Increasing mileage???

[hopejoy]

Hello,
I really want to get into running, but I am pretty out of shape at the moment. I can only run about a mile and then I get all tired. I'd love to increase my endurance and be able to run several miles, but I'm not sure how to go about doing this. Please let me know of all of your workout tips to be able to increase your physical endurance. Thank you so much! :)

[rawgirl]

You could try alternately walking and running. Start out walking for a warm up and then run until you get tired, then walk and if and when you feel like you could run a bit more, do so, then walk some more. That way you can build up your distance and eventually you'll be able to run the whole way.

[Cassiel]

What rawgirl said. If you'd like a sort of structured plan that's pretty tried and true (lots of people have succeeded with this particular program) check out coolrunning.com's couch-to-5k program. It'll get you from no fitness to running 3 miles over the course of several weeks, without getting injured from doing too much too soon. If you're already somewhat fit you can just start a few weeks into the program rather than at the beginning.
Make sure you have good shoes, run less than you think you should and slower than you think you should. This is the best advice I've gotten over several years of running and racing.

[Vegmedic]

Make sure you have good shoes, run less than you think you should and slower than you think you should. This is the best advice I've gotten over several years of running and racing.

This is great advice. It is hard to make yourself run slower cause you feel like a dork, but it is important.

This is from the book "Long Distance," it is about training for long distance corss-country ski events

>>Most days, as I've said, I was not to allow my heart out of zone 1 while I was training - not to let it beat faster than 145 times a minute or slower than 135. If the trail turned up hill, it would take only a few seconds for my heart to start beating too hard, and then I would slow to a walk, feeling dorky as other skiers grunted by. But the idea was to lay a foundation - to literally change my body so that its network of capillaries would grow more dense, something that happens most easily at this gentle pace. Then, when the time came for intense training and racing, my powerful heart would have the plumbing network it needed to flush the lactic acid out of my muscles and supply fresh new blood rich with energy.<<

Whether you are training for a race or just wanting to get in better shape it is important to lay down a foundation and protect yourself from injury. Get out there exercise, but don't over do it.

Don't worry about getting a heart rate monitor. You can monitor yourself easily by remembering that zone 1 is the place where you can run and carry on an easy conversation.

Be consistent. There is little benefit from running for 5 hours one week, no hours the next week, 1 hour the third week, 8 hours the fourth week. etc

Enjoy it.

[healthnut32]

Make sure you have good running shoes. Also, a lot of new runners get shin splints. If you start to feel any discomfort in the inside of your lower legs, get a good pair of orthotic inserts (specifically for "pronation). Too many new runners quit because of shin splints-I hate to see that happen!

[zoebird]

i use intervals to increase my distances.

i'm currently considering training for an august all-woman triathlon in MD, and it was recommended that i practice 'transition intervals' between bike and run to get a feel for the transition. twice around a loop running, four times biking, and then back to running--and then increasing the distances on both as a training session once a week or so. it's an interesting idea.

know you're not doing that, specificly, but hey, it might be fun. :)

[hannahbanana]

Make sure you have good running shoes. Also, a lot of new runners get shin splints. If you start to feel any discomfort in the inside of your lower legs, get a good pair of orthotic inserts (specifically for "pronation). Too many new runners quit because of shin splints-I hate to see that happen!

I'd be careful about that - there are many different causes of shin splints, and I wouldn't recommend just buying orthodics without the advice of a doctor. If you run mostly on roads, that can be rough on your legs (I had shin splints all the time when I first transitioned from trail running to road running) so go for a softer surface if possible.

If you go to a specialty running story, the people who work there will usually be able to tell you if you over- or under-pronate and recommend a good shoe (and I agree completely about having good shoes being important, I pay a ridiculous amount for my running shoes but they're the only ones I've found where I don't get hurt running in them).

If you still get shin splints, ice is the best remedy. You can just use an ice pack, but I've found ice with massage to be more effective. To do this, just freeze a dixie cup or some other paper cup filled about 3/4 of the way with water. After it's frozen, you can tear off the rim of the cup down to the ice, and hold the cup so your hand doesn't get too cold. Then use the ice to massage your shin where the pain is.

Most of all, stick with it - getting in shape can definitely be frustrating, but it is so worth it! Also, if you can find a partner to run with, that can definitely be helpful on the days when you're just not motivated.

Good luck!

~Hannah

[Jim Gagnepain]

I used to run a lot, but now I mostly bicycle. I still play tennis, and I run a lot on the court. Running is hard on the joints.

