I want to start running.
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Hello! I am 21, and used to run for soccer in high school, but then I got in a motorcycle accident at 17 and it kind of messed up my back. I know the first step is to see a chiropractor to see if it's even feasible for me to start running again and I am working on that. I have issues with depression and exercise seriously makes my life 100% better, but all of my physical classes ended a couple of weeks ago, and with certain circumstances I am already feeling kind of down.
Here's what I kind of need - What kind of shoes work well? Obviously I'm a college student on a budget, so, keep that in mind. If they're worth it then they're worth it, though, so give me as much advice on finding the right pair as you can.
How do I start out again? When I was in soccer we really just started and if you couldn't keep up you were expected to keep up anyway. I don't think I can do that.
How do you make time? I'm not an early riser, and even when I am it's to make a cup of tea and watch the birds, not to go running.
What are the benefits, if there are any, of track v treadmill v nature running? There are a lot of trails around my campus, but I'm not super familiar with them.
How do I find a running buddy? I know a lot of people that run, but they're runners. Their morning "easy runs" are five-miles. I don't know anyone that is on my level, and I feel like having someone to start out with might be good.
How do I get comfortable with running in public (gym, track, town...)? I know it's weird to ask, but I am some social anxiety issues and the idea makes me super uncomfortable.
And finally, I have done Zumba (gave me headaches because of the noise but it was so fun), Pilates, kayaking, hiking, etc., but I've never kept up on it if I didn't have someone with me to do it. If I don't get a buddy I won't keep up on it. How do I keep up on it? Also, if it comes down to me not being able to run, do any of you know any alternatives?
Thaaaaaaank :x I am so lame.
I'm no expert, but I can tell you my experience. Shoes: Depends on how you run and where you run. I went into Sports Authority and just talked with someone in the section, tried a few on, picked one that fit my budget and needs. My pair has stuck with me for about a year now, and I spent about $50, which is the most I've ever spent on shoes. Time/Place: I'm no morning person, but I do run in the mornings, now. First, I began running in the afternoons or early evening around my campus, but I wasn't able to pace myself so I got tired quickly. I moved to a treadmill and it did wonders for me; I'm able to push myself harder and longer when I know my pace. Usually I wake up, check the internet, stretch, put on gym clothes, go running, shower, then eat breakfast. I like it that way because a runner's high will carry me through my afternoon and I don't risk losing my breakfast if I want to push myself further than normal. Running in public: I get it. I totally get it. I'm on a small campus of about 800 people so everyone knows everyone, and I was terrified to run into someone I knew while running who could see me. I suppose the way I got over it was by asserting my identity as a runner, putting in headphones and ignoring anyone else if I saw them, and lucky for me, the gym is usually a ghost town in the morning- another benefit to going in the morning. If I put it off until later, I risk seeing someone I know or waiting for a machine I like. Buddies: Ask around if anyone you know knows a runner, or maybe observe some people at the gym? You could also ask any of your friends if they want to start with you. I only run 2.5 miles a day, but I've offered a lot of people I know who want to start running to run with them. We've all been where you are, and I know at least I wouldn't mind a buddy to keep me honest, especially if it meant easier runs for a bit. In terms of keeping up on it, I have a weekly erase board I color code with my week's to-do's, and I've got a bright green RUN three days a week that work best for my schedule. It's incredibly satisfying to erase events and tasks as I complete them, that helps me.
I don't think our gym would be much of a ghost town in the morning. There are a quite a number of people on my campus and only one gym with machines. I'm good at pacing when I'm hiking, but I don't think it's anywhere near the same with running, right? I guess what I would really like is just one of those runner's gyms full of treadmills. I like treadmills a lot; I tried it once while on a trip at a hotel gym and man I ran forever on that thing and felt so amazing afterwards, but I'm usually not very good at blocking people or glances out just by using music :/ even if they're thinking, "Man she's smokin' hot," my head would be like, "Wow all they're thinking about is how dumb you look right now all sweaty and ew."
