On average when does addiction to running set in?

candy_pants

Hi all,

I've just started running and have done 3 runs this week. I thought after a couple of months in the gym that my fitness was increasing but apparently when it comes to running I couldn't be more wrong!!

Its only my first week so I dont expect it to be easy but just wondering when people here started to go from finding it really tough to enjoying it to being addicted and your experiences with starting to run for first time. I'm finding it difficult and so not enjoyable YET so looking forward to a few weeks/months time when I will hopefully crave it!

Also I'm using this app for the audio queues and so far its really helpful - anyone far into it and how are you finding it? http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/couch-to-5k/id313494823?mt=8

Sorry for my complete newbie-ness!

ocnoc

addiction....

The first time, its horrible, you hate your life. Can't walk for a few days.
Then the pain subsides. And you forget about how sore it was.....

Then the only thoughts are off the guy who just pipped you for the line.
After another days debating, you realise s/he should never have beaten you..

Then its like a wild fire... You start looking up other races that that person has run and compairing times and routes...

And before you know it, you've completed a Leinster League and are looking ahead to championship races....

And once your thinking of championships, you know you are seriously in the sh*t and there is no easy way out....

In fact, I've heard rumor that once you cross the line of a season or two, you begin to look at Club100....

Its an addictive narcotic with no escape....

RayCun

... or

the first time you're on a run, you realise you've zoned out and your legs have kept running along by themselves and actually it doesn't really hurt...

or, you go out for a run early in the day, and for the rest of the day instead of feeling tired you feel full of energy...

or, you enter a race, and though you're really nervous beforehand it all goes really well, you complete it and you're proud of what you've done....

...and then you want to do it again.

candy_pants

Haha these are quite poetic replies!

I reckon you're right that I'll notice myself enjoying it when I in fact don't notice the running at all! At the minute I'm feeling every step and every pound of my heart/lungs so can't wait to just zone out and do it!

Am I looking at weeks or months or is it too varied for each person to put a time on it?

RayCun

I'd say weeks.
It doesn't mean all the runs will be good, far from it, but you'll start having runs that you really enjoy.

candy_pants

Great well that sounds really positive. I can't wait till I can consider myself a 'runner'! Thank you!

G-Money

I'd still consider myself a beginner even though I've been at it for about 8 months or so now. I had a spell there around Christmas where I didn't do anything for about 6 weeks due to the snow and well, laziness on my part. Even now, I still talk myself out of going for a run far too often, but I've got a tiny bit better at not doing that.

Like you I'm sort of wondering when the real addiction will kick in. I kind of find it ok at the moment and I find myself often thinking about it, especially when I'm at work. I sometimes be sitting there saying to myself "I wish I didn't have to wait 8 hours until I finish work before I can go for a run, I'm feeling ready to go for one now". But then work finishes and I suddenly have lost a lot of motivation for going.

Sometimes I'm heading out and the first 1 or 2 km are a bit rough. I feel slow and heavy and my breathing feels messed up. But then once I get through that 2km threshold, things seem to ease up and I fall into a rhythm that I can usually maintain for a while and I start to get a bit faster. It's weird that my last two kilometres are almost always faster than my first two.

Then I finish the run and sometimes I don't feel massively positive afterwards, at least not physically. Other times I do feel good, but even if I don't feel good after a run, I don't think I have regretted going for one anyway. Well except one or two occasions where I picked up a niggling injury rather than resting. But even then, I there wasn't much regret.

Now, I'm buying lots of running gear. I can't seem to go more than a few weeks without checking out what's new on Wiggle and ordering something. I've done two races/fun runs so far and I'm registered for my 3rd next week. I'm constantly looking around to see what other runs that are on and I've pencilled in a few for May although I haven't registered yet.

I've even went as far as to register for the Half Marathon in September. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't seem to shake the idea of doing a marathon at some point. I'm nowhere near ready and I'm incredibly slow (best 4 mile time is 52 mins approx) and even when I'm on those 4 miles runs I'm thinking "How can I ever do a marathon".

But then the running is finished and I'm on my cool-down walk back to my apartment and I'm already starting to forget about the effort it took to do the 4 miles I just finished. Within half an hour to an hour, I'm usually feeling good if a little achey and I'm already thinking about when I'm going running again. And once again starting to think the M word.