Here's my cycling sales pitch (commuting):
1. Not as much impact on joints as running. You see a lot of ex-runners in their 40s, 50s and 60s with no cartilage left in their knees. This is irreversible.
2. Commuting by bicycle is better for the Environment
3. Saves gas money.
4. If you commute often enough, you may be able to get rid of a car, and save a lot more money.
5. Cycling sets a good example for others. In Portland, 12% of commutes are by bicycle. It catches on!
6. You can travel a lot faster on bicycle than by running.
7. It's safer than running. Most female cyclists agree that they are less vulnerable on a bicycle (even at night with flashing red lights) than on foot.

[Elena99]

Like Cassiel, I recommend the C25K plan on www.coolrunning.com

Have lots of water, and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

For the tiredness, you may want to try slowing down a little. If you're running too fast, you'll lose stamina. Focus on the mileage, and speed will come eventually. It might also help you to do more stretching, especially on days where you don't run.

[Cassiel]

I used to run a lot, but now I mostly bicycle. I still play tennis, and I run a lot on the court. Running is hard on the joints.

Here's my cycling sales pitch (commuting):
1. Not as much impact on joints as running. You see a lot of ex-runners in their 40s, 50s and 60s with no cartilage left in their knees. This is irreversible.


I don't want to start a hargey-bargey here, but this is just not correct. Sure, cycling is lower impact than running, but you can get overuse injuries just as easily from cycling as you can from running (and in fact cycling is just as hard on your knees, but in a different way - and ironically, you can get "runner's knee" from it). I too am a bike commuter, but I also run 40+ mpw. I know plenty of runners in their late 70's who've run all their lives and still enjoy running, if at a slightly decreased volume. Walt Stack is a famous example who didn't even start running till he was past 60, and ran 17 miles per day till the day he died. Your body is built to run. If you protect it (good shoes - our bodies weren't really built to run on asphalt but shoes can make up for that), keep your intensity/distance reasonable (abide by the 10% rule - do not increase intensity or distance by more than 10% a week), and listen to your body you can be running long into your old age quite healthily. If you prefer cycling, that's a perfectly valid point. But don't think running isn't just as healthy a pursuit; after all, it's actually a bit more natural.

[RunsWithFoxes]

I have run (or, more accurately) jogged for many years without injury. Some things to consider:
+ motivation: there are a many reasons why people take up running. One is that they want to improve their health. Another is because they want to gratify their egos. The behavior in these cases is radically different. The folks who just want to improve their health don't give a dang about distance or speed, because these are measures you can use to judge your performance as "good" or "bad". The egotists often torture their bodies to get that last bit of distance or speed, and end up injuring themselves. Personally, I vote for health over ego, but the decision is yours.
+ surface: I run only on a soft track. Concrete and asphalt are simply too hard on my aging joints.
+ style: I try to cultivate a low-impact running style. I pretend that I'm bicycling and/or running with an egg on my head. You'll find very little bounce in my step!
+ distance: I run five miles each time I go out. My body tells me that this is plenty. I have no intention of ever running farther or faster than I do.
+ mix it up: I also hike and use an elliptical machine. The elliptical is actually a much better cardio workout with far less stress on my joints, which is why I would never make running the foundation of a personal training program.
+ body: if you are overweight, the joint-stress problem is compounded. I used to run when I was 30 lbs. fatter than I am now, and it makes a big difference!

Good luck!
:cool:

[CaptainSwab]

I don't want to start a hargey-bargey here, but this is just not correct. Sure, cycling is lower impact than running, but you can get overuse injuries just as easily from cycling as you can from running (and in fact cycling is just as hard on your knees, but in a different way - and ironically, you can get "runner's knee" from it). I too am a bike commuter, but I also run 40+ mpw. I know plenty of runners in their late 70's who've run all their lives and still enjoy running, if at a slightly decreased volume. Walt Stack is a famous example who didn't even start running till he was past 60, and ran 17 miles per day till the day he died. Your body is built to run. If you protect it (good shoes - our bodies weren't really built to run on asphalt but shoes can make up for that), keep your intensity/distance reasonable (abide by the 10% rule - do not increase intensity or distance by more than 10% a week), and listen to your body you can be running long into your old age quite healthily. If you prefer cycling, that's a perfectly valid point. But don't think running isn't just as healthy a pursuit; after all, it's actually a bit more natural.

:up:

There are plenty of runners in my running club who are running marathons with me who are in their 60's and 70's. We even have a couple who are in their 80's.

[RunsWithFoxes]

There are plenty of runners in my running club who are running marathons with me who are in their 60's and 70's. We even have a couple who are in their 80's.

This quote shows signs of the performance trap that we humans find all too seductive. The point is not to run a marathon; the point is to maximize personal health, which is a bit different. I've known people who have seriously screwed up their health trying to run a marathon, and I've known more who have run a marathon and then never touched their running shoes again. In my mind, both these groups are barking up the wrong tree. :guitar: