I hate running, but...

[KSH]

Thanks for the tips...

How long should it take for the aches and pains to go away. The first run or two feels ok, and then I start to hurt a few days in. I think I just wasn't born to be a runner...

I currently run on a treadmill in my living room. It's too hot here in the summer to run outside and by the time it cools off enough to run, it's already dark. I am hoping that as we get closer to fall, it will be easier for me to run outside...

BeccaB,

Where in MI are you at? I grew up outside of Detroit and my parents are in Rochester Hills.

Andrea

I have been running/doing triathlons since 2005... and I sit here today, in pain from a run I did last night.

For me, it's never gone away. It's just an ongoing torture fest. I just refuse to let it win. I WILL BEAT IT! HA!

I have this weird lower leg pain that comes and goes. I went to a running coach for 6 months and stopped running in hopes of fixing my pain. I fixed one pain but acquired a new one.

Eh, that's just how it goes. I suffer through it and keep moving forward.

I also found that it's less painful if I do a walk/run combo. I will do a 3 minute walk/2 minute run combo. That helped a lot with my marathon training.

[Biciclista]

boy. Talk about a lot of conflicting information! stretch, don't stretch.
It hurts so bad so run slow. Remember when you were a kid? running didn't hurt, it was fun. We're just out of shape.
And then there's the shoe thing. Nike did research and discovered the harder they worked on running shoes, the more injuries were to be had. Not sure "good" running shoes is the answer anyway.
I don't think i'll ever run - honestly, does it ever stop being a painfest? can running be fun like cycling??

[OakLeaf]

Eh, not exactly.

When I was a kid I used to tape cotton balls into the arches of my soccer cleats to relieve the pain.

Running is just as much fun as cycling, sometimes more. Sure at any given moment, lying on the couch hurts less. Sure if you're doing anything with poor form or poorly fitting equipment it's going to hurt (see all the threads about knee and crotch trouble among cyclists). Sure if you don't take care of your fascia it's going to give you trouble.

Running has a bad reputation among some people right now because in the boom of the 70s, a lot of people just went out with poorly fitting shoes, poor running form, and never took care of their connective tissue, and now they're paying for it. In 20 years I think there are going to be the same crop of people with bad knees, damaged nerves and blood vessels in their crotches, and severe osteoporosis, and they're going to be going on and on about how cycling is "bad for you."

[salsabike]

I think there is pretty much a consensus these days that stretching BEFORE exercise is not a great thing to do. Sure, there will always be a few people who disagree but overall I think that principle is now well established among PT, trainers, etc.

The "run slowly" advice has to do with building a running base, not with pain. It's part of building endurance, that's all.

When we were kids, we weren't running 3, 6, 13, 26 miles. We ran in short bursts. Totally different.

And there are plenty of complaints about pain during cycling--knee, butt, crotch, etc.

Running actually can be fun. I've seen good, experienced runners on the BG running with complete and total joy, and it's a delight to see. And if you approach it with some care, it can certainly make you stronger.