Dream of being a runner.

I have seen others outside running and always felt envious of them. How great to be able to run and not only survive it but like it! I always assumed they had probably run their entire lives but that can't be true for everyone!  I honestly do not like exercise but I WANT to like it and I am trying to do it despite how I feel about it. I know it won't happen overnight but it is something I'd love to be able to do. So, any advice on how to start on a path to becoming the person of my dreams?

I started off very much in the same mindset - - never liked exercising but would look at runners with a mix of envy and awe. In fact, the first line in my letter to my surgeon of why I wanted to have bariatric surgery was "I want to be a runner".

Not everyone's journey can be the same but I'll sum up mine: Once I was clear to walk (and felt like it, after 5 weeks postop!), I started walk/jog intervals. I would start at walking 2 min and jogging 30 sec (or whatever I could handle) and over MONTHS, gradually increased the intervals. Once I worked up to being able to run 1 mile without stopping, I only would walk as needed. Then once I was able to jog 5k (3.1 mi), I signed up for a Half-Marathon training program. After doing a couple halfs, I signed up for a Full Marathon training program.... and, 2 ultras under my belt, haven't looked back! 

Best words of wisdom: Keep at it, because it is going to suck many times before it feels great. Join a group or training program if accountability or socialization motivates you (though I have known people to train on their own because that's what worked for them). And KEEP AT IT!! Good luck!

Thank you so much for your response. Does that mean that at this point, you like it?

Absolutely! Socialization is my motivation, so once I joined my local road runners club, I gained a whole group of friends that also love running and now I couldn't imagine my life without them or our runs. :)

What many or most of the people here on OH use to start a running program is Couch to 5K.  Everyone is trying to take credit for that program...You may want to download the app or there are free ones on line.  Some people like the app because it beeps on when to walk and when to jog.  If you are having problems with one week (you find it hard to do), just repeat that week...No worries.  I will tell you one thing.  When you cross the finish line of your first 5K you will be crying.  You can bet on it...  Now go take on the world!!

Thank you. I am going to look into it!

Hi Catalina...love ur post...I too DREAMT of running but was never able to when I was heavier. Still, I always like sports and working out. After I had surgery and had gotten down to about 225 I SLOWLY started to try to run. I did the Couch to 5K and have to tell you when I did my 1st 5k and crossed the finish line it was like an out of body experience!! I continued to build up my endurance and am now an active runner having done distances from 5k up to a 1/ 2 Marathon...all of them starting with one step!!! YOU CAN DO IT

Wow thats really great.  It makes me think I have a shot!!!

Here's what I've written about becoming a runner - 

Surgery was March 2014. I was only allowed to walk for the first 6 weeks. No elliptical, no running, no lifting, nothing except walking. I started walking in the hospital by doing laps of the wing I was in. When I got home, I started doing laps of my street. Each lap was about a quarter of a mile. I bundled up since it's cold here in March! Once I could do a mile, I switched to the gym and started walking on the treadmill.

On the treadmill, I started at 2mph, 1% incline, and 35 minutes. I went three days a week and increased my time by 5 minutes each time until I could do an hour. Once I could do an hour, I started increasing my speed, .1mph at a time. I kept doing this, .1mph at a time, until I was close to 4mph (3.8) and then I tried running. And I could do it! (I was past the 6 week mark at this point.)

From there, I started to work on intervals. I would run 45 seconds out of each 5 minute block. Then I increased it to a minute, and so on and so forth. Eventually I switched to Couch to 5k to follow those intervals. In June 2014, I signed up for my first 5k and made that my goal. I wasn't super thrilled with this, though so...

One weekend, when I was visiting my parents to help them out, I tried running outside. I switched to the Zombies Run 5k Training plan, and I ran outside. This was in August 2014. It was an epiphany. A revelation. It was amazing and I was hooked. I haven't been back to the treadmill since. I know I'll have to eventually once there's snow and/or ice on the ground, but I'm loving the outside now.

I ran my first 5k in October 2014. The course time limit was 60 minutes, so my goal was to complete within the limit and to not die. I was victorious and my time was 54 minutes and some seconds! I was (and still am) stupidly proud of myself for this. 

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My second 5k was in February and my next one is next weekend.  Eek!  I MISS running now when I'm not able to do it.  Craziness.  

That was really inspirational. I am thinking that...I might just give it a try. The worst that can happen is that I just don't do it! The best that can happen is...THAT I DO!  Thank you everyone for these motivators! I am kinda scared...i don't even know why. but I am going to at least take step 1...Maybe the snow will let up eventually here in Long Island and I will be ready to run by summer! Thank you so much for sharing your stories with me!