Run-Down Forums

[TriFaith]

Ok i dont know how to start talking about this, I have been for my whole life to put it straight forward lazy. I have never really done any running except once in 9th grade which was almost 6 years ago. Im almost 22 years old and I want to join the army, they expect 13 pushups Which i can do no problem also 17 sit ups which I can do. But they also expect me to run a mile in 8 min 30 seconds. I have flat feet and nock knees, I get shin splints on the front of my calf because of this, they get so bad that they make it so I cant walk let alone run. Thanks to this web site I now know how to treat them, I started running/walking about 3 weeks ago and I can run about 0.2 miles before im out of breath and cant go on. I would really appreciate some help on how I can get myself to their 8 min 30 second criteria as fast as I possibly can. I realize that a month is most likely impossible but that is the goal I would like to shoot for, if you could give me any advice like excercises that I can do to strengthen my legs for running from stretches or websites that might help. When do you stop running .. I realize that you have to push yourself through the pain but when do you stop running. Or also how do you make it so that you dont run out of breath as easy ( no I dont smoke ) it seems like my lungs are tired before my legs are. thanks for any help you can provide and Please dont tell me that I am crazy for wanting to join the army at this time, I have heard that enough.

[Dan]

Your lungs are definitely the weak link right now. There's no quick fix to that, unfortunately. You just need to put in the aerobic work consistently. Since you can't run very long right now without getting winded, mix in walk breaks as needed, slowly increasing the running time and decreasing the walking time.

Dan
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[TriFaith]

Thank you dan for the reply I think Im going to do some sprints and then walk back to where I stared to get my lungs in shape. Do you think that will help out?

[Dan]

No, that won't help a whole lot. It needs to be aerobic work (sprinting is anaerobic) to develop the lung capacity the way you want. Think jogging, not sprinting.

Dan
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[PeterJ]

When I started running I used a heart rate monitor (Polar). My aerobic range up to 145 hr/min. I started running as slow as possible, when I reached the 145 limit I stopped running and continued walking until my HR came down to 130, then I started running again ... The distance was about 3 miles.

Quite frankly this is barely running, it's embarrassing therefore I did it in area where nobody could watch me

After 5 weeks I was able to run (hehe) without walking pauses. After 10 weeks I ran the first time 10 k.
The secret really is, as Dan describes, the full and aerobic training only.
Speed increases automatically. Speed training (interval and sprints) come much later.

Peter

[TriFaith]

Thanks again to you both, I guess what I do is really bad because I cant hardly even jog for very long.. it seems like the faster I can get myself going the further I can go.. but the slower I go the shorter I last.. Maybe this has to do with stride or most likely im not joging correctly and really im doing some sort of slow run... I never thought that this could be so frustrating.. The cold air outside doesnt help either.. I just wish I had more time.

[PeterJ]

I have just a basic understanding, but what I have heard the following happens, when you start with training:
1. in the beginning you mainly improve your cardiovascular system, that means your heart and lungs get used to the physical strain. Your heart grows (it's a muscle). You develop endurance.
2. If you have reached a certain level you improve the muscles (mainly legs), they grow, new blood capillary are establish, the amount of blood increases.

This is just a very simple explanation, in fact 1/ and 2/ always happen together, but starting a training 1/ is developing faster, later the focus is more on 2/

I am not an expert in training but perhaps it is possible to have 2 light sessions in a day? I.e. 2 times 20 minutes jogging/walking.