My boyfriend has recently sort of started running, but he can run several miles already despite having just started out and... he's a track runner mostly. I don't know if I would be really comfortable running with him, either, especially since I might get used to running just with him as a relationship thing, and I'm moving to New Zealand for a few months in June so I might not want to keep it up because I'll get sad when I do it. I don't have any friends, and the friends I do have (aside from my roommate) are those runner-type people who do 5-mile morning runs haha. I don't think my roomie would be super into running with me. She goes to the gym but she's not into running as far as I know (she was the person I took Pilates with and it was really great to have her around, but I think I've talked to her about running and she wasn't really stoked haha). I know the few people that I know who are runners wouldn't really enjoy doing shorter runs, they'd kind of just get annoyed haha.
I have a dry-erase board, too. That might work, except I have a hard time keeping it update with the 100 things that popup during the day. hermm.
IDK how much help I'll be because I'm pretty much just a casual runner, but maybe some of my experiences will help:
Women's shoes I don't really know much about and which ones are good etc. but definitely don't flake out on nice shoes if it means spending a little more money. It's very important that your shoes have good support or you're going to have a lot of foot and leg pains. Also yeah I wouldn't just up and run right away to start up or else there will be intense foot and leg pains. When I decided to get back into running after high school I got shin splints because of that and it was awful. Maybe for like a week or something start by taking really long walks and then you can start jogging.
I can't do morning runs either. If you can get adjusted to morning runs it would probably make your life 10x easier since it really wakes you up for the day and it's really peaceful and everything but yeah it's tough. Mostly I just run in the evening and I'm fine with it. Like you, I have anxiety problems when I run in a gym so I run on nature trails and it's so much better. You don't get as bored and the natural hilly terrain that a lot of trails have give your running experience a little more variety. Also if your nature trails are not paved it's really nice on your legs and feet as opposed to hard cement. The good thing about trails if you have anxiety issues is that there's not people freaking everywhere and if you go in the evening or morning then it's even more secluded. Pretty much everyone on a trail is there for exercising or walking their dogs or something too, so they don't expect you to talk to them or anything weird.
Tbh I would just skip running buddies if that's okay with you. Mostly I find they get in the way or their schedule doesn't work out or they're distracting, it's just too many problems for the benefit imo. I just bring my ipod along and that is more than enough of a motivator for me. If you really want a running buddy though, pick someone who isn't annoying as hell and isn't a whiner; otherwise they'll want to stop a lot or talk too much and it gets in the way.
The easiest way I think to get hooked on something is to act like you absolutely have to do it. There's no "well, I guess I should do this" it's "I have to do this". You just have to drill that mentality into your head or it's not going to work. A running buddy may get you to do it when you don't feel like it sometimes but that's not a very permanent solution. I really enjoy running though, and I think most people who do it really love running as well after awhile :)
There's not much of an alternative to running. It's probably about the best cardio you can do that's actually somewhat enjoyable. You could do biking or walking but they're not nearly as effective.
That's what I thought about the shoes. I tried on a pair of New Balances once and they felt like heaven but I didn't have $70 at the time. I've heard those Vibram Five-Finger things can be good too? Any advice on the whole, full-shoe v naked-running thing? I def don't want shin splints. Been there, done that.
I already walk a couple of miles a day because that's how my campus is laid out (lol). That's also kind of the problem with running on trails, it's all fucking hill here. There's not a single even relatively flat trail, and I feel like if I start out doing this hilly crap I'll lose motivation instantly. I feel like for me it'll be hard to get any time to work. I really like opening my days up waking up at 7, but not because I want to break a sweat. I like to wake up, take a long shower, drink a hot cup of tea, and stuff like that. I guess I could just alternate between running days and those days, right? i know I'd probably enjoy running more in the morning because I wouldn't start out super fucking exhausted (except initially bc I would have to wake up at 6am because I am 8am courses) and I really love mornings. I guess I'm just using fear and laziness as an excuse here so I should just shut up and get over it. I know running in the afternoon is not an option. I have classes until dark and it's cold as fuck here in the afternoon. Plus I'm usually already half asleep by the time I get out of physics. So. There's that.
