I woke up one day just after turning 40 and shortly after separating from my wife feeling quite miserable. I had wallowed in the depths of depression and indulged in self medicating with lots of alcohol. The alcohol consumption led to hangovers, not only of the transient headache variety, but also of the “I can’t fit in my pants” variety. Anyway, I woke up, went to the mirror, looked at myself ans decided that wasn’t the way I wanted to continue on. So, I decided to start a couch to 5K… It really sucked the first couple of times I went out to run, but I was determined to continue. Each week I got a bit better, and each week I lost a bit of weight. I also noticed that my mood was dramatically better after a run.
Finally, it was time for my 5K - and it didn’t suck! I actually did a decent job for my age group.
Fast forward a few years where I have continued down this path of doing 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathons and I find myself down 11 kilos in weight and up 60 kilos in a new partner - in part due to being in a better state of mind due to regular exercise.
Personally, I think aren't many better return on investment activities than spending half an hour every day on a morning jog.
You can run more than that but I think half an hour steady state easy run each morning gives you 80% of results. If you love running (I do), knock yourself out. But that half an hour is enough to do wonders to your health over long periods of time with minimum chance for negative consequences. By easy run I mean one when nothing aches and you can converse easily throughout the run.
I think a lot of people go hard on it and overdo it and then get injured or stop it for other reasons. It is better to make those runs easy and enjoyable so that you can keep running daily forever.
I have also started 4/20 intermittent fasting 3 months ago and keto a month ago and I can tell you, I have never felt better. And this even when I do 10k run in the morning on an empty stomach after 18h of not eating anything.
I agree with you, but there's one big "Oh, right..." in there.
Up until a year and a half ago, I had never enjoyed a jog in my life. I had done plenty of "jogging" during school years, as part of gym class, but nobody had ever explained to me difference between a pleasant jog and running until you drop.
I stopped exercising for many years. Then started powerlifting. A couple of years ago I decided that I should take a walk every day. Then that I should do at least 10.000 steps a day. A year and a half ago, I figured I could probably do a very light run. I enjoyed it. Then I started running at least every other day (during summer). Stoppped during winter. Picked it up again last spring. Now I'm again awaiting spring.
It took 41 years of my life before I realized what a light run was. I think most people don't run because they have never actually learned what a light run is. It's always flat out.
I highly recommend "80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster By Training Slower" by Matt Fitzgerald. Don't let the title put anyone off -- it's about performance, but most of the book is about the value of going SLOW.
Like you, I was never really a runner, although I did get into running when I met my current partner, who is a runner. I think what's complicated for most not-fit people is that they only have one running "speed'. I only had one running speed until I was almost 40. There was walking, and then there was running. Obviously there was also "sprinting" but we all recognize that's unsustainable. I think for most of us, "running" is what a runner would call a tempo run -- say 80% of your maximum heartrate, something you feel you can sustain more-or-less indefinitely, but that's hard.
When you're not-obese-but-out-of-shape, you might walk a mile in 15-17 minutes, and a run would be in the 10-12 minute range. It's hard to actually go any slower than that and still be running. And as you slowly get more fit, your runs get down to (say), a 9 minute mile, an 8 minute mile. But you never realize you can (and should!) scale back to that 10 or 12 minute mile. You'll be able to run every day instead of every few days. You'll get the health benefits without the injuries. And the side benefit is that, if you add speed work, you'll get faster more quickly than if you just ran at 'running speed' all the time.
The couch to 5k program listed mentions mixing walking and running -- this is a great alternative to a "slow run" for those who still only have 1 speed.
I think some of the ability to differentiate a light run from a hard run requires having a degree of baseline fitness. A lot of people who are not especially fit will find that they can run quickly for a minute or two, or very slowly for maybe ten minutes, but either way they find themselves completely winded and sore. Folks will read advice online about running at a pace where you can have a conversation, but find that there's literally no pace above a walk where this is possible for them.
I was interested in running for years, but found the walk breaks that the Couch to 5k program uses to deal with this issue to be tedious. I tried it a few times, but it didn't stick until years later after I'd started a gym habit and built a good base. When New Years came around, I was used to going to the gym before work every morning, and it was really disruptive when my gym was suddenly insanely packed with resolutioners, so I just put my stuff in a locker and tried going outside for a run. With the base I'd built in the gym, I found I could run quickly for a few minutes, but when running slowly I could go for 30+ minutes without a break instead of ten, and it finally stuck (that was 4 years ago).
