Tips on how to start running?

Running is probably one of the hardest activities to start next to swimming... my team swims 3 times a week and that's it... (feeling a little burned out too)... BUT, I'd like to start running - and was wondering on if you guys have any tips. I've googled it a bit and a lot of people say to start slow - walk a majority of the time and run in little spurts and build up from there. Anyways, fellow swimmers - any other advice to give? I started running as an adult. If you're pretty fit, I'm not sure you need to walk a LOT. That's a bit extreme. Maybe alternate some walk/running. I just started running. But you should do what's most comfortable for you. Running IS a very difficult activity to start and uses different muscles. It will take awhile for your body to adapt and you'll feel like you have the plods for awhile. You have to expect it to feel "hard" at first and and be persistent. I love it for cross training and to be outside. To start: Get good running shoes from a real running store where they can give you advice on what type of shoe you need depending on whether your foot is wide or narrow or whether you have a high arch or not. Stretch before and, more importantly, after. Start with a minimal distance. Depends how fit you are. Maybe even just a mile at first. I think I started with 2 miles. Only go up 10% a week. This is really important. If you ramp it up too quickly (as I have done in the past), you are susceptible to all sorts of stuff like shin splints and tendonitis and stress fractures. SO GO SLOW. Don't run multiple days in a row. Give yourself some recovery time. Don't let your ipod, if you use one, lure you into running further than you should. Make sure you're properly hydrated. I'm sure some other runners and triathletes here can give you more specific advice. Poolraat? Bill? Have fun! Good luck!

Someone thinks I know a bit about running, so I'll add my :2cents: . Don't! :drink: instead. But seriously, a lot of good advice has been given already and I really don't have much to add. Most important is to have good shoes and to start slow and easy. Don't get caught up into the "I gotta get miles" game. Also run on soft surfaces as much as possible. Particularly, stay away from concrete sidewalks and paved streets. Grass and dirt trails are the best. Your legs, knees and feet will thank you.

Hi, I am the anti-runner! I hate it!!! However, that being said, my really cute boyfriend, now husband, started me on running. One summer I worked up to a 10 mile run at about 9:00min pace. Nothing to write about, especially if you're a runner, but for me it was really good. Now, my point is this, I didn't get hurt at all, and I lost a lot about 15 pounds. I was at my lightest at 138 pounds while running (and won the 100 *** at Nationals) :) We bought and followed Galloway's Book of Running. I loved it. There were days you don't run at all, days you choose like between 0-2 miles, etc. And there was the suggestion at the beginning that if you feel yourself getting tired, run 7 min and walk for one minute. You can adjust that number accordingly I suppose. Anyway, Galloway's book made running more palatable for me, the aquatic mammal. :) Hope this helps!

I started running in 99 in order to complete a sprint triathlon. My sole basis for whether or not I succeeded in the triathlon was if I completed the run without resorting to walking. I have bad knees and had never ever run. Ever. I did everything based on time, not distance. So I would run at a pace that would allow me to go 5 minutes nonstop. It didn't matter how slow I went, just that I ran 5 min in a row. It would be a very slow pace. Then I added a minute and so on, up until I got to 2 miles worth of running (prob about 22 minutes.) Then I went by distance, using the 'don't increase by more than 10% in any given week' rule. I probably took it easy to the extreme due to fear of knee pain (I don't remember even being sore from running) but I did indeed finish that triathlon without walking! Good luck!

I personally cannot run and have no desire to, but my brother was a swimmer turned runner. When my brother was 30, he had a friend die of a brain aneurysm and it really freaked him out. At the time, my brother was a major couch potato and was completely out of shape. He decided to get off the couch and run. He started by running 1 block, then walking 1 block, then running 1 block, etc. until that didn't hurt as much. Then he ran 2 blocks and walked 1 block, etc. He built it up over time. Flash forward 20 years, my brother will be turning 51 this fall and he enjoys running more then ever. He's been in several marathons and runs in many races each year ranging from half marathons to 5Ks. He is thinner now then he was at age 30 and his legs and calves are pure muscle. My brother recently told me that he thought swimming was harder then running. With this comment, I considered the transformation from swimmer to runner a success.

If the exercise is the main issue, you may want to consider learning to racewalk instead. (Not some of the goofy "powerwalking" nonsense that is promoted, but real, Olympic style racewalking.) Much lower injury rate and nearly the same health benefits. Admittedly, depending on where you live, the harrassment factor can be higher than with running. -LBJ

When I try to run, I cannot get used to the "jarring" feeling, from my brain, teeth, and so forth. It physically hurts everywhere. Does this go away after time? Does running help with swimming or is it just an alternative way to exercise? It'll go away after awhile. It takes awhile to adapt to running. The subject of whether running is good cross training for swimming is very contoversial. Here's a thread on the topic, and I think there was a poll thread after the topic thread where we continued the discussion: forums.usms.org/showthread.php I'm not sure how much it improves your swimming per se, but it makes me more tone and fit. This has been discussed before too, but I think running keeps me more trim than swimming -- unless you're doing serious engine building. I don't do that right now, so I lift weights and run. But I have overcome my former runner addiction and now only do it 2-3 times a week at most. Sarah: Watch out for those ipods! They will lead you into temptation ...

I've gone the other direction. I used to run a lot, but time took its toll. I had a scope on my right knee in 1998 and haven't run a lot since. When I turned 50 I started swimming as "the exercise for the second half of my life". I strongly recommend that you not use an iPod or similar device if you are running outdoors (they're fine to avert the boredom of the treadmill at the gym). You need to use your ears to alert you to what's going on out of sight (e.g. behind you or just around the next corner - SUV, dog, out-of-control 3yo on training wheels, etc). Also, look for encouragement and advice close to home. If your local USMS club is anything like the one I swim with you swim with some triathletes. Many of them are probably pretty good runners and/or were where you are at a few years ago when they first started competing. They can probably recommend local groups or mailing lists. Skip

I don't currently run, but I've been told to start with 30 sec run/1 min walk and repeat ~10x, then gradually build to 1 min run/30 sec walk to 5 min run/30 sec walk, etc. until you can run continuously. The biggest things are start slowly and build gradually and make sure you have good shoes.

When I try to run, I cannot get used to the "jarring" feeling, from my brain, teeth, and so forth. It physically hurts everywhere. Does this go away after time? Does running help with swimming or is it just an alternative way to exercise?