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Run 1 Day, 2 Rest, until I get better? (Read 794 times)


Encouragement welcome

    I've been a beginner since May, and though I notice my pains / soreness have lessened in intensity and duration, I'm still having them.  

     

    I'm 41 and 40 pounds overweight, plagued often with shin pain. (Been fitted for shoes at Fleet Feet, and they feel great, BTW. I believe it is sheer force of my extra weight that causes most of my pain after running.  I'm running to lose weight.  The elliptical trainer makes my feet go numb.  LOL)

     

    And I just managed my first nonstop mile-and-a-half Monday night.  Yayyy, I'm happy about that.  

     

    Cardio-wise, my lungs and heart say I can do more, but of course, my legs haven't caught up yet.  I don't want to serious damage and have to take a month off just to be able to walk without pain.  I've been doing C25K at my own stuttering pace, but I'm now on week 7, and happy about that.  Sometimes it just hurts too much (mostly horrible soreness rather than acute pain, which would definitely stop me in my tracks.)  

     

    I'm learning to run through some soreness, and remind myself that yes, I'm going to be breathing hard through the duration of my run, so don't quit, because I can make it.  20 minutes on Monday night - first time in my LIFE I've gone that long / far without walking. That was completely a mental challenge for me.   I don't want to sabotage my own progress by trying to leap forward into an injury.

     

    Is it reasonable for me to run one day and take 2 rest days to be sure that I'm recovered enough, since I'm still getting some aching owwies today, and it would have been my alternating run day?  Or do you think I'd be pushing my luck just to try to walk tonight?

     

    The voices sometimes tell me that I'm avoiding running through some simple soreness that would go away once I'm warmed up, but my pain is tibialis anterior-located, and I know you're not supposed to take chances with that area if it is injured, rather than sore.  Walking around at work has been okay today, but there are short spells of aching and soreness that responds well to a tennis ball massage, all day.

    Pace Goal : 14 mm

    5k Goal: 40 minutes

     

    10k, half, and marathon someday....

     

    (Hey, I'm just getting started!)

    bojangles


      At the end of the day it all boils down to you and how you feel. I will however throw you some options running through my head right now. The first one that comes to mind is cross training. Have you thought about doing some cross training? I know we are on a running forum, but there are plenty of other great ways to build up your cardio and shed those pounds. Swimming, stationary bike, rower, strength training etc.... You could always run one day, then swim the next or ride a stationary bike. The biggest thing is losing those pounds. Once you really start losing those pounds and getting your body in better shape, the more you will be able to run through out the week.

       

      If you are dead set on running and running alone, I would take it day by day. See how you feel each day. Sticking to a program or plan is good, but it is just that... a plan. Most of the times you have to alter the plan to fit you. All these programs online are cookie cutter type programs. You seem to know when to push it and when to back off, which is good and very important.

      GinnyinPA


        I second the idea of cross training.  At the least, go for a long walk on your off days, but you could also try a bike, yoga, weights, swimming, dance, etc.  Try to aim for 4-6 days a week of real activity.  It will help the weight come off sooner and get you in the habit of exercising most days. 


        an amazing likeness

          Walk on your non-run days. Time on your feet will help you recover from your running aches and get stronger at the same time.

          Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.


          Feeling the growl again

            Walk on your non-run days. Time on your feet will help you recover from your running aches and get stronger at the same time.

             

            +1.  You will be able to run more as you lose weight and get stronger, but in the meantime don't take all those days "off".  Do SOMETHING.  Whatever is fun and doable...fast walking, elliptical (as long as you can feel your feet), spinning/biking, etc.

             

            It WILL get easier.  Keep at it.

            "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

             

            I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

             


            Loves the outdoors

              I started running when I was about 60-70 lbs over-weight and it definitely does get MUCH easier as you continue to lose weight. I never experienced pain like you describe, just the "make it stop, running is hard" type of pain. That you can run through and sooner than you'd think, it goes away and is replaced by "so running can feel easy, I thought they were all lying about that". 

               

              I agree with cross-training too. Do something on your non-running days, anything you enjoy. It truly does get easier AND the weight does come off, but the secret there is that mostly it's the food.

