I've never been a strong runner. I just went out for a 3mile run in the cold, hadn't ran beforehand for a long time. When I finished I felt like in was going to be sick and fell to the ground. I felt awful for about 40 minutes.
Some of that might have been the cold lungs but did I try too much too soon or should I do the same run until it's easier?
I'm trying to push hard and get fit as fast as possible.
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Yes it sounds like you did too much. Start small and build up. We all use couch to 5k programme here.
Thanks!
You are doing far too much too soon. Well done on completing the run but it is no surprise that you felt awful and are lucky not to have strained something.
This forum is for the couch to 5K program details of which are here.
nhs.uk/LiveWell/c25k/Pages/...
I appreciate you want to get fit fast but overuse/overexertion whenn you are body is not ready for it will, more often than not, end up with injury.
All the best.
Thank you. I wondered what the couch to 5k was about. Sounds like I happened into the right place.
Why are you pushing hard and fast and trying to get fit as quickly as possible? I found the C25K programme moved me on enough and I decided to be kind to my body, increasing distance and allowing my speed to be comfortable and increase as my fitness improved. The difficulty I have found with pushing really hard is that it can easily result in injury. I now enjoy my running and look forward to going out and torturing myself is not fun, I find other ways to keep motivated - running in the dark with my headtorch gets me up early. Setting myself a yearly distance goal. Trying new types of exercise such as step aerobics, cycling. There is also a time to be satisfied with my running and stop pushing for more. I am in a routine of 2 x 6 plus 10k every week and right now that is good enough and my legs agree with that too
The reason I pushed that hard is because I'm joining the royal marines sometime this year and they have a similar run as a test. They will expect me to push harder than that all throughout training. But I obviously need to slow it down for everyday training.
Great motivation and goal. However I tend to take the steady approach to building fitness because pushing too hard, resulting injury will stop me totally. No matter what my personal goals, I need to work with my own current fitness and my own body. If I get a pain in my shin for example, I can ignore it and keep going out pushing harder and harder. Pretty likely I won't reach my goal due to a serious injury. However, alternatively, I could slow down, run on softer ground, out my goal on hold for a week and do shorter runs. Then I can pick up the lace when my legs are ready. I ran 12k today and I could have run longer, I returned home feeling great but I also recognise, I now need to take 2 rest days because it was a fair distance for me, on hard pavements and I had a very faint niggle in my knee. I will run now on Tuesday and do an easy 5k. I am reaching my goals but also being careful. I graduated a year ago now and run 24 Km every week and have had no serious injuries
Oops... horrid for you... As the other's say, too fast, too soon maybe?
To run 3 miles after no running for a long time.. goodness... I would collapse in a heap too!
Start this programme, it is terrific. It will start you off again and in a safe and injury free way.. Take the nine weeks, and your fitness will improve, you will feel good, mentally and physically.. and then after you graduate.. you can decide where you want your running path to take it you
Given that you have ran 3 miles you must have a certain level of fitness. Try couch to 5k, you may find it really easy for wk 1, give it a go and if run 1 is waaaaaay to easy you could maybe fast track to wk 3 or 4?
Though in saying that studies have shown that slower steady progress like c25k offers, creates a habit, and is more likely to succeed. More so than going out for a big run, feeling awful and then not running for a few weeks.
Welcome to our little forum. I agree, it sounds like you came out the starting gates too fast and went for it before your body was ready. I would give yourself a good couple of days rest as it will need to recuperate a bit as it's has had a bit of a shock. The program will be ideal for you. Start on week1 run one and build from there. I would try and follow the program to each week if possible as it works at building your joints and muscles up in the right time frame. it is Only nine weeks and at the end you will be running for 30min continuously and it will give you a great basis to start your new running journey.
Thanks! Indeed, my thighs and calves are burning. I'll probably go on a short run - or walk, if I have to - tonight, though. Unless you think that is not good practice? I think I'm just sore. I've never been a runner but I did parkour for 10years so I'm used to high impact.
I would say have a walk. Running is like no other exercise. I've swum, walked gymed and many other things but running activated muscles I had never used before. I see your training for the marines. I would definitely take the time out and do the program you need to up your levels in a sensible way so you have a good foundation for whatever they throw at you. On your off days do some strength work as well. Good luck.
Appreciate it
I don't know what you're using at the moment, and I don't want to teach you how to suck eggs or anything, but did you know that there's a Haynes Manual on Royal Marines fitness, and how to bring yourself up to that level of fitness? I only know about it from the time I spent working at the Royal Marines Musuem, but if you haven't already had a look maybe that will be of some help?
amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Royal-...
As tempting as it might be, don't overdo yourself in training- I've heard so many stories working at the museum about people either a) injuring themselves by training the wrong way, such as by doing something incorrectly or b) developing stress fractures from overdoing it. Other than that, all the best with your training!
Start slow. It may be hard if you were used to running longer distances in the past but feeling like that after a run is your body telling it you pushed it too much. I always aim to feel tired but still able to walk, talk and smile at the end of a run!
I've never been a runner really but I'm trying to train up for the marines, hence why I pushed so hard. I'm pretty athletic but I definitely need to start slower. Being able to smile at the end of a run is what i will aim for, haha. I don't think I smiled for 2 hours after that run ^^
The marines - wow! Even if you're athletic in other ways, it's important to build up the running gradually and let your body get used to it otherwise you'll run the risk of injury which could put you out of all activity for weeks, if not months. Definitely not worth it. Follow the C25k programme, a run every other day and you'll be running 5k before you know it. Too much too soon and it might take double the time when you end up injured. If all of us non athletic types can smile after our runs then I'm sure you can too.
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