Calling All Runners
I personally LOVE running! Here is my advice: Couch Potato to 5K to get you started and good shoes. That's all you need. Don't increase your miles, speed or length of run at the same time. Go slow to go fast. The burning sensation in your lungs will go away after the first mile. Have fun!
You can't measure your achievements with someone else's yardstick!
Revision from lapband to RNY 12/26/17 with Dr. Caitlin Halbert
HW 260 SW 248 CW 154 GW 145
Gallbladder removed 9/18
Beth
Hi Laura,
You have received a lot of good advice so far. I would suggest most of the same. The first time you feel the runners high you'll be hooked. Just remember to warm up with stretches and walking first. For me and most others, the first mile is the hardest. Good running shoes is a must! For the jiggling I would reccomend wearing compression shorts.
Good luck and have fun.
T
You have received a lot of good advice so far. I would suggest most of the same. The first time you feel the runners high you'll be hooked. Just remember to warm up with stretches and walking first. For me and most others, the first mile is the hardest. Good running shoes is a must! For the jiggling I would reccomend wearing compression shorts.
Good luck and have fun.
T
Teresa O
RNY 4/1/2008
PA
Hi Laura,
Sorry I took so long to jump in on this.
I got started without any "formal" program like Couch to 5K... I just started by walking, and pushed myself each day to got a tiny bit farther or a little faster. I knew that I liked the feeling of accomplishment, and I loved the visual and physical changes I could see and feel in my muscles and legs. After a while, I found that "just" walking wasn't quite giving me that feeling any more, so I started jogging just a bit - small stretches in the middle of my walk - between 2 driveways, then down a ways and between 2 other driveways, for example. Again, over time, I started connecting those little jogging stretches so they made slightly longer stretches of jogging. I wasn't so concerned with speed - more concerned that I was doing a minimum distance each day, and that I was not stopping movement at any point while I was out.
One day I realized that I was jogging MOST of the route. Last fall, I "came inside" when the weather got bad and started running on the treadmill. Felt really weird at first - I find I concentrate more on a steady pace and time, less on distance. I'm using the incline to up the intensity, vary the speed to do intervals, and get a good workout that way.
A word about shoes - there are 2 main types of running shoes out there. Pick one and get yourself GOOD shoes, that are properly fitted. Done incorrectly, as Stitch said, running can be hard on your joints. Good shoes can help you minimize the risk of injury, improve your comfort, and help you overall.
The 2 main types of shoes are traditional and barefoot. Traditional shoes are built up and contain artificial support that moves the positioning of your foot and ankle into a configuration that forces you to land on your heel, then push off with your toe. They contain lots of extra padding (typically). Barefoot shoes are the latest technology and there are some very interesting studies out there about them. I've been using them now for about 3 months and looooove them (wish I had started out running with them). They are extremely lightweight and not built up - designed to mimic running barefoot (like Kenyan runners do, and we all know how well they do with marathon running!) with a much more natural gait. In barefoots, you tend to land your foot more forward on the ball of the foot, then the heel comes down gently, then your push off is more mid-foot. Your gait is shorter and your hips remain in line with your spine - much less fatigue, better stretching and development of the calves, thighs, and butt muscles.
If you DO go the barefoot route (and there are about 4 -5 brands on the market - i like the Vibrams), don't do more than 1/2 - 3/4 mile in them for about the first week, so your muscles adjust to them. Then work your way up. It took me about 3 weeks to be able to run my entire workout (2 - 3 miles) in them. Now I don't even notice that I have them on - they are so comfy. You don't wear socks with them - just toss the shoes themselves in the wash (the vibrams).
Here's the study I was talking about - harvardscience.harvard.edu/foundations/articles/barefoot-run ning-easier-feet-running-shoes
Whichever way you go, make the investment in a really good pair of shoes - it will make all the difference!
Have fun with it!
karen
Sorry I took so long to jump in on this.
I got started without any "formal" program like Couch to 5K... I just started by walking, and pushed myself each day to got a tiny bit farther or a little faster. I knew that I liked the feeling of accomplishment, and I loved the visual and physical changes I could see and feel in my muscles and legs. After a while, I found that "just" walking wasn't quite giving me that feeling any more, so I started jogging just a bit - small stretches in the middle of my walk - between 2 driveways, then down a ways and between 2 other driveways, for example. Again, over time, I started connecting those little jogging stretches so they made slightly longer stretches of jogging. I wasn't so concerned with speed - more concerned that I was doing a minimum distance each day, and that I was not stopping movement at any point while I was out.
One day I realized that I was jogging MOST of the route. Last fall, I "came inside" when the weather got bad and started running on the treadmill. Felt really weird at first - I find I concentrate more on a steady pace and time, less on distance. I'm using the incline to up the intensity, vary the speed to do intervals, and get a good workout that way.
A word about shoes - there are 2 main types of running shoes out there. Pick one and get yourself GOOD shoes, that are properly fitted. Done incorrectly, as Stitch said, running can be hard on your joints. Good shoes can help you minimize the risk of injury, improve your comfort, and help you overall.
The 2 main types of shoes are traditional and barefoot. Traditional shoes are built up and contain artificial support that moves the positioning of your foot and ankle into a configuration that forces you to land on your heel, then push off with your toe. They contain lots of extra padding (typically). Barefoot shoes are the latest technology and there are some very interesting studies out there about them. I've been using them now for about 3 months and looooove them (wish I had started out running with them). They are extremely lightweight and not built up - designed to mimic running barefoot (like Kenyan runners do, and we all know how well they do with marathon running!) with a much more natural gait. In barefoots, you tend to land your foot more forward on the ball of the foot, then the heel comes down gently, then your push off is more mid-foot. Your gait is shorter and your hips remain in line with your spine - much less fatigue, better stretching and development of the calves, thighs, and butt muscles.
If you DO go the barefoot route (and there are about 4 -5 brands on the market - i like the Vibrams), don't do more than 1/2 - 3/4 mile in them for about the first week, so your muscles adjust to them. Then work your way up. It took me about 3 weeks to be able to run my entire workout (2 - 3 miles) in them. Now I don't even notice that I have them on - they are so comfy. You don't wear socks with them - just toss the shoes themselves in the wash (the vibrams).
Here's the study I was talking about - harvardscience.harvard.edu/foundations/articles/barefoot-run ning-easier-feet-running-shoes
Whichever way you go, make the investment in a really good pair of shoes - it will make all the difference!
Have fun with it!
karen
Karen--
Thank you for allthe information!!! I am definitely looking into those "barefoot" type sneakers. You are awesome!! Thank you so much!
Much luv!
Laura
Thank you for allthe information!!! I am definitely looking into those "barefoot" type sneakers. You are awesome!! Thank you so much!
Much luv!
Laura
Laura
"Two roads diverged in a wood..and I took the one less travelled by and that has made all the difference." -Robert Frost
Over 176+ lbs lost since surgery!! :-)
See my profile for my OH Blog!!
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