Yep. This is the thing that I wish somebody told me when I first ventured to start running.
Light run is when I run with somebody else and I still can have a pleasant conversation.
I take phonecalls when I am running and I had situations where people were surprised when I told them I am running (they expected me to be panting probably).
IMO there is no need to run any harder than that if your goal is maximising your wellbeing (unless your wellbeing comes from winning races...)
Two weeks ago I was heading to go for a run and my 8 year old declared he was coming with me (this was 630AM on a school day). We did 1.25 miles but the most interesting thing he said was that we weren’t running, we were just jogging. It was a slow 12’ pace… slower than I’d go solo but I didn’t want to wear him out.
Anyway, this bias you mention seems to be taught/ingrained at a young age!
Yes, this is exactly the pattern you see in the r/c25k subreddit. Lots of people hit a wall (usually around week 5 or 6, where you start running for longer stretches of time) because they’re running too fast. The most unintuitive part of this program is pacing yourself.
Personally I think (I don't do!) I'd rather go harder/faster/longer less often. Getting ready for and then showering etc. after such a brief activity every day is just annoying isn't it?
I shower every day anyway, so I don't count shower time as cost of running. I head out first thing in the morning immediately after I get up and then shower immediately after I come back. Which I think is a terrific way to start my day.
Does it take time? Yes, it does, but only if you look at it in this simplistic way. Even if I did not enjoy running itself, it makes the rest of the day feel better for me which I think makes up for the time "wasted".
I also use my runs to listen to news, audiobooks or podcasts. I am walking every day in the evening and I use that time to listen to audiobooks and also get some grocery, etc. -- trying to get as much from the time I spent on walks as possible.
If I don't listen to something I am trying to be productive by rethinking things that happened to me, preparing arguments for upcoming meetings, thinking through other problems that I have at the moment.
I try to run every day. And I try to run hard every other day, but if I don't feel like running hard one day that's ok. On the hard runs all I do is run. I can't think, I just need to focus on maintaining my pace (when I notice that I'm putting together a coherent string of thoughts it's my cue to go faster).
But on my slow days I think. And it's wonderful. I don't know how many problems I've solved during my runs, but it's a lot. Something about getting outside and moving somehow unties knots in my thinking. And if I don't have a problem to solve I might review some recent stuff I've been studying. I might for example pretend I'm doing a presentation on the topic. Since I'm out there and can't write anything down I have to repeat everything in my head, and that repetition makes it stick. (Works if I'm preparing an actual presentation too!)
Because of this I usually try to go running after 1-2 hours of work. This way when I go running I usually have some material fresh in my mind. Working from home is obviously a big advantage.
I stopped running when I got my current job because there was so much work I wanted to do and didn't think I had the time. Huge mistake. I started running again in August and have been keeping it up since then, and my work has improved a lot.
This probably doesn't work for everyone, but it's an experience worth searching out!
You may be one of those types who enjoy interval training more than longer, steadier, more "laid back" efforts.
Apparently, if you match it to your fitness/ recovery levels (and goals if you have them), doing quality over quantity can be just as good as – and in some cases better than – doing more volume at less intensity.
I personally prefer cycling at a more laid back pace. But if I were back on some run-training regimen, I'd prefer less volume with more intensity workouts. Because I enjoy cycling, and kinda dread running.
But I heard mixing both, in terms of volume and quality, will have the most optimal results in terms of performance gains.
Maybe you know all this already, but just ya know, throwing it out there.
4 minutes run hard enough to push heart rate to 90%, 3 minutes recover, repeat 4 times; about 45 minutes, every other day if you're old and need the recovery.
I've found that simply incorporating a few miles of brisk walking into your routine with a moderately heavy backpack and good posture (no/minimal slouching or leaning forward) is reasonably effective exercise, particularly if it's at all hilly.
I think it works out similarly to low-intensity deadlifting and squatting, and becomes much easier if you also lift consistently.
I've since learned that there's actually a specific name for this kind of workout: rucking. It's apparently fairly popular with many benefits; people even buy specially designed packs and weights.
> I think a lot of people go hard on it and overdo it and then get injured or stop it for other reasons.
Yes, I think C25K and the "just run" sentiment in general is missing half a dozen asterisks about this aspect. Like "except don't run on concrete for the first year", or "except do this progression of exercises for feet and tendons for 3 months before you start doing continuous 2-3k", or just "hire a trainer to get you started".
