Learning to Run - any advice??

[Slip]

I have mild Cerebral palsy I have some numbness down the right hand side of my body which has always made any form of excerise hard (not that thats an excuse!!) but anyway it appears that I am becoming slightly obsessed with learnig to run...proper running for miles.

So just wondered if any one else hear liked to run & had any tips for starting out...

Thanks for watching
DE xx

:rose:

[Scabette]

As an extremely unfit smoker who has in the past taken up running, I would advise the walk/run method. You start off jogging for a minute, then walking for three minutes, three times (or some variation on that) and build up slowly. There are a lot of 'start running' schemes on the net, and lots of books about it, so plenty of choice.

My own advice: start slowly. Don't just jump up and run till you fall down. That only leads to hurtyness and saying bollocks to the whole running lark. Don't carry on running when you have a specific pain or the next day you'll wake up unable to walk. Oh, and warm-up and cooling down stretches help a lot. Hope this is helpful advice. Now run, run like the wind! Good luck!

[Rain Keeper]

Hoping you understand I am insane right now (so please dont get mad)


*has mental images of boys chasing you and all of us say "RUN SLIP RUN" and the braces off your legs go flying off and you run from coast to coast and back again. Tons of people are your followers adn they ask you silly questions like "why are you doing this, why do you run' and You reply ..."because I can"

Oh wait, they already made a movie out of this!


No seriously, I am 37 and cant run proper. I went to the gym though a few weeks ago and the trainer said basically what Scabette said. walk, walk faster almost jogging, then jog lifting your knees a bit more than walking. sometimes, sitting in a chair and bouncing your legs helps move the blood circulation too. remember, you dont have to make it to the finish line the first try. And if you dont, someone will be there to push you there.

Maybe start off by running in the house. round the block or park. running in place...just dont push yourself too hard or else you could damge you (and we wouldnt want that)

*hugs*
Rain

[Devil Girl]

I am just starting to run.

The first time I went out I ran for about 5 to 10mins without stopping, then walked 5 then ran....

After this, 3 days I was in pain while I walked, and vowed not to run again....but got stressed the other night so went out and ran 20mins and it was okay, so guess its just about building it up.

My friend said she used to run from one lamp post to the next then walk from that one to the next.

Maybe joining a gym would help? Even just to get you up and running so to speak...

Devil x

[Voldemort]

*Looks at thread*

RUN, FORREST, RUN!

*Leaves*

[Slip]

lmao! Thanks all...

I like the lamp post idea because there is a park by my house but I've never been in and was a bit scared because my the time i get home its well dark... I thought about getting one of my friends to come with...but I think I wanna do it on my own.

The gym isn't somewhere I will ever go its too scary!!

I'll keep you posted how I get on... I reckon you all deserve a laugh!!

[akita]

Do you have physio? Take it slowly and walk at your own pace to start with.

[Slip]

No I don't - use to but gave it up when I went to uni 10 years ago!

I take it slow - I don't think I'll have a choice! :hehe:

[Margo]

Ah its a shame you cant go to the gym.

Yeah as the others have said.......RUN FORREST!

Deb was like peas and carrots........

[Queen Crabbit]

My sister gets "RUN FORREST" shouted at her all the time when she's running...

[hellohefalump]

I used to run a bit. My advice is make sure you stretch out your leg muscles (upper and lower), or you'll end up aching badly.

I found that I got better at running, quite quickly. My stamina got better.

I used to count my steps and that took my mind off how I was struggling to breathe and my legs hurt.

[Devil Girl]

Hope it goes okay for you! I went out again tonight...not as good as the other night, but lack of food may be a major factor! Going to try and go out every second night....get me into it I hope!

Good luck though!

[Slip]

lol Matthew...peas & carrots..huh? :hehe:

I'd like to go to the gym...maybe when I look a bit better than I do now & have the ablity to do more than 5 minutes excerise without passing out - I might!!

So I went out for the first time yesterday (mapped it - it was only about 3km (1.8 miles)) To be honest I walked most of it - but its a start! I took a kinda lop sided (a bit like me) route around my block so it was well lite etc...Decided that I'm just going to do that every night & build up the speed from there.


I seem only to have a small about of ache in my right thigh so thats good news - more stretching tonight!

Thanks all for your advice its much appreicated I'll keep you posted.

[Margo]

I HATE running, however i used to love it in the running machine. Its far less tiring and harsh on the knees!

Gyms can be good too because they will do you a profile based on your own abilities and needs so you dont go killing yourself trying too much.

Cycling could be good also.

[Animad]

Yeah, my cousin who has moderate-severe CP cycles a lot, or at least used to but it does depend which muscle groups in your leg are tight, if any. I know his, as with a lot of people with CP have tightened hamstrings (makes it hard to put your heel to the ground) and so cycling is fine with that but others may have tight quads (which are the ones which straighten your knee so if they're tight it's difficult to fully bend your knee) which can cause a lot of pain in your knee's if you're cycling or doing other things such as running. It depends how bad it is though and whether you just want to tone and increase the stamina of you legs or whether you want to work more on the other muscles too. Cycling can also improve your balance but it can take longer for that to improve with CP.

Actually, one of the best forms of exercise for people with CP is horse riing. I know a local "special" school that takes all their pupils with that/ similar physical difficulties to a local riding school and they get loads out of it. It is also possible to get funding for this through an RDA riding school, if you want to know more it is a scheme I know bits about as I have helped at RDA riding schools in the past

But yeah, wear a decent pair of trainers when you're running (maybe get ones which go a bit higher up your ankle if you need more ankle support)and go as your body wants to and take regular breaks from running where you're just walking is what you need and try not to overwork yourself but I realise that may be easier said than done!

[Kangaroo]

Find out about your local athletics up. They may run classes aimed at teaching people to run.

[Xer0]

Running is not too hard, but the most important thing about it is you're shoes. You *MUST* go to a reputable shoe store and have you arch measured, etc in order to get the correct shoes. Otherwise, you'll have shin splints, etc.

My suggestions on learning to run are quite simple... You must know how to stretch, and what to eat before and after.

Stretch everything, before and AFTER. This includes cherry-pickers, calisthenics, the whole sha-bang.

(depending on you're present shape) Start off either walking only, or walking with short/slight jogs. Once you start to feel that burn in your legs (as if they where pumping battery acid) then that's actually good. And the reason that pain actually feels good is because you're brain is releasing endorphins (anyone pickup on that yet? lol)

FOOD - I cannot stress this enough. LEARN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SIMPLE AND COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES! Complex carbs before workout, protein post workout. It's simple.


If you're still interested, shoot me a PM and I'll give you all the resources you need. I'm living, breathing proof this works.

[Ratatouille strychnine]

I can also stress the need for decent running shoes. Don't just go to JJB or somewhere. Go to a specialist running shop and they'll check your running gait, the fit, whether you over or under pronate etc. I got myself a pair of running shoes for about £50 and it sounds a lot but they saw me through an entire marathon training program and the marathon itself and they still have plenty of miles left in them.

There really isn't any substitute for a decent pair of good quality, properly fitted running shoes.

[Casper_Fading]

Also, if you have joint problems don't run on concrete or ashphalt. it's terrible for your knees. I got a MASSIVE dressing down from my physio for jogging on the bike path (it's concrete) and I couldn't figure out why my knees were hurting so badly... and it's becasue it's a HIGH impact exercise. walking is actually better for you. But if you're running, run on grass. *cuddles*