Forums >Running 101>Beginner Runner Routine
I was curious what beginner running routine I should use. I am going try to get into running to lose weight. I was about 245 lbs last January and I got down to 202 lbs by general exercise and cutting back on eating. I want to get down to like 150 lbs.
I am curious what suggestions you have for me for my beginner running routine based on
I have never done any running except from the 2 years I did cross country in High school which was like 27 years ago.... back then I could only make the JV team and I had a 5:45 minute 1 mile run, a 13 minute 2 mile, and a 21 minute 3 mile run. ....
27 years later and very overweight and out of shape at the age of 42 I can't even jog for 3 miles. I can barely jog 2 miles and my best pace at 2 miles is running a 12 minute mile for 24 minutes total for a 2 mile jog.
I am at my best 1 mile jog pace of 12 minute mile, I am trying to get down to where I can jog 1 mile in 10 minutes. The best I can jog at 10 minute mile pace is 1/2 mile before my body just stops and I can't do anymore.
My heart rate after I run is averaging around 160 beats per second. My heart rate after walking at 2 mile - 3 mile walking pace is at 110 - 120 beats per second.
I got to the point where at a 12 minute mile pace I could jog continuously for 30 minutes at a heart rate of about 160 beats per second. I felt like I was going die lol
Now I am back to doing short 1 - 5 minute spurts at a 10 minute mile pace and i want to work up at this pace running for 30 minutes continuously so I can jog 3 miles in 30 minutes....
Any advice?
SMART Approach
There is a right way and wrong way to get back into running for someone like you who needs to drop weight and joints and muscles and heart not used to the stresses of running and RUNNING IS STRESSFUL-need to be very smart. It takes a few months of a gradual build up to stay injury free. In your mind you still have your memories of racing and trying to beat times in runs each time. This is the wrong approach and will get you into trouble. I am happy to send you for free beginner plan...."SMART START: No Run to 3.ONE" 14 week running plan. My only request is that you monitor and document your progress from day 1 to the end and send to me your results after for my research. Just email or message me for the plan. tcharnetski@att.net
Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery
Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training
Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique
www.smartapproachtraining.com
I remember at age 38 I was about 240 and could not finish a 5k in 30 minutes. By age 40 I was down to 200 and could do it in 20 minutes. It doesn't come quickly but only from consistency.
I whole-heartedly agree with the idea about not worrying about the pace but just get moving and stay at it with increases in distance as your body allows. There is nothing wrong with a brisk walk. I'm sure a good couch to 5k or Tchuck plan could help you out.
Best of luck. Beyond walk/run you'll want to take care of other maintenance to help as much as possible to keep yourself injury free. There are no guarantees but developing decent core and other strengthening/mobility/flexibility exercises can limit your down time nursing a flare-up. If you have to take a week off here and there, listen to your body but remember to get back out there and keep it up for the long term. Your future self will thank you.
Thanks for the routine I will try it out and see my results. It looks similar to other approaches I have seen following a run/walk / interval type approach that doesn't involve running every day. I think your right just trying to do too much too soon I got have patience. I have previously already injured myself 3 times on attempted running programs in the past few years and just quit and did something instead to lose weight like ride a bike. This will be my third time to drop 100 lbs from my frame. I lost over 100 lbs in my early 20's just from walking 20+ miles every week. I lost over 100 lbs off my frame in my 30's from riding a bike. Now I will try losing 100 lbs off my frame again in my 40's by running. I already have lost 45 of those pounds simply by dieting and exercise. I want to loose the other half by running.... or run/ walking. I don't want to just lose the weight this time I also want my cardio system in the end to be at a certain level it has never been at in a very long time. I personally want to match as a metric what the very minimum requirement is to pass a military fitness test, not the least bit interested joining and way too old, just rather to say to myself hey I was able to get my fitness level back up to what would of been a passing level. All other fitness requirements are easy, its the running that kills me. I have been naturally very strong all my life and even when I was a very fat 245 lbs I could still do 6 wide grip pull-ups and 50+ pushups. I see running and my cardio system as a very weak link in my fitness if I could get that up to a certain level I will be very happy.
Welcome. Good luck. Have patience and definitely continue with the strength work. I am a proponent of one leg strength movements on your feet.
I started the program and definitely less sore the day after or problems after training. I was getting this side back pain running from my obligues into my lower back, spine, upper back and ribs, it was like a soreness on my back that would happen after I trained too hard and ran for like 30 minutes straight. The run/walk routine seems more gentle not feeling that pain. ... as an experiment though i took a dumbell and trained my obligues doing dumbell obligue crunches( side bends) ...and the next day that area was very sore the same way it felt after running and tender all the way up into the ribs....so maybe it is a weakness in that area or an injury. Doing running/walking a couple times a week easy doesn't seem to aggrevate it too much.... I also had problems with really bad plantar Fascilitis a couple years ago with an attempted running program injured my foot and foot doctor gave me orthopedic shoes to wear for a year. Foot has healed since then. Again doing light run/walking instead doesn't seem to be reaggrevating that old foot injury had 2 years ago. I also was getting a lot of knee pain and a burning pain behind my knee caps after I was doing my 30 minute straight running sessions...since I backed off and and just started doing run/walk routine it is a lot less noticable. So far that started just doing run/walk seems a lot easier on my body I will see how I progress.
....and then sometimes I wonder if is rather camping this summer that is a source of the back pain... and running or weight training that area just agrevates it. ....I camped almost every weekend this summer in a tent and slept on a very awful air matress that would deflate and I would just be sleeping on a hard ground. I would wake up with awful back pain and pain in my ribs....maybe it is long distance running that is causing that rib/ side pain or maybe the running is aggrevating an injury I got this summer from sleeping on the hard ground..... either way the run/walk routine does seem to put much less stress on that area.
Good for you. My plan has a built in and safe progression and allows body to adapt slowly to stresses of running. Stay true to it. Also, stay away from that oblique DB exercise. It's pretty useless for runners.
I started the program and definitely less sore the day after or problems after training. I was getting this side back pain running from my obligues into my lower back, spine, upper back and ribs, it was like a soreness on my back that would happen after I trained too hard and ran for like 30 minutes straight. The run/walk routine seems more gentle not feeling that pain. ... as an experiment though i took a dumbell and trained my obligues doing dumbell obligue crunches( side bends) ...and the next day that area was very sore the same way it felt after running and tender all the way up into the ribs....so maybe it is a weakness in that area or an injury. Doing running/walking a couple times a week easy doesn't seem to aggrevate it too much.... I also had problems with really bad plantar Fascilitis a couple years ago with an attempted running program injured my foot and foot doctor gave me orthopedic shoes to wear for a year. Foot has healed since then. Again doing light run/walking instead doesn't seem to be reaggrevating that old foot injury had 2 years ago. I also was getting a lot of knee pain and a burning pain behind my knee caps after I was doing my 30 minute straight running sessions...since I backed off and and just started doing run/walk routine it is a lot less noticable. So far that started just doing run/walk seems a lot easier on my body I will see how I progress. ....and then sometimes I wonder if is rather camping this summer that is a source of the back pain... and running or weight training that area just agrevates it. ....I camped almost every weekend this summer in a tent and slept on a very awful air matress that would deflate and I would just be sleeping on a hard ground. I would wake up with awful back pain and pain in my ribs....maybe it is long distance running that is causing that rib/ side pain or maybe the running is aggrevating an injury I got this summer from sleeping on the hard ground..... either way the run/walk routine does seem to put much less stress on that area.
Trails
Gizmo, chances are the back pain from camping is muscular and some rest and/or a good massage should take care of it. What not to do is be in a car accident and then 5 days later do a 50k without determining if any significant damage was done (it was...totally messed up my SI joint on the left side). I can still do 50ks and the like but I do them walking only.
Take things slow and easy...chances are the weight didn't show up overnight and losing it won't happen overnight either. Keep at it you are doing wonderful.
After a week on the program run/walking at an easy pace I can talk at I decided to test myself Sunday. I cut my best 1 mile time down by two minutes! My best 1 mile run time was 12 minutes, now I did 1 mile in 10 minutes....I was very happy and not feeling so sore after my runs. I will continue following the run/ walk program since I seem to make results by taking it easy and doing easier run/walking workouts.
This is awesome. Are you staying true to the No Run to 3.ONE program and following it right on? It works right?
No run to 3 one program. I don't think I was suppose to test till week 4, but I wanted to test myself to see how I was doing. The program has me do a Timed Trial at end of week 4. I will follow program and test myself again at end of week 4 to see how I do.
*****Update*****
I decided to test myself again in middle of week 3 on the program. I ran 3 miles in 36 minutes on treadmill at Gym. This time it felt like a comfortable talking pace. I was able to talk to my wife on the treadmill while I ran while she walked on treadmill besides me. Much easier then a few weeks ago when I could barely complete 2 miles in 24 minutes and it felt like hell. This pace felt comfortable now and I was able to talk to my wife easily during the 3 Mike run. I even jogged for an extra 10 minutes after I finished the 3 miles.
I think I will continue the walk/ run program speeding up the run intervals and see if I can get my 3 miles down from 36 minutes to 30.
No run to 3 one program. I don't think I was suppose to test till week 4, but I wanted to test myself to see how I was doing. The program has me do a Timed Trial at end of week 4. I will follow program and test myself again at end of week 4 to see how I do. *****Update***** I decided to test myself again in middle of week 3 on the program. I ran 3 miles in 36 minutes on treadmill at Gym. This time it felt like a comfortable talking pace. I was able to talk to my wife on the treadmill while I ran while she walked on treadmill besides me. Much easier then a few weeks ago when I could barely complete 2 miles in 24 minutes and it felt like hell. This pace felt comfortable now and I was able to talk to my wife easily during the 3 Mike run. I even jogged for an extra 10 minutes after I finished the 3 miles. I think I will continue the walk/ run program speeding up the run intervals and see if I can get my 3 miles down from 36 minutes to 30.
Nice job on your progress with No Run To 3.ONE Plan but stick with the plan. You are progressing so don't rush the process. There is a natural volume increase and less walk breaks in the program which will keep you progressing. This planned and structured. Those who increase volume and intensity at same time get into trouble. You also don't want to "test" too often. Let things play out so you stay healthy and on the right track. Patience!!
Unfortunately your right, I think I overdid it and got myself in trouble. I'm developing a runners knee/ shin splint in my left leg. I took a few days off and ran today, but it still is really bothering me. I might take a couple weeks off running and just do eliptical and stationary bike till leg heals then resume the program.
Yeah, I designed the beginning run program to be conservative and prevent the very thing you are going through - rushing the process and getting hurt. You have to follow the plan. Take time and just walk and be sure to incorporate strength work in recovery process.