Runners? Insight requested.

[lendaddy]

Back in HS I loathed running, it was the worst part of every sport Football, Basketball, etc.. I also did track but only pole-vault (exibition 400m). Anyway, I am thinking that maybe I hated the running because it was always at 10/10ths (coach screaming at you or actual races in track) rather than semi-relaxed????

So do you guys find running a relaxing way to exorcise or is it as bad as I remember I NEED to do some consistant form of exorcise and I have an awesome trail system behind my place. Basically just looking for experiences/insight.

[Nathans_Dad]

I ran about 4 days per week for about 6 months before falling off the wagon. Only did 2 miles per day, was working up to 3 when I quit. I am planning on getting back into it after the Holidays. I ran at a leisurely pace, 8 minute miles or so. I personally found the following:

1) The first mile always sucks, no matter how long you have been running.
2) After that you settle in and it becomes a tolerable experience which gets exponentially easier with time.
3) I began to find myself feeling much better about myself and having less stress.
4) It is a great time to clear your head and just consider your day, etc. Relaxing.

Now then, having said all that I have never been a big exerciser and personally find it hard to get going on a program. Once I got going I found it to be more beneficial than I thought.

[wludavid]

I ran competively through HS and college, and now do it recreationally. I don't race anymore - I'm competitive and I might hurt myself. People always gave me a funny look when I said I ran cross country and distance events in track. Usually they had the same thoughts as you - why would someone want to do the worst part of every other sport as their whole sport? Yes, it is hard, but it's also very rewarding. Start out with low mileage and find some way to keep motivated. I find a great way is to go home after work and put on running clothes every day. Then decide if you want to run or not. It's a cheap mental trick, but it works. Run harder when you feel good and relax on days when you don't. But push yourself once or twice a week (assuming you're working out 4 times per week).

Buy good shoes - spend at least $80 for something that fits. I go to a running store, not Foot Locker. You'll get better advice. Get some good socks - especially if you're planning on starting to run outside in MI this time of the year. You'll be more comfortable if you have no cotton next to your skin.

Find someone to run with. Even if it's once a week, you can go on some nice long runs at a "talking pace" and the miles just breeze by. We used to do 12 miles every sunday morning at 10 am - there were about 6 of us typically. So we'd take off down the trail and compare notes of debauchery from the night before.

Well, that's about as much undirected insight as I can offer right now.

[legion]

If you want relaxing exercise, take up cycling, but it take a lot more time to burn the calories you do while running.

[lendaddy]

Thanks, but I think being alone is one of the big draws for me. Maybe I'll swing by the running store today.

[lendaddy]

Originally posted by legion
If you want relaxing exercise, take up cycling, but it take a lot more time to burn the calories you do while running.

I think I will in the Spring, but with snow coming biking is out of the question.

[legion]

I try to run outside in the spring/summer. Fall/winter, I use the machines inside at the gym. I'm up to burning 1000 calories in 40 minutes on the stepmill.

[TerryBPP]

Use to be an day runner covering 2-3 miles a day. I was 165 lbs at that time (about 2 yrs ago). I fell off the wagon too and shot up to 195 lbs. So in the last month I started running again, only about a mile a day. Man, its alot harder than it use to be. But I;ve dropped 5 lbs so far.

[legion]

Tell me about it.

I was doing 6 miles/day in college. I was 175 at the time. Now I'm 240. Puts a lot more stress on my knees/calves/ankles.

[Rot 911]

I never ran before I went to Basic Training. Fell out of the first mile run. Thanks to the foot in the asss support of the Drill Sergeants I actually got good a running. Never liked it, but got good at it. Have run lots of 5K's and 10K's even two marathons. To this day I still have to motivate myself to get dressed and go run.

So why do I still run? Cause it is guaranteed to burn calories and the only expense is some running shoes and cheap clothes. When I was 18 I weighed 155lbs. This morning when I weighed myself I was 158. Oh, and I am now 50 years old.

[wludavid]

I'm still at 145 where I've been since I was 19. (A whopping 5 years ago...) I'd be more satisfied with that if I didn't know that was because my body fat has gone up at the same rate I've lost muscle mass.

[wludavid]

You might also want to take up hashing. Just don't fool yourself into thinking it's healthy -


http://dmoz.org/Sports/Running/Hashing/North_America/United_States/Michigan/

[Moses]

Originally posted by lendaddy
... a relaxing way to exorcise or is it as bad as I remember

I'm here all week. Remember to tip your waitress.

[Rick Lee]

I ran seven marathons as a pack-a-day smoker and thought I'd never stop running. I'm only 34 now and haven't done much more than treadmill running in the last two yrs. There's a saying that goes something like: "Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone." Well, that's where I am now. I really, really want to get back to outdoor, trail and long distance running. But I'm a big guy and my knees have a lot of hard miles on them already. Sometimes I just want to stay on the treadmill, watching the hotties in front of me bouncing around, while going through my Walter Mitty fantasies with my Discman. Not quite the same endorphin fix as serious running though.

[craigster59]

After falling off the wagon, I started running again 2 months ago. I run at a liesurely pace ( 6, 6.5 mph) which gives you a 10 minute mile. Start with 20 minutes the first week ( 2 miles ) and add 5 minutes every week. I find mornings Mon., Wed. and Fri. work best for me. No matter how bad my day goes from there I know I've done something good for myself.

[MichiganMat]

Yeah, go Hashing. That stuff is fun!

I personally hate running by myself. I need the exercise though, so I started playing soccer. I much prefer running around after a ball with a team of guys to running down the block with my iPod. I play pick-up 3 times a week now and Im so much happier than I was trying to run or lift by my lonesome.

[lendaddy]

So running sucks, no two ways about it? I mean even you run-nuts say it is a struggle to stay motivated which means it's not likely to work for me then. For instance I enjoy playing basketball(full court two hours straight once a week) but even then I miss some weeks. So if I loath the activity all together........I don't like my odds

[hardflex]

Running down the beach is about as relaxing and fun as you're gonna get., i'll do it anytime. But running on the streets beats the heck out of my joints, so I don't do it anymore. A little biking, some walking, some striding on soft grass if i get time.

I used to be 235 lbs and couldn't jog a step without injuring my achilles. now i'm 200 and it's not nearly as hard on my body to do stuff.

Why not pole vault your way back into shape ;-)

[lendaddy]

Originally posted by hardflex


Why not pole vault your way back into shape ;-)

Would that I could, but I think I would need a telephone pole to support my big ass anymore

[wludavid]

Think of it as inertia. It's much easier to sit around or to sleep in than it is to get exercise. I don't think running requires more motivation than other sports, it's just more typically solitary, and therefore it's more internal than meeting to play basketball or soccer. If your goal is to be alone, clear your mind and get exercise, then you really can't beat running. But the tradeoff is that you have to be disciplined.