimes our guts know something that our heads aren't aware of. Be kind to yourself, though. That doesn't necessarily mean go easy, but kindness is always in order.

[WindingRoad]

Artista if it makes you feel any better I only did 3 miles on the treadmill yesterday. Combined walking steep incline with running and I felt like poo today. I haven't run in probably a month. Did a shop ride this morning and about died. :) BUT, I'll keep doing my little bits of running here and there because it does keep me in best cardio shape and its great for bones. It will take a while for me to get comfy running again. It is a very slow process for me. Nothing 'natural' about it.

[Artista]

It's time for me to retire this thread now that I've completed many successful run/walks. I'm still not a big fan of the actual running part but I'm enjoying what running is doing for my aerobic stamina. I started out really disliking having to run for 60 seconds at a time. Now I'm up to really disliking running for 6 minutes at a time. In another couple of months I should be up to really disliking running for a full 30 minutes at a time:D

Thanks for the encouragement and great advice everyone! I really couldn't/wouldn't have done it without you.

[Crankin]

With the advent of more consistent cycling weather, I feel like I am done with running. I do it when I feel like it. I am glad I can consistently run for 5 minutes at a 9-10 minute mile. But, I am not feeling it.
I'll probably ramp it up more in the fall.

[Artista]

I'd be doing the same thing if I had more time to ride during the week. One of the things that I like about running is that I can fit a short, efficient, workout into a busy workday more easily than I can fit in a bike ride. And now the aerobic benefits of running are making my weekend cycling more fun. I'll keep running as long as I like the benefits more than I dislike running.

[Crankin]

I solved that issue by going out at 5:30 AM for short rides (10-18 miles) at least one day a week before work and also, working 80% time, so I can do at least one 20+ mile ride during the week.
Some of my running takes just as much prep because sometimes I just can't take running out my door, which involves 10-12% grades every time. So, I drive to the town center and run on the flats. I also don't want to give up my circuit/weights/core classes in the early AM.

[SadieKate]

Artista - just a word of encouragement. After stating in April 2010 that I'd made my one attempt at running and was now retiring (http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=37098&highlight=horse+butt) I just ran the same race for the 3rd time.

Do I recommend my approach of running only once a year using 3 month 0-10 miles training plan? No. Especially, since my spring chicken days are behind me. However, I can say that this year I've been running without pain and even enjoying it. I think my connective tissue has finally caught up to the repeated impact and my brain finds its happy place sooner. I probably would have gotten to this place more quickly had I stuck with a year-around training plan but I want to ride and fish in the summer with the hubby -- and that isn't going to change.

My running mentor, yellow, has not only kept encouraging me throughout but she has emphasized that it really takes 2 years to get to this point. Of course, the fact that she has now flown out here and sacrificed her results ratings by shuffling through the race with me twice doesn't hurt. I owe a lot to her and my regular running partner for helping me through the newbie pain period.

Patience. It will come. And may your brain find a happy place for the journey.

[Melalvai]

A friend of mine said one day when he was young (long time ago now) he decided to run a mile several times a week and he did that for an entire year. Then he ran two miles several times a week for another year. Since then he's gone up and down but never below two miles several times a week, and he's never had injuries. He attributes that to having established a really solid base those first two years.

Or maybe he's just been lucky.