ILX running running thread

After years of mocking, I've suddenly got into running (mostly because I can do at 2am after work when everything else is shut). I haven't bought any fancy tech yet, because I know that way lies importing specialist kecks from Japan that reduce drag coef by 0.002 somethings, but could definitely do with some proper shoes.

I wish to talk about running.

I can run 5.5 miles now (52 min.), which is truly astounding to me b/c there was a time not too long ago when I could not run a single mile.

So - what is your time? How far? Where? Etc.

i am trying to go farther b/c i'm doing a half marathon in may but i have a weird thing where i'm afraid to go far away from my house because what if i break my ankle and have to limp 5 miles back or something? so i go in loops a lot. also i hate running when it's light out. wtf is wrong with me?

I've thought about running farther out than I can run back. Do you live somewhere w/ public transit? If not, I'd advise that maybe you bring cab fare or your phone so you can call a friend. I've been running on a treadmill, so this hasn't been a problem. When spring comes I'll take it outside.

I don't know about running when it's light out! What is it that bothers you about it?

i dunno, people looking at me and stuff. and you can see how far away stuff is so it makes it feel like more effort. running is such a mental thing, i can't even make myself do it sometimes because i'm remembering that last time was hard, even though it was also fun.

we have public transit, i could do that

Did my first run across the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday -- lots of fun. Total run was something like 3.2 miles.

Started running again for the second time in my life ever. Gave it up after my first 10k, found it too boring. Gearing up for a more manageable 5k in june sometime, hoping to break 20mins.

am ratcheting up my irregular runs into regular ones - dunno how far it is but i usually run along the dalston canal from queensbridge rd to victoria park (approach rd) and back again - cracked some sort of barrier this week when i managed to do it all in one go, rather than stopping to die halfway through.

running tips would be appreciated, actually - basic stuff like pacing, breathing correctly, anything which makes it all more effective which a novice might not be aware of. i am so unbelievably shit at pacing myself.

Am an amateur myself but "go slower" sounds like it might be good advice. When I first started I was almost sprinting, could barely do 100m let alone 10k. Then I figured out that maybe I should take it down a notch. Think jogging not running.

Some friends I run with barely go above walking pace...

Key is not stopping: I'm not sure how far you go, but better to go from 30 mins at whatever slowish pace feels comfortable, then 40, then 50 etc...Eventually speed will follow, but until you learn to breathe evenly (ie maintaining a steady pace), it's hard to relax and enjoy it.

I run every other day, normally 3 laps of Prospect Park, which takes 80-90 mins, and is about...11 miles? I used to run the Brooklyn bridge and round seaport, battery, and up the west side highway - there are some good routes around there.

i guess it's better to run further/for a longer time and slower than to push yourself wrt speed but only manage to run for half an hour, then?

agreed.

stopping is ok if you plan to start up again though--if you break up an hour run into 15-20 min segments walking a couple minutes in between it can be good for your endurance

i want to start going a little faster soon, my "short" run now is 3.5-4 miles but i think i want to add a day per week of intervals or pyramids? suggestions? i run no faster on short runs than on long runs, which is wrong.

A couple things I find helpful when I run

1. Try to be in your head and chest instead of in your legs, if that makes sense. Like focus on your upper body moving forward and not your stride (though you should check your stride from time to time)

2. Keep your torso/shoulders somewhat moving and loose -- this might just be personal because I have a shoulder/back problem that tends to cramp up when I run

no 2 makes sense - last week it suddenly hit me that my shoulders were SO TENSE when i was running - consciously trying to relax them seemed to make everything a bit easier

Anyone have advice for avoiding shin splints? During the winter I run on treadmills and don't have a problem. But I like to run on the street when it gets warmer, and it's not long before my shins start to hurt. Shoes are obviously the main factor. Last year I bought a new pair of shoes that weren't quite wide enough and they murdered my feet and shins. Now I have a pair that fits right, but I still find that I get some mild pain in my shins after running outside. I stretch for quite a while before I run, although I often run first thing in the morning and I feel like my whole body is a lot stiffer than it would be later in the day. I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

i guess it's better to run further/for a longer time and slower than to push yourself wrt speed but only manage to run for half an hour, then?

haha, i consider half an hour to be pretty good. i usually get bored around then.

what i post about when i post about running

Today: 5k in an exhausting 27 mins.

yeah i'm starting this tomorrow, i've made a couple false starts the last few months but time to be less slothful

Hmm, the splints. I've never stretched, and never had too many problems (sometimes heels though). I also feel less limber in the morning. Main thing, I think, is shoes. It's worth paying more ($150/year for exercise is cheap!) to go to a proper place that will analyze your running style on a treadmill, make the right suggestion (ie avoid going to a shitty chain store). Also, if you're used to treadmill / soft surfaces, the road takes a little while to adjust to - your shins are working slightly differently and complaining cos they're not used to it. So make that move slowly, if possible (a park with a dirt track?). Also, when they hurt, stop. It's no good trying to run through it, which can work with other kinds of running pain.

Also, harbls right about stopping if you feel like it - between each 30 min lap of the park, I often stop for a minute or two to drink water, or tighten laces, or just calm down a bit...I meant more that it's better to maintain a steady pace than to run fast for 6 minutes then stop, winded, for a few more, then gallop off again.

I get shin splints sometimes, but I can't really find a correlation between what I'm doing and the pain. A friend (Jeff, who started this thread) recommended that I get a gait test done at a one of these places http://www.fleetfeetsports.com/.

I've read that if your calves get overly strong compared to your shins, that your shins suffer.

W/r/t words of wisdom, I'll just tell you things I have done (I'm at around 6 miles max and usually 10 mpm). 1. Measure distance and time. Being on a treadmill really helped me with this. Or you can use http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ to measure your distance.

In any case, knowing the distance you run and the time you spent was invaluable for me b/c it helped me to quantify my accomplishments, not to cheat, and to set new goals.

2. I vary my speeds and distances. I read stuff about why doing this is good, and it seems to make sense and it feels good, so I do it. I guess you get to work on both speed and endurance this way.

3. Double espresso. Especially if I'm feeling tired or unmotivated, a shot of caffeine can turn a slