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Question about running (treadmill)

R

RSMemphis

Golden Member
I am desperately trying to get myself into a decent shape (endurance wise), but damn, it is hard.

I put myself on the treadmill at least every other day for 30 - 40 minutes, and I try to average 5.0 - 5.5 mph (8.0 - 8.8 km/h), however, it is hard. Especially the first half is a huge mental battle, and if the endorphines finally kick in, it's mild only, and basically just numbs the brain to keep going.

So, question to all the runners out there - how long until this gets easier? Any tricks to make it easier (the mental battle, not the running).
 
i guess keep going.....i can keep @ it for like 30 minutes until i have to kinda walk a bit.....then go at it for another 20...and then walk around....and then i do a circuit training excersize w/ weights...
 
You just got to keep at it. Try going for the low end of the scale (5.0) as long as you can - then once you get better at that, jack up the speed in increments
 
Hey, I started running about 6 months ago, also about a year ago my family and I started up a GNC, general Nutrition Center. I had the same problem you do, where the start of the run is a mental battle, and once the lactic acid starts coming then its all over. But to make this short, it does get better, also you should change between endurance and sprint speed, but not in one day. One day do sprints, and the next work out day, do endurance, keep switching. That helped me alot, but it also helps you get the fast muscles, were the endurance muscles are not as fast. Another thing that helped in the start was taking some creatine, i know what your thinking, only body builders take this, but no. Creatine does many great things, and one is the stopping of the build up of lactic acid, which helps alot. But make sure you drink alot of water while working out, and that if you start taking creatine, don;t use it everyday, only on days u work out and take it about a hour before you work out if its in a powder form. Also don;t take it for more than a month at a time. Idlely you should take it 3 weeks on and then 3 weeks off. this is because your body makes creatine but in small amounts, and you don;t want your body to stop making it.
So if you try these things out, they should help you with your plan to get back in shape. Hopefully it works you as it did for me. I now 5k races and 10k races, with ease, well the 10k isn't exactly easy. hehe well good luck
 
It does get easier with time. Make sure that you are allowing yourself to fully recover in between times on the treadmill. Make sure that you stretch before and after, and stretch on the off days... Make sure that you keep active at other times too. I found that if I made myself do little exercises, (like walking up hills, up stairs, just going on walks, etc.) makes running easier.

Also if you can go farther than you intend, that makes going the distance that you intend, easier. (Say my goal is 2 miles, if i can go to 2.5 or so, then the next time I go for 2, it is easier, and I can run it faster.)

One trick that I found that probably isn't really good for you, is to run twice a day. I usually don't get sore until the next day, so I found that if I went twice in one day, it helped build endurance. For instance, when I was in college, I would work out in the afternoon, and then run a mile. Then in the evening, I'd run two miles. Usually I wouldn't do anything other than walk the next day. Endurance was flowing through my veins after I did that for a couple months 🙂

 
It will remain hard if you run the same speed and distance every time you run. Mix it up.

Make the last day of the week before you take two days off (see below) your hard/long run. Run 30% farther, and 20% faster on that day.

Also, you can try varying your speed during your run. Run for 5 minutes at 5.5 MPH, then run for 5 minutes at 6.5 or 7 MPH. This REALLY builds endurance, and burns fat. You'll find most programs on treadmills will vary speed and tilt.

Also, give your self two consecutive days a week for recovery. Take the weekend off, or something like that. Taking a day off in between all runs is good, but two days off in a row once a week will really give your body time to heal.

Remember, the fight with your brain is not only about endurance, it's about monotony. If you mix up your runs with varying speeds and distances, you'll help that a great deal.

Oh, and stetch stretch stretch. Run for a five minute warm up before your run, then stretch. Complete your run, then stretch. Do your leg exercises, then stretch.

Did I mention you should stretch?
 
Whoa, some cool advice here.

PunDogg, I am not intending to build sprint speed. I am not a runner (per se), and have no intention to run anywhere fast.
This is just so that I get fit = building endurance.
But I may try sprinting anyway.

Good advice about the stretching. Another thing I hate to do, but force myself to do, because I know it's important.

Good to know that it does get easier. (Yay!)
 
Are you drinking enough? I drink water heavily throughout the day. I hydrate well before doing any cardio and frequently throughout so that my urine is perfectly clear. Make sure you drink a LOT of water.
 
State of Mind.
1. Music (I'm not talking Enya here)
2. Look at yourself and the areas you are trying to fix (if you have a gut or whatever) and use that image as a reminder of why you run. (IE: you take your shirt off in front of the mirror and say "Theres only 1 way to get rid of this gut").

Your state of mind is huge when you are trying to push yourself, if you can't visualize why you are pushing yourself then you will give up so very easily.
 
It might also help if you don't look at the display to see how far or for how long you've run. Try covering it up with your towel. Running outside, especially along the beach, for example, is the most fun. 🙂
 
skace - well the gym has music, and I am not doing this to lose weight (although I do want to drop 3 pounds, but that's not too hard).

Alphazero - grr, I wish. Freezing temps in England right now. Mmm, running on a sandy beach. *drooooool*
 
any kind of interval training will be very beneficial. The nice thing about it also is it gives you some variation to your running routine. I personally don't run on a treadmill but when I go out for like a 45 run. I'll run 10 min at a light jog, then push it for the next 10 min, then back to a lighter jog for 10 min, then push it for another 10 minutes, then use the last 5 min as a cool down. Intervals also help I think from a mental stand point as your only thinking about for example, 10 min periods in the workout I just described. But when you add up all those 10 min periods, you'll have run for 40-45 minutes without even thinking about it 🙂

or set a goal for yourself like you want to do a mile in under 10 minutes. then take a 3-5 minute break. then run another mile, etc.

starting off, running at the same pace for the same amount of time will build up endurance but if you run at the same pace continuously, your body will get used to it. Interval training pays off immensely and you will find yourself getting in shape in no time 🙂
 
if you want to make it more interesting, i suggest ditching the treadmill. RUnning outside is so much nicer,
and if you can find a few different places to run it helps to make it easier as well. If you are trying to run to
get in shape, i suggest maybe looking for a road race or soemthign like that around. Then you could
try to train for that. THIs would make it easier to work for a goal. As far as stretching, its good to do,
but don't concentrate on it too much.
I've been running for about 2 1/2 years (i'm a senior in HS). THe reason i enjoyed it originally was because
i ran on a team, which made it fun. It also kept me motivated and such. Now i just like running, its just relaxing for me
while this might not be the case for you for a while, it will get eaiser if you stick with it. I suggest increasing your mileage
or time a little every week or two, that keeps you working hard.
hope that helps
 
Don't run when your overweight, the chances of you hurting your knees is HIGH and your lower back will start to hurt in no time. Use a bike (in home or road bike works). When you loose weight and start getting in shape by running you kinna get addicted to the running, eventually you start doing to much just because you can and the combination of muscle loss and pounding the joints is BAD mix. The most common knee problem is Patellofemoral Syndrome which is very easy to get, your knee cap stop sliding smoothly against your thigh bone and trust me it's no fun. Make sure you strech your hamstring really well before any exercise.

PS: By the time you get to a good weight running 3 miles becomes nothing, it really only takes about 2 to 3 months to reach your peak running shape if your running 2 or 3 miles a day, and as weight drops it just keeps getting easier.
 
skace - well the gym has music, and I am not doing this to lose weight (although I do want to drop 3 pounds, but that's not too hard).
Click to expand...
Well you asked for mental reasons to keep you continually running. The point I was trying to get at is that you need to find the reason you are running in the first place and conciously reminding yourself of it. If you don't have a good reason you will obviously find it easier to stop running than continue. Also, I'd highly doubt the gym music would suffice for the running music I would listen to. When I run, I listen to stuff that gets your blood moving, the kind of music that you CAN'T sit still while listening to it. (Elogic - Run to me, KMFDM remix of The Bad Touch, System of a Down - Bounce :: 3 examples based on my mood).
 
