Ask Lemmy

If you went from nothing to 30 minute jogs, likely a little while. What's your history? Solid couch potato with a potato shaped body or worse? You're looking at a couple hard months. Formerly fit/fit-ish, maybe some high school sports or something? Maybe an unpleasant month or so. You'd be better off easing into it a little slower. Can you do a brisk walk for 30+ minutes? Jog for 10-15? Build up to a full 30 minute jog. They have things like C25K (Couch to 5K) programs that give you good pacing.

Stop pushing yourself to where you feel like you're dying. If you're new to this much exercise, you're having to build up both muscles/tendons and breath.

Tendons and connective tissue take longer to condition than muscles. Don't push to injury.

Aerobic capacity grows by working out in aerobic range. If you push past that to when you're gasping for breath, you aren't improving your aerobic capacity as efficiently as you could.

Nerd rabbit hole, you want Zone 2 training and you can find a bajillion YouTube videos on it. The less-nerd version is run until you start losing your breath, slow down or even walk until you catch it again, run until you lose it, rinse and repeat.

Couch to 5k programs are fine. I think if you're trying to do this for longer-term goals than a 5k in ten weeks, then look for zone 2 training instead of couch to 5k. Zone 2 training will be slower advancement but result in a more robust base.

Drop it to ten minutes a run plus walking, but up it to four times a week. You're better off taking it slow and working up. Easier on your lower back and knees. Good shoes also matter. Might want to add some free calisthenics too. Body weight squats, pushups, dead hangs at a pullup bar, etc.

If you don’t have a way to pace yourself – kind of never.

If you haven’t already looked at couch to 5k give it a look. I’ve been more successful with a form of intervals for some days and only one day of “solid” running.

I never got to the point that jogging felt good. But eventually what happened was that I'd feel better for the rest of the day on a day I ran, than on a day I did not run.

Aerobic dance classes are enjoyable once my aerobic base develops but running is boring and a drag always.

As someone who also drinks ... don't. It is terrible for your cardio and definitely contributes to feeling like death, because your heart is recovering from some toxicity if you've drank within 24 hours or maybe more.

Other than that, other people have good advice. The 'zone 2' stuff is probably most relevant if you're already semi-fit.

Other than that, all I can say is, the first ~5 minutes of any heavy cardio are going to suck, roughly for ever. Even in good shape, it takes the body a good long moment to warm up. I'm sure a proper warmup could reduce the, "I'm dying" feeling down to a, "yep, this is work", but if you drank within a day, the feeling will be very easy to get regardless.

Are you jogging with a toe to heel motion, or a heel to toe motion?

From what I've seen, most people have no idea what proper form is for running. I was the same way until I thought to myself, "maybe it's not just my body being shitty."

It helps to not think about running as taking steps, because it's not. When you take a step, it's basically a controlled fall. You step out and lean forward landing on your heel and rolling to the ball of your foot

Running is pretty much the opposite. You're pushing yourself forward with what's basically a small jump. You want your feet to start off nearly directly below your hips, push off with the ball of your foot, and land on the ball of your other foot with your heel off the ground, as close to under your hips as you can.

It's hard to explain the full movement through text, so I'll leave this video about it https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=entUXhcgt3c

But once I changed my form, even my old meniscus injury doesn't hurt.

One of my favorite apps is called Just Run: Zero to 5k. Its available for ios and Android. I would recomend this to anyone begining running.

Heartrate and spm are also important. Too high of a heart rate and not having the right cadance are both detrimental.

Your heart rate should stay in the recommended zone for running.

https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_a_good_heart_rate_while_running/article.htm

Your candence should be near 170 SPM.

https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/beginners/a772845/a-beginners-guide-to-cadence/

Edit: I guarantee if you do these three things youll see improvments.

Ever seen a runner smiling? Me neither.

It's probably very dependent of your current physical status but trust me at some point it will be like being on a machine moving you through the environment. You will stop feeling anything about it, much like walking, standing or sitting.

I'd consider doing a Couch to 10k program.

A good program will build your capacity without crushing you. When I did mine, the first two weeks of the program felt laughably light. But I built the ability to run 10k, and half-marathons.

But it was building capacity, and not training for maximal stress per run.

Technically speaking, the suffering will stop when you die

I think the other comments covered it, but let me repeat that pacing yourself is super important. if you have a smart watch then there are running apps that will watch your heart rate and tell you when to speed up or slow down to keep you in cardio without making you feel like you're going to pass out.

You just start to like that feeling.

It took a few weeks for me. You may just need to slow your pace. I do it more by distance than by speed.

30 mins is long for a beginner unless you just do a fast walk. Better to just do 10 minutes every day and keep track of your pace. Then increase the speed first when the sessions become easier. Then once your pace is decent and it doesn’t tire you add interval training at the end of every other session so alternate between a sprint and a jog every 30 seconds. For like 5 times and increase the reps or the duration when it becomes easy. Then later on you can add a second 10 minute session like at the end of the day on a couple of days in your week where you do something different like hill or stair climbing.

With your current training schedule there is a good chance you will quit altogether. Don’t make it hard on yourself. Also if you become super exhausted after a run it doesn’t mean you trained better and will progress faster compared to a run where you still feel fine afterwards, it can actually cause the opposite since your are more likely to injure yourself.

How long have you been doing it? I remember when I was first getting into running and struggling like this.

I forget how much time it was, but within a year, I was running a 5k at least twice a week. In addition to that, I ran 8k twice, but that was pretty intense and I had a lot of pain after doing that. So, I stopped doing that.

What I am trying to say is just keep with it and if you are running a pace that causes you breath so heavy. that you can't talk, then slow down your pace.

Runner who has done a marathon here, I think the wall your hitting is when your body is switching gears from warm-up to cardio. Everyone is suggesting the couch-to-5/10k programs and that may help. I would suggest pushing your time spent running a bit further, more time doing cardio should improve things.

I just restarted my long-run training for the year (because its not cold outside anymore, and I want to run a race this year, its been a bit) and just passed that point where I can just go without having to take walking breaks on my "default loop".

Also goals, having something to look forward to or to work towards helps a lot. Keep up the good work.

Ah, but the dying feeling isn't because of your jogging, that's just what it feels like to be alive right now (and probably any other time).

How old are you. My unathletic 25 year old body could get used to running in 2 weeks. In my late 30s I think it's at least twice that.

Id recommend cardio every day if you can. Just walk on the other days. Getting your heart used to the work is the biggest issue for me.

It takes a while for all the support muscles to strengthen. Once the body pain stops or at least is manageable the best way to improve your heart’s ability to keep up on the run is to interval train. It sucks but it’s worth it to pick up speed and stamina.

Oh yeah; do a good stretch before and after the bulk of your run. Focus on the areas that are most sore after you’re done. I have plantar fasciitis and tight hips so I do a ton of hip and calf stretches once I’m warmed up, and when I’m cooling down.

It doesn't. You just run faster.

Don't push yourself too much, its better to run a while then walk and repeat. Getting in shape is a slow process.

If you just want to do some exercising, try this program.

Starts very slow, increases at your own pace. The only things you need are a stop watch and enough room to do jumping jacks and pushups.

https://leisureguy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/rcaf_xbx_5bx_exercise_plans_text.pdf

Well. When do you think you'll die?

i used to do triathlons every season, olympic distance. for about a decade. i never stopped feeling like i was dying. i would be able to do it, going up to 10 mile runs @ ~8min/mile while training - but it never felt good.

i would see other runners, gliding along like gazelles, and i would wonder if they felt like that and just hid it better, or if it was just me. i would dread runs - the only time i felt good about it was when it was over

i dont run anymore, i hate it, its not for me. i still workout 4-5 days a week and i get my cardio in other ways. exercise should be fun, something you look forward to doing

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iax2XRbP9zc

There's a lot of factors, it's a matter of training your body to get used to the effort. I used to jog a lot myself, beginning it sucked, after a month or two the happy chemicals started working that made it feel good. Add in going out on beautiful days as well and seeing nature helps as well. It's easier to do it here in the spring and autumn months because the weather is much more agreeable.

Could be never. After 2 years of trying to get fit again after having Covid it turned out I have Post Exertional Malaise and exercise literally damages my body.