beginning running

B

beanthng

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I'm 39 years old and have smoked most of my adult life. My daughter is very competetive in running in high school and does very well. Needless to say, she is my inspiration to get "healthy".
I'm quitting smoking in 2 days and want to start running. (i ran in the fall but my max was 2 miles and it took almost 20 min, was also still smoking then)

my question is, how should i start running? i walk about 4-5 miles maybe 5-7 days a week. i do some working out at home with free weights.
i loved running when I did it in the fall and thats the reason for the no smoking and getting healthy. I felt terrific after each run and want to feel like that every day.

Any help on how I'd get started without injuring myself. I weigh about 128 so I'm not lugging around alot of extra weight. I'm 5'5".

Would love to hear from some of you. Thanks :p
 
Sounds like you should have no problem getting started. 2 miles in 20 minutes is great for a smoker. At your weight, too, the curve is going to be conditioning - not size, like lots of new runners have to deal with.

If you're trying to get your lungs back, endurance training is going to be your best friend. Set a time limit (I'd say 45 minutes) and keep moving - running for as long as you can, walking when you can't. When you can do this comfortably (at a constant jog/run) you'll be set.
 
Fil said:
Sounds like you should have no problem getting started. 2 miles in 20 minutes is great for a smoker. At your weight, too, the curve is going to be conditioning - not size, like lots of new runners have to deal with.

If you're trying to get your lungs back, endurance training is going to be your best friend. Set a time limit (I'd say 45 minutes) and keep moving - running for as long as you can, walking when you can't. When you can do this comfortably (at a constant jog/run) you'll be set.
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Sounds like good advice to me.Good luck to you beanthng.
 
Yep. Fil is dead on.

The only additional advice I can give is:

QUIT SMOKING NOW!

Why put off for tomorrow what you can do today??

Stop talking about it!!! If you are going cold turkey, good for you. I went cold turkey ~17 years ago. It is easier than everyone makes out. Just do it!

Congratz on the healthier new you that is coming!

-Rip
 
i really appreciate the feedback and advice. thanks a ton.
HERE I GO!!!!!!!!

looking forward to this board.... just joined last night. hoping it'll help me get thru the next few weeks of discomfort when i give up the smokes and keep me going on this healthy life of mine.
 
Keep us posted! And, come back here as often as it takes to get support with your quitting...

The first 3 days of non-smoking are gonna be tough. Get past them and you will rock-n-roll from there!

:)
 
welcome to the boards. running is the perfect stop-smoking aid. sweating out all the badness and in with the goodness. :D and yes, keep coming back to the boards! we got your back all the way. good luck with your routine man
 
corple said:
good luck with your routine man
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Man? 5'5" and 128 lbs. My guess was woman. But, I could be wrong. I have a close male freind who is 5'5". But, he weighs 160lb.

Sorry if I am wrong BeanThing... I just cracked a grin about this whole situation.
 
Official now... I just checked her profile and found out for sure...

Oops.

Sometimes it is hard figuring out sex on these forums. I am normally the one who is guilty of this mistake.

:)
 
lol i was curious about that height and weight. i was like, why does he want to lose weight. sorry, good luck with your routine though :D
 
got a good laugh over that he or she stuff.
yes i am female. i was diagnosed with MS about 6 years ago and havent been able to work the last 4 yrs due to the fatigue and other problems. However, most of the time, if the energy level is there, I can go like anyone else.
learned to keep workouts and runs just over the edge, not seriously over the edge, other wise my body defies me and refuses to do anything for days at a time.
So the plan is, as of right now, smokes are gone ALLL GONE, gonna start increasing my walking mileage a bit instead of 4 i'll make it 5 and i'll run in there when i can, when i'm winded i'll stop and walk again, then run again, until i dont have to stop running at all., God i'm so excited about that day c oming. i want to be able to do some slow runs with my daughter to keep her company. get all my coughing out of the way first few weeks i hope and start feeling better when i'm running and then there would be no turning back. running gives me a feeling of complete satisfaction that i cant explain but many of you would probably understand.
i'm just afraid i'll fail and not be able to stay off those evil smokes and have another set back. i'm tired of doing this, want it to work THIS time ad for good. and i love be outside and doind anything as long as it warm so i'll counter a craving for a smoke and counter it with say a ten minute run. see how they go over and theni can always drop and do handful of other things . this is going to be my excape from it this time,
You people seem really nice and willing to help others outl glad i got this site then. off for bed soon and tomorrow its a whole new world out thre for meeeeeeeeeeeeee :)
 
That is a bummer about MS. My mom has it and the medicines (I assume it is the medicines) have really slowed her down.

It is good to see you aren't letting it stop you from staying fit! Good for you.

-Rip
 
thanks rip,
i'm trying like hell anyway. yea it is the meds. they get ya coming and going. the shots (mine are weekly) slow me down for a day or so and the pill meds that are supposed to help dont always. so you do that one day at a time thingy and hope for the best, lol
today my quit smoking day went well. had a few hard moments but got by them. did my walk/run/walk/run for 60 minutes and felt good .
dammit i'm gonna beat this thing. i wanna be smoke freeeeeeeeeeeee.
this is a one hour at a time thingy for me tho, i dont worry about tomorrow, just getting thru the hour i'm in without one and it seems to be working. first day is always the easiest tho , then next 3-4 days will be tougher, but i'll hang tight.
sorry to hear your mom has ms. it does kinda suck, but i just try to make the best out of a bad situation and this is how i'm fightin back.
;)
 
I was wondering if I could throw a question in here. I have an asthma problem and i would love to be able to jog and enjoy the fruits of nature(i live in the country and its beautiful and it would be neat to be able to jog and enjoy the views). Is there any advice you could give me on breathing, pace and the best way to start out for someone who has never jogged/run before? THANKS!! :)

And congrats Beanthng!!! i was a smoker at one time....the thing that helped me was doing something in place of smoking a cigg. anytime i wanted a cigg, i would smoke one...and i replaced it with something else. such as having a peice of gum, or a breath mint or a glass of water. good luck in the future!! you can do it!!
 
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Tip #1: Deep breathing

You should breath into your stomach, not into your chest. You're breathing into your lungs no matter what, but it's a matter of getting air to fill the entirety of your lungs by expanding at your diaphragm rather than breathing shallowly by expanding at your rib-cage.

My cousin used to be an asthmatic, but when he started eating right and running regularly, it cleared up.
 
Good luck with the no smoking beanthng I have been off it 6 months now so if week minded man can do it I have every hope for yourself lol,my next goal is to lose some serious weight finding this a bit harder but due to the no smoking fitness levels have improved and lost a 14lbs in 6 weeks
 
I wish I could post a HUGE update but the truth is, I quit smoking for 2 weeks and then started again. I can offer up an excuse but truthfully there isn't a good one. I had to move out of my house for a week while some major construction went on and I'm a real homebody and was really out of sorts, didnt sleep well, etc. poor excuse but all i have.
I am trying again. and Soon.
(For Dietor) I have asthma as well. Some days my air supply is good and some its not. I just listen to my body really. If I'm really struggling for breath, I either slow it down to a walk or take a break. I've only had to use my rescue inhaler once during a really hard run. I never run without my inhaler though. Now I'm just too afraid to because that one time was a rough one. But like I said, other days I'm just fine. Thats asthma :(
 
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