I've never been overweight, been active as a kid, was in increasingly good physical shape throughout my 3 attempts to start running over the years and got injured for months every time.
By the last attempt I was taking multi-hour walks as a habit, lifting weights 5 days a week, watching my sleep and diet. And heart rate monitor has shown that I straight up didn't have this magical "easy run" heart rate zone available - brisk walk was well below 120 bpm and even jogging in place got me over 130.
C25K is great for what it is, but I feel what it is is not enough to start running safely.
I think phrasing it as “30 minutes of light runnning” is a great way to explain it. A lot of people get turned off by “3 miles” or “5km” and it doesn’t account for slower paces.
A great way to start is to commit to 15 minutes of run/walk time 3-4x a week. When I decided to start, I did one long block where I’d run one way and walk back for 20 minutes. A few weeks later I’d run 7 minutes out (with occasional breaks at first) and 8 minutes back.
The goal is to feel good afterwards - not like crap. It’s better to do a workout at 80% of your capacity and want more than to go 105% and feel like butt. You want to develop a positive association in your brain so that you crave a run.
So number one piece of advice - go slow! If it helps, get a watch with a heart rate monitor and keep it below your 80% level. Worry about your times after the first 5k.
I think the problem with anything we do like weight loss strategies or healthy diet or exercise is adherence.
Long time ago, when I would start something I would try all the way. Loose all crappy food or not at all. The problem is that these would only last as long as my enthusiasm.
This is a disaster, because it means I just spent a bunch of effort on a project that brings no long term results.
So nowadays I always think how I can bring most results with as little resources (resources being my effort/focus) and then how I can get as much bang for the buck long term.
Running must be sustainable. That's why I run easy, every day. I could run every other day but there is something magical in building strong habits. In my case I no longer think about it -- I get up, I empty myself, I weigh myself, I head out the door for a run, I come back, take a shower, drink coffee. This is my morning routine and the only decision I make is what to put on based on the weather.
And it can't feel hard. And you need to have good shoes and clothes for any weather.
All nutrition advice in the world will not help if you will not stick to it. So I resolved to not start punishing myself by removing foods that I like, but rather I started by learning new foods that I can like but are also healthy. Over time, with more and more healthy foods I know I started pushing out the unhealthy ones.
"Running, even 5-10 minutes per day and slow speeds <6 mph, is associated with markedly reduced risks of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease."
I think all those studies that say running even 5-10 minutes makes you almost invulnerable from death should be taken with caution.
One problem is that people who run regularly are just different from people who do not. People who will run will make a lot of other choices that are also better for their health, for various reasons like being probably more intelligent (to see the reason), having means (to be able to carve time each day to do it consistently) and also have the willpower to stick to something that will only have positive results sometime in the future. Running might be, at least to some extent, a result of people being in better health both mentally and physically and not the cause.
Don't get me wrong, I truly believe running is good for you and I see how I get worse when I can't run and then get better when I can. But I red a bunch of those studies and pretty much every one of those studies has some problems, and basically that is because it is neigh impossible to have long term randomised study on real people on a topic like running where it is basically impossible to point finger at people and get them to adhere to your prescribed lifestyle.
I never liked running or walking much, I think due to a kind of impatience where it feels like I'm going too slow. If someone relates to this you might love ebikes. A lot more fun and you can get as much exercise as you want to out into it. And you can ride them on the road where it might be dangerous or awkward to walk.
I did this about four years ago. I hated it. Even running with my collie or listening to audio books didn't help. It just felt like a miserable chore, every time I put on my running shoes. In the end I just quit.
Now I hike every weekend, at least 10 miles, which lets me go out with family and friends. I also do various martial arts with my son, which as a shared activity is so much more enjoyable.
The only time I'll run again is if I'm being chased.
Did you get all the way through the program? Did you have good quality running shoes? I remember it being miserable at the start, but after I finished the program (and was going beyond 5k up to around 12k) it started feeling amazing. It was really strange. It went from painful to just plain addictive!
But then Canadian winters intervened and I got out of the habit and never got back to it again. Since then I’ve had a pretty bad ankle injury (at work, not from working out) and I miss running so much!
