There’s a thing called runtogether in the uk, which I’ve been thinking of joining, but I’d have to drive there and back, and last time I tried it I could barely walk!
Get Running with Couch to 5K
81–90 of 232 posts
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#82Did this to prepare my gf for a noncompetitive run. If ytou stick to the plan it's easy even when starting from zero, and the program brings you to really running a 5K. Highly recommended.
Yeah, I have not used the program myself, I was an idiot when I started running, but I have only heard positive things about it. And the design of it looks pretty clever, it starts out very casually but it still ramps up quickly enough to give a sense of progress.
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#83I did this last year with an app.
In between there was kind of a huge increase in the running part I couldn't manage, and the app was kinda buggy, so I didn't keep at it.
But I noticed some endurance improvements in my daily life, so I would recommend.
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#84What do people think about during their runs? Anything over 30 minutes I find very mind numbing and boring.
I stopped wearing headphones while running when the pandemic started. I really don't think about much. It's become sort of meditative for me.
Likewise, I actually love that feeling when you’re running and after a certain point of exertion your mind goes blank - I find it so rare to have a blank mind in day to day life. Similar feeling to when you’re skiing/snowboarding and really in the zone, though not as intense.
I do sometimes find I come up with good ideas for work/whatever when running, so it can be a good way to ponder things like that and I’ll sometimes record a short voice memo on my Apple Watch otherwise I forget what I thought of. But after 20 minutes or so I find my mind kind of defaults to blank and I like that!
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#85Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think all those studies that say running even 5-10 minutes makes you almost invulnerable from death should be taken with caution. One problem is that people who run regularly are just different from people who do not. People who will run will make a lot of other choices that are also better for their health, for various reasons like being probably more intelligent (to see the reason), having means (to be able to ca…
One of the things I've always wondered about, and I don't know if there is a good scientific answer for it (haven't looked deeply), is if you end up committing to running 5 to 10 minutes a day will you end up turning into the type of person you're describing eventually. I guess my question is that is it likely a person would get the outsized health benefits because they commit to the minor health change which then ca…
I noticed on myself that running long distances is also willpower training.
Being able to force myself to stick to something hard/painful causes me to also expand my ability to stick to other things.
And when I can't run (for example due to injury) it also affects my ability to stick to a lot of other things that should not be affected by my knee.
Another reason why I think running is so beneficial is because when you start it you see obvious, epic improvements in your performance.
I literally was doing runs I did not think possible just a month earlier.
It changes your perspective on what is and what is not possible.
And if this happens to you it may cause you to start investigating and making a lot of other health-related changes.
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'll never tell people they have to, but winter running can be really enjoyable. I committed this year to doing as much of my training outside through the Canadian winter as possible, and so far it's been a dream. I ran through the storm that ripped through Ontario right before Christmas and caught myself thinking that I wasn't sure how much worse conditions would have to be for me to stop having a good time. Like th…
Yeah, when the weather is right winter running can be amazing. The perfect is running in like -4 C with crisp air and everything covered in snow or frost.
The amount of light exposure you get is incredible, with the crisp air and the all-white world reflecting the sunshine. So good against seasonal depression
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#87Personally, I think aren't many better return on investment activities than spending half an hour every day on a morning jog. You can run more than that but I think half an hour steady state easy run each morning gives you 80% of results. If you love running (I do), knock yourself out. But that half an hour is enough to do wonders to your health over long periods of time with minimum chance for negative consequences.…
Personally I think (I don't do!) I'd rather go harder/faster/longer less often. Getting ready for and then showering etc. after such a brief activity every day is just annoying isn't it?
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#88Is there a cycling equivalent Couch to 5k app? Given the impact running has on the joints, it would be great to do a program like this with a bike instead. (Other than Peloton which obviously has a high entry cost and even their app-only experience is pretty expensive for what it is)
You need to realise that weight bearing exercises (this means running, walking etc) are good for bone health. Low impact activities like cycling don’t give your bones the right stimulus to stay strong. And as the other commenter has said, the impact damage is probably in the minds of people who say that running does then damage but in reality it doesn’t do damage, it is actually a benefit to bones and joints.
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#89I find running hurts my knees so I cycle. Similar benefits but I see more nature and protect my joints.
Re: Get Running with Couch to 5K
#90Earlier quoted context omitted.
As I understand it, running does not cause bad knees and can even help by building up muscles. However, if you have bad joints to start with, running can be hard or impossible. In which case, pick another exercise. There are lots. My favorite thing about running is that it requires little equipment and can be done any time at all. (My second favorite thing is that it's easy to listen to podcasts or music.) Check with…
"Couch" pretty much = bad posture = bad joints.
That is way too strong assertion. Not all couch potatoes have that bad posture, especially those who used to exercise in the past and stopped and bad posture does not necessarily mean bad joints. Very few of my friends who are around 40 have bad joints, including the couch potatoes. The bad joints will probably catch up with them in time but e.g. my dad was a couch potato from 45 to 67 without any issue. It was only during covid where he want from barely moving to sitting in front of his computer all the time his joints start to hurt. And, yes, his posture has always been terrible.