2 years ago my wife went from zero to half-marathon in about 5 months – she was 48 and exercise was mainly walking and a bit of aerobics. Started with walk/runs and usually on softer trails 2-3 times per week – she did one 10 miler on tarmac and got plantar faciitis. I run mainly for fun these days, biggest improvement to reducing aches for me are Hoka One One shoes.

2 years ago my wife went from zero to half-marathon in about 5 months

My wife’s just done nothing to 10k. She did run-walk ParkRuns for a few months and gradually built up how much running, plus joined the local running club and did a few of their mid-week sessions. She walk walking-fit and generally active, but no running or any other exercise.

You might be able to run beautifully without issue, but that’s not true for everyone

I never said that, you have made that assumption up.

Every time running is mentioned on here though it is in the context of having to change technique, buy the latest shoe, blah blah blah.

Loads of people go running everyday without injury or problems. Maybe just cyclist are soft.

I started running on a C5K training plan in my 40’s and weighing in at just over 23st. The training plan (Garmin) was based around heart rate and time starting at 10’s of metres and over 16 weeks (3 times a week) to the 5k.
I was really worried about the damage I was going to do to myself with all the weight crashing down on my joints. No injuries going from the couch to 5k.
I was then challenged into a 10k race so followed another Garmin training plan over 16 weeks (3 times a week) and in just over a year from starting running I did my first 10k race and got a sub hour, just. Again no injuries.
I’m now training for my first half marathon which is the Great North Run in three weeks time. I went for a gait analysis and was recommended support shoes which caused knee and shin problems within a 4-5 runs totalling 30k. This was my first injury and I went back to my regular trainers (neutral but well cushioned) after I had recovered and the problems disappeared. However it had taken 4 weeks out of my training plan and no way to make it up so missed the weeks in between carried on with the training which caused me problems again with Achilles heel due to fast runs on our hilly routes. I’ve now covered my first half marathon distance but much slower than I wanted and know that I can’t get that speed without causing further injury so will just run the route and be happy to have covered the distance.
I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t rush your training planning. Each time you go out you will run a little more and walk less, no matter how small these gains are they all count. Use your rest days for what they are intended for and allow yourself to recover. Unless it says cross training then don’t do any exercise. Do not to get a gait analysis but look at your current shoes and see how they are wearing and compare them to the images online of shoe wear and if nothing is wrong then don’t try and fix it.

Just to add to the above joggers nipples is the only other injury I get but that has is now prevented with using surgical tape as recommended to me in another thread.
If your shoes are giving you hotspots then try a little Glide over the areas that rubbing.

Loads of people go running everyday without injury or problems. Maybe just cyclist are soft.

Nah – as someone else said, we try to go too fast, too soon.

I did it. I ended up with a calf strain within the third week of running, and had to limp the last 2 miles home.

It’s 3 miles to my shop and I can walk it in 36 minutes.I walk really fast but I’m not getting the work out that you get from running. Just the 2 days I managed I was getting to work with that happy feeling you get from exercise. It’s all off road so not running on concrete though the dirt is rock hard .
My back is feeling a lot better today so will try again next week and follow the instructions to the letter.
The villa we are renting has got some bikes so will use them to vent some steam. There are also some mountains nearby so I might go and walk up them as well.

Loads of people go running everyday without injury or problems.

True, but as evidenced on here and many other places, loads of people go running and DO get injuries and problems.

The ones who go every day are by definition the ones who aren’t injured, obviously.

Every time running is mentioned on here though it is in the context of having to change technique, buy the latest shoe, blah blah blah.

Those things help some people. You might not experience the issues that these things solve, and you might be highly cynical (like me) but that doesn’t mean the issues don’t exist.

Being as generous as I can be (maybe you should follow my example here) there is definitely a lot of hype, but there is also some truth in the waffle. Some people run well without thinking about it, and some people run badly without thinking about it. I know this from personal experience. So as in most thins in life the truth lies somewhere in between the two extremes.

Running is easy but many people do so little of it or allow themselves to get so badly out of shape that when they try to run it takes weeks or even months before they can run a few miles and during that time they will experience a number of aches and pains.

Many runners experience injuries (and I am one of them) because they are competitive and being that way inclined means you will often overtrain. Its not because all runners are stupid or its inevitable that they get injuries it is that they occasionally overstep the mark and push too hard.

If I decided only to run for fitness from now on I would probably avoid injury meaning running itself is not the problem but trying to run faster can be.

I’ve got a bit of hamstring pain at the moment. trying to get back into it after a bit of a lay off. I got back from a hiking holiday in the western highlands last week so thought it’d be a good time to start running again. having just spent 10 days on my feet and climbed seven munroes and not been near a bike at all i thought would would me in a good position…. wrong. Last time I ran was April so not that long ago. It only took one two mile run and two two and a half mile runs to do it. I can only think I must be trying to go too fast too quickly but any slower and I may as well not bother 🙁

Running is easy

I really don’t think it’s easy for everyone. It’s never been easy for me, even as my times and distances improved. Unless you count a gentle amble for a mile, which I guess technically counts as running and would be easy – but it’s not something I would consider worth doing 🙂

I have followed the instructions and have taken 3 weeks to do 2 weeks activities. I’m still raring to go when the lady rings the bell to walk.
So far no niggles or anything ,it’s definitely worth sticking to the programme. Looking forward to week 7 when there’s some proper running.

Years ago I came across this largely unknown document from a largely ignored and forgotten great athlete.

Running Fast and Injury Free