That's a good point about the running buddy thing, honestly. I didn't really think about it like that. I guess my experience exercising is that when I feel like I'm too stressed out to do it a buddy will always tell me that I NEED to whereas my head says I need to focus on everything else. I know I really like to run, I just am not very motivated to be an active person unless it involves backpacking through isolated places. I really don't like people, lol, I think I've gotten that point across though ahhaaha.
I have a friend who swims, and she says it's okay. I just don't see myself doing that though because that's like.. either 100% public in a pool or in a fucking freezing balls ocean. So that's out.
Oh yeah, my mom uses New Balance!! Her job requires her to do a shit ton of walking and she swears by New Balance so I think that would be a great shoe to look into if you can afford it. I couldn't offer much advice on those five finger shoe things. I always see a lot of people on campus using them though, so I feel like they must be useful? I love just regular running shoes but I could see how 'enhanced naked running' would feel great, too.
I think alternating running days would be a good idea, especially in the beginning. Maybe eventually you could do it every day. I completely understand the school schedule thing, as well. Classes make it super fucking hard to find time for running and that's why my running schedule just kind of slips off a little bit during the winter lol. I have no idea how people can stay up studying until 2 am and then get up at 6 to go running in the freezing cold like that is just not happening for me lmao. If you start now, though, it will hopefully become a habit by the time school starts.
Yeah, I guess running buddies are probably a case by case thing but for me it definitely does not work. Especially when your schedule gets messed up during the school year and you run at really odd and irregular times each day it's just hard to even align your schedule with someone else. If you can just get yourself to become used to getting up at a certain time to go running or w/e then I don't even think you'll miss having a running buddy anyway.
I've tried swimming but I feel like I'm not really exercising very hard I guess when I do it? Like I don't feel that 'burn' I get when I run. It's probably because I don't even know how to properly swim or something though lmao. I basically just doggy paddle when I'm in a pool and that's all I can do without people wondering wtf is wrong with me.
I am all down for some naked running. Wait, what? /cough
Haha I am IN school right now. I have finals in a few weeks, and then I move to NZ where I begin another rough round of classes over there until November. It'll be winter there, too, so, that'll be fun. I can't even stay up until midnight, though, so I don't understand even how people can stay up until 2am.
That's true. And I already get up relatively early on the weekdays just to start my day off early so it shouldn't be a huge deal, right? No one is ever up then, so I know for sure that no one would be down to run with me. haha.
I can sort of swim; nothing super fancy. I grew up in an area with a ton of lakes so yeah, but I'm definitely not a strong swimmer.
Vibrams are wonderful but can be pretty pricey. One thing about them is you have to ease your way into them. Vibrams will work muscles in your feet/ankles/legs that other shoes will not, and you need to run in them a specific way. If you're interested in a pair of them, definitely do some research on them and the different kinds. c:
ps if you look at off-brand VFFs you should be careful as the off-brand ones can cause far more harm than good. In general, good shoes will probably run you around $50. I think my VFFs were $70? Bought them from a local place that was listed as a certified retailer on the VFF website.
As for starting again, just ease into it. Take your time because it's not worth hurting yourself. As for nature vs treadmill, i really don't think there's any sort of benefit one over the other, but I could be wrong. We don't really have trails here (or even sidewalks) so if i had a treadmill I'd probably run a LOT more.
As for making time, it's just something you have to do. If you find yourself spending 30 minutes on Subeta or mindlessly browsing tumblr that could easily be the time you make. It could also be good to make a set schedule for when you want to go out and run.