I'm nowhere near ready for a Marathon anyway and the earliest I am thinking about doing one is Autumn 2012. In the meantime, I'm just going to keep up with my training and do a few shorter distance things like 5k's, 10k's, or whatever grabs my interest.

Am I addicted to running? Based on how much I talk myself out of training and how often I really really enjoy it, I'd say no. But based on how much I think about running, I'd say possibly.

I love a bit of paradox.

candy_pants

G-Money wrote: »

I'd still consider myself a beginner even though I've been at it for about 8 months or so now. I had a spell there around Christmas where I didn't do anything for about 6 weeks due to the snow and well, laziness on my part. Even now, I still talk myself out of going for a run far too often, but I've got a tiny bit better at not doing that.

Like you I'm sort of wondering when the real addiction will kick in. I kind of find it ok at the moment and I find myself often thinking about it, especially when I'm at work. I sometimes be sitting there saying to myself "I wish I didn't have to wait 8 hours until I finish work before I can go for a run, I'm feeling ready to go for one now". But then work finishes and I suddenly have lost a lot of motivation for going.

Sometimes I'm heading out and the first 1 or 2 km are a bit rough. I feel slow and heavy and my breathing feels messed up. But then once I get through that 2km threshold, things seem to ease up and I fall into a rhythm that I can usually maintain for a while and I start to get a bit faster. It's weird that my last two kilometres are almost always faster than my first two.

Then I finish the run and sometimes I don't feel massively positive afterwards, at least not physically. Other times I do feel good, but even if I don't feel good after a run, I don't think I have regretted going for one anyway. Well except one or two occasions where I picked up a niggling injury rather than resting. But even then, I there wasn't much regret.

Now, I'm buying lots of running gear. I can't seem to go more than a few weeks without checking out what's new on Wiggle and ordering something. I've done two races/fun runs so far and I'm registered for my 3rd next week. I'm constantly looking around to see what other runs that are on and I've pencilled in a few for May although I haven't registered yet.

I've even went as far as to register for the Half Marathon in September. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't seem to shake the idea of doing a marathon at some point. I'm nowhere near ready and I'm incredibly slow (best 4 mile time is 52 mins approx) and even when I'm on those 4 miles runs I'm thinking "How can I ever do a marathon".

But then the running is finished and I'm on my cool-down walk back to my apartment and I'm already starting to forget about the effort it took to do the 4 miles I just finished. Within half an hour to an hour, I'm usually feeling good if a little achey and I'm already thinking about when I'm going running again. And once again starting to think the M word.

I'm nowhere near ready for a Marathon anyway and the earliest I am thinking about doing one is Autumn 2012. In the meantime, I'm just going to keep up with my training and do a few shorter distance things like 5k's, 10k's, or whatever grabs my interest.

Am I addicted to running? Based on how much I talk myself out of training and how often I really really enjoy it, I'd say no. But based on how much I think about running, I'd say possibly.

I love a bit of paradox.

Wow fantastic reply mostly because I can relate to a whole lot of this! That thing about losing motivation is huge for me! I started going to the gym in October having never exercised or been into fitness before and thats exactly how I feel. I'll be sitting at my desk wishing I could do some afternoon classes in the gym but by 5.30 I just want to go home. Other times if I don't make it for a few days then I feel like a slob - a far cry from never getting off my hole!

BUT other weeks I get into the habit of not going and its so hard to go back. I don't want this to happen with my running.

I have a feeling I may have a similar journey ahead of myself, G-Money, and I think I'll be lucky to get to the 'enjoyable' rather than 'addictive' stage but thats really encouraging to hear you managed to get through the C25K programme as thats my main focus for now. I have that thing as well that as torturous as I find any exercise, once I've had 15-20 mins to relax I nearly feel like I could go out and do it again.

We'll see how it all goes and best of luck to you with your races!

G-Money

candy_pants wrote: »

Wow fantastic reply mostly because I can relate to a whole lot of this! That thing about losing motivation is huge for me! I started going to the gym in October having never exercised or been into fitness before and thats exactly how I feel. I'll be sitting at my desk wishing I could do some afternoon classes in the gym but by 5.30 I just want to go home. Other times if I don't make it for a few days then I feel like a slob - a far cry from never getting off my hole!

BUT other weeks I get into the habit of not going and its so hard to go back. I don't want this to happen with my running.

