too big to run?

hi all
I'm new to this forum and was hoping for some advice please. 

Six months ago I weighed 312 pounds.  Since then I have lost 42 pounds and got a LOT fitter (I am now at the gym for over an hour 5 times a week).   My aim is to be able to run - I am booked onto a race for life 5k in June.   I tried running at Christmas but all I did was hurt my achilles tendons.  

My question is - do you think its too soon for me to run?   I am terrified of undoing all my hard work but I'm aware that if I don't start running soon I won't be able to run the race for life.. 

thanks in advance for any help

Elaine 



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Comments

  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    I'm by no means an expert, but I would think that the key is to build up slowly. For example to start with just run 30s at a time and walk in between until you feel recovered.
  • i'd suggest some fast walking to start with to give your leg muscles, tendons etc a bit of time to get used to the new activity, and gradually introduce a bit of jogging into the walk... and gradually change the walk/run balance over time. you can always run/walk 'race for life' as many others do.... it would a shame to get injured and stop your progress when you've obviously made such a massive effort and such impressive progress.... good luck!

    also, worth googling 'Couch to 5k' and seeing if that plan works for you.
    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • Any time anyone starts running its a bit of a shock to the system.

    The couch to 5k is a good programme  - that's got a lot of people running. 

    I'd not worry too much  though - you can always walk bits if you want. 
  • Thanks for your comments, I will starts couch to 5k this week 
  • Hi, I started couch to 5k nine weeks ago. I'm big too and I wanted to follow a plan to avoid injury. So far so good... I just keep reminding myself to go slow and not get carried away...good luck!
  • I was about 14.5 stone (203 pounds) when I started running regularly last year, but I wasn't doing any other exercise. If you're already at the gym regularly, then you're off to a good start. Do the couch to 5k, and just don't be afraid to take it a bit slower than suggested. If one week is a struggle, repeat it rather than moving onto the next week. You don't even have to run the whole race for life. Running and walking alternately is perfectly acceptable. 
  • I'm about 16.5 stone and taking it really slow to start. I intend to do a 5k race in two months time. I'm really looking forward to it.
    I wanna Parkrun!
  • I started off January at nearly 19st7lbs new year and struggling to do a mile stop start. Now (April) I'm 16st10lbs and doing 3 miles plus and getting further week by week. Keep at it, it won't get easier but you'll go further faster and recover quicker! :)
  • I guess this is the kind of question I've been asking myself the past couple of weeks and have been looking for an answer to.

    So I'm about 20st and I've just started running (around 2-4 weeks). I try to run once every day between 3-5k and often half way through my run i'm getting pains in my shins (which sometimes extends up to and around the knee). I've also recently been getting a 'stich-like' pain in both my sides extending around to my back.

    I don't know if I'm doing something wrong and may be putting myself in danger of injury or if this is just my body working and adjusting. It hasn't got easier or gone away which worries me - I've been reading around and the general advice is to start off walking to ease my body into the running however I guess i'm being impatient and want to gpo faster than just strolling and I would have thought that my body would have adjusted by now.
  • Irat1705,
    some of this is your body adjusting, some of it is you going at it like a bull in a china shop.  Run every other day and find some other cardio but non/less weight bearing on the off days.  C25K program as above is good.

    Leg pain could be shin splints- generally a sign of overdoing it.  You are running in properly padded running shoes aren't you :) Off road (grass, paths) are more forgiving surfaces than pavement or road. 
  • KieranGKieranG ✭✭✭
    Irat1705: I agree with the others, you are doing too much. Most couch to 5 k programmes are 3 runs a week, with plenty of recovery time in between runs and plenty of walking included in the sessions. Running every day is not for beginners and you will get injured if you carry on that way. Sure, running hurts when you first start out, but you have to build up slowly (especially the case when you are overweight) or you will risk not being able to run at all. Even now, 3 years after my first couch to 5k and just about to run the London marathon, I still sometimes do a run/walk session if I haven't run in a while, just to ease back into it. No shame in that. Don't try to do too much too soon. Proper running shoes are also very important. 
  • I don't know if my shoes are proper running shoes. I guess I'll go to the shop and get some advice.

    I'm feeling like I want change quickly and therefore running more will give me that.

    I've been told multiple times to do some swimming in between as it is a better alternative that covers morr areas and takes the weight off my feet and legs however I don't feel comfortable undressing infront of other people.