I'll never tell people they have to, but winter running can be really enjoyable. I committed this year to doing as much of my training outside through the Canadian winter as possible, and so far it's been a dream. I ran through the storm that ripped through Ontario right before Christmas and caught myself thinking that I wasn't sure how much worse conditions would have to be for me to stop having a good time.
Like the beginning of your comment, it ultimately comes down to gear. An ankle injury is a good reason to not push yourself running, but the weather need not be :)
Not every sport is for everyone. I feel the same. I even ran some 10Ks, but I hate every second of it. Maybe I'm too heavy or my joints are already screwed up too much, but I much prefer weight lifting and basketball.
Yeah, I got up to 5k. I think that most of the problem was running the same route every time. There's no new experience, it's just a slog on the same roads and paths. When I know I'm going out on a hike, I pick really nice places to go, where there's beautiful scenery. I take my son, my nephew, and friends. We go to the pub afterwards. Also it's not an after work activity, but a dedicated day. Half the year in the UK, before you start work, or after you clock off, its dark.
I am sorry you hated it. The first time I started running I hated it too. But that was just because I did not know how to run or what to expect. I think my very first run was something like 250m after which I through the shoes and vowed never to try again.
But once I learned how to run, calibrated my expectation on how running looks like (I was trying way too hard before) and got my body couple months to adjust I started genuinely loving it even though initially I was forcing myself to do it for health reasons.
I think running is something that you can stick to for long enough to be able to figure out if it is actually for you.
I was writing a comment very similar, I tried it and hated it, I thought running was the worst thing ever and just could not enjoy it even though I was most of the way through the program.
What I do now is go cycling/spinning for 30 mins at the gym with an audiobook, it feels like the same proper cardio, but everything else is different, I'm not outside, I don't have to watch out for anything, it's warm, by bones don't feel like they're all getting shaken about.
I have a theory that people who want to get in shape but don't know where to start will gravitate towards running, because it's what we all remember doing in grade school gym class.
Running is great, I'm not knocking it at all. But I would also try other activities to see what sticks (hiking, weightlifting, rock climbing, social sports leagues, etc.)
There's also lots of free beginner-friendly workouts on YouTube (where you follow-along with an instructor).
Running can also be very high impact on joints and if a person hasn't moved around much for quite some time might be asking them to do more than they are ready for.
Recently started running again. Hadn't run in in close to a decade, but I got back into it really quickly. However, after only a few weeks of running, I developed symptoms similar to compartment syndrome in my left leg, and now I can't run for more than 30 minutes every other week without getting really sore. I was really getting into it, too.
I think running is attractive because it's one of the most effective sports at burning energy, and it's entry level. Shoes, and some loose clothes.
In the past I've lost weight from a bunch of different sports and running worked the best. It's just the most intense pure sport, without mechanical assistance.
I'm pretty sure it is one of the least effective sports at burning energy. Humans have evolved to be highly efficient runners, therefore we exert less energy when we run (plus compared alternative we're under-using our upper bodies). Swimming is almost certainly the most effective sport for burning energy.
That being said: Losing body fat from exercise is a bad strategy anyway. Exercise is important for improved health, improved aging, combat certain diseases (like metabolic syndrome), etc. But the maths alone shows that you cannot out-run a bad diet, one McDonald's meal is more than an hour of moderate exercise regardless of type.
Body fat is lost in the kitchen, fitness is gained at the gym, people mix those two things up regularly.
I kinda dread running (but will do it, and like having done it after the fact but during the runs is another story).
But in terms of being able to run anytime (with the right layering), anywhere (more or less, so long as you can avoid traffic), and with basically minimum barrier to entry in terms of gear, it's hard to beat when comparing it to other sports & fitness activities.
I still much rather would ride my bicycles hard, but I can't deny the barrier to entry is significantly higher, even if you're aiming for budget bikes (the learning curve is kinda steep in being able to spot a decent deal), let alone higher-end stuff. But oh, is it a sublime and beautiful experience on the bike.
Agreed! And to your point, I tried to include a couple of activities with a low barrier of entry in my above post. You could argue that bodyweight-only YouTube workouts have an even lower barrier of entry than running (you don't even need shoes!).
Also, a small nitpick: if someone is starting from zero, I'd argue "effectiveness" probably shouldn't be the goal...it should be finding an activity the person loves and wants to keep doing. From my own experience: For years I hated fitness and avoided it at all costs...until I found a gym with group fitness classes that I fell in love with. From there, losing weight was easy because I was just doing something I loved.