I have a feeling I may have a similar journey ahead of myself, G-Money, and I think I'll be lucky to get to the 'enjoyable' rather than 'addictive' stage but thats really encouraging to hear you managed to get through the C25K programme as thats my main focus for now. I have that thing as well that as torturous as I find any exercise, once I've had 15-20 mins to relax I nearly feel like I could go out and do it again.

We'll see how it all goes and best of luck to you with your races!

Just stick at it for now and don't worry too much about whether you are going to enjoy it or not, or when you will get to like it more or whatever. I started out on that Couch to 5K programme and I'm telling you, there were times I felt like giving up on it, and it was mainly the first 3 or 4 weeks. I'd be struggling to complete the jogging sections without stopping and I'd get so frustrated and a bit upset with myself at how difficult I was finding it. I'd be going along, barely moving by the end and all I could think was "How the hell does anyone do this? This is insane. How am I ever going to run for 20 minutes or longer, I can't even do 5 minutes. This is a waste of time, you're not cut out for this".

Those were the types of thoughts going through my head. But once I got through a repeat of week 4, I broke through some sort of glass ceiling and I didn't look back after that.

This past weekend I completed in the Dunboyne 4 mile fun run. It was tough and I was very slow, but I wasn't last, although I was close to it But regardless, it's good that I did it. This time last year I hadn't even started Couch to 5K so I couldn't even have jogged for 4 minutes without stopping. Now I can do 4 miles without stopping.

I do get my bad days and I still have far too much negative talk going on in my head. I get workouts that are tough for no obvious reason even though I've done the same workout before and found it easier. I've also had those fantastic workouts where everything is just flowing so smoothly. I feel good, I feel fast and I feel limitless in my energy and speed. Those types don't come along too often but when they do, they are so enjoyable. There's definitely something addictive going on there.

Stick with it for now. I really found it tough at the start and felt like giving up several times. I'm going to use the cheesy "If I can do it, anyone can" line as it's really true. I'm overweight and slow and have zero athletic genes. Yet I can still do 4 miles and I did that this morning without too much bother. Truth be told, I could have kept going too.

candy_pants

G-Money wrote: »

Just stick at it for now and don't worry too much about whether you are going to enjoy it or not, or when you will get to like it more or whatever. I started out on that Couch to 5K programme and I'm telling you, there were times I felt like giving up on it, and it was mainly the first 3 or 4 weeks. I'd be struggling to complete the jogging sections without stopping and I'd get so frustrated and a bit upset with myself at how difficult I was finding it. I'd be going along, barely moving by the end and all I could think was "How the hell does anyone do this? This is insane. How am I ever going to run for 20 minutes or longer, I can't even do 5 minutes. This is a waste of time, you're not cut out for this".

Its like you're reading my mind! Seriously, I'm really really grateful for your take on it. I look forward to being able to do a couple of km without stopping (or stopping too much!). And congrats to you for all the races you have competed in! Fair play and good luck with the rest of them. I have to say your pep talk has done the trick so I'll bear it in mind when I'm struggling.

Thank you!!

G-Money

candy_pants wrote: »

Its like you're reading my mind! Seriously, I'm really really grateful for your take on it. I look forward to being able to do a couple of km without stopping (or stopping too much!). And congrats to you for all the races you have competed in! Fair play and good luck with the rest of them. I have to say your pep talk has done the trick so I'll bear it in mind when I'm struggling.

Thank you!!

No problem, you are welcome. Always feel free to come on here as you'll get plenty of support from people. I'm not the only one on here who was eased into running via Couch to 5K.

It's funny how running does get under your skin, even when you're not really enjoying it that much.

ultraman1

[QUOTE=candy_pants;71485428



when to go from finding it really tough to enjoying it to being addicted [URL="http://"][/URL][/QUOTE]
usually around the time when you find yourself pretendin to go to work,but going running instead :eek:

gerard65

When your invited to a social event and without thinking you say 'no, I've got to go running'.:eek:

opus

When ordering a pint of water in the pub on a night out doesn't seem strange any more

verna

ive also just started running---i joined the fit4life group--they have them all over the country--google it and u should find it.

its a great way to start, we run in a group two evenings a week

unfortunately for me ive sustained a slight injury to my knee so i have to take a week off

but the group is great--the hour flies and ive meet nice people and having a chat makes it so much easier

good luck

Oryx

Addicted?
When you happily go for a run at 6am, when you used to lie in till 11.
When mid run, you realise your mind had wandered and you forgot you were running.
When you save for new running clothes/shoes/gadgets instead of high heels/fashion/nights out.

