Hint: avoid treadmills. They do increase your cardiovascular performance but they will not help you run on the streets or cross country.

Storkme

Running on the street is much more difficult than running on a treadmill. When you run on a treadmill it's totally different since you don't have to actually move your body - you're just moving your legs. The treadmill is doing half of the work for you.

How I started running again? Couch to 5k with Robert Ullrey's podcasts on an iPod shuffle: [www.ullreys.com]

Do it on the street... it's worlds better.

PatrickTulskie

I don't know why, but I agree with @Storkme. Maybe it's the inertia of your body. I was running pretty good on a treadmill for a couple months. Ran a 5k on it. Then I ran a 1 mile fun run. It kicked my butt. It was MUCH harder to do than I expected.

lexbaby

@Ortzinator: You don't learn how to pace yourself. I used to do treadmill running a lot, I could do a mile in 7-8 minutes without a lot of trouble but the first time I started running outside I could barely do a few hundred meters, I couldn't pace myself at all.

Storkme

@Storkme: How is that?

Ortzinator

Get a decent pair of shoes.

I started running and was just using my normal tennis shoes. After about a week my knees were so swollen I could barely walk.

go to a good running-shoe store and have them watch how you run, so they can help you find a shoe that works for you.

caedus

For everyone saying that street running is so much better than running on a treadmill ... there are a few things to consider:

* impact on legs / shins
* entertainment
* convenience
* safety

I'm a long time cross country runner. I live in a city, so we have sidewalks to run on. I live in the desert so, even out of the city, we have hard dirt to run on, not soft soil. I live in Phoenix, were it's often > 100 degree fahrenheit at *night*.

My girlfriend and I got a treadmill a few months ago and we love it. I can watch TV/screencasts while running. The treadmill is MUCH easier on my shins than the street. I get wicked bad shinsplints running on streets. It's so convenient, I can just hop on the treadmill whenever I want to without having to drive to a good running area (or just running the un-exciting sidewalk ... which is dangerous during the day in Phoenix). I'm safe and sound in my air conditioned home with entertainment and my shins are happy.

I'm all for treadmills. Just don't make the mistake of thinking that a 5k on a treadmill is the same thing as a 5k race. Train HARDER on a treadmill to be prepared for a race. (Actually, either way, you ALWAYS train harder for a race ... on a treadmill or outside)

remi

@PatrickTulskie: Agreed. If you have a nice, fluent treadmill style, you just lift one leg an inch and the treadmill pulls the other one back, not to mention the flywheel effect that keeps the belt moving.

I have a friend who couldn't stop coughing from cigarette smoking one morning, so he quit and started running. A couple of years later he was running the Boston Marathon. Must be his German ancestry--they love pain and work. Is that racist? Rather play tennis myself. Join a club and meet people.

Capone

I'm redoing the Couch to 5k from scratch after an injury that brought me back to level zero.
I'm also thinking about doing an Italian version of the podcast.

If you're interested, once it's out, it will be out here: [www.deadmanwriting.com]

So fare there's only a brief description of my runs with the C25K.

Michael Sacchi

This is a great post for beginners. I've always enjoyed running as time for meditation, listening to podcasts or just plain solitude. After building up a good base I'd also recommend incorporating interval training.

Art Gonzalez
Check my Squidoo Lens at: Quantum Knights

quantumknight

Seriously. Watch out for your shins.

Keeping up with running is tough work, and I can't say that I've done well with it for the past few years.

However, when you *do* keep up with it, you'll find yourself less tired, more alert, and generally a whole lot happier.

schmod

I agree.. get some good quality running shoes. When I first started running, I got some random cross trainer shoes that were on sale. Big mistake. I developed a stress fracture on my lower leg and it was quite painful. I couldn't run for a few months.

During my recovery, I researched running shoes that were appropriate for my foot type and body weight. And it's been cool ever since. Good running shoes are pricey, but paying the premium is much better than injuring yourself.

I'm not a big fan of treadmills either. I just don't get the same type of workout, even if the speed/incline is cranked up a bit. I prefer to run on asphalt, rather than concrete. The asphalt seems a little softer, and it has a little more traction that smooth concrete. I think trail running is the best. Running on dirt, up and down hills, and surrounded by nature makes for a great workout.

greenbot

I second @PatrickTulskie, Ullrey's podcasts have been key in getting me started running.

snachodog

@Storkme - so would buying a manual treadmill be better, since your momentum is moving the rollers instead of a motor?

phrancis

@phrancis: I have no idea, I've never used one.

Incidentally for those of you worried about their shins, weight training increases bone density - so get squatting! If your form is good, it'll do wonders for your knees, too.

Storkme

My problem is that my entire subdivision is all hills, not to mention most of my town. So to run, I would either have to drive somewhere, or run back and forth down my street, which would look rather silly.

Ortzinator

I heard that you should always add +2% incline on a treadmill to get the feeling of running outside. I trained on a treadmill at 2% minimum incline and then ran a sub-30 minute 5K outdoors for my first 5k here in Houston. The outdoor 5K was tougher but not dramatically so.

stationstudios

When I started learning to run years ago, I followed a run-walk program that spanned 10 weeks:

Week 1: Run 1 minute; walk 2 minutes (x7)
Week 2: Run 1 minute; walk 1 minute (x10)
Week 3: Run 2 minutes; walk 1 minute (x7)
Week 4: Run 3 minutes; walk 1 minute (x5)
Week 5: Run 4 minutes; walk 1 minute (x4)
Week 6: Run 6 minutes; walk 1 minute (x3)
Week 7: Run 9 minutes; walk 1 minute (x2)
Week 8: Run 12 minutes; walk 1 minute; run 7 minutes
Week 9: Run 15 minutes; walk 1 minute; run 4 minutes
Week 10: Run 20 minutes

Try to do this 2-3 times per week.

The hardest week for me was going into week 2 because you lose half of your rest.

I had good success with this program, but I encourage aspiring runners to start small, to include walking, and pick a program that you feel comfortable with -- just do a little more tomorrow or next week than you did today or this week. Pick up a good pair of running shoes. This does not mean that you have to spend hundreds of dollars. Check out your local high school track. They usually are open to the public when the school athletics aren't using it.

Good luck and get active!

Hongfiately

As for treadmill vs road running, I dont see it as an either or. Treadmills can be easier on knees and joints, but the softer surface does actually require more effort (thats why they are good for training). Being able to run without having to worry about changes in surfces, direction, or other obstacles, and just concentrate on pure running. Road running on the other hand requires more concetration at the same time as the physical effort. Doing either, though, is better than doing neither! I should know, Im blind and trained for the London marathon on a treadmill, and did the 26 miles on the road. Mark

VaniaMedusa

Like a lot of people here, I've had great success with C25K and Ullrey's podcasts. I had a few false starts and to be honest it took buying plane tickets to visit a flame to get me to stick with it, but it's been really great. I'm not an active person, have always been overweight, but with an investment of $50 for a clearance pair of Sauconys I've made it through week 5 (tomorrow is my first 20 minute straight run!) and I'm actually having fun (and getting compliments!). The increase in energy has a domino effect as I've now got the extra boost to dust off my old weight bench and start lifting again too!

Drew_Blood

you might also want to check out John Bingham's writings. He started running when he was 250 and 40 years old and now runs marathons. He wrote for Runner's World if I remember correctly.

ariswadkar