If I were starting cardio from being a couch potato I would choose walking, cycling or swimming. All of those are easier on the body, especially if you're overweight.
If you do decide to run, remember to take it easy in the beginning. It has a high impact on your joints so you need to train them gradually.
Depends on how much couch potato we are talking. I find it very hard to work up an elevated heart rate while swimming since I only know breast stroke and am not that good at it. Increasing your HR with swimming requires good technique which is a large barrier of entry. Even when I was at my least fit I would not have gotten that much from swimming or walking, presumably because I did small walking in my every day life like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. So obviously walking works wonder but only up to a point. I recommend walking and swimming for total couch potatoes but I personally I find them less useful as soon as you get a bit fit (unless you learn good swimming technique).
Biking on the other hand makes it easy to pick your desired level of effort while keeping impact on joints relatively low. As a downside, unlike running or walking, it does not do much for your back health. Your spine and back muscles benefit a lot from walking/running. So biking and walking can be a good combination, or biking and running.
And 100% agreed that your joints need to be trained gradually, your cardio and muscles improve faster than your joints. And while this is universal it is more important in running than e.g. biking.
I've just spent the last 24 hours in a hospital due to a family emergency. Seeing the other people in the hospital has really hammered home the old saying:
If you don't make time for you health now then you will be forced to make time for your illness later.
While many people find themselves in hospital through no fault of their own, it is clear from what I can hear and see that many other people could have avoided being there by taking some time each day to be active and eat/drink a bit less throughout their life.
It doesn't need to be running but it does need to be a concerted effort that gets your heart rate up and creates a little discomfort in the body (not pain, just work).
And no "running round after the kids" each day, doesn't count.
You need to realise that weight bearing exercises (this means running, walking etc) are good for bone health. Low impact activities like cycling don’t give your bones the right stimulus to stay strong. And as the other commenter has said, the impact damage is probably in the minds of people who say that running does then damage but in reality it doesn’t do damage, it is actually a benefit to bones and joints.
The “impact on the joints” is massively overstated. Run with good gait & such (there are many good instructional videos on this, but some key points are don't over-stride thinking it'll make you go faster, try not to heal strike, don't push too hard or too fast, make sure you get rest between fast or long sessions, and wear decent shoes) and your knees/ankles/other will be just fine. There is as much evidence for running helping the joins in later life (assume you start earlier) as there is for the opposite.
This is, of course, unless you have a pre-existing issue. If you have a pre-existing issue running will find it and make it worse, especially as you push out the distance.
On distance, according to some studies 5K happens to be a good point for optimising the long term health benefits – after that you see diminishing returns so don't feel pressured to go further unless you find you enjoy it.
And if you can, try get out and run in the countryside where it is pretty and you are breathing in less car fumes and similar.
If you haven’t run at all your entire life then your joints don’t have the required strength. Obviously that’s not the case for you so you wouldn’t know.
Get a bike trainer - wheel-on trainers are cheaper and use Zwift. If you keep with it you can upgrade later to something nicer or ride your bike outside.
Absolutely. Zwift keeps it quite interactive but I’ve heard good things about the Wahoo platform as well. Lots of structured training plans for beginners and more experienced riders alike.
It's both depending on context (including age, body type, level of fitness etc). If you build gradually towards running fast and for long distances, it's a stimulus. If you run significantly beyond your current ability, it does damage.
Yep, after years of being a couch- and desk-potato, this got me out and running.
That, and having a young and energetic dog in the early stages of lock-down!
I've managed to stick to 5-10km every other day (though it's a challenge in the winter, admittedly), and did my first half marathon in 2:09 a couple of months ago.
Readit News
You can run more than that but I think half an hour steady state easy run each morning gives you 80% of results. If you love running (I do), knock yourself out. But that half an hour is enough to do wonders to your health over long periods of time with minimum chance for negative consequences. By easy run I mean one when nothing aches and you can converse easily throughout the run.
I think a lot of people go hard on it and overdo it and then get injured or stop it for other reasons. It is better to make those runs easy and enjoyable so that you can keep running daily forever.
I have also started 4/20 intermittent fasting 3 months ago and keto a month ago and I can tell you, I have never felt better. And this even when I do 10k run in the morning on an empty stomach after 18h of not eating anything.
