How to start running for a not so very fit person?

Samurai Kai · March 29, 2016, 11:57:28 AM

Alright so as you probably may or may not know, I want to be more physically fit, have more endurance ect ect.

I also want to be an infantry soldier one day, perhaps infantry officer later on but this all requires MUCH needed fitness. HAH! You any idea how pathetic I feel whenever I hear people talking about running on marathons on like a weekly basis and I want to do THAT? Lol it's like, good luck me! I have a long way to go...

See I'm strong, but my endurance is a little on the weak side. I've tried a "Learn To Run" thing but even then I wasn't able to handle just the bit of the beginning, even my running instructor told me that I should just "stick with the walking group" and quit because I couldn't keep up with the runners, I was "holding them all back" he said and he wasn't too pleased, and being quite rude about it. I shouldn't have quit but with what was said made me feel so unwelcome so I just decided to go about and do my own thing except I haven't exactly... started yet, since then. *sigh* so what am I to do to prepare just for that? Hell we were just mostly jogging, it wasn't full out continuous sprinting type of running, but even then I wasn't able to keep up for long. I don't know if this helps any but I stand around 5'4" and weigh around 190. Mostly muscle but I am chubby in places too. I live in the Maple Ridge area so if anyone ever wanted to come practice with me, feel free to message me. Any advice shared is deeply appreciated.

KeyaPup · March 29, 2016, 03:10:39 PM

Hey Kai :D! I like to speed walk everywhere I go, trust me if your walking fast enough you can feel the burn overtime. Once walking at an irregular fast pace for awhile it becomes easy and you can start working up your speed until you find yourself able to jog everywhere! Also working out could help, I dont like doing jumping jacks etc so dancing is a fun way to do it! I personally am not a big eater but eat enough so you have the proper energy to do excercises. This isnt the most proffessional method but its working for me xD

Samurai Kai · March 29, 2016, 03:31:49 PM

Quote from: KeyaPup on March 29, 2016, 03:10:39 PM
Hey Kai :D! I like to speed walk everywhere I go, trust me if your walking fast enough you can feel the burn overtime. Once walking at an irregular fast pace for awhile it becomes easy and you can start working up your speed until you find yourself able to jog everywhere! Also working out could help, I dont like doing jumping jacks etc so dancing is a fun way to do it! I personally am not a big eater but eat enough so you have the proper energy to do excercises. This isnt the most proffessional method but its working for me xD

I'm the fastest walker I know personally. I used to lag behind everyone else and take breaks because I was so out of shape but I've gotten better, but very slowly. I can sprint and stuff, my difficulty is actually holding the pace for an extended period of time. Probably have like exercise induced asthma since I'm not exactly athletic. I can lift weights, just probably need to get used to cardio more.

Owl · March 30, 2016, 10:56:52 AM

Go to a gym and try walking on a treadmill.

It'll track things like how far you've walked. After a while try running.

The secret to getting good at cardio is consistency. Try doing it regularly and you'll eventually build your endurance.

Roady_McLoyart · March 30, 2016, 10:41:38 PM

Walk. Walk everywhere and refrain from using a car. If you take a bus or train, stand whenever possible. I also highly suggest riding a bicycle.

I found out very early on that I couldn't keep up a training regimen at a gym. It's just pointless to allot an hour of time where you're on a treadmill going nowhere when there are so many ways you can incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Figure out how long it takes to walk someplace or ride a bike. When you feel comfortable that you can start running, then do just that!

SharpCoyote · March 31, 2016, 12:50:24 AM

I think running is for people who are just plain wrong in the head.
You run towards things for short distances, like catching a bus, or away from things, mostly when in danger.

Young Samurai, I say climb.

I know I have brought up the Grouse Grind before, and I will do so again:
as soon as it opens, count me in, should you want a masochism buddy.
I have not gained a single pound in 4 years, yet my lack of physical workouts means a lot has migrated to me midsection.

To hell with running;
I will climb or cycle any day, first.

Rule # 1: cardio, cardio, cardio.

Rule #2: double tap

Rule #3: Beware bathrooms
(there are no bathrooms on The Grind)

Samurai Kai · March 31, 2016, 08:42:56 AM

Quote from: SharpCoyote on March 31, 2016, 12:50:24 AM
I think running is for people who are just plain wrong in the head.
You run towards things for short distances, like catching a bus, or away from things, mostly when in danger.

Young Samurai, I say climb.

