Running and Endurance

C

Capri2007

0
Hey guys and gals! :) I posted a while back trying to get some basic information on exercise for a college kid. I've been working out some, but saddly not regularly since I just got back to school (this sunday Im starting a 3-day a week workout plan with a friend, as well as anything else I do on my own).

One of the few things I can do at my college is run, but sadly I have one of the LOWEST endurance levels of anyone I've ever seen. I can sprint for maybe 1-150 yards before I have to take it back down to walking (pathetic I know. :11doh:!)

so my question is: what are some ways I can stare building up endurance? I used to smoke, so I know thats a problem. Im in the process of quitting (wish me luck!) but other than that..... any tips on how I can get my endurance up so I can keep up with some of the people who also run and I can find myself a buddy?

Thanks so much!
 
Im trying to lose weight. At the moment my goal is around 20lbs (I'm 5'11, 195lbs, shooting for 175ish) I know a bike would be the way to go, but at the moment roads are WAAAAAY to icey and I still have a good 3 months of snow, ice, and cold to deal with before I can think about getting a bike.

I figured running would be a good place to start. Is this wrong?
 
As a more thought-out reply:

I attend a fairly active school, and most of my friends are active enough to enjoy running, crew, skiing, etc. Unfortunately I never was that active in High School, and was quite over weight, until very recently. I <was> around 220lbs, lost about 30 due to being sick for about 2 months and not being able to eat. I lost another 10-15 lbs once I got to college. The weight loss is great, but it hasn't been coupled with much muscle gain (mostly better diet for less pounds)

I hate skiing personally, so I'm pretty much stuck with running and/or biking. I've found that I can run at certain times of the day, which I previously didn't realize, however because of the snow and ice I can't really bike effectively. :) Im just looking for any tips/pointers/exercises I'll be able to do (privately preferred, as I am still pretty uncomfortable with my body and others seeing my exercise) so I can start keeping up with some other people after a while (I realize this will take at least 5 or 6 weeks) and get a running buddy.

:) Thanks!
 
Sadly our gym on campus lacks anything useful in the gym as far as weights go (also no way to get to a gym around town.) Also, what is HIIT and EPO?
 
Our gym is split up into two parts (two buildings), what I describe as upper and lower body areas. Because my school has a lot of people for track, swimming, and such sports and not to much for "bulky" sports like football we have a lot of nice things for lower body work but it's almost always full when I have any free time.

How shall I describe our upper body room? The punching bag is the kind where you have to pick it up after each punch. There's a few things, but not much that the HUGE football players arn't always using. As I mentioned, I'm really self conscientious about my body at this point and I think working out in front of ripped athletes would probably push me to the point of not going back until I am at least in some sort-of respectable physical shape.
 
Capri2007 said:
One of the few things I can do at my college is run, but sadly I have one of the LOWEST endurance levels of anyone I've ever seen. I can sprint for maybe 1-150 yards before I have to take it back down to walking (pathetic I know. :11doh:!)
Click to expand...

Could be that you are just trying to run too hard for distance. Past anaerobic threshold, you can only really do sprints (which is the rationale behind HIIT -- do sprints interspersed with lower intensity activity).

Follow this link to a description of various training zones:



Running for distance would be done in what they call the Aerobic Zone, while HIIT would be done sprinting in the Red Line Zone alternating with the Recovery Zone (or Aerobic Zone if you are already very fit).

Trying to run for distance in the Anaerobic Zone or Red Line Zone won't be very effective.

Note that the same can be applied to other sports like bicycling or rowing.
 
That heart rate thing is really helpful. I guess somewhere along the way I missed the memmo that running wasnt about trying to go as fast as possible for as long as possible. o_O What simple logic I have missed!

I do enjoy going for walks and runs though. :) I think I'll take what I learned from these posts and try it out a few times. :D Thanks for all the help guys!
 
If you want to increase your endurance to run farther - run more. Run, walk when you get so tired you can't continue and run again. Keep doing this and you will improve. Or you can cycle and get similar benefits.