    Goodluck in the marathon KieranG I will be watching around tower bridge cheering all of you on! Hopefully get some inspiration. I'll try to moderate my work out but it feels like a difficult task going from nothing to daily back down to a lesser work out. It feels like I may be going backwards but is it really backwards?
  • Irat - well done on starting running... but, to answer your last question - it's not going backwards if, by moderating your runs to 3 or 4 per week, you can exercise consistently over a long period of time. If running every day causes you to be injured then you will have to stop completely to recover - and that really will be going backwards!

    Rest days are the one of the most vital parts of running training. It is during rest days that your body makes adaptations and gets stronger. If you run every day you don't give your body time to adapt.
  • As someone over 60 and categorised as Morbidly Obese, I was a bit surprised when my GP recently suggested C25K so I have been looking for information and fell across this site/thread and everyone seems so helpful. Considering how many of us biggies are out there, it might be good to have something structured that provides a preC25K - I have no idea where to start. I couldn't run for 30 seconds if my life depended on it.

    Sorry that all sounds rather negative; I plan to start by aiming to walk for 20 minutes 5x a week; then build up to 30 -45 minutes, then increase speed and maybe then I'll be ready to plan for a 5K unless anyone has any better ideas - Id be so grateful for any advice.
  • That sounds like an emminently sensible plan LFAB!

    Once you've got your walk up to 45 mins, then try popping in a few very short pick ups in speed towards slow jogging pace... perhaps no more than 4 or 5 paces to start with, and like the walking, slowly increase the quantity and duration... once you are jogging slowly for perhaps 30 secs, then have a go at C25K

    The secret IMO of succesful C25K is to do it at YOUR pace, not the pace that someone else thinks is right... if that is a jog that is just a bit faster than walking, then that is absolutely the right pace for you.... as many of the posts above have said, the biggest single cause of failure (besides just giving up through lack of determination!!!!) is getting injured or overly sore/painful from trying to do too much too soon... even the elite athlets take rest days, and at the very top level, will train hard for a few hours and then do absolutely nothing at all for the rest of the day,  not even get up of the chair to cook a meal!... most of us don't have that luxury, so have to be even more mindful of the importance of pacing ourselves and taking rest.
    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    If you can't run but want to, then walking is a great way to build up to it. I am certainly no expert but I would think that a good way to build up to it might be to follow a C25K program, but instead of alternating between brisk walk and run, as most of these programs seem to do, try alternating between slow walk and brisk walk. Then once you have built up to being able to sustain a brisk walk for 30 mins, have a go at some 30s jogging intervals.
  • > @"Magna Carter" said:
    >
    > The secret IMO of succesful C25K is to do it at YOUR pace, not the pace that someone else thinks is right... if that is a jog that is just a bit faster than walking, then that is absolutely the right pace for you.... as many of the posts above have said, the biggest single cause of failure (besides just giving up through lack of determination!!!!) is getting injured or overly sore/painful from trying to do too much too soon... even the elite athlets take rest days, and at the very top level, will train hard for a few hours and then do absolutely nothing at all for the rest of the day,  not even get up of the chair to cook a meal!... most of us don't have that luxury, so have to be even more mindful of the importance of pacing ourselves and taking rest.

    I feel in pain pretty much half way through every jog. I don't know if it's because of my shoes (which hopefully I will replace soon); my lack of consistency between speed of jog, the concrete terrain, the weight of my body on my legs.

    Referring back to a previous post; if I was to tone down my daily jogs to say 3 lunch time jogs a week. What should I be doing on the other days?

    E.g.
    Mon -> jog (4-5K)
    Tue -> ?
    Wed -> Jog (4-5K)
    Thu -> ?
    Fri -> jog (4-5K)
    Sat -> Long (casual) walk
    Sun -> Rest?

    Also does anyone advise getting a devices like a fitbit for tracking and monitoring my fitness?
  • edited April 2017
    on the other days...... rest!

    Better to still be running in 3 months, than injured in the next 3 weeks...

    patience is really important here until your body develops the strength and resilience to cope... those tendons and muscles have a lot of tightening up and strengthening to do!

    It will get easier...  if you really desperately need to do something on some of your rest days, go swimming... but I would seriously try and take the rest for a few months until you have got used to the effort and the weight is coming off.

    On the Fitbit front, I am addicted to data, so not impartial, but I track everything and love it all... and find it very motivating... but not everyone does.
    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • I got a Fitbit charge2 HR when I started trying to lose weight. I link it to Strava now and think it's great as a beginner and as someone who hasn't got a running partner, I can compete with my self and track my progress. 

