To not be able to run…

[ManchesterBeatrice]

I'll pre-face this by saying that I have tried the couch to 5K, but that didn't work out for me.

I have full gym membership, and access to treadmills, there are plenty available.

But I just can't run!

It's almost like I feel extremely heavy when I try, I weigh 9 stone, So not carrying lots of extra weight, but I just can't get the breath right.

What am I missing? Is there some kind of secret Runner's trick! I just can't seem to run, and I'd really love to be able to, as it's such a great way to lose weight, and keep weight off Physically when I don't have access to the gym.

Can anyone share their success stories of learning to successfully run on the treadmill, and then being able to take that outside to running outdoors.

Do you have a fitness watch, I have a Garmin and if you get the heart rate part up it shows you different stages, eg aerobic, threshold, maximum etc. if you try and slow down so you don't go above aerobic or threshold depending on what you usually are that may help. It feels really slow to start but does help with stamina and eventually speed.

Humans are designed to run!
It has a huge number of benefits, physical and mental.

Can you explain why you think it is bad for cortisol levels?

Me neither, I feel like I'll fall off treadmills so I walk on an incline to get the heart going.
My boobs are not for running but I love walking. Podcast or music on.

Yes, you can! Start couch to 5k and just go slowly, do it religiously and it will work,

I'm not running at the moment but when I'm in that zone, I can't breathe for the first 10 mins or so then somehow work it out. This is the case even when I'm really fit. I also struggle on treadmills - have one at home but only use it for walking.

I am old and very much not designed for running, but I do enjoy my old lady jogs

Agree with run, walk. I'm in a running club that does 30 seconds running, 30 seconds walking. It's brilliant! We do a min 5k run twice a week. It's achievable and enjoyable. I tried the other group once that was just predominantly running for the 5k and hated it.

I agree with PP's - running is such a different movement from walking that imo it's easiest to start running at what is about the speed of a brisk walk and build from there.

Re treadmill - after I have done my weight training, I'll go on a treadmill for a bit. One day, I was listening to some music I loved and I felt so good that I needed to run so I did and from then, built up my running versus walking time. It builds quickly.
TLDR - listen to great music with a decent tempo

I wish I had a running buddy but they are all too advanced. I run like Phoebe in Friends! With a menopausal tummy added.

Everyone who has said you're going too fast is right. To begin with, you just need to get used to the difference between running and walking (and they do work your muscles in quite different ways) so do your running sections not much faster than a walk.
Building up stamina is the key thing, and that takes time. It will come if you stick at it though.

I also agree with those who say you need a 'why' though. Running isn't compulsory (and I say that as someone who runs 20-30 miles a week). I do it for the love of being outside (I go in ALL weathers, which I wouldn't if I was just walking), to go further than if I was walking (about twice as far in the same time), to keep my weight/body shape where I want it to be (I don't do any other exercise), to chat with my friends (I belong to a very social-based running group), and to challenge myself (I've just done my 10th marathon).

Have you got a parkrun near you? That's a great way of getting into it. There will be someone who walks the whole route who is right at the back, so if you go and walk it the first time there would be someone there. Then you could build up to running short sections, varying it or making it longer over time. It's a hugely supportive and inclusive movement, and the discipline of turning up every week can be quite useful too.

And it can be very good for your joints if you do it right! Weight bearing exercise is important for women, to help with bone density. I have been running for over 10 years and have had no issues with joints (or any other injuries), and don't know anyone with any joint issues from running. The 'it's bad for your knees' line is regularly trotted out, but has been disproved many times - numerous articles available if you google!

When you say they're 'too advanced' have you asked them if they'll run with you? My comfortable/normal pace is about 9.30/9.40 per mile, but I regularly run with a friend whose normal pace is c11 min/mile and another who is slower than that, and during lockdown I used to run every week with a colleague at around 10.50.

Granted, some runners find it hard to run slower than their natural pace, but many might be glad of the chance of a nice easy run! I'd ask your running friends - you might be pleasantly surprised!