5.5 mph is a 10 minute mile. I don't think you are running fast enough. I find that running faster helps build the cardio up quicker and I hit the zone faster.
 
walk don't run. Studies have shown thier in miminal difference between going 4.5 mph (walk) and 5.5 mph jog but just go a little longer. It's much more bearable and less strees on your body with virtually the same results.
 
If you can't get the hang of running then consider bicycling. I've found that it is a *much* easier sport for unfit people to get started in and perform for longer periods of time. And your knees will thank you for it. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: yamahaXS
5.5 mph is a 10 minute mile. I don't think you are running fast enough. I find that running faster helps build the cardio up quicker and I hit the zone faster.
Click to expand...

Um, you need to check your math.

6 MPH is a 10 minute mile, not 5.5. And 6 MPH will get a semi-athletic person into the cardio training zone (140-150BMP) quite nicely. I'm 35, and when I started running last year, a 10 minute mile would get my heart rate up past 150.
 
Originally posted by: Carbonyl
walk don't run. Studies have shown thier in miminal difference between going 4.5 mph (walk) and 5.5 mph jog but just go a little longer. It's much more bearable and less strees on your body with virtually the same results.
Click to expand...

I walked (fast) 3-4 miles a day for a couple of months before I started running. I lost little to no weight. After I did the couch to 5K program on coolrunning.com and worked my way up to 40 minute 4 mile runs in 9 weeks, I had lost twentysome odd pounds.

Granted, my normal pace was 6 MPH, but that has more to do with the length of one's legs. For someone with shorter legs, 5.5 may well be more work for them.
 
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Carbonyl
walk don't run. Studies have shown thier in miminal difference between going 4.5 mph (walk) and 5.5 mph jog but just go a little longer. It's much more bearable and less strees on your body with virtually the same results.
Click to expand...

I walked (fast) 3-4 miles a day for a couple of months before I started running. I lost little to no weight. After I did the couch to 5K program on coolrunning.com and worked my way up to 40 minute 4 mile runs in 9 weeks, I had lost twentysome odd pounds.

Granted, my normal pace was 6 MPH, but that has more to do with the length of one's legs. For someone with shorter legs, 5.5 may well be more work for them.
Click to expand...

Bad genetics I guess😛

No seriously do a "walking vs. running on a treadmill" search in google their are plenty of links comfiming this...I got the info from my Landice treadmill manual but forget the sources they used...
 
Originally posted by: Carbonyl
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Carbonyl
walk don't run. Studies have shown thier in miminal difference between going 4.5 mph (walk) and 5.5 mph jog but just go a little longer. It's much more bearable and less strees on your body with virtually the same results.
Click to expand...

I walked (fast) 3-4 miles a day for a couple of months before I started running. I lost little to no weight. After I did the couch to 5K program on coolrunning.com and worked my way up to 40 minute 4 mile runs in 9 weeks, I had lost twentysome odd pounds.

Granted, my normal pace was 6 MPH, but that has more to do with the length of one's legs. For someone with shorter legs, 5.5 may well be more work for them.
Click to expand...

Bad genetics I guess😛

No seriously do a "walking vs. running on a treadmill" search in google their are plenty of links comfiming this...I got the info from my Landice treadmill manual but forget the sources they used...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm a wealth of bad genetics. I hear my picture is on the anti-cloning bills running through Congress. 😛

At any rate, I had read those, and believed them... until they didn't work for me. My brother tried to warn me, as he had gone through the same experience 6 years earlier. He kept telling me, "run it off, it's the only thing that works."

I hate it when he's right. :|

 
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