In my case it took 6 weeks to get through the lung bursting stage. It never gets easy, because youre always aiming for a new target, but it sure does get good.

BrendanCro

The addiction took about 2 months for me.

could barely run half a mile 1st few times. Bit by bit increased the distance. One day, having never done more than 3 miles I decided to run to work (4.1 miles) - didn't time it as I was more concerned with not dying but made it without stopping and nearly cried with happiness! And boom I was hooked!

You know your addicted when you have to leave your running shoes in work the night before a planned a rest day becaue you know full well at 7am the next morning if ye have the shoes ye will decide that a "light 5 miles" is the same as a rest!

Ruu_Old

Running since 2009. When you run before the sunrise, in well below freezing (it was -20C at times in central Illinois this past winter). I took only 2 rest days in March and was extremely anxious when I took an rest day to get ready for a race today. I felt bad about it actually, could be addicted to a lot worse I suppose. Just have to use the old cliché, listen to the body, etc.

lizanne83

Agree it becomes addictive very quick... but that is not always a good thing... you need to find that happy medium. When you go OTT, it can just take over. Happened to me, particularly throughout 2006 and 2007 (leading to anaemia and too underweight)... in 2008 too much running addiction and constant racing led to severe injury. It was at a point that I just HAD to complete certain mileage per week and every day.... Running would always take first priority.... then work, family, friends and life would fit around the training!!

Those 18 months out of any action (after sever injury) taught me a lot of lesions = running is great: for the body and mind... but it’s not everything. Friends used to say to me: god I hope you never end up breaking a leg or in a wheelchair... if you couldn’t ever run again you would just give up altogether (they were right.... at the time...totally addicted)

Another note is that all runners will eventually hit a plateau... where there is no more improvement and the feeling is not as great as it once was. This is not longterm – it just means that you need to take a decent break from it. Turn to something else then return fresh and with a new program... new routes, new distances, etc...

Another addiction part is talking about it.... races, times, techniques... boring the hell out of those less-interested in running!! Gotta be mindful of this too and keep those conversations with fellow-runners only!

But the addiction is great – just make sure to observe and manage it carefully :-) E.g.: like a drug (the endorphins can become addictive afterall...)

rom

Running 10 miles in the rain yesterday. Runners very heavy because they are so wet. People looking at you like you are crazy and in a way you are. When you plan your day around going for a run.

menoscemo

When you go out for a 10 mile run and get back to the car/house at 9.8 miles so you start running round in circles until you garmin bleeps for 10 miles. At that stage you have probably lost it :pac:

dodgyknees

have to agree with ultraman there when you find yourself telling people you cant go for a pint because you have to head out at 730 on a saturday and sunday morning,as for the gym i find running much more enjoyable took me about 4 weeks to get the bug that was 4 year ago ,trick is to enjoy it ,run your own race and be patient when you get injuries .

superfish

apparently it takes 21 days to form new habbits maybe this applies to running I know when I started weight training I hated it due to the pain it puts you in for the first couple of week it took in all a good solid 6 week training for me to know I was truely addicted and now its near 8 years later and I still train most days, although id love to take up running but im afraid im too heavy set now

Timmaay

I would say that I'm not addicted to running as such, training can be tough going and you're body is wrecked after big sessions, alot of things say no, stop this madness ha!

But the thing I am addicted to is the craic I have when I'm running! I am lucky enough to always have someone to run with, I have 3 or 4 different training groups, and the addition for me is to be able to go out for a run/session in the evening and have a good chat with friends, after a long day of work or whatever! Its my form of escapism and I don't know what I would do without that "break" from life most days of the week!

rainbow kirby

Timmaay wrote: »

Its my form of escapism and I don't know what I would do without that "break" from life most days of the week!

This is pretty much the main reason why being injured is driving me absolutely mental.

......... or you hate running, go from barely running a mile to being able to do 6 or so miles but still hate it all the way and only keep up running a bit to keep the weight down, still hating every step of it

huskerdu

menoscemo wrote: »

When you go out for a 10 mile run and get back to the car/house at 9.8 miles so you start running round in circles until you garmin bleeps for 10 miles. At that stage you have probably lost it :pac:

I regularly get caught by the neighbours doing this.