I know I have brought up the Grouse Grind before, and I will do so again:
as soon as it opens, count me in, should you want a masochism buddy.
I have not gained a single pound in 4 years, yet my lack of physical workouts means a lot has migrated to me midsection.

To hell with running;
I will climb or cycle any day, first.

Rule # 1: cardio, cardio, cardio.

Rule #2: double tap

Rule #3: Beware bathrooms
(there are no bathrooms on The Grind)

I would love that. SERIOUSLY! Nobody has wanted to with me, especially when it's very hot or cold. No bathroom you say? I guess I'll just have to learn to live with it! HAH! The 19 hour hike me and Sasha went on, I never had any bathroom breaks. Heck there was this one time me and him were hiking and I refused to go anywhere until we reached a place that had one. So stubborn...

But yes, I would love that! And everyone's advice does help. It gives me more ideas as to what to do.

SharpCoyote · March 31, 2016, 11:40:52 PM

I shall be on the lookout for when Nature's Stairmaster re-opens; early in the season (spring), there is still snow @ the top,
and it is quite awesome!

Rule #5: travel light

Rule #7: limber up

Rule #9: the buddy system

ppakky · April 01, 2016, 07:52:28 PM

(repeating weeks is fine. Getting a feel for the momentum of the situation, and having fun in the experience is the best part)

Man on a Mission - Br O'Connell and the rise of Kenyan Athletics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmXN-kQZ04M

Kit · April 11, 2016, 08:19:42 AM

do I hear furmeet at the grouse grind ? :)

what area do you live in Kai?

CommanderKat · April 11, 2016, 05:18:30 PM

so one thing I have used to help me and a few other people was walking a long distance like a trail or a walk on a sea wall(we did this last year on a private island trails and learned we actually started running the trails), then after you're no longer tired from that distance after a week or 2, start brisk walking every few minutes. soon enough you will start jogging that distance and it it will no longer be tiring :D but the first week was always the worst so just power through and stay hydrated

Samurai Kai · April 12, 2016, 08:13:30 PM

Thank you so much for the advice guys hehe. Brisk walking - I also have to try that.

Also Kit, I live in Maple Ridge so I gotta go out a little farther to meet with others, but no biggie!

I've always wanted to go on a hike with other furs, just a hike, y'know, for fun. Just get out the door, promote physical fitness, get rid of stress and have social interaction. I like the idea. Perhaps we could all pick an area or a trail that we would like to try, maybe it could be a monthly thing, who knows. Just an idea!

Shadow_Araña · April 13, 2016, 05:05:38 PM

i know this isnt running, but are you going to surfur? thats nice, and outdoorsy.

other things to try. if your on the bus, get off a stop or 2 before your actual stop, and walk the remainder.

also, that instructor is an ass.... >_>
but yea, that be cool to see a gathering of some furs to walk, or run together. i hope that works out ^_^ i cant join, cause i hate both XD but its always nice to see people enjoying things like that.

Samurai Kai · April 14, 2016, 04:50:40 PM

Quote from: Shadowgoddess on April 13, 2016, 05:05:38 PM
i know this isnt running, but are you going to surfur? thats nice, and outdoorsy.

other things to try. if your on the bus, get off a stop or 2 before your actual stop, and walk the remainder.

also, that instructor is an ass.... >_>
but yea, that be cool to see a gathering of some furs to walk, or run together. i hope that works out ^_^ i cant join, cause i hate both XD but its always nice to see people enjoying things like that.

SurFur. That I cannot attend because I have school and if I miss anymore then I'm screwed, basically. I've missed quite a bit lol. Attendance really matters for me, and yeah. It's always fun to go out with friends and do stuff, but in the summer time I'm going to this military summer camp thing known as Bold Eagle, so that should be pretty great. I'm hoping I survive, lol!

Sikhoten_Tiger · April 14, 2016, 09:56:13 PM

Biking is a very good low-impact activity. It's fairly hard to injure yourself ( without falling off or some such ) and definitely builds some cardio, if you're in the Vancouver City area it's a pretty easy choice to make given the extensive network of bike boulevards, paths and lanes. Further out from Vancouver City it's going to vary a lot by municipality, Richmond is great around the edges but has issues around the core and bridges, Burnaby and New West has a decent network but it's not very extensive, just cuts through the main areas reasonably effectively with the skytrain parallel route.

Of course to take much advantage of this it's very helpful to have a good quality bike, this doesn't mean you can't bike with something poorer but less comfortable/effective bikes will always make it easier for you to decide not to bike that day.