This will do several things:
1. Incrase your concentration of mitochondria
2. Expand your vascularization
3. Improve the pumping capability of your cardiovascular system
4. Teach your muscles to get by with less oxygen
5. Teach your body to tolerate short-term anaerobic metabolism
6. Develop the musculature in your legs to not need as much oxygen

...and probably a bunch of other benefits that I forgot.
 
Well, as an update I just got back from my first "run." I use the term loosely because I alternated between jogging up the hills, which winded me pretty good, and walking at a brisk pace (~5-6mph) until I felt like I could jog/run a semi-respectable distance again. :D Since I wasn't trying to flat out sprint I did indeed end up getting to run a LOT farther than I thought I could. :jump1:

Derwyddon said:
Are you running because you want to look a certain way or because you want to run?
Click to expand...

May I also say that I think I can appreciate this a bit more now. :) I can defiantly see myself running because I want to run from now on.

I also found this video:
I was wondering what people thought? I know it isn't THAT good of a work out, but I'm pretty much at the level where given enough repetitions/cycles (what's the difference?) of what this guy shows I can feel it.

Im kind-of hoping that these "exercises" could be used on days where I cant go to the gym or go for a walk as at least a way to get my heart rate up a bit. If they wouldn't work are there any other sorts of things I could try that don't require equipment? (can't jump since im on 2nd story, so no jumping-jacks/rope, and no pull-up bar or any sort of room for equipment in my room)


..
u
Thanks for all the help guys!
 
Capri2007 said:
Hey guys and gals! :) I posted a while back trying to get some basic information on exercise for a college kid. I've been working out some, but saddly not regularly since I just got back to school (this sunday Im starting a 3-day a week workout plan with a friend, as well as anything else I do on my own).

One of the few things I can do at my college is run, but sadly I have one of the LOWEST endurance levels of anyone I've ever seen. I can sprint for maybe 1-150 yards before I have to take it back down to walking (pathetic I know. :11doh:!)

so my question is: what are some ways I can stare building up endurance? I used to smoke, so I know thats a problem. Im in the process of quitting (wish me luck!) but other than that..... any tips on how I can get my endurance up so I can keep up with some of the people who also run and I can find myself a buddy?

Thanks so much!
Click to expand...

I am about to share with you the greatest beginner running program ever. I personally used it when i first started running, as have many of my mates. It builds you up to a solid base of aerobic conditioning, without which, you can't possibly hope to train in high intensity zones without injuring yourself.

Oh, this program also helped me quit smoking.



Follow this program religiously, there is NO excuse for not following it. Finish the 9 weeks and you will feel like god.
 
That's a cool looking program! Thanks! :D I have a few questions about it though: The workouts the first week or two are only 20 minutes. Yesterday I was jogging/walking for about an hour and a half, and boy could I feel it after I got home.

Anyway, I'm looking at the starting weeks here of alternating 60 seconds jogging, 90 seconds walking, and I'm wondering if that's really where I should start? It seems like doing so little for only 20 minutes wouldn't do much for me as opposed to walking for a few minutes to warm up, jogging as far as I can, then taking it to a walk to recover for a few minutes until I feel I can jog again. The only way I can see this being worse is on longer walks where at the end I can barely jog.

Basically I feel like if I don't come back and feel some sort of soreness in my legs then I probably could have gone farther and longer, which would have made more exercise and more progress. Is this wrong to think? Is it really better to do something shorter like this program?
 
This is a raw beginner program. Sure, most people can start out and do alot more, but the purpose of this program is to ease you in, ever so gentle, to full blown running. You dont necessarily need to feel "sore" to have had a good workout, especially not when you are first starting.

Because your legs are not used to running, i'd be careful chasing the "sore" feeling. Shin splints are never fun.
 
Ah, thanks for that clarification. I guess I'm not in such HORRIBLE physical shape as I thought. Still not that good, but not horrible either.

I'm going to start with the basics on this program though, so I don't push myself to hard and get hurt, and see where it goes.

Thanks again for all the help guys! This forum is so wonderful! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top