New Runner's Woes

[OfficeGirl]

Hi Friends,
I've started a new program for myself over the last couple of weeks. I strength train on Monday Wednesday and Thursday, with a high intensity boxing class on Wednesday night.
The new part comes in on Tuesday and Fridays. I'm trying to work up to a solid two mile run, with a long term goal of four miles. I'm NOT a runner. I've always sucked at it, but it's kind of the next level of fitness for me. I'm trying to master staying relaxed and avoid the shin splints that have driven me off the track in the past.
I'm trying to find abs, lol. diet is stellar, so now I just need to get that cardio up to supplement the strength training. I need help with a couple things, if you could...
1. I started out two weeks ago at 173lbs, now I'm up at least 2lbs. That seems backwards?
2. I was advised by a former competetive runner to try to keep legs in line with hips, rather than running with one foot literally in front of the other. This is killing hip. Thoughts?
3. right ankle is super sore after longer runs. I think I'm stepping on the outside of the foot, but I'm not sure how to correct it.
4. Last thing, i'm having a hard time pushing past the two mile mark. What's the best way to add distance?

Thanks, y'all

[Fitafter50]

1. I started out two weeks ago at 173lbs, now I'm up at least 2lbs. That seems backwards? Not something I'd worry about unless the trend continues. Do you think you are eating more? Sometimes cardio can make people more hungry and they end up eating more calories than they burned. There are other possibilities though, too, like water retention. Are your jeans feeling tighter?
2. I was advised by a former competetive runner to try to keep legs in line with hips, rather than running with one foot literally in front of the other. This is killing hip. Thoughts? There is no one proper running form; if your natural running form creates pain, then tweak it. If not, leave it be, at least for now. I am trying to picture running without putting the lead foot out front, but not having any success.
3. right ankle is super sore after longer runs. I think I'm stepping on the outside of the foot, but I'm not sure how to correct it. It could be the same origin as your hip pain, and using your natural gait might correct it. But it's always good to go to a running store and have them help you choose the best shoe for your foot when you first start out. It can cost a little more, but it's money well-spent.
4. Last thing, i'm having a hard time pushing past the two mile mark. What's the best way to add distance? Slowly! Once you've gotten to where 2 miles feels pretty easy, add on distance in .2 mile increments for a few weeks. There's no hurry to get to the 4, right? Or do your 2 mile run, walk 1/2 mile and then run another 1/2 mile, gradually decreasing the walk segment.


Most new runners start off trying to run too fast; that's why so many people say they hate running. Work on distance first, running at a pace that feels comfortable to your body, even if your mind thinks the pace is too slow. You can work on speed later, if you want to.

Because intervals burn fat better than steady state cardio, once you have a good base, you may want to make one of your workouts an interval workout, but I wouldn't do that yet. Besides upping your fat burn, intervals also up your risk of injury.

As far as shin splints, I discovered that concentrating on landing lightly prevented them for me. There are also stretches you can do, like sitting on a high stool (or table) and pointing your toes down and then up.

At some point, you may want to sign up for a 5K--there's such an upbeat, positive energy that comes with a race, even if you are just doing it for fun.

[OfficeGirl]

Hi! Thanks for the reply.
1. I wouldn't say that jeans are tighter in the waist. legs, quads especially, felt pretty big. Maybe they were shocked ans swelled a bit lol. I've tried had to keep diet the same, unless I was past the point of hungry and felt starved or weak.
2. lol, sometimes i'm not clear when i write. buddy told me feet were too narrow when I ran, like tight rope walking almost. she just wanted me to run with feet wider apart, but like i said, it was pretty uncomfortable on the hip I've already injured a long time ago. One of those things I can work around but bothers me from time to time.
3. I'll have to look into better running shoes
4. There's no real hurry to get to the 4, other than ambition lol. I am working on endurance because husband and I signed up for an obstacle race in mid August. it's a 5k with 12 obstacles sprinkled in.

As for the intervals, you're the second person who's suggested that. I'm sure they work, but since I'm not keen on cardio anyway, I was avoiding them like a chicken lol. I'll give that a try on Friday.

I don't think i'm running too fast. A 10minute mile isn't all that ambitious, right? That's about where I am. I'd like to keep it there or just a little faster because I have long legs and it feels like I'm slamming feet when I go slow.

Thanks for the feed back. I'm interested to see how this adventure into the dreaded running goes. I'll keep y'all posted

[Boss Man]

You need to have a good pair of running shoes relevant to your style, depending on if you

A: Pronate, where the ankle rolls inwards.

B: Supinate, where the ankle rolls outwards

C: Have a neutral style.

Also you can avoid shin splints by not heel striking.

[Fitafter50]

Oh, I see what you mean on the hip/feet thing, OfficeGirl! The general rule for running though is that if it hurts, you probably shouldn't be doing it!

As far as pace, you just have to experiment and find what's comfortable for you. What I meant is that a lot of new runners think they have to start out like a tiger is chasing them, and that just does not feel good! It takes a few minutes for your body's energy system to kick in, so the first few minutes tend to feel hard even when you go slow, even when you've been running for years.

I could be wrong (believe it or not, I've been wrong before ) but I'm betting that you'll end up enjoying your dreaded running adventure! I'll be looking forward to hearing how it all goes.

[OfficeGirl]

Trying to correct stride caused me to hobble around for a day or two. After that straightened itself out, I went back to running way. So much better! I'm trying hard not to heel strike. The best I can manage right now is for most of foot to hit at once. Running on the ball of the foot is recommended, though, right? The shin splints are getting better; it feels more like a sore muscle on shin now.
I actually liked the intervals. I'm a habitual clock watcher, so that suited me just fine since I'm using a treadmil. I'll keep you all posted as I progress. I might have said this before, but I hate to suck at things, so I'll be developing this over time. Even if running is never favorite thing, it'll be something I'm proficient at...someday
Thanks for the help. Have a good day!