Im new to jogging and i'm i need of advice on how to get started. I have been jogging for the last 2 days and i can run for almost 1 km then i get winded and i have to stop to catch my breath any advice would be a great help.. Im not totally out of shape but i havent been very active the last few years.

if you are just starting, it is understandable that you get tired quickly. the only thing i would recommend is making sure that you warm up and stretch adequately before you get started =)

stretch for at least 15 minutes.

push yourself, once your moving your body will develope a rythm of breathing and heart beat, number of steps if you stick to that rythm as best you can just let your body do its job, breathing will come natural as you need oxygen. dont worry about that. just run. find some way to get your mind off of breathing and all that. music or what ever. just let your body work you should be able to go way farther than you think.

devlope a good pace and go from there. you can increase your pace the more your run. a tread mill even tho i hate runnng on them is a good way to establish a pace. say 8:30 mile dont know how that would transfer to km.

i do know that if you go to slow you burn way more energy and can go a shorter distance. the same as if you go to fast. just gotta find your sweet spot.

1) music really helped me settle into a rhythm - it takes your mind out of the breathing equation and it comes naturally

2) use a site like MapMyRun.com - Map your Running Routes. Calorie Counter, Distance, and More. to plan interesting routes to keep you interested

3) set yourself distance goals - one of my first was to run one mile without stopping


i was in your exact situation last september - could hardly run the length of myself without thinking I was going to collapse. i kept focussing and pushing myself, and last week I ran my first marathon!!

my advice is to set a goal to complete a 3 km run, when you have been doing that and can comfortably finish it, start to increase the distance by no more than 10-15% pr. week. 1 km is very little you'll be running 3 km in no time!

When I started running I couldn't even run 1km, seriously! At the time, I was very unfit, I ate badly and smoked cigarettes.

Soon after, I made the decision to get fit and change my lifestyle, I quit smoking (well kind of... more further down) and started to eat a lot better. I also started to exercise on a regular basis - 3 times a week with a personal trainer that did outdoor group fitness and jogging on the other days.

From doing that I became interested in running, I used to HATE any sort of long distance running. I was the kid at school (back in the dinosaur years)who would do anything to get out of 'cross country' runs.

I'm now able to jog 4km, I do this 3 to 4 times a week. They’re not super quick runs or long distance but a big achievement for me!

My problem is I don’t think I am cut out for long distance running. I can’t seem to improve on my time of approx 21:30 to 22:00 to complete 4km. I’ve been trying for weeks to achieve under 5min/km. Some people seems to breeze through long distance running… I’m pretty sure that ain’t me! Any help or advice here would be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah, one other thing. I smoke ONE cigarette a day. I know, I know… “why don’t I just get rid of the ONE a day habit”. Thing is, I really enjoy this 4 min/day bad habit... a lot. It's my only vice in life. You see, I’ve given up everything that I enjoy – drinking, eating all the tasty bad stuff, smoking regularly. I got to have at least one thing… right?! Would this really affect the lungs that much on the runs?

Irishguy: Congratulations on running a marathon. Was it a full or half marathon? What was your time in it?

bennos, it was a full marathon and i did it in 4hrs 7mins.

how long have you been running? don't rule yourself out of longer distances just yet - you need to get to a level of fitness to use as a base before progressing. when you want to increase, do it gently - no more than 10%-15% increase a week like RunningMan said, and you'll build up faster than you thought was possible!

i'd also recommend trying to give up the cigs completely. if you still smoke you aren't giving your body time to actually get over the nicottine addiction and get rid of all the toxins in your body that it has left behind.

Once I started getting past the end of the driveway, several years ago... I found something that worked, and has worked for others.

Decide-- I want to run 3.24 miles (5K). Get in your truck and go measure it out, or car.

Then you comitt to the distance. Run, walk, run/walk, sprint or crawl. Make the distance no matter what. then the natural inclination of sloth will start to grow impatient. You will find yourself running more. then you will see that a long slow pace is faster than a run fast/walk pace. And then it comes down to "LET"S GETTER DONE!"

Then you will find that you can run,,, and then you find you can get "high" with a run, then comes the wall.... and then overcoming a few within a single run,,,, and then you will release the athlete within you!!! I hope that for you.

for me it is always about the motivation,,, but in running, it is very much about 2 other things. Do your research and pay attentuion to-

1. Shoes
2. Running Form

If you want to make a 5K!! Just go do one.
If you want to make a marathon, start with a 5K

Something else that helps me is the thought- Let's see how many other runners I come accross during my training? HA!

You da'man!

oh yeah-- and ditch the word jogging--- that is soo 80's. hhahahahaa

I'm not "new" to running, but have taken a break since last fall when I injured my tendons around my ankle. Since then I haven't done much in the running arena, but spent the majority of the winter months rowing.

Now that the biggest part of the spring "pollen" fest is done, I'm going to get back out. I've been having an issue with my shins. I do boot camp Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays and was planning on running the days between, but I've been having pain in my shins for about 2 months (or so).

It started with the first run of the year and I thought it was worn out shoes that caused the problem so I went and bought some new shoes right after that first run. Shins are still giving me pain 2 months later.

So should I run through the pain or is there some other option or cause?

when i first started running i would also get very bad pains in my shins.. i would just run a little at a time increasing each day, and now they dont bother me at all.
my mom says it was probably bad form.. but i have no idea.. they don't bother me now though.

ok, my best advice for taking up jogging if you want to be able to run a 5k without stopping and without feeling like poopie:


1) Don't try to run a 5k your first day out. Try to run to that tree, then fast walk to the big rock, then run to the curve in the road, then fast walk to the lamp post. As you feel better, run further and walk less.

2) Don't "stop" to take a break. If you can't run any further slow to a fast walk while you catch your breath.

3) Get a heart rate monitor (even a cheap and easy one like the Polar F1 -which I have). Then figure out your max heart rate (generally 220- [your age]). Find the range that is 65-75% of your Max HR and run fast enough tto get to the range, but slow enough to stay in that range. (If the range is really killing you then your Max HR might be lower than the general equation.

You should be able to talk in short bursts. Like . . .you have to . . . keep catching . . . your . . . breath. If you find yourself heaving and unable to alk at all, you are going too hard too soon.

As you get more conditioned you can add do interval training to improve your time and speed where you run at the 75% MHR for 10 minutes, then run at 85% for ten minutes, then run at 75% for the last ten minutes.

Thanks Red-- I should probably go out and get the HR monitor. I just did a 5k with my 5 y/o son-- can't say it was taxing for me since we walked probaby 3/4 of the time, but we kept moving and he finished.

Going for a run tonight so I'll see how my shins do.

5 yr old kid can make a 5K. hmmmmm imagine the number of steps! just in case nobody noticed. hahahahahaha just FF'in ya!

Back from the run and took the kids for Baskin Robbins...shins were good, but lungs are still recovering.

Good question on the steps FF-- I wondered that myself. With such short legs, I would guess a 5k to my son was more like a 10k (double the steps?). He told me right after that he doesn't want to do it with me next year...but we'l see.

so i should start out with a distance like 3 km and run/walk whatever it takes as long as i keep making it the 3 km until i can run the 3 km? Also should i be running every day or should i run every other day. I feel pain in my legs but the pain isnt really that bad... Hey Bennos i also smoked up to a year ago but i gave it up. I have 2 little children, ones 16 months and the others 5 months old and i want to get in shape so i can see them grow up