              One day I decided I wanted to become a runner, so I did.

              tom1961


              Old , Ugly and slow

                Have you tried running on grass or dirt. i am 215 and running on trails has taken away my knee pain

                i also agree with twice a week weightlifting. Also walk on days you do not run.

                first race sept 1977 last race sept 2007

                 

                2019  goals   1000  miles  , 190 pounds , deadlift 400 touch my toes

                Love the Half


                  Even though I think walking is a good idea, I still think that complete beginners need time off.  Hell, even world class athletes have to occasionally take time off.  There is a delicate line to walk.  You need to push out of your comfort zone if you want to improve.  Unfortunately, push too far or too often and you end up injured.  I will tell you what worked for me.

                   

                  I am 6'0" and started at 230.  I'm now 155.  I started at half a mile, 3 nights each week.  I didn't walk on my off  nights because I was too damned sore to think about it.  Moreover, I didn't have any guidance so I was just making my best guess as to what I should do.  After a few months of gradually increasing my distance, I started running every other night, which meant I was running 3 nights one week and 4 nights the next.  Then, after another few months, I started running 4 days a week every week.  

                   

                  I agree completely with those who say to pay attention to how you feel.  It's fine to feel a little stiff and sore.  In fact, I would argue that it's good to feel a little stiff and sore.  That just means you are pushing yourself a bit and you need to push yourself a bit in order to improve.  It's even OK to start a run when you are a little stiff and sore.  It is not OK to start a run if you are a lot stiff and sore nor is it a good idea to start if you have some kind of sharp pain.  Ultimately, it's a bit of a guessing game and there isn't a person on the planet, including you, that can be 100% certain you are making the right guess.

                  Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                  Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                  Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).


                  Encouragement welcome

                    thank you for all your thoughtful suggestions.  Smile.  I'm in a small town with very limited options for cross-training, so I'm thinking wistfully about yoga and swimming.  Smile. The closest indoor pool is an hour away, but on the brighter side, a local gym will be building a new facility in a year or so that will include our first-ever swimming pool.  Smile.   It just won't do me any good for a long time.  

                     

                    Ive got to find a way to boost my energy without increasing my calories so that I don't just pass out after work on my rest days.  (occasional blood sugar problems complicate things.). However, I've sworn off the school's cafeteria food  because of Calories and sodium.  I'm hungry all the time now that I've switched to salads for lunch, and I gained two pounds last week after my first week of hunger and salads.   LoL. I really can't make this stuff up.

                     

                    This isn't a place that embraces fitness, that's for sure. My hometown has been "planning" a river fitness trail for several years now, and will do something about it "in a few more years." I'm still looking for any running places in the area, and everything is on the road, so I have three options which don't involve trespassing and risking getting shot: the park, with a one-mile paved path that isn't flat, the high school track, which is a rare synthetic track, for this area, and the pavement around the school where I work.  (My own neighborhood isn't safe for a woman walking alone.  criminals and broken sidewalks the city won't fix.  You know the civic attitude about the poorer neighborhoods not deserving upkeep.)

                     

                    Looks like my options are weights (which made me gain weight on top of my obesity) and exercise bikes.  I don't  mind the elliptical, but the numb feet are a challenge.  

                     

                    Two summers ago I was spending three hours a day on  the treadmill, bikes, elliptical, and weight  machines.  (Because I was angry and determined to give it all I had to lose weight. Im single, and i had the time, so i wore myself out at the gym daily, secretly fearing i wouldn't lose weight.). I  strictly controlled my calories and burned about 600 visit rise per day there.  I yo-yoed on e same three pounds every week.  I wound up  seeing two doctors offer it who shrugged and accused me of lying about food and how much I was exercising.  

                     

                    I'm frustrated, of course.  People accuse me of sitting home alone and eating like a pig, but what they are missing is seeing me skip dinner a lot of the time because I'm scared  to eat.  I just don't buy junk food.    (Once several years ago, one  of those two doctors told me that if I were in a concentration camp, I'd be the last one standing.  Eh, I didn't appreciate the flippancy of his attitude.  He told me that if I wanted to lose weight, I'd have to run 5 miles a day every day for the rest of my life.  I understand the calories per pound with that.  

                     

                    Thats why I've turned to running, finally.  I'm desperately hoping that once I get myself worked up into some distance running, I'll start to lose weight, finally.  But it looks like none of the weight is going to come off until I get to 35 miles a week.  

                     

                    I just hope my legs can hold up that long.  May will be a year of running for me, pain filled all the way!  Lol. I'm sure I've done something to deserve it.  I just hope I get to find out what that was, someday.