Up until a year and a half ago, I had never enjoyed a jog in my life. I had done plenty of "jogging" during school years, as part of gym class, but nobody had ever explained to me difference between a pleasant jog and running until you drop.
I stopped exercising for many years. Then started powerlifting. A couple of years ago I decided that I should take a walk every day. Then that I should do at least 10.000 steps a day. A year and a half ago, I figured I could probably do a very light run. I enjoyed it. Then I started running at least every other day (during summer). Stoppped during winter. Picked it up again last spring. Now I'm again awaiting spring.
It took 41 years of my life before I realized what a light run was. I think most people don't run because they have never actually learned what a light run is. It's always flat out.
Like you, I was never really a runner, although I did get into running when I met my current partner, who is a runner. I think what's complicated for most not-fit people is that they only have one running "speed'. I only had one running speed until I was almost 40. There was walking, and then there was running. Obviously there was also "sprinting" but we all recognize that's unsustainable. I think for most of us, "running" is what a runner would call a tempo run -- say 80% of your maximum heartrate, something you feel you can sustain more-or-less indefinitely, but that's hard.
When you're not-obese-but-out-of-shape, you might walk a mile in 15-17 minutes, and a run would be in the 10-12 minute range. It's hard to actually go any slower than that and still be running. And as you slowly get more fit, your runs get down to (say), a 9 minute mile, an 8 minute mile. But you never realize you can (and should!) scale back to that 10 or 12 minute mile. You'll be able to run every day instead of every few days. You'll get the health benefits without the injuries. And the side benefit is that, if you add speed work, you'll get faster more quickly than if you just ran at 'running speed' all the time.
The couch to 5k program listed mentions mixing walking and running -- this is a great alternative to a "slow run" for those who still only have 1 speed.
I was interested in running for years, but found the walk breaks that the Couch to 5k program uses to deal with this issue to be tedious. I tried it a few times, but it didn't stick until years later after I'd started a gym habit and built a good base. When New Years came around, I was used to going to the gym before work every morning, and it was really disruptive when my gym was suddenly insanely packed with resolutioners, so I just put my stuff in a locker and tried going outside for a run. With the base I'd built in the gym, I found I could run quickly for a few minutes, but when running slowly I could go for 30+ minutes without a break instead of ten, and it finally stuck (that was 4 years ago).
Light run is when I run with somebody else and I still can have a pleasant conversation.
I take phonecalls when I am running and I had situations where people were surprised when I told them I am running (they expected me to be panting probably).
IMO there is no need to run any harder than that if your goal is maximising your wellbeing (unless your wellbeing comes from winning races...)
Anyway, this bias you mention seems to be taught/ingrained at a young age!
Does it take time? Yes, it does, but only if you look at it in this simplistic way. Even if I did not enjoy running itself, it makes the rest of the day feel better for me which I think makes up for the time "wasted".
I also use my runs to listen to news, audiobooks or podcasts. I am walking every day in the evening and I use that time to listen to audiobooks and also get some grocery, etc. -- trying to get as much from the time I spent on walks as possible.
If I don't listen to something I am trying to be productive by rethinking things that happened to me, preparing arguments for upcoming meetings, thinking through other problems that I have at the moment.
But on my slow days I think. And it's wonderful. I don't know how many problems I've solved during my runs, but it's a lot. Something about getting outside and moving somehow unties knots in my thinking. And if I don't have a problem to solve I might review some recent stuff I've been studying. I might for example pretend I'm doing a presentation on the topic. Since I'm out there and can't write anything down I have to repeat everything in my head, and that repetition makes it stick. (Works if I'm preparing an actual presentation too!)
Because of this I usually try to go running after 1-2 hours of work. This way when I go running I usually have some material fresh in my mind. Working from home is obviously a big advantage.
I stopped running when I got my current job because there was so much work I wanted to do and didn't think I had the time. Huge mistake. I started running again in August and have been keeping it up since then, and my work has improved a lot.
This probably doesn't work for everyone, but it's an experience worth searching out!
Apparently, if you match it to your fitness/ recovery levels (and goals if you have them), doing quality over quantity can be just as good as – and in some cases better than – doing more volume at less intensity.
I personally prefer cycling at a more laid back pace. But if I were back on some run-training regimen, I'd prefer less volume with more intensity workouts. Because I enjoy cycling, and kinda dread running.
But I heard mixing both, in terms of volume and quality, will have the most optimal results in terms of performance gains.