    Did I'd my first full 5k yesterday in just over 35mins. Probably sounds pretty pathetic to some but considering I was 19st 7lbs at new year and couldn't run for 2 minutes, now I've managed to lose 2st 10lbs and can cover 5k in 35 mins I'm over the moon!!

    I think the Fitbit gives you small victories and less you look back and see how much you have come on.

    I'm already thinking of doing my local 10k in December lol :)
  • Well done TimGrove that sounds great! Your going in the right direction and that's where I want to be right now but it's not possible for me to do it overnight :(

    I wish to get to a point where I can do my (4-5K) jogging route from start to finish without stopping. Currently it takes me around 40-45minutes with at least 3 stops in between. I think it sounds trivial but I guess I'm being hard on myself.

    I think I will look at investing in a fitbit. I want something small and reliable to track my health. It sounds like a promising gadget.
  • I am a guy with fairly large moobs - is it unheard of for a guy to wear a sports bra and would it be beneficial/ help at all?

    I've read in various blogs / websites that for women a sports bra is important.
  • tricialitttricialitt ✭✭✭
    Irat1705- Not sure about a sport bra for a man- but there are definately compression - type tops available that might "hold it all in" perhaps under a looser top?  Look at the stuff like "under armour", or " skins".- UNfortunately it's all pretty expensive, but might well help eliminate any "wobble", and hopefully reduce the risk of chaffing.
  • TTTT ✭✭✭
     Irat1705 are you a member of a gym? One of the gym staff takes me through a 30 minutes session once a week using weights and the machines. Has really helped me. The other thing is swimming and/or cycling (on a static bike if you need to). I am a data geek so have a fenix, it is great to see how far you have come. Well done for starting, and keeping going. 
  • NessieNessie ✭✭✭
    A fitbit is a great idea.  Regular small amounts of activity all add up, and are beneficial to overall health.  One of the tools on the fitbit app tracks the number of hours in the day where you take 250 steps or more.  Seeing the little dots turn red is very satisfying.  As are the graphs of your step count increasing day by day.

    Steady progress is better than an all out assault - just to reiterate what others have said, getting injured will set you back a lot further than easing up and taking the longer route.  Cycling is good cross training, as is just walking.

    As for the bra - us ladies have ligaments which support our boobs (or should) and a bra is essential to stop them stretching.  For you lads, there's not the same structure, so just go with what is comfortable.  Underarmour is good, but getting it on and off can be quite challenging.........
  • I feel like I am at an addiction meeting! I'm terrified...... I have just taken the first steps in a huge change..... I have given up smoking in November and piled on 4 stone as a result.  Already hugely overweight I have topped the scales at 22 stone today. I have faced a lot of demons today in doing this...... and watching the mind over marathon programme has inspired me to change...... a distant friend of mine is a qualified PT and is going to help me sort out a proper diet plan (not faddy stuff) And an exercise programme too...... I want to run eventually...... that is my target. She is coming over on Sunday to start my plan..... and I need trainers....... what in God's name do I buy? I know eventually I will need really good ones but to start with what kind of thing should I look for? I only have a budget of around £30 really?........ I have lots of questions and feel I will need lots of support and hope I can get that here...... ! Thank you in advance.... ☺
  • Go for it!

    Im coming up for 3 stone loss now, I was 19stone new year! I'd say running has been the reason for most of my weight loss 
  • TTTT ✭✭✭
    Pinkellie, you have taken a massive, massive step. The rest of the steps will be much smaller and be easier. It reads as if you have a really good team round you, and you want to do it. I started with a 2/3 mile walk which took me ages and I had to stop and sit on a neighbour's wall! I was recovering from serious illness. Use this forum, we are all friendly and many people have really good experiences they want to share. Well done!
  • I have taken up running over the past 2 months. Lost over 2 stone now. gradually built up from a couple of miles to 10k now. Feeling much better for it. Any exercise is better than no exercise for sure
  • I started running 1.5 miles twice a week a month ago.I thought I was doing ok so I tried a longer run and I felt pain in my knee (two weeks ago).
    I am waiting for this injury to go away.
  • Hi everyone! 
    Mum completly new here and have zero experience with running, except for about 3 years ago when I attempted c25K and struggled to even get past the first day! I'm 23 and have struggled with various health conditions -asthma, anaemia, vitamin D deficiency, depression, anxiety and sciatica! But I really want to improve my health and would love to start running. 
    I've read a few posts of people saying to start doing 60 seconds or so running which I don't think I could do if my life depended on it! I get so out of breath and get this burning feeling in my lungs and feel like I'm going to collapse after about 20 seconds! Is this normal? Does anyone have any advice? Xx 
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