From 0 to 10 miles in 3 1/2 months (Read 1097 times)

Do you mean to run in a 10 mile race 3 1/2 months from now? It would depend on the person. Given what little you've told us, it sounds like a better goal would be a 5K race rather than a 10 mile race. You might want to check out an incremental program that will take you bit by bit up the running incline... try maybe the couch-to-5K program over at coolrunning at http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml. If you want to change some habits, getting in the habit of regular exercise is a *great* one. However, most new runners try to do too much too soon for their bodies... and end up getting hurt. You can't run if you're hurt. Making a much more gradual transition into being a runner is a better deal - a more sustainable, healthier choice. This program, by the way, assumes you're starting where you can walk for 30 minutes 3x/wk already. If that's not where you're at yet, you'll want to slowly build up to that first before attempting the program...

I went from nought to eight miles in two months and ran myself to injury. Now here I am at three months injured again from overuse and as a banner girl for the 'Too much too quickly' club. You can do it. I'll reserve you a place on the couch next to me for when you need to put your injured legs up Actually I am being a little harsh. I personaly believe that my injury is bugger all to do with distance and more to do with pounding concrete hills and speedwork but I just wanted to shout at someone instead of being the victim for a change Of course I wasn't exactly 'stagnant' when I started as I walked about 8 miles a day out of neccessity. All in all I think that the biggest lesson that I learnt is that the first rule of being in the 'Too Much' club is - you do not talk about the 'too Much' club. Shhhhhh, because some people around here have eyes as well as ears, but there are more member's than care to admit. You'll notice us hobbling around the shopping malls, wincing into position at our office desks. Dependent on pain killers yet addicted to that very pain. Mostly I would ignore everything that I say though because my brain fell out when I removed my running shoes and I've yet to be given permission to re-insert it. Claire xxx

Hiya, Roark. The answer, as others have suggested, is (as with most stuff around here) ... it depends. Just how bad is your physical condition? How much overweight is "quite" overweight? How sedentary is your lifestyle? Depending on the answers to those, my answer to you would range from "not likely" to "piece of cake." Assuming your goal is just to finish the thing, assuming you're okay with walking quite a bit during the race, assuming you aren't in truly horrible shape, and assuming you stick with it consistently for the next three months (say 3-5 run/walks a week) .... assuming all that, I don't see why you couldn't do it. (Modified to add this: if your question is can you RUN the whole thing ... I'd doubt it. Just wanted to be clear.) Of course, that's a lot of assumptions. And that "consistently" part might be harder than it looks at first. Above all else, you'll have to make sure not to hurt yourself. Shorter version: definitely probably maybe. Good luck! Now the important stuff: what's your signature line mean? It completely cracked me up, even though I have no clue what that's about. Details, please. Who's Bob?

Does this mean you'll kick my ass if I admit to, um, just skimming your post? Am I Brad Pitt or Edward Norton here?

I was fairly active when I took up running (at age 33) and about at my current weight (high end of healthy). It took me about 2 months to be able to run a 5k. I started with the Couch-to-5k program. I ran 10 miles for the first time probably 5 months in, but that was only with consistently increasing my distance by 10% each week. You could increase by more, but you'd be setting yourself up for a much greater risk of injury...like someone else we know.... BTW, come join us in the Jiggly Joggers (link in my sig). Weigh-in is Monday! k

I went from being a totally sedentary (3 years totally sedentary spent recovering from congestive heart failure/cardiomyopathy) and about 30 pounds overweight 41 year old woman who hadn't really run (or exercised) much since middle school back in the '70's. :-) I joined a half marathon training program last January and went from not able to run more than 2 or 3 minutes at a time to running an entire 13.1 mile half marathon in under 2:30 in 16 weeks. Looking back at my schedule, I see that I hit 10 miles after 10 weeks so it *is* doable. I made it through the program with no running related injuries. (I fell down some wet stairs and was on crutches for a week or two but that had a lot more to do with being an idiot than with running! ) I'm a neutral runner. I don't pronate. I seem naturally to run with pretty good form. After being so sick, I've gotten pretty good at listening to my body so I know how to back down the mileage or intensity when needed. I've been running for a full year now and haven't had any running related injuries to deal with. And so far have managed to cut about a half hour off of my HM time. My husband pronates more. Running doesn't seem to come as naturally to him. He's had several running / overuse injuries during the past year and has probably been unable to run about half the time. Shin splints, groin pull, calf injuries. For him, it works better to up the mileage a little more slowly. He was also able to run the entire HM and probably could have done it a lot quicker than 2:30 but he was hanging with me since the race was on our anniversary. So can you run 10 miles in 3 1/2 minths? Maybe. Be careful. Get good shoes. Go slowly. And have a good training plan. Good luck! Teresa

I think that anyone can do anything they want to. I had a hysterectomy in November 04 and then ran a half-marathon in May 05 with no running before the surgery. I wasn't fast, but I did it and was proud that I ran the whole thing......even over the rattlesnakes and a dead cow, but that's a different post. It was a goal that I had and helped me with recovery. However, I didn't continue to run after that HM until a few months ago. What does that tell you? I don't know, but it might be inspiring. I also lost about 20 pounds during that time, that I have almost put all back on and am in the process now of removing. Whoops! Life is a roller-coaster, isn't it? Jilly Good luck!