No clue on the running buddy, I used to go alone or with my fiance. You could always talk to the runners you know and tell them that you want to get started? I'm sure someone wouldn't mind running with you. c:
Running in public can be a bit tricky but I learned to just ignore it which is easier said than done. I listen to music while I run and concentrate only on that, which helps me a lot. As for keeping up with it, you just have to. I have a horrible time keeping up with exercising as well so I know how that is. It's just something you have to do. It's good for you and will make you feel better, and so long as you keep up with it long enough it eventually becomes routine. As for alternatives, I enjoy yoga for general exercising. Strength and balance all in one is pretty awesome and I definitely feel a burn. If not immediately, the day after I will sure feel it. There are tons of videos on Youtube, as well as videos you can purchase. c:
As others have said, walking, biking, or swimming. A lot of body weight exercises can be very good cardio if you move from one thing to the next in succession without many breaks. The key is to keep moving and to keep the heart rate up.
Shoes - Asics, Brooks, Saucony, or Mizuno. These brands, for the most part, provide excellent arch support, you always get what you pay for, and there are plenty to choose from. I myself have been wearing Asics for almost three years now and they have yet to disappoint.
Starting - I would recommend starting out on a treadmill. You can control the settings (speed, incline, etc) to your own pace and the indoor "climate" makes it somewhat easier to get back into the flow of running. Once you feel comfortable with the treadmill, you can switch between trails and tracks and go back to the treadmill again so you experience different environments (indoor and outdoor). This more or less switches things up a bit. Routine is nice. A boring routine, not so much. It's all according to what you would feel happy with.
Time - Always a big one. I'm not a morning person myself and I feel much more up to a workout in the afternoon. My lunch break at work is usually an hour and a half long, so I take that time to do some aerobic workouts and then I eat before I go back to work. If not, then I exercise after work. If I can squeeze in at least 30 minutes to an hour of exercise in the day, I consider that sufficient for my health. The hard part is working up the motivation to exercise rather than finding the time.
Running buddy - I can't say much for this one. My husband is my only true running buddy, and we usually work out together on the weekends to begin with. Perhaps you could get one of your friends to join you? It could be worth a shot.
It's been said a million times already, but I will add it in anyway. Cycling is a good aerobic event to do in between running. You work out different parts of your legs and still get the cardio benefits in. Swimming, same thing.
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I have seen a lot of VFF knock-offs, although I didn't know that it works different muscles. Is there anyone in particular I could talk to about that that you know of/a resource I could look into? One of the main things about me and the New Balances, and one of the reasons I didn't buy them besides the price, was because they were sort of clunky and I'm used to really skinny shoes, so when I was test-running I kind of kept tripping over myself >>;;
My boyfriend loves Asics; he tried a pair on while I was checking shoes out for myself.
Like I said, I like treadmills but I really don't like the public aspect. The only gym around me that I can afford is the campus gym, and I feel super inadequate and awkward around it. I might talk to a friend who basically LIVES there to see if they recognize any lull in activity during certain parts of the day. That would definitely make it easier for me. If I could just magically have a treadmill in my room I'd be stoked haha.
I have a bike, but it's an old cranky, rusty mountain bike that feels like it's in sixth going up a hill when it's in 2nd on a small incline XD might be worth oiling the chain up a bit. During the beginning of the semester I would take it out twice a week for about an hour (would ride down to the harbor, kayak for two hours, and then ride back to the bus stop in the middle of town, so it was a good workout), but it became a little too time consuming because sometimes I wouldn't be able to catch a bus with a bike rack in time for my noon class. Now that kayaking is over it might be a different story.
I'd seriously invest in a good pair of shoes over everything else. You will end up paying more int he long run if you get hurt from using the wrong type of shoe for your biomechanics anyway. My ultimate advice would be to see a podiatrist (foot doctor) who specialises in running biomechanics. Get them to do an assessment to see which particular model is best suited for your foot.
