| A friend of mine hadn't exercised since childhood (she's 30) and went for a run a few weeks ago. She blew out her knees, they swelled to the size of cantaloupes, and she was on crutches for 2 weeks. That's what happens when you don't start slow OP. |
| I think your experience is pretty typical of anyone who doesn't work out, and then tries running for the first time. Everyone has to work up to it. There are some who find it easier than others, I'm sure, but to go from zero exercise to full-on running? Yeah, that's gonna hurt. The advice you've gotten here is all good in terms of easing into it. But I definitely do not think your experience is abnormal. |
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I like running. But I hate running on a treadmill.
You need to figure out the right pace for you, and the best way to do that is to run outside. The treadmill kind of forces you to pick an artificial pace. If you've been running for a while outside, you usually know about how fast you run a mile and can set the treadmill at a pace that more aligns with your appropriate pace. But if you are new to running, it's hard to figure that out on a treadmill. Also, even for experienced runners, the first few minutes are usually the hardest. That is when your body is adjusting, you are setting your pace, ramping up your heartrate, getting your breathing right. You have to kind of roll with it. Once you get a rhythm going and you get your breathing down (so that you aren't gasping for breath or breathing too fast or too slow), it feels better. |
Different PP. The current recommendation (based on studies) is that moderate exercise (including running) is actually better than extreme: http://www.active.com/health/articles/why-too-much-running-is-bad-for-your-health |
3 miles is not extreme. By any stretch of the imagination. |
I wasn't saying that 3 miles is extreme. I was saying that it is actually ideal. |