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Hello 54 and just starting (Read 1101 times)

jojotank


    Looking for any advice for a beginer. I ve never set  myself up to train before. Long term goal is to do long runs daily. I m just doing walks for now. Thank you and good luck.....Joe

    Chris UK


      Hi Joe. You are just a year younger than me when I started running. I hadn't done anything much since my late-20's and early 30's. You haven't given me too many clues to your present circumstances so I am going to assume that you will be much like I was - getting a bit of middle age spread, easily out of breath and a little weaker in the legs??

       

      First thing to say is you are doing exactly the right thing by walking first. If you can manage it and have the time then walking every day is a very good initial exercise. You may want to measure your progress by time rather than distance. Gradually as your legs become stronger you can introduce some jogging - make sure your shoes are adequate for this. Using some beat up trainers will be a recipe for injury. For the jogging use some kind of marker on your route that you can run between on a regular basis to gauge your progress - trees, fences, lamp posts etc. Go at a very gentle pace so that you are not "blowing" after 50 yards. Once you get into the swing of this you can repeat the process a few times in your walks so that eventually you will be running as much as walking. But gently, gently at first. You have probably, like me, taken many years to get into your current state of fitness and reversing that will take time - months at least if not years. If you train regularly and smartly enough I can guarantee you that you will improve beyond your dreams but the trick, particularly at our age, is consistency, consistency. Certainly forget pace for now - over time you will improve naturally.

       

      Take a look at my log if you want - it goes back some 6 years. You will see I was much slower in those days than I am now - and that is after I "learned" to run again. I used a field that was one-third of a mile long and I could not run it all in one go at any pace. I kept practising until one day I did it and then I trained to run back again. I can also still remember the day I first ran 3 miles - that was a buzz. You can do it too.


      No idea if you just want to run for fitness or want more from it. All things are possible once you get that consistent cardio fitness going. Don't push too hard too soon though (I have been guilty of that at times). If you run regularly and consistently enough you will have what we call "breakthroughs” from time to time where suddenly your natural "easy" pace will improve. You have to let those come to you though, they should not be forced at this level.


      There are all sorts of training programmes out there that might be helpful to you at a later stage but for now just go out to enjoy the walk/run experience and once you get that great feeling of fitness again you can decide where you want to go with it.


      Good luck.

       

       

      mta - tidy up.

      2013

      3000 miles

      Sub 19:00 for 5K  05-03-13 Clee Prom 5K - 19:00:66 that was bloody close!

      Sub-40:00 for 10K 17-03-13 Gainsborough 10K - 39:43

      Sub 88:00 for HM

       

        Long term goal is to do long runs daily. I m just doing walks for now.

         

        If you are getting outside and doing something every day, then you are off to a good start.  Walk at a comfortably fast pace for a comfortable distance every day.  Once or twice a week push yourself a little - not too much - and enjoy.  At some point, start running, then gradually run more and walk less. 

         

        I started that way at about age 51, and now I've run five marathons. 


        Petco Run/Walk/Wag 5k

          Long term goal is to do long runs daily. I m just doing walks for now. Thank you and good luck.....Joe

           

          I started running at 62 after a heart attack so have been there done that with same goal. First run slower than you think you need to - try to avoid the "To Much To Soon" syndrome by going to fast. Another thing is to focus on "time on feet" not distance, especially if you are seeking to run everyday. It helps avoid injury.

           

          I suggest a two phase approach. Start with the Couch to 5K program that takes someone from the couch to being able to run for 30 minutes (not necessarily covering 5k in that 30 minutes tho - I can't do that so don't worry if you can't). Its a walk/run approach that works for most folk. There are some podcasts you can download that tell you when to walk or run. Remember to run slow, no slower during the runs! LOL

           

          Second phase that leads to being able to do daily long runs is to adopt Dr Phil Maffetone's Low Heart Rate training approach, see RA forum http://www.runningahead.com/groups/LOWHRTR/forum. I used that after getting injured by traditional programs and its allowed me to run almost everyday for more than an hour/day, especially now that I did a MAF determination test that uncovered a lower MAF HR than Dr Maffeton's 180-age-adjustments equation yields. I initially ran at a higher HR and was beginning to see injuries creep in (that and moving to a hilly area and running exclusively on those hills). I am on heavy doses of beta blockers and other heart and blood pressure meds which resulted in needing a much lower MAF.

           

          Lastly - listen to your body. Don't be afraid to insert and cross training or off day into your schedule. Especially early on.

           

          good luck, welcome to running and RA!

          bob e v
          2014 goals: keep on running! Is there anything more than that?

          Complete the last 3 races in the Austin Distance Challenge, Rogue 30k, 3M Half, Austin Full

          Break the 1000 mi barrier!

          History: blessed heart attack 3/15/2008; c25k july 2008 first 5k 10/26/2008 on 62nd birthday.

          BeeRunB


            I just posted this advice in another thread (click)

            Good luck!

            --Jimmy Cool

            Gadget


              Hi there I'm 56 and I started running again after an unexplained collapse. I was very overweight and thought I was on verge of diabetes. Years of sat at computer at work living off coffee and chocolate. Been about 6 months and I've lost about 20 pounds still about 60 to go but I am managing to run a very slow mile 2 or 3 times a week with plenty of walking.

               

              So it can be done but take it easy I keep getting carried away and I have what I think is a relly good run, but next day I suffer with really tight achilles tendon. So be careful