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Start with whatever mileage you're happy with, as long as you're not overdoing it, you should be fine.
If you get any sort of twinge or ache at the beginning of your run that isn't going away, Stop and walk home. let yourself heal properly until you can run comfortably pain free again. Do this regardless of how long you've been running.
Mostly, your stride is your stride. Get used to running before starting on a project to lengthen or shorten it.
Wear whatever feels comfy for you.
If you want to take a phone, do that, if you want to listen to music, do that, if you don't; don't do either of those things.
Find shoes you find the most comfy for you. If that's completely flat or so much cushioning you're 30mm taller, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you can run for however long you want; pain free.
Run wherever you feel comfiest, for some that's the woods, for some that's quiet country roads, change it up, until you find the thing you like the most.
It doesn't matter how long you run for or how frequently.
That's pretty much it, AFAIK
I never carry a phone for the shorter runs (~10k) I do near home - it's unnecessary. If I'm unconcious I clearly can't phone anyone, and in any other case I'd just ask one of the people around to use theirs. These runs are on easy trails and the chance of actually needing help is about as close to zero as it gets; when I go running in the mountains I always take a phone as the risk is a lot higher.
Lucky you st Colin (footy wise, not the discs!), I had loads of footy injuries over the piece, running has been the best thing I've done for my knees in particular, since I stopped playing it's given them a new lease of life.
Oh yeah, stretching...
For some people it's crucial, for others not so much, for some people it can be positively damaging. If you do think you need to do them, learning the proper technique, and doing them properly is the only way they'll help you. The worst sort of stretching, it turns out through research, is the half-hearted, "I think this is what I should be doing" sort, that's worse than doing no stretching at all.
Thanks for all the advice. Quads feel a bit achy this morning, kind of like after sprint intervals on the bike. Planning a ride this afternoon to help losen up.
Also for some reason I really enjoy running in bad weather whereas cycling in bad weather is just crap imo.
This. I don't mind riding in loads of mud during winter, at weekends. But not in summer or evenings after work.
Another positive of running. You can fit a good run into a half hour window, you’d barely have got the bike out of the garage in that time.
This was part of my reason to start running. I use the turbo a lot in the winter but even that takes time. My plan is to stop somewhere on my way home from work and go for a run.
I'd also always carry a phone. The local woods can be busy but sometimes empty.
since i started running more, I rarely ride in shit conditions now.
25-30K a week now. lunchtime 5k's when I'm working at home, moors runs evenings an weekends. rarely run more than 10K, my knees/ankles start hurting at ~12k.
my knees/ankles start hurting at ~12k.
I get this as well - I was training for a half marathon and used to make it to about 15km, feeling like I could just keep going, but my old knee injuries would flare up.
My legs are a bit wonky anyway, so it's probably due to that (and/or my flat feet).
I really enjoy running in bad weather
I can certainly tolerate it better than road riding in the rain, but the jogger's nipple can be a bastard.
Almost every PB I've ever got has been in the rain, 12 or 14 degrees and rain is about perfect conditions for me.
Running is definitely more bearable in bad weather, though I have a view that any 2 of wind/rain/cold is doable, but all 3 is rather miserable.
the jogger’s nipple can be a bastard.
Proper tight baselayer, with a top on over it if you're prudish aboot yer man handles 😁
Sorts it out.
INRAT
Start slowly with shorter, slower runs. If you want to run several times a week and even everyday if you are feeling no ill effects (other than a little tiredness) Your body will adapt quickly and as long as you are sensible and build gradually there is no reason you will develop any injuries, you may but they are not an inevitable result of running.
Building up to 50+ miles a week is easily doable over a reasonable period of time. Just warm up and down a bit, wouldn't bother with stretching it doesn't do anything and you dont need anything to go for a run other than a comfortable pair of shoes, socks, shorts and a T shirt. Other items depending on temperature.
Other than that dont overcomplicate it and just go for a run.
Best bit of kit is Aussie grit flint shorts, pocket in back for keys and pockets in the lycra legs for phone
Shame but Aussie Grit have stopped trading.
People who don’t take a phone do you have some other music/podcast playing device or are you all about being in the moment maaaan?
I've tried both. Without music or preferably an interesting podcast to lose myself in I think too much about the fact that I'm running and I hate it then I start thinking of excuses to cut the run short. If I'm distracted then I can keep going on autopilot without realising too much what I'm actually doing.
Having said that, I've barely run in the last 2 years. Need to get back in to it. Last time I was training for the 2019 Great North Run so I had a target. My plan was that with all the running and training I'd lose weight - I didn't. My non-scientific reasoning is that I'm so unfit that I push myself too hard just to achieve a 5:40-6:00min/km pace that my heart rate goes too high and I don't burn any stored fat. Aerobic vs anaerobic if I remember my GCSE science correctly? I don't seem to be able to go slow enough to keep my HR a bit lower without getting bored. None of this is with any sort of heart rate monitor either. And to add to it all my Garmin watch finally died after 5 years last month so in my mind I've got plenty of excuses to stay fat at the moment.
People who don’t take a phone do you have some other music/podcast playing device or are you all about being in the moment maaaan?
I generally take a phone with me but rarely play music. don't object to it, just never really occurs to me to put some headphones in.
just to mix it up, i run barefoot and on trails/ in the forest. i use shoes when it is icy mind, although not when snowy (sweden) usually switch to XC sking by then.
Just run lots of miles, most of them easy, you'll get fit. I love the mental side of running, it one of the few activities i do where death is not imminent (DH and climbing are my usual things) so i can really think and ponder things. Dont buy endless crap, a pair of light shorts and a cycle jersey will do, use the stuff you have for the bike. They want you to buy things remember. I got some trail running shoes in a sale 🙂
Road running will get you though, sod that, ain't worth the gammy knees.
enjoy OP
EDIT what Surfer said
oh and dont forget to carboload
People who don’t take a phone do you have some other music/podcast playing device or are you all about being in the moment maaaan?
I'm in a full-on hippy flow when I'm running. Though not going uphill, obviously ✌
Love running, very liberating and mostly kit-free.
On distance, if 6k isn't causing any issues than stick with that for a while. Hard to say for how long if you're only planning one run a week, but do be careful with upping distance. For bike fitness it's intervals I suppose. Begins to seem a little work for me though, so I just prefer to run and do as I feel (big climbs, sprints, cruisy flat run, or slowly drag myself around if I've over-cooked it that week).
On kit, spend money on shoes not shorts or vest (Karrimor clothing for me). Music is a must and I use a device called 'Mighty' that allows me to store Spotify files in a tiny player.
Karrimor clothing for me
Personally I like Decathlon for all my running (and cycling) gear - other than the fact they tell me I am fat as everything is on the small side - I have never in my life needed a 'large' in anything before (at 70kg and 5ft 8) but I look like Right Said Fred in their medium tops.
Garmin 'Music' devices have the ability to playback music without a phone if that's your thing. The Fenix has 32G onboard storage so plenty of space for all your tunes and supports Deezer / Spotify playlists.
I bought some shoes from Decathlon. Very odd shaped feet makes shoe buying difficult. I bought some Decathlon own brand shoes which apparently are the same as Kalenji. Not used them yet but they are comfortable.
it one of the few activities i do where death is not imminent
For me, it feels like it is.
The Fenix has 32G onboard storage so plenty of space for all your tunes and supports Deezer / Spotify playlists.
So it does! Forget my 'Mighty' suggestion (terrible connectivity and buggy as hell).
Decathlon clothing is great, works really well for me, though they've just stopped making my favourite socks and the replacements aren't as good. I don't like the Karrimor stuff.
Decathlon shoes are also OK if they fit. I have the trail shoes which are super grippy but to narrow for longer runs, the road shoes I was less convinced about.
When does it get easier? I've just finished a 5km plan, now starting 10km plan. Been running about three times a week for 6 weeks or so, most recently 5-6km each run. I still feel like someone is hitting my legs with sticks the whole time.
At what point will I feel like one of those runners on the front of the magazine, gliding over the ground with a smile on my face?
When does it get easier?
It never gets easier, you just go faster
gliding over the ground with a smile on my face?
Drugs, vast vast quantities of pharmacological products.
When does it get easier?
I'm going to get flamed for this as a fad-monger who spouts marketing bullshit from magazines* but you could think about your gait.
I used to run planting my foot heel-first in front of me and then rocking over it, which felt entirely natural (like walking) but it is in fact a terrible way to run because sticking your heel out in front of you sends a load of your forward momentum into your skeleton. I realised (all on my own) from having listened to many documentaries about animals that your tendons are supposed to store energy when you land and release them when you push off, and in order to do this you need to use your achilles. This means landing either forefoot first or mostly flat footed with a bit more weight on your forefoot, and to do this your foot needs to be underneath your body (unless you are going really fast). I tried this once on a treadmill and it was instantly soo much nicer to run. This means far less shock is transmitted to your body, which is what people mean when they say run lightly or quietly; and it's also how you're pretty much forced to run if you go without shoes on anything but the softest surfaces which is also why barefoot running is or was popularised.
* despite the fact I've never read one in my life - why the hell would I when I hate running? - and I spend hardly any money on running.
When does it get easier? I’ve just finished a 5km plan, now starting 10km plan. Been running about three times a week for 6 weeks or so, most recently 5-6km each run. I still feel like someone is hitting my legs with sticks the whole time.
What running shoes are you using? I find a nice and comfortable (and not too cushioned IMO) par of shoes make the running experience altogether nicer. I found Saucony and I will be sticking with them as they are so nice to run in.
sensible-ish answer for the when does it feel nice..? For me, it was when I'd been running for good length of time, at least 4-5 years, and I knew myself and my legs very well, and I knew I could sometimes comfortably get out of bed pull on my shoes and go running for 15-20 miles without really giving it much thought. Now, it didn't mean that's what I did all the time, I mean I just knew I was capable of doing it. I would zone "in" after about 3-4 miles of warm up and then just ease into a comfy stride and not have to think about it.
It was lovely
I can echo what nickc said - I can go out and run (I generally run up to about 10 miles) and enjoy it by keeping a sensible pace (for me that's around 9.30 minute mile pace). I can also push it to get to <9min mile pace but then the 'enjoyment' level is somewhat different and usually manifests itself as more of a satisfaction at having a good run once I am back home and showering.
When does it get easier?
Might sound daft/obvious, but 5k will seem easy when you can run a decent 10k, so your doing the right thing.
Lots of folk just keep doing the same distance, it never gets any easier if you do that.
or me that’s around 9.30 minute mile pace
Yep, that was the same as my easy long run pace.
Just come back from a sharp ish run with a friend. 9 mile, the first 7 of which were at a reasonable but not silly pace.
Legs did not want to play, lungs felt crap, no flow, sluggish…right up until we were 2 miles from the end and my mate decided it was a race to the finish.
Suddenly my legs woke up, the games commenced and we ran the last 2 miles almost 1:30 mins per mile faster than the previous 7.
Now feeling top of the world with a light ache in my legs.
Stick it out folks, it’s awesome fun.
Although your legs are in good shape from cycling, its good to do some running specific prehab to get your legs and knees able to cope with more running specific motion. Things like calf raises, monster and crab walks with powerbands, single leg romanian dead lifts, single leg bulgarian split squats will help.
Things like
Things like calf raises, monster and crab walks with powerbands, single leg romanian dead lifts, single leg bulgarian split squats will help.
Immediately put me off doing stuff.
Just go out and run but don't overdo it.