I run home from work, and have to be home by the time the kids are home from school. I plan to end the run at the right time, but if the kids are late, I run up and down the road until they appear around the corner.

littlemsfickle

I've been running at least once a week for the past two years. I took it up for triathlon - was already swimming and running. I'm addicted to the training but in general running is more a necessity than a pleasure for me. So....after two years I'm still waiting:(

BeepBeep67

menoscemo wrote: »

When you go out for a 10 mile run and get back to the car/house at 9.8 miles so you start running round in circles until you garmin bleeps for 10 miles. At that stage you have probably lost it :pac:

oops - where do I seek help? :P

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Sun: Hilly Run: 16.15 / 1:20:32 / 4:59
Nice gentle run on Carrick on my todd, nice to run easy over the hills and let the mind wander, trotted up the road a bit on the way back to make it 10miles.

menoscemo

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

oops - where do I seek help? :P

I see you skillfully measured it so that you went over the required 10 miles. Like any good course, we can accept it being a little long but not a penny short.

This was my 7 miler last week, when I got back to the park gate at only 6.9

lizanne83

menoscemo & co..... totally! I thought I was the only anal person to do that! When garmin gps tells me I am at 9.80 miles (for example) I will circle about to get the extra .20... always the same when trying to round-off to the nearest mile. Phew it's not just me!

Seanie_H

What a great thread.

My addiction I'd say set in after 2 months. I find I don't remember the pain anymore. 50 mins of uphill on Sat, very tough but the first thing I thought when I got to the top and recovered was I can't wait to that again. Its a bit like an alcoholic not getting hangovers I suppose.

TFBubendorfer

http://running.about.com/od/runninghumor/a/knowyourearunner.htm

BeepBeep67

Personally:
You get up at 4am to go for a run because you are on an over and back to the UK just to keep a streak going or because it's in the schedule.
When booking a hotel the first think you do is check on Google maps if there is somewhere to run, the 2nd thing is to check what the Gym is like.
You have more runners than your wife has shoes and handbags.
There's always a pair of runners, shorts and top in your boot.
You view leaving the car somewhere at a night out as an opportunity to justify your run the next morning.
Drinking sparkling water while all around you drink merrily.
You check Boards updates before personal or work emails.

brownian

menoscemo wrote: »

When you go out for a 10 mile run and get back to the car/house at 9.8 miles so you start running round in circles until you garmin bleeps for 10 miles. At that stage you have probably lost it :pac:

Surely everybody does this ? The self-satisfaction of running 10 miles is much more than 9.8. Why get changed, stretch, run and so on, and then refuse yourself the satisfaction of doing what you set out to do?? Nearly every run I find I have to backtrack a couple of hundred metres and then return to the car/house, so as to get the distance in.

What intrigues me is that anyone would NOT do this. Be like running a 25.8 marathon (elitist and insecure, me?:))

osnola ibax

How the hell did people cope without Garmin forerunners, must have been awful.

TFBubendorfer

osnola ivax wrote: »

How the hell did people cope without Garmin forerunners, must have been awful.

We just did not know how inaccurate the car's odometers are.

brownian

I used to measure my runs on Google maps. Always ended up doing extra, when subsequently measured using car odometer...

Mr Slow

RayCun wrote: »

I'd say weeks.
It doesn't mean all the runs will be good, far from it, but you'll start having runs that you really enjoy.

RayCun wrote: »

... or

the first time you're on a run, you realise you've zoned out and your legs have kept running along by themselves and actually it doesn't really hurt...


or, you enter a race, and though you're really nervous beforehand it all goes really well, you complete it and you're proud of what you've done....

...and then you want to do it again.

All of the above, at the start you'll have a great run once in a while, then more often, you'll race and feel like you can't run another step but hang in there for another 3 miles then want to go back and do it faster. You're addicted when you prioritise running over something from your old lifestyle that used to seem so important 'I can't go to the pub tonight to drink 11 red bulls and vodka, eat a dodgy curry on the way home and throw up on my neighbour's front door, I have a 20 mile run in the park tomorrow'

Cabaal

osnola ivax wrote: »

How the hell did people cope without Garmin forerunners, must have been awful.

I used a nike+ for almost a year, heard all aling they are inaccurate as hell. I got my garmin and compared and there honestly wasnt much between them in the end

Nike kept me motivated for a ling time, worth the 25e