Advice - My daily run !

Leiva

For all you runners out there...

I am looking to pick your brains for advice , I am serious about taking up a daily run and would love your input .... I am 6'1 in height and about 14 stone have always played sport but recently (new arrival and work commitments ) have not been as active as I would wish for , I am in good health and eat a drink like anyregular person ( like my currys on Fri and couple of drinks Sat/Sun)
I was thinking of going for a daily run early in the morning (6am ish) before work and getting kid out the door but I have a couple of questions :

Is a early morning run (6am) a good choice or maybe the evening -does it matter ?


What is a healthy distance to aim for when starting - or suit myself ?

Am i on the right forum or can you re-direct ?

I know the questions are a little open but any advice is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

M.

(p.s) I am 31 ...I do have marathon aspirations but am a realist

hunnymonster

Ok, to start off with don't ever darken this forum with teh "J" word again. You're a walker or a runner, there is no inbetween;)

The best way to start running is to start running. It really is that simple at the beginning. The main thing is to make sure you are in the correct shoes. Those Aldi trainers you bought 5 years ago will not cut it. If you're serious about starting go to a specialised store and get fitted for a reputable brand.

As for timing, yes it does make a difference but to a beginner it will be negligible. The main effect for you will be that first thing in the morning you will be fasting. While it's not a bad idea to do the occasional fasted run (low intensity) to aid weight loss, it should not be the main stay of your training. Will you be able to eat beforehand? Other than that, getting out of a warm bed into the cold and wet is likely to be the main problem. Also this time of year, finding a lit route can be tough enough.

How long, how far, how fast are the questions most beginners ask.
How long: Start with half an hour (mixed run walk)
how far: however far you get in that time, aim to increase it as you go on
how fast: this is the important one. When you start initially, aim to get out of breath but not heaving at the roadside. 6-7 on an effort scale out of 10. When you go above this, walk until you feel comfortable again and then start running.

Leiva

H,
Thanks your a star .

Your answers are very clear and definitive , just what i needed , I am going to aim for the 6am run as it the most attractive to me.
I know the weather/light aint gonna be the best but I am a firm believer in starting at the bottom (worst ) and everything after will be easier .

Just one question ... you mentioned about eating before I run in the morning , should I or not ..... I know my goals are not clearly set out in my original post but weight loss is not one of em as I have never carried much weight and I know when i get really into this that whatever I am carring will not hang around too long.

Thanks Again .

gerard65

Hi mixednuts,
First bit of advice - drop the 'J' word. Your either a 'RUNNER' or not.
Its difficult to give accurate advice as it depends on your state of fitness. But you should aim for 20mins continues easy running at least 3 times a week. If you cannot run for 20mins without getting completely out of breathe you may have to put in some walk breaks. A good start is 2mins easy running, 2 minutes fast walk. You should be able to talk or sing to yourself during the running bit. Slowly build the lenght of your running over a period of 6 weeks to 2 months until you can run for 20mins without keeling over. You must take your time, else you'll hurt yourself. Patience is the key. Once you get to the 20mins start adding a few mins each week to your runs and you could add a 4th and 5th run so your eventually running 5 or 6 days a week. If your fairly fit to start with you may advance quicker but never try to rush things. Don't forget to do some gentle stretching before and after. Good luck.

Leiva

what "J" word ????

hunnymonster

gerard65 wrote: »

Don't forget to do some gentle stretching before and after. Good luck.

DOn't bother stretching before a run. Maybe a little big of dynamic type movement but not the traditional hold-n-stretch type. You don't want to ping (don't ya love my technical jargon!) cold muscles.

gerard65

mixednuts wrote: »

what "J" word ????

Rhyme's with 'dogging':eek: I prefer to be accused of that than the 'J' word:D

buck65

hi o.p
I am like yourself in many ways 6ft 13st new arrival!!
Since summer I have gotten back into running following a 10 yr! break, the first few months are tough and those early morning starts are cruel but persevere my friend it is worth it when after a 3 mile run you still have something in the tank. I started off (from a relatively fit - from martial arts base) with 1.5 mile runs 2/3 times a week and slowly built up to 3 miles x 4 times a week. Last week I threw in a bit of interval training ( 400m faster than regular pace followed by 400m easy x 4) just to push it but don't worry about this yet.
Just build up the legs and lungs and get the body used to 15-20 mins easy running.
Maybe aim to run a 5k or 10k race in a few months - with something to aim for it motivates you to get out in the morning.
Best of luck with it and remember plenty of stretching after each run.