pattyruns

I started running about seven years ago while my son was at his two hour football practice. A bunch of moms met twice a week and eventually got up to three times a week. We all ran a half together about a year after starting. I have not run recently after I sustained an overuse injury back in June that completely side-tracked me for months. I have only been walking and just getting back to fitness classes. I should get back running within a month or so.

I firmly recommend the couch-to-5k program . BUT- keep it at the scheduled level despite maybe feeling you can go further. You wind up getting sore and have to take too much time off- which means you start from scratch. I had to force myself to do this after the advice from a friend.

Running is the best bang for your buck as far as convenience, equipment and calorie burn are concerned but I have to mix it up. I hate running alone and never get the "high" that others do.

holly255

I picked up running a year ago as an inexpensive way to lose weight and become healthier. It has helped me lose weight but I also added other cardio workouts and strength training. Your body always needs to be challenged because it will adapt to your current running regimen.

ArchyJill

I've been running for nearly two years now and yep, you can gain weight this way! I actually gained 6 pounds while training for my marathon (no, it was not "muscle" it was flab). Gotta count the calories, especially if you are using supplements on your runs like the gatorade-type drinks and energy gels.

As for motivation and staving off boredom, I think the absolute best thing I ever did was take my dog with me. I have a 2 yo (ish) jack russell/pit (?) mix (65 pounds of sheer muscle) and he LOVES to run...I get the added bonus of a quiet house for the rest of the day. Also, during the run I am so focused on keeping him in line and looking out for potential distractions (e.g. bunnies) that the miles fly by without me noticing. AND my time has improved by almost a minute in just two months of dog running

If your going to run with your pup get a harness (safer for both of you) and put some sort of protection on their foot pads, especially if you're running on pavement (I use "Musher's Secret", a wax-based goo that gets rubbed in).

mcsolar

hi,

it's nice to see runners here; beginners and veterans alike!

i've been running and racing for 31 years... but only journaling my food intake in irregular spurts. i've been about the same weight for 21 years now, and have developed a knack for eating exactly what i burn... even when i'm running 85 mile weeks.

my goal is to drop a few pounds while training for my next marathon, probably san deigo in june. of course it's a balance... i need to run quality miles so i can't be too deep into caloric deficit... but with a few months of time, i think i can manage some weight loss. and according to some discussions i've seen, at my level and weight a pound dropped is a minute off my marathon time!

i'm a beginner with using this site. how accurate have you found the site? should i really expect a weight loss concurrent with the input/output calorie calculation that appears on my page? finally, do you guys share food journal information with each other? i'd love to spy on you to find out what you're eating... and if you don't mind avocado and anchovy sandwiches, you might like spying on my food journal

best wishes!

Cher Ben

Hi Ann,
I started running 11 years ago too! Well, it'll be 12 this summer. I am 50 years old and have been logging my food on fitday off and on for a couple of years. I am currently trying to take off the 5 or so pounds I gained over the holidays plus a couple more. You are so right about running by itself not being enough to get to or stay at a good weight. You really do have to watch the intake.

ArchyJill

Hey mcsolar - so glad to hear I am not the only one who "magically" eats as much as they burn. First time I logged (during marathon training) I was shocked to see cal intake upwards of 3,000 some days!

I have suspicions that the BMR calculations are a bit high...still surfing other sites for comparison on this.

mcsolar

hi archyjill...

...of course there's that old problem of actually figuring out what i weigh. i run in tucson arizona, and during the summer i can drop 10lbs with one long run. fortunately in the winter it's not so bad. it'll take me two or three weeks of weighing myself at different times to come up with an average number... and after that i hope to see if the calorie deficit calculation really does measure my weight change.

the thing i do love about fitday is the nutritional breakdown. i can see that i'm a little lacking on vitamin e, so it's time to find some fish.

pattyruns: i agree with you about mixing it up. the only reason i've been running for so long has been that i find ways to keep it fun. i run with two or three groups around town, race and trash-talk with lots of friends, and recently discovered the joys of 24 hour team relay races.

the most important thing about any given day's run is to have fun so that you want to run tomorrow.

doowackie

I just signed up for my first 5k run! I'm very excited about it. It's not until June so I have plenty of time to get ready for it.

I've been able to stay on track with the Couch to 5k plan and have started doing other exercises on the days I have off from running. I'm having difficulty finding a good meal plan for two that's fresh and healthy. I don't trust myself to come up with something on my own because I know lots of bad foods will find their way into my cupboards :P

Cher Ben

I still remember my first 5K like it was yesterday ( 11 years and many races ago) What a rush! And the couch to 5K plan really works well. My daughter has used it a couple of times to get back into running and swears by it. Good Luck with your training.

hitzan

Hi all! I've been a 'runner' for about 2&1/2 years. I completed my first ultra marathon this past fall and have since been LAZY! I am back though. I'm running again...only 10 miles per week, but will increase as the ice and snow melt. Two suggestions: 1) If you are looking to run for many years (I enjoy it and plan to run until bedridden) then you should run trails. Roads and treadmills will shorten your running career. 2) Buy the book 'The Runners Book of Daily Inspiration', it's great with one quote and small essay for each day of the year. The book encourages people to run for enjoyment and for a lifetime, be it 1 mile a day or 100 mile races. I don't run every day, but run most days and find that the shorter runs more often make me a better/happier person. Good Luck to you all!