                    Pace Goal : 14 mm

                    5k Goal: 40 minutes

                     

                    10k, half, and marathon someday....

                     

                    (Hey, I'm just getting started!)


                    Encouragement welcome

                      I would have run today, but I kept feeling those stabbing pains in my shin bones all day, so I thought I would give it one more day to be safe.  I  was off my feet for all of August because I pushed too hard and was  having trouble walking the first week of school.  

                       

                      So, tomorrow night it is, for that 20 minute nonstop run of week 7 c25k.  Smile    (Best time is 15:06 mile... So I'm not going fast, and at is as slow as I can bear to go.  Hopefully, it'll be a run that  affirms I'm slowly getting stronger, rather than an injury causing jog. ;D. As you said, it's  hard at this point to know whether it is a good soreness due to progress or a step toward injury from overdoing it.  I'm SO glad to hear that,  I haven't come across good resources yet for overweight, over 40, running for weight loss For the chronically depressed.  (antidepressants contributed to my weight, BTW, so now I'm going without meds.)

                      Pace Goal : 14 mm

                      5k Goal: 40 minutes

                       

                      10k, half, and marathon someday....

                       

                      (Hey, I'm just getting started!)


                      Encouragement welcome

                        I don't have a choice about running alone, though.  No running clubs here, and nobody who will join me, though I continue to ask.  Sad

                        Pace Goal : 14 mm

                        5k Goal: 40 minutes

                         

                        10k, half, and marathon someday....

                         

                        (Hey, I'm just getting started!)

                        MrNamtor


                          My advice is toss the c25k plan and forget the 20 minute run. If i were you I'd run about a half a mile every night. And slow and easy. Run until you love running, until it becomes a medicine for you. Make it fun and make it EASY. Screw the suffering for now because A) sounds like you have enough of that already in your life and B) you'll have plenty of time for it when you start running ultras Big grin.

                           

                          Running a little easy bit every night will lessen your depression, and increase your love of it. Stressing out about running the 20 minutes and having pain all day and getting crippled from your running will do the exact opposite.

                              (Best time is 15:06 mile... So I'm not going fast, and at is as slow as I can bear to go. 

                             Bear to go slower. Really.

                             

                            I've never been a fast runner--my fastest recorded mile is 10:08, and my usual pace is in the 11-12ish range. As an experiment and because the conditions were perfect for it, I've been low heart rate training since September. To keep my hear rate below my target high, I had to start running miles slower than 17:00.

                             

                            It. Was. Hard. But if I can do it, you can. And it's not forever--get your legs stronger so that they can take it without the pain, and you can start trying to speed up.

                             

                            I'm not saying you should try low heart rate training, just trying to demonstrate that it is very very possible to run slower than 15-minute miles. Check out my log--I've improved my pace considerably, but after more than two months I've still only had a few miles below 15:00.

                             

                            Best of luck!

                            yweuiuyywe


                              spam
                              bojangles


                                There were quite a few excuses in your last few posts Cupidsgirl. Your post felt very negative. It was full of I can't do this or that. You have to start thinking outside the box like this-

                                 

                                No awesome gym in your hometown- Make your home a gym. I am not saying go out and buy every gym equipment in the world. Your body. Your body is your gym. I could come up with countless bodyweight strength routines and awesome cardio sessions.

                                 

                                Places to run- All sound like good places to run. The world is not flat. Almost all tracks are better for impact than the good ole pavement. So I would give that whirl. And a quick little side note- I forgot the dudes name, but I remember reading about a prisoner who would run in place for miles in his cell. Not just one or two, but marathon training type runs. The dude was intense. So I bet that track and uneven pavement sound beautiful right about now.

                                 

                                Weight training- You said you gained weight while weight training. You probably gained a few pounds of muscle and water retention. Muscle weighs more than fat. After a while when your body is used to weight lifting you will stall on gaining muscle and you will just maintain and start burning fat. Weight training burns calories pretty efficiently.

                                 

                                Losing weight- In the fitness world there is a saying. "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym". There are plenty of people out there who lose weight and will never strap on running shoes. And I know some dudes who are beasts in the gym and on the road, but don't look it, because of what they eat. It is all about calories in vs calories out. Just have to be in a negative deficit. You need to completely look over your diet and see what is truly going wrong.

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