Any runners here?

[Batwoman Moderator ReservePEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close Batwoman]

I completely disagree with walking when your tired; If you can't run at one pace the entire distance you should run slower walking is detrimental because it allows lactic acid to build up making it significantly harder to start running again.

One of the main reasons that a lot of people never become runners is because they hear things like this. Maybe some folks are born being able to run a mile, but I sure wasn't. If I had not started out with walking breaks in my runs, I never would have gotten going. Of course it is better for you to run at a constant pace -- but if you can't, how do you ever get there????

Let me describe my first run: I ran 2 blocks slowly and was totally out of breath, my side hurt, I felt awful. Should I have stopped there and gone home? No -- I walked a couple of blocks, then started running again. Repeat. Repeat. Etc. It only took me a few weeks doing that -- with longer and longer running pieces and shorter and fewer walks each time -- before I could run two miles straight. THEN I stopped ever walking, and just extended my runs a bit each week. There is absolutely nothing wrong with starting a running program this way, because it works. The lactic acid thing is of no importance for new runners because it is usually cardiovascular exhaustion that makes you have to take breaks, not sore legs due to lactic acid buildup. That comes later, when you can run for extended periods at a faster pace.

[NSF001 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close NSF001]

Superize,

As for HIIT. I personally love it. The HIIT routine I started off with is:

Take a 10 minute time period and split it into 10 consecutive blocks, where each block lasts for a minutes. Label them 1-10, sucessively. For each odd numbered block: run at a pace that should get your heart racing to near 140-150 bpm. This for me is near 8.5 miles/hour. For the even numbered blocks, run at a pace where your heart is near 180 bpm. This for me is near 9.6 miles/hour.

After this 10 minute, do a 2 minute warm-down where you transition from jogging to walking at a decreasing pace.

[vulcan Retired ModeratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close vulcan]

I used to do sprints up & down a steep valley, when I was younger. I go out & do sprints now, I map out an area of about 50 meters, from say a tree to my bag.

Then I do 2 loops (200m), with about 1 minute in-between. I repeat 10 of these. I am going to play around with bigger & smaller distances.

I prefer sprints, as when I do steady state stuff - my running style deteriorates.

I have also discovered how effective walking is lately.

[NP97 Retired ModeratorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close NP97]

Distance running is crap. I can sprint well, but tell me to jog just a mile and I cry. This was before I was a smoker as well.
Back when I was in good shape I was running the 40 yard dash at 4.75. I think 4.6 was my best, but that could have been a timing error. My mile time was 8-9minutes. So if that says anything....

[Batwoman Moderator ReservePEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close Batwoman]

Distance running is crap. I can sprint well, but tell me to jog just a mile and I cry. This was before I was a smoker as well.
Back when I was in good shape I was running the 40 yard dash at 4.75. I think 4.6 was my best, but that could have been a timing error. My mile time was 8-9minutes. So if that says anything....

Definitely sounds like you are a born sprinter and not a distance runner, NP! I'm just the opposite -- sprints kill me, but I can 9-10 minute miles forever.

[Pirate Retired AdministratorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close Pirate]

Alas, right now, a 9-10 minute mile is a sprint for me.

[MrBigDick Retired ModeratorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close MrBigDick]

All this talk of running is making me exhausted....lol

[millia Senior Member;PEGym Editor Find all posts View Profile Close millia]

All this talk of running is making me look at my Ethiopian-esque right leg and wonder when I'll be cleared to run again. Goddamn I miss doing cardio.

[Batwoman Moderator ReservePEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close Batwoman]

All this talk of running is making me look at my Ethiopian-esque right leg and wonder when I'll be cleared to run again. Goddamn I miss doing cardio.

When will you get the cast off your foot? Or are you in the after-cast healing phase?

[diesel121 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close diesel121]

Hey supersize! Sorry it took me so long to find this thread, but I'm a runner also and have some answers to your questions. I have been a distance runner for a few years now (30+ miles a week) and have found a routine that has worked well for me. Like Batwoman had mentioned, a high carb breakfast is important to provide you with the fuel your body needs during your runs. I like to eat steelcut oats first thing in the morning, then a few hours later once I have digested...I begin my runs. I have found that I get really nasty stomach pains if I eat anything right before a run.

As far as days on/days off...My rule of thumb is long run days are followed by a complete rest day. If I run 10 miles on a Monday, I do no type of cardio work on tuesday to give my body enough time to repair itself. However, if I only run 3-4 miles on that Monday, I run the next day but keep the mileage kinda low (3-6 miles). Ultimately, it all depends on how you feel. When I first got serious with running, I was having all sorts of issues with my feet (tendinitis in my three toes on my right foot) which sidelined me for awhile. Once I healed, I saw my foot doctor and got custom made orthotics for my running shoes which have literally saved my feet and improved my form. I love running and plan to do so for as long as my body allows. It has kept my physique extremely lean, but still muscular which I love. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[slowfall Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close slowfall]

One of the main reasons that a lot of people never become runners is because they hear things like this. Maybe some folks are born being able to run a mile, but I sure wasn't. If I had not started out with walking breaks in my runs, I never would have gotten going. Of course it is better for you to run at a constant pace -- but if you can't, how do you ever get there????

Let me describe my first run: I ran 2 blocks slowly and was totally out of breath, my side hurt, I felt awful. Should I have stopped there and gone home? No -- I walked a couple of blocks, then started running again. Repeat. Repeat. Etc. It only took me a few weeks doing that -- with longer and longer running pieces and shorter and fewer walks each time -- before I could run two miles straight. THEN I stopped ever walking, and just extended my runs a bit each week. There is absolutely nothing wrong with starting a running program this way, because it works. The lactic acid thing is of no importance for new runners because it is usually cardiovascular exhaustion that makes you have to take breaks, not sore legs due to lactic acid buildup. That comes later, when you can run for extended periods at a faster pace.

I think the most important thing a new runner can do is know his or her own limits; If your starting out and you can only run 2 blocks you shouldn't attempt a 2 mile run.
If you only have the cardio to run 2 blocks then take a short break of 5-10 minutes and repeat.
Lactic acid should be of importance to all runners; This is why breathing correctly is so important lactic acid will lower blood oxygen levels causing fatigue and cardiovascular exhaustion.

I've been around running my entire life my mother taught physical fitness in sao paulo and i've been running marathons for as long as I can remember; I'm guessing this more culture shock for me i've only lived in america for 5 years or so and as a culture americans seem pretty lazy maybe I overestimated the average americans cardio; I don't mean that as an insult more of an observations having seen 60 year olds run 20 miles it blows my mind to think that anyone from the age of 20-40 can't at least run 2 blocks.

I apologize if I offended anyone as it was not intended; just wanted to help others do what I love.

[Batwoman Moderator ReservePEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close Batwoman]

It's really hard for people to get started as runners as adults if they've never run before, even if they are in reasonably good shape from doing other things. But it is possible -- I went from running 2 blocks at a time to running a marathon straight through in just a few years. But you have to take it one step at a time.

[legdoctor Member Find all posts View Profile Close legdoctor]

Okay, heres some advice from an experienced BodyBuilder/Fitness Freak:

-Eat after you run, and not any fried up shit. Celery etc is good, so to are low fat oats. The point is that you want to lose weight, so if you dont eat that means your body has to burn fat for energy because you have NO CALORIES IN YOU to burn, if you eat before you run then you will be burning those fresh calories......

-Keeping muscle or gaining muscle whilst trying to lose weight is very hard. Do your cardio AFTER your weights. And drink some decent whey protein straight after u train to feed your muscles. You need carbs to grow, but u dont want fat, so do do some research into what are clean carb foods. You wont get muscle without carbs, this is were most newbies go wrong.

I dont like to give advice on steroids etc, but.....if you want to keep/gain muscle while doing cardio you could try Winstrol or Anavar, extremely mild steroids with little to no side effects dependant on user.... i used them once and got seriously cut up, lost tons of fat, and gainned a little muscle... and NO, my balls did not shut down, and my dick did not get smaller etc......

If u need more detailed help u can pm me, i know my stuff when it comes to fitness, i went from being 110 kg with no muscle, to 90kg with solid definition and drastically low bodyfat...and im healthy.....by the way, since i lost all the fat, my penis looks MUCH BIGGER as the fat pad is gone. its great!