Fat lad going running – advice please

I’ve said I’ll do a 10k cross country charity run organised by an ex-colleague in August, I haven’t run for about 2 years, and then it was only said 10k run (1hr 15mins) and limited training.

Currently the wrong side of 15 stone, riding about 40 miles a week on the bike on and off road, play squash once a week, generally active, no pre-existing injuries or conditions.

I need to train for this run, but also want to shed some pounds and get fitter, running is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in terms of effort, so I figure some running will aid fitness and weight loss, with the final goal of doing the 10k in under an hour.

I don’t want to over do it, realise the potential risks, have decent trail running shoes, and on the whole won’t be running on paved surfaces. I’m 27 by the way.

Any advice going, or links to sensible training schedules/regimes to slowly increase distance and pace?

Cheers,

Sam

When you start out for the first few weeks aim for ~20 mins runs. That’s plenty and start to build slowly from there. It’s easy if you’re in a biking mindset to think <1hr is a waste of time, but running is a lot more demanding.

Also, worth factoring in some strength training during this initial period. It will help your running and reduce injury potential.

Welcome to The Fast Diet

Find a couch-to-5K plan and follow it, I think most are about 12 weeks which will take you to July. Then gently increase the distance until the race. The main thing is to take it very slowly, and following a plan will help you with that.

Losing weight will definitely help, but you already knew that. A bit of strength training as tomd mentions wouldn’t be a bad idea, either, although it’s not 100% necessary.

Its not rocket science, just put on yer shoes on and run. Start off with a mile or so and work you way up. Ideally choose a few different routes and time each one. You will seem your times drop and that will keep you incentivised. You’re only 27, you will improve quickly if you work hard at it.(and lose the weight)

Finally if anything starts to hurt, stop and walk and only run when the pain stops. Running through injuries is not recommended!

Up the biking till you get some more weight off. I always smash my feet in if I start back running at 15 stone. I’ve just cleared a stone off in 6 weeks using the bike exclusively (maybe some mild diet decisions too).

You have no time pressure here because August is so far away and there’s a risk in starting running when you’re heavy of injuries which hold you back. Perhaps use the bike to get aerobic fitness and lose some weight, but before you start running, get walking – fast and striding out – and slowly start to add short runs into the walk as you feel able.

I found myself in a similar situation coming back from injuries. And having hurt myself trying to run too soon, that’s the approach that worked.

Currently the wrong side of 15 stone

how tall are you? 15 stone might not be problematically heavy.

Currently the wrong side of 15 stone

how tall are you? 15 stone might not be problematically heavy.

Quite! If you’re 4ft 10″ you would have a point, but 15st is **** all to worry about. Just get out there!

Start off slowly by only running ~20mins and run at a pace where you can still talk and hold a conversation. Do this a few times till you get used to running. After this point you can start to think about running longer and harder. Add on an extra lap of the field or 5 mins. Each time you increase the duration, do it a few times and get used to it before increasing again. Repeat until you are running 10K.

I’m 6ft, and no 15st isn’t huge wight as far as I’m concerned, I’m pretty broad, always played football/rugby. cycling since, big legs, just got too much out in front, I carry it fairly well, and people generally don’t believe me if I tell them my weight.

That said, some of it needs to go. Squash tonight (later), 20 mile (ish) road ride tomorrow night, might try a short run when I get home tonight and see how the legs feel.

I’m 6ft and 16 stone and have to do a half marathon in June so I’m pushing myself a bit trying to do a bit more than the training plan each week as there isn’t really enough time, figure I’ll either make it or get an injury, but being not fit enough and not injured in my case is fairly pointless!

If you’ve got a smartphone search for “10k for pink” in google play/app store, it’s a 10k training program from nothing in 12 weeks (I’m guessing the title is aimed at yumie mumies doing the race for life, but the app itself is pretty generic inside, just audio and on-screen prompts to run/walk/jog). Starts with 1min run 90s walk for 20 min. Which is actualy harder than it sounds if you’ve not run in a long time!

Also, get fitted for some propper running shoes with gait analysis, insoles etc. Yes you can run in 5.10’s but it’s a fast track to an injury. I had mine done a few years ago but inbetween my gait altered slightly and even though the shoes I had were still in theory borderline the right ones getting gait analysis done and some cutom insoles meant I went from hating running and barely making it past the first mile without crippling pain to running 5k and feeling fresh at the end of it overnight! Mine ended up costing £145, but that was after taking up the best part of an hour of the shops time, taking static measurements, fitting insoles, doing gait analysis and trying on about 6 pairs on the treadmill with the slow motion cameras to try and subjectively interpret what I was feeling. Yes the same trainers are £60 online and the insoles probably aren’t too disimilar to the off the shelf ones but in the scheme of things (relative to cycling) £145 is pretty cheap (and the £45 insoles should last through several pairs of shoes), comparable to the cost of cycling per hour, and a lot cheaper than they gym!

