starting from scratch (zero miles in the past 12+months)

5 watchers

Rexxiii Jan 2014 12:29pm, 10 Jan 2014 2 posts	0 Rexxiii Hi im back on fetch after a while away for various reasons and wanting to get back into running/jogging/ambling/waddling/plodding or any mixture of these styles with the goal of weight loss anf getting fitter as i head into my 40's. anyone else on here starting from scratch? and by scratch i mean zero miles in the past months /yearss/ or decades, no offence to those of you who pound the streets with relentless enthusiasm but it would be nice to hear from someone at the same stage of their training as myself.
Keefy Beefy Jan 2014 2:24pm, 10 Jan 2014 8,859 posts	0 Keefy Beefy I never let myself go to the point of doing 0 miles over 12 months, but I recently had three months off and getting back into it has been tricky. I still remembering starting out very clearly though, and I think it was almost easier because you have nothing to recall. No history of how you were once able to run so fast or that you did marathons and all that shit. If you looks at my log I'm still well into the struggling-to-get-back phase. Tis tricky to motivate.
Jon_T Jan 2014 2:27pm, 10 Jan 2014 3,800 posts	0 Jon_T I too have had time out over the past year due to injury, I have found the hard way that trying to do too much too soon will lead you to a world of pain and frustration. Get a plan like to 'couch to x' and stick to it, don't try to get to where you were before your break too quickly.
Jon_T Jan 2014 2:27pm, 10 Jan 2014 3,801 posts	0 Jon_T Welcome back by the way
Toadie Jan 2014 11:27pm, 10 Jan 2014 441 posts	0 Toadie I am also back after some time away from Fetch and about 3 months off running. And I was a beginner before that! So very much starting from zero. Good luck!
Bebbybackrabs Jan 2014 1:03pm, 11 Jan 2014 18 posts	0 Bebbybackrabs I'm back after almost a year off, and have really gone back to basics. Minimum of 3 x run walks a week. Started off with run a minute walk a minute, with max distance of 4 miles on run one, 4 - 6 miles on run two, and the 3rd run will eventually be HM distance. Just finished week 6, and this week have done run 5 mins run and walk 1, and managed a comfortable 8 miles this morning. Not fussed about any times at the minute, just trying to build up a comfortable level of base fitness, and the mindset to run regularly. Currently enjoying the running, which is a good place to be, as it's really hard starting from scratch again. Have set myself a target of a HM in April, again not fussed about the time, just getting round comfortably. Good luck with it, it took me about 4 weeks to get to the point where I "wanted" to go for a run. (let's see how long that lasts...)
Toadie Jan 2014 2:25pm, 11 Jan 2014 442 posts	0 Toadie Well this morning I did my first 1 mile of 2014... and it was hard! I was very lucky to get a new garmin for Christmas so I'm using it as a chance to think about running in a different way. I find the stats really motivational. Kind of makes running a bit like a video game - each time you run a faster mile, you level up! Or is that just me? I think tomorrow I might do some run/walking (5 min running, 2 min walking) just to get a lot more time on my feet. And then a rest on Monday, and build it up slowly over the next few weeks. No rush, just being outside and getting the heart beating.
Jambomo Jan 2014 11:07pm, 11 Jan 2014 4,140 posts	0 Jambomo I had a look at the cool running a c25k plan and it said at the top that to keep you fit you only need to run for 30 mins 3 times a week. Is that really true?
Toadie Jan 2014 1:25am, 12 Jan 2014 444 posts	0 Toadie I have heard that before but surely it can't be true - maybe if you also do a lot of walking/cycling as well. I remember signing up to a new doctor's surgery and from the forms to fill in, it seemed like the NHS guidelines are 30 mins, 3 times a week. But that's such a small percentage of your week... especially if have a sit-down-all-day office job.
Gooner (The Midnight Runner) Jan 2014 1:55am, 12 Jan 2014 11,704 posts	0 Gooner (The Midnight Runner) I only did 39 miles last year and 4 miles since last summer for various reasons. Am trying to start back by running 4 times a week with the majority being fairly short and steady but am gonna throw in the odd long one and speed session and then see how that works.