I was wondering if anyone else was having a problem getting started running? I really like to run even though it is really hard for me right now. I have been at it for a while and it just doesn't seem as though I will ever get efficient at it. If anyone has any personal stories about overcoming this beginning jogging routine difficulty or any personal timelines I would appreciate it!

PLT,
Think of the old saying, "You've got to walk before you run". LOL! I love to jog too but I have a large frame (6'2" / 215lbs) and a lot of jogging isn't the best things for my knees, etc. I would suggest you begin a walking program and work your way up to short periods of jogging alternating back to walking. That's what worked best for me. I go for a very brisk walk in my neighborhood and I'll get to a certain point and begin jogging. Then, I'll jog for a short bit and drop back to the walking pace again, etc. The longer you do this, you'll find yourself jogging more and more.

Hey buddy, yeah I love running too. I started about 2+ weeks ago, first w/ my dad because he wanted me off my butt doing some kind of exercise haha... So I started jogging, and at first, my gosh I hated it... Felt like the road was so long (we usually to 1.5 miles) but after the first couple of days, if I didn't go out and jog @ night, I would feel uncomfortable, it's like it was just part of my daily routine. It's so much fun now because when I see other people jogging, I can say "I'm one of those guys!", plus I got my CD player rocking away haha...

But yeah, take it slow at first, do lots of stretching... It's all good!

I also just started running this week, I have been an avid hiker and walker for 6 months now and had upped the walking there for a while (because I just felt good) and did not even consider jogging.

I didn't consider it because I weigh alot and considered obese and I thought I was too fat to walk very fast let alont run. well playing outside one day with my dog I realized I had all this energy and I started to run up the hills in my yard as I was playing with me dog, I felt so good I kept running then walking down the hills running up the hills and walking down, then I ended up running up a longer less steep slope and felt really good. I kept this up for about 15 minutes. I only stopped because I got tired.

thus I decided it was time to be a runner again. I used to be one for years. so I started on monday to jog so I have set a goal of 30 minutes of continual jogging at a moderate pace for me, (Medium speed) but right now I am working up to that goal by walk/jogging.

by next june I want to be up to 3-5 miles at medium speed this is the comfort pace for me when I used to jog before.

I am 258 and 5'6" if I can jog so can anyone else, short of someone who weighs 400 pounds. walking is the best way to get conditioning to work up to the running.

when I did jogging before, I just went out jogged and walked without working up alot of walking, tho I did do some hiking of trails and a little walking around my neighborhood.

I let how I felt be my guide on whether to push or to just walk or call it quits. If I got to out of breath i would just walk (I resisted the urge to just stand ther or sit as walking helps the heart out in recovery so it doens't have to bear the whole load of starting to recover). then when I started to catch my breath I would start out again and again until I was tired of the running and walking.

that is how I am doing this time out.

RR

Thank you all for your replies. They are very encoraging. I guess I will just have to stick with it. I also have to remember that it is ok to walk if I am tired. For some reason I get it stuck in my mind that I can't walk and I end up exhausted. I will just have to build myself up. Thanks again all!!

I started out doing the couch to 5K program on the cool runnings website. It's alternating walking and running for short periods of time. Gradually your running time will increase over several weeks until you are just plain running the whole time. I didn't follow the program religiously because I found earlier on it was easier to just keep running than to have to slow to a walk again only to speed up again a few minutes later. But it did help to have a guideline. Now I'm able to run 2 miles 3 days a week. I still haven't gotten to the 3 mile mark yet.

I was a runner back in high school and on and off in college and just recently (well, about a year ago) began running again. It took a good 6-8 weeks of walking/jogging to get where I wanted to be. Now I can do 4,5,6 miles with no problem. Good luck!