If you pronate then you are more likely to require a shoe like the Aasics Kayano. If you're a neutral runner and need cushioning then you'd be better off with the Aasics Nimbus. If you have a wide foot then you might be better off with a Brooks or New Balance shoe.
Get your footwear down first and then go from there.
In regard to your back, I would wait to see how it actually pulls up before going to see a chiropractor. If it does give you issues, then go to see one who doesn't just crack your back and not give you strengthening exercises. Start walking for 20mins and then add little 1-5min jogs broken up by walks. It's a nice way to wean into running without hurting yourself or making it seem too hard. Slowly over a number of weeks increase the run time and reduce or eliminate the walk time. Try to find a friend to go with, or if they're not keen even cycle with you while you run.
If you have issues running in public, then find a reasonably secluded area to go (although I usually advocate taking a friend if you do this +/- your mobile phone) so that you can just focus on enjoying yourself and not worry about other people.
I would also advise on running outside where possible, because the vitamin D you get from sun exposure will help mildly with your depression.
Thank you! That was incredibly helpful. I don't know if I can see a foot doctor, but I have heard that places like Fleet Feet can kind of do the same thing? Any idea on that?
Thanks! (:
I'm not an American, but a quick google tells me that employees have no particular qualifications other than a quick introductory course into functional biomechanics. If you can't see a podiatrist, then it is better than nothing, although if given the choice I would be strongly recommending the healthcare professional who has trained specifically in lower limb anatomy and biomechanics over the retail employee with a 2h crash course.
I suppose give it a shot and see how you go?
I may. I'll see if my insurance covers something like that. I doubt it will though :C
where will you live in nz? Will you be at uni here? If so I know canterbury and otago (chch and Dunedin unis) have free gym membership. If you don't like seeing people try running somewhere not that many people go. There are plenty of nice places to run near cities and towns here and nice parks and things.
I have Nike free run and love them, they have nice arch support. My friends who run spend like 300$ on shoes for running lol
So I'm more of an intermittent long-distance runner--and probably a really weird one at that--but I've found a few things that work really well for me.
Shoes are very personal, but I've always used five-fingers (the Vibrams that Bow mentioned fall into this category). You can google them if you like; they might be helpful for your back, since the principle behind them is that your knees ought to function as shock absorbers, rather than your back and neck. They're kind of like toe socks, but with rubber soles. Great conversation starter, and if you pick up a pair from REI when they're on sale they fall well within the $50 range. Really great for trail running, since they make you pay attention to how you run and where you place your feet--I trip a lot less with them.
Headphones are not only great in terms of reducing anxiety and making sure you don't have to deal with awkward encounters, but they also can help invigorate you. There are podcasts (indie soup runner for one) that have selections of songs with good beats to help you keep going. In terms of making time, it depends on when and where you have free time already. During summer I go after I wake up in the morning; during school, I fit it in between my last class and dinner. In terms of finding people, your school might have a running or jogging group--and people might have a really high limit, but you don't have to keep up with them, or even go as far as they do the first time. Work your way up to going further and faster over time.
It's better to alternate days than run every day in a row; it gives you time to recoup after using your muscles. To that end, drinking a glass of milk or consuming another easily digestible protein after running will help you recover and feel a lot better the next day. It helps your torn muscles heal more quickly, which increases your endurance, but you have to consume it pretty promptly after your exercise routine ends for it to have any effect.
Hope this helps a bit!
If you can get a pair of Brooks shoes, go for it. Sometimes better running shoe stores will have a clearance rack with last year's models on clearance. Or it's possible that if you can get a recommendation from your doctor or chiropractor, the shoe store will give you a discount. I would love to help more than that, but I don't run myself, actually. I'd like to get into it too, but my feet suck, quite frankly, lol.
I really need to start running (more realistically start walking)
If you lived in Raleigh, NC id love to go walk/run but the odds of that are very slim lol :D