Maybe you know all this already, but just ya know, throwing it out there.
And showering after a workout feels sublime.
https://www.ntnu.edu/cerg/advice
https://vimeo.com/75764170
This is the biggest risk.
Always remember that your bodies ability to adapt is quickest for breathing, slower for muscles and slowest for tendons/joints.
Once many people overcome breathing they go too hard when muscules develop and end up with achilles or knee issues.
I think it works out similarly to low-intensity deadlifting and squatting, and becomes much easier if you also lift consistently.
As a bonus, it's also fun and relaxing.
Yes, I think C25K and the "just run" sentiment in general is missing half a dozen asterisks about this aspect. Like "except don't run on concrete for the first year", or "except do this progression of exercises for feet and tendons for 3 months before you start doing continuous 2-3k", or just "hire a trainer to get you started".
I've never been overweight, been active as a kid, was in increasingly good physical shape throughout my 3 attempts to start running over the years and got injured for months every time. By the last attempt I was taking multi-hour walks as a habit, lifting weights 5 days a week, watching my sleep and diet. And heart rate monitor has shown that I straight up didn't have this magical "easy run" heart rate zone available - brisk walk was well below 120 bpm and even jogging in place got me over 130.
C25K is great for what it is, but I feel what it is is not enough to start running safely.
The cardiac exercise research group in Norway have developed and tested an online maximum heart rate calculator.
https://www.ntnu.edu/cerg/hrmax
Check what that number is for you.
The interval training they recommend would be about 90% of maximum heart rate.
(For example, I'm in my early 60s and I'm supposed to push my heart rate into the range 150—165 bpm.)
What did you injure? What did you do after thinking you were injured?
A great way to start is to commit to 15 minutes of run/walk time 3-4x a week. When I decided to start, I did one long block where I’d run one way and walk back for 20 minutes. A few weeks later I’d run 7 minutes out (with occasional breaks at first) and 8 minutes back.
The goal is to feel good afterwards - not like crap. It’s better to do a workout at 80% of your capacity and want more than to go 105% and feel like butt. You want to develop a positive association in your brain so that you crave a run.
So number one piece of advice - go slow! If it helps, get a watch with a heart rate monitor and keep it below your 80% level. Worry about your times after the first 5k.
Long time ago, when I would start something I would try all the way. Loose all crappy food or not at all. The problem is that these would only last as long as my enthusiasm.
This is a disaster, because it means I just spent a bunch of effort on a project that brings no long term results.
So nowadays I always think how I can bring most results with as little resources (resources being my effort/focus) and then how I can get as much bang for the buck long term.
Running must be sustainable. That's why I run easy, every day. I could run every other day but there is something magical in building strong habits. In my case I no longer think about it -- I get up, I empty myself, I weigh myself, I head out the door for a run, I come back, take a shower, drink coffee. This is my morning routine and the only decision I make is what to put on based on the weather.
And it can't feel hard. And you need to have good shoes and clothes for any weather.
All nutrition advice in the world will not help if you will not stick to it. So I resolved to not start punishing myself by removing foods that I like, but rather I started by learning new foods that I can like but are also healthy. Over time, with more and more healthy foods I know I started pushing out the unhealthy ones.
This is my advice for lasting lifestyle changes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4131752/
"Running, even 5-10 minutes per day and slow speeds <6 mph, is associated with markedly reduced risks of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease."
One problem is that people who run regularly are just different from people who do not. People who will run will make a lot of other choices that are also better for their health, for various reasons like being probably more intelligent (to see the reason), having means (to be able to carve time each day to do it consistently) and also have the willpower to stick to something that will only have positive results sometime in the future. Running might be, at least to some extent, a result of people being in better health both mentally and physically and not the cause.
Don't get me wrong, I truly believe running is good for you and I see how I get worse when I can't run and then get better when I can. But I red a bunch of those studies and pretty much every one of those studies has some problems, and basically that is because it is neigh impossible to have long term randomised study on real people on a topic like running where it is basically impossible to point finger at people and get them to adhere to your prescribed lifestyle.
Now I hike every weekend, at least 10 miles, which lets me go out with family and friends. I also do various martial arts with my son, which as a shared activity is so much more enjoyable.
The only time I'll run again is if I'm being chased.
But then Canadian winters intervened and I got out of the habit and never got back to it again. Since then I’ve had a pretty bad ankle injury (at work, not from working out) and I miss running so much!