Power walking is better for your face. Every woman runner I see over the age of 45 has a face like a bag of spanner's.

That’s ridiculous and you know it. Exercise isn’t bad for your knees, face or anything. Being sedentary is.

WTF??

My previous post was aimed at women who pound pavements/hard surfaces. You get a 'runners face' which looks awful and prematurely aged.

Exercise is very important but there are other ways than he harsh method of pounding pavements that are kinder to your face!

I hike in the countryside over all terrains and it's a fantastic way to stay fit and healthy and far more interesting than the monotonous pavement pounding.

I'd second working on your running 'action' as it were and making it as gentle and smooth as possible, with little bounce. Concentrate on that rather than speed, and as other PP have said, focus on your breathing too.

Some people aren't 'natural' runners, whatever that means, so while I'd still recommend C25K, maybe do double weeks - so do each week twice, rather than move up too quickly.

I failed at running the first time I tried but next time I started going much more slowly. I would jog for a count of 100, then walk for a count of 100 - it took me about 40 mins to do 1.5km. But now - I can run 12 km without stopping or walk breaks, a year later. Objectively I am still super slow but I don't care. Enjoyment and sustainability are more important than going fast to me.

I started running about 15 years ago. I started from a fit baseline, having cycled to work for a year at that point, but the secret is to run embarrassingly slowly at first.
I bet you're setting off too quickly.
You will get quicker with time, but start out at literally a snail's pace to get your pacing and breathing right.

I agree with a lot of other posters about the too fast/why running comments.

I came in to add a voice to "it's really not that great for weight loss". An hour of running, about 9-10km might be in the region of 500 calories. It definitely makes you hungry - I put on weight every time I did a marathon training stint. HIIT type things do a lot better at weight loss. For me, muay thai was the best for weight loss!

Also, came to say to try parkrun - very walk/run friendly and great motivation/community feel

I agree with all of the go slower than think. I did a lot of spinning before running and one day a while back I decided to try running, going slow. I decided I would just go around the 'block' which is 2km fully expecting to have to walk parts of it, to my absolute amazement I did it no problem at all. Next time I tried 4km, again no problems. Next time 5 and it was fine. I can now do 10km. The cardio base from the spinning meant that unlike a few years when I tried c25k and was absolutely gasping for breath after a few minutes I had the cardio capacity for it. Just don't do too much too fast to let your legs get used it.

Solidarity. I'm your weight and very light on my feet, but try to run and its like I'm wearing concrete boots and jacket. I quite literally pound the pavements and my back and knees really hurt. It's not footwear or technique as far as I'm aware as I've tried different things, including advice from a PT. In the end I gave up and settled for brisk uphill walking. Its just as good and I often overtake the slower runners.

I would say try brisk walking with an incline - very good for weight loss and will build up that cardio fitness quickly. Even at peak fitness, I would walk on the treadmill at an incline over running.

Also though, I am built for running. All my family run. We find it easy. We're long and slim and lights.

My best friend is built for weight lifting and cannot run at all. I cannot lift weights. We're both quite fit, but in very different ways.

My husband is the same, naturally all muscle but cannot do any cardio to save his life. All this to say that you should consider genetics.

The 1st few weeks of starting to run is tough, and if you run alone the chances are as others have said, is that you run too fast. Even now after several years I start way too fast if I am on my own.
I know people who are fit, do gym work and classes etc but found running tough at the start. I think a lot of people assume that because they do other exercise then running should be easy.
Stick with it, perhaps try and find a C25K group (some running clubs do them) so you are running with others, or try a local parkrun so you can run with a group.

The 3 main things hat got me through C25K were:
Slow down, then slow down some more! It's about building stamina not speed, that can come later.
The Japanese jogging technique, there's a good video on YouTube about it.

Chewing gum- It really helps regulate breathing. I found the more I focused on my breathing the worse it became! Good luck!