Or you could just try and run, I did last time in some fairly neutral trainers I bought after doing a modicum of research, and didn’t die, no one will advise it but 10k isn’t that far, just gead out your door and jog as slow as you can for ~80min. If you’re fit enough from cycling to ride hard for 80min then all you really need to do is make sure your legs are upto the impact of running. Even this time starting from scratch I found the first few weeks of jog/walk/jog/walk/jog/walk quite hard/painfull then once I’d addapted I skipped about 4 weeks of the plan and went straight to the 5k-8k runs (new shoes helped).

Also try Park Run as a good way to run 5k in a friendly environment with loads of encouragement even if your one of the slower runners

Eek – massive potential for injury there – pardon the pun. Lose some weight first with low-impact exercise, then start the running when you are less likely to wreck your knees.

Do you have plenty of time ? If you can manage an hour walking on a treadmill each day before work or something that will help (sorry) hugely.

I assume you are a male so I won’t add the advice about a good sports bra…

As recommended above, start with a couch-to-5k plan. It will be too easy at first, but don’t skip forward as it allows the muscles to build up and prevent injury. The best tip I had when starting was to try and land on the balls of your feet, with your heel barely touching the ground on each step (if at all) – kills the calves at first but reduces the shock to joints. I started a couch-to-5k plan in September 2013 when I weighed nearly 20 stone (6′ tall). Lost loads of weight with the running (+ diet + cycling), and have been injury free. Once I’d completed the plan I gradually increased distance. I was probably still over 16 stone when I did my first 10k, so I can’t see you having any issues.

Focus on distance first, speed can come later. I plod along at a steady 10 min mile, but could probably get under the hour for a 10k if I pushed myself. I don’t run much these days as focussing on cycle-specific training but a 5k is like a walk in the park and I can do a 10k at will. I now weigh 14 stone and dropping.

In summary, do it now – don’t wait until you’ve lost weight to start, just build up gradually.

Lose some weight first with low-impact exercise, then start the running when you are less likely to wreck your knees.

Whilst I’d agree in general, it’s a chicken/egg (it’s always the egg, but the metaphor fits) scenario. Just get on with it and take it easy.

If you can manage an hour walking on a treadmill each day before work

We’re trying to get him to run, not lose the will to live!

Although on a related note my brother has far more free time and subscribes to the opposite stratergy, he walks the race distance almost every day and breaks into a jog a couple of minutes earlier each time, and he’s missing one of his cruciate ligaments!

I’m 6ft,

Just go running then, especially as you’re already playing squash and cycling, 10k isn’t a massive distance to work up to.

The most common mistake people make in training is getting all keen and doing too much too soon. Especially running – build up slowly. You will have to push yourself on the day, but it is not like you have to go out a week later and do another 10k is it ?

You are positively feather weight compared to myself.

I follow couch to 10k and I’m currently on week 3 with no ill effects

Couch to 5k in progress here.

I’m fine aerobically but knees and ankles need care, so I’ve taken it steady. Now back on week 5, after missing a couple of weeks through illness.

Just get out and run.

On my commute to work I pass a tall bloke running to and from work. He used to be a real big fat lad. When he first started running he really struggled (not surprising as he had so much weight), but now 2 years later he still runs to and from work, but is now thin. He doesnt run much quicker, but the change is remarkable.

He has done it the proper way, slowly so the weight stays off. Remarkable what he has achieved.

If he’s playing squash then I reckon his knees and ankles are fine. Just get running.

The most common mistake people make in training is getting all keen and doing too much too soon. Especially running

While i agree, we’re not saying run a marathon on tarmac* from the off, doing the first few weeks of the C25k training programs barely involves 30min of running a week. That’s less than even the least fit person in the world would do in a kick arround at the park, let alone someone who already plays squash & goes MTB’ing.

*on this note, go down to the woods and run in the mud, grass, mulch/sand/gravel, your joints will thank you for it. Running on the road/pavement has the tripple whammy of:
-Offering no cushioning
-Being completely regular meaning your joints only ever use one bit of their movement.
-Being cambered, so one side of your body takes all the punishment.

Take it steady at first day on day off, you’ll know when you reach the point where you can push a bit harder, if you stop through injury or laziness even for a short time you’ll go backwards very very quickly so keep plugging away. I started running about 9 months ago and I haven’t really lost any weight as my eating is still shite. 6’3″ and 16 1/2st, not massively overweight as I do quite a lot of strength stuff but I’ve gone from 40 minutes on my first 5k to 25 minutes and from hating it to quite enjoying it in a perverse way.

Just done the same but more extreme. Last September I was 23 stone, diagnosed with depression and decided to change things. With diet, rowing on a morning and a Garmin 5k training plan in the evening I managed to get to just under 20 stone and did a 5k run in 34.02.
A good time was had over Christmas and I didn’t bother with the diet and put on over half a stone and only did 2 runs in January but continued with the rowing. Diet was vey much hit and miss during that time but maintained my post Christmas weight.
At a family party my wife was bullied into a 10K race by her cousin. My wife doesn’t really have any weight issues and has done the running with me since September. I decided to support her this time round and in February we started a Garmin training plan for a 10K which is 3-4 runs a week from 20 – 60 mins to build up the distance and intervals for speed. During this time I’ve managed to get just short of 5 stone lost, drop my 5k time to 28.39. We do the Blackpool 10K on 26th April and I’m aiming to break 60 minutes.
My wife came home last night and informed me that her friend wants to do an half marathon in June next year before she reaches 65. This was followed by her asking if “we” had time to train do the run with her friend so it now looks like I’ll training for a half marathon next.