Someone I know recommended a short sprint at the end of a run. Once your body has adapted somewhat to running, it can be a lot of fun. I don't often do it, usually only if I feel like I can. Last time was about a month ago. It's great when you realize you can run faster, then faster, and still just that little bit more, faster. Until the pace can't be sustained for more than a few seconds. Definitely resulted in runners high for me. Never had that feeling on the bike.
Just picking up running again myself, after a few years break. I feel a significantly better mood lift post run, that I don't get from bike so much.
Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues? Always thought there wasn't much difference felt bewteen firm gravel/pavement. I can easily pop out the front door and run around my new build estate, new flat tarmac on dead quiet roads. I do have good flat trails, but need to drive there (only 5 mins though).
Reason I ask, is I could do with some new shoes.
Replacing shoes frequently is important, . I can tell when my shoes are worn out as they don't support / cushion properly any more and I always feel less beat up after changing my shoes, even trail / fell shoes, although the more minimal the shoe the less the difference.
IMO you may be more susceptible to knee issues through running on tarmac, but that is only because there is so much repetition, the ground is mostly level so you repeat your poor form more repeatedly, whereas on rougher trails your gait will be changing more frequently. Converesely the resulting changes may put more stresses on your body and cause injuries.
So where does that leave you.... IME injuries tend to crop up when you up your distance / intensity / frequency. When you're right at the limit and don't incorporate conditioning exercises to address gait / muscle imbalances is when you tend to get an injury. When you're doing a lot of miles you're probably always carrying a niggle of some sort.
A saying I heard, and believe to be quite true is that runners are either injured, recovering from injury, or due an injury.
Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues?
Trails are, in theory, a little softer so less impact on the knees, this could be countered by the fact they're uneven so you can introduce lateral loads into the knee that you don't get on the road. If the trails are hard packed and well surfaced there's not much difference at all.
And if in doubt, buy road shoes, particularly if the trails you run are good quality, it's only when it gets muddy or technical that you need a proper trail shoe IMO.
Thanks @pieface
Yes, that was my memory of it! Many niggles, pains and sometimes injuries stopping it all together. But still, it's worth it.
I'm in no rush this time. Looked at the C25k thing. But think I'll just take it easy, start slow, and listen to my body.
Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues?
Most likely to get injuries running on trails due to the twisting etc than flat pavements. Anecdotally off road is better but I dont believe this and I dont think running on hard surfaces makes much difference. Your body compensates for the huge forces that go through your joints when you run and as long as you build up slowly you will adapt.
I run a mixture of road and off-road and probably average about 60 miles a week, although currently in mara training so that is going up. I don't notice any difference between road and off-road as a cause of injury. Also , as has been said further up, I always seem to have a minor niggle, something not quite right but doesn't stop me running, and if I did stop for niggles I'd probably not get out at all... I'm pretty sure my body is well adapted to the stresses I'm putting on it. I'm on a streak of 809 days currently (would be longer but I got a dog bite in 2019 which gave me a DVT and put me out for 3 weeks) and before that I was mostly running 6 days a week, but niggles are frequently present. What I would say though is that my ankles used to be made of cheese when I played football and would regularly give way 2 or 3 times a season, but now I don't have any ankle issues, which I put down to less twisting and turning but also the running adaptations have strengthened them.
Much like what most have said above, take it steady, don't do too much too soon. Listen to your body and try and enjoy it.
Oh and I'm definitely in the no phone, no headphones camp. I just take a key.
I suspect overuse injuries are less likely from trail running, because of the varying angles of each step.
Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues?
For me it does, hugely. A large part of that is because locally to me trail running means steep hills and singletrack, which is a completely different physical movement than pounding along on the flat. But even running on a flat gravel trail for me is a lot easier than running on flat tarmac.
I do have good flat trails, but need to drive there (only 5 mins though).
Can't you run there?
Can’t you run there?
Yes - eventually. When I have gotten into it more. More off road options that road where I live - very hilly.
Can’t you run there?
Don't be bitter just because he has a usable car 😉