Like the beginning of your comment, it ultimately comes down to gear. An ankle injury is a good reason to not push yourself running, but the weather need not be :)
But once I learned how to run, calibrated my expectation on how running looks like (I was trying way too hard before) and got my body couple months to adjust I started genuinely loving it even though initially I was forcing myself to do it for health reasons.
I think running is something that you can stick to for long enough to be able to figure out if it is actually for you.
What I do now is go cycling/spinning for 30 mins at the gym with an audiobook, it feels like the same proper cardio, but everything else is different, I'm not outside, I don't have to watch out for anything, it's warm, by bones don't feel like they're all getting shaken about.
Running is great, I'm not knocking it at all. But I would also try other activities to see what sticks (hiking, weightlifting, rock climbing, social sports leagues, etc.)
There's also lots of free beginner-friendly workouts on YouTube (where you follow-along with an instructor).
Swimming, Rowing, elliptical, cycling, or StairMaster are safer and offer similar health benefits.
In the past I've lost weight from a bunch of different sports and running worked the best. It's just the most intense pure sport, without mechanical assistance.
I'm pretty sure it is one of the least effective sports at burning energy. Humans have evolved to be highly efficient runners, therefore we exert less energy when we run (plus compared alternative we're under-using our upper bodies). Swimming is almost certainly the most effective sport for burning energy.
That being said: Losing body fat from exercise is a bad strategy anyway. Exercise is important for improved health, improved aging, combat certain diseases (like metabolic syndrome), etc. But the maths alone shows that you cannot out-run a bad diet, one McDonald's meal is more than an hour of moderate exercise regardless of type.
Body fat is lost in the kitchen, fitness is gained at the gym, people mix those two things up regularly.
I kinda dread running (but will do it, and like having done it after the fact but during the runs is another story).
But in terms of being able to run anytime (with the right layering), anywhere (more or less, so long as you can avoid traffic), and with basically minimum barrier to entry in terms of gear, it's hard to beat when comparing it to other sports & fitness activities.
I still much rather would ride my bicycles hard, but I can't deny the barrier to entry is significantly higher, even if you're aiming for budget bikes (the learning curve is kinda steep in being able to spot a decent deal), let alone higher-end stuff. But oh, is it a sublime and beautiful experience on the bike.
Also, a small nitpick: if someone is starting from zero, I'd argue "effectiveness" probably shouldn't be the goal...it should be finding an activity the person loves and wants to keep doing. From my own experience: For years I hated fitness and avoided it at all costs...until I found a gym with group fitness classes that I fell in love with. From there, losing weight was easy because I was just doing something I loved.
If you do decide to run, remember to take it easy in the beginning. It has a high impact on your joints so you need to train them gradually.
Biking on the other hand makes it easy to pick your desired level of effort while keeping impact on joints relatively low. As a downside, unlike running or walking, it does not do much for your back health. Your spine and back muscles benefit a lot from walking/running. So biking and walking can be a good combination, or biking and running.
And 100% agreed that your joints need to be trained gradually, your cardio and muscles improve faster than your joints. And while this is universal it is more important in running than e.g. biking.
If you don't make time for you health now then you will be forced to make time for your illness later.
While many people find themselves in hospital through no fault of their own, it is clear from what I can hear and see that many other people could have avoided being there by taking some time each day to be active and eat/drink a bit less throughout their life.
It doesn't need to be running but it does need to be a concerted effort that gets your heart rate up and creates a little discomfort in the body (not pain, just work).
And no "running round after the kids" each day, doesn't count.
Given the impact running has on the joints, it would be great to do a program like this with a bike instead.
(Other than Peloton which obviously has a high entry cost and even their app-only experience is pretty expensive for what it is)
This is, of course, unless you have a pre-existing issue. If you have a pre-existing issue running will find it and make it worse, especially as you push out the distance.
On distance, according to some studies 5K happens to be a good point for optimising the long term health benefits – after that you see diminishing returns so don't feel pressured to go further unless you find you enjoy it.
And if you can, try get out and run in the countryside where it is pretty and you are breathing in less car fumes and similar.
Now try to find some evidence that the impact is damaging rather than a stimulus.
I've managed to stick to 5-10km every other day (though it's a challenge in the winter, admittedly), and did my first half marathon in 2:09 a couple of months ago.
Congrats!