Core, I’d start by getting your a running plan from a website and follow it. Leave yourself a 2-3 week gap between finishing the plan and your race so that you start doing some cross country runs during the week of say 30 mins and 45 mins. The week leading up to your race you don’t need to do much maybe a couple of 20 min runs so you have enough rest before the big day.
Increasing running distances and still rowing brought home the importance of rest days so allow yourself chance to recover and you’ll see quicker gains.

I’d say listen to Qtip up there… what an inspirational post/little story … good man by the way Qtip …. hope I’m not being patronising but you should be well proud of that…. Edit …. Criagxxl as well… well done lads

And to the OP …. Do NOT be scared to walk…. if you’re struggling just walk for a bit…. I will still do that now and I’m pushing for a sub 3 hour marathon…. it may well be that your first runs you are walking just as much as running… so what !

I promise you …. full money back guarantee …. by about your 6th run/walk you’ll see improvement and hopefully will enjoy it because of that. It’s why I run …. you get to see/feel tangible improvements over the course of your training…. enjoy the training rather than think it’s something you HAVE to do and you’ll be well on the way to achieving the end goal.

Good luck

I’d definately recommend following a plan. You may be different but I find it hard to get out and ‘just run’ some days without having a goal. If you have a plan set out, you’re much more likely to follow it.

I’m currently using Hal Higdon marathon training plan and it seems to be working, theres pretty much all distances in his plans for all levels of runner. I’d really recommend it. Other plans such as couch to 5k are meant to be good but I’ve not tried them. I wouldn’t ‘just run 20 mins’ personally, as some have mentioned above, as a structured plan will also factor in recovery etc and provide you with goals.

The easiest way to increase distance is to do very simple intervals; run > walk > run etc.

Run until you need to stop and walk for a bit, then pick up running after a recovery. You can increase the length of the running bits and reduce the recovery bits as fitness progresses.

Anyone who can run a fixed distance looking to up that also needs to remember to set off at a much slower pace (initially) in order to build distance.

Go steady, avoid injury – which is the one certain way of ensuring you won’t hit targets, whatever they are. And good luck!

about 18mth ago my wife wanted to start running, general mid life crisis etc,
we both started the c2-5k, tbh i found it very easy but she really struggled from the off, she could barely run for 2 mins.
completed that and i left her to it as i hate running.
up until about 6 weeks ago she was running about 30 mile a week, (1x15m and 2×7.5m)slight injury has slowed her down but she is back at it.
shes lost about 3 stone, 11 down to 8.

Watching this as I want to get back into cross-country running as well as riding.

Currently got sore knees for some reason though so have started going out for longer walks with brief runs messing with the dog in my decent running trainers (NF hedgehogs) instead of my wellies or crappy garden boots now the ground has dried up to see if that makes any difference.

Just keep at it. Regular efforts (2-3 a week, 20 mins to start, run and walk as described above or Couch>5K) rather than going for duration.

0-5Km is a lot harder than 5-10Km IMHO – once you can do 5 extending by a Km at a time doesn’t feel dramatic.

I run irregularly usually, but have just done a 16 mile trail run beginning training in January on 2-3 sessions a week (1-2 short, 1 long, growing bit by bit) so you’ll be fine for August if you start now, and I suspect under an hour wouldn’t be a problem.

I’m a fat lad that runs. I also have a very poor running style after a serious illness four years ago.

I followed the 5 and 2 or fasting diet or whatever you call for two or so years, I also use my fitness pal every day, and try to stay under my weekly calories EVERY week, which I usually do no problem at all, so far I’ve lost three stone and trying to lose at least another.

I run three or four times a week, I started with the 0-10K plan and done my first 10K two years ago, in 70 minutes, I’m now good for 56ish minutes and hope to get that. Under 50.

The best thing that I done, was join a running club, it’s helped a huge amount, even if it’s just with the motivation side of things.

You’ll pick up a lot of niggling injuries when you first start, just keep your training sensible, rest well, don’t do too much too soon, and have a look for some decent training plans and you’ll be fine!

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fat-knacker-10k-training

Thanks for all the advice, amazed at how long the thread is all of a sudden, will have a thorough read and try to digest it all in the morning, and report back on tonight’s intended exercise….

your joints will thank you for it. Running on the road/pavement has the tripple whammy of:
-Offering no cushioning

This sounds intuitive but there is no evidence for it. It is certainly nicer to run off road but I wouldnt worry that road running is going to cause you issues because of the harder surface and I am not aware of any evidence that running causes joint problems. At 50 with over 30yrs of competitive running behind me I dont experience any joint problems at all and anecdotal evidence from my peers bears this out.
Of course dont overdo it but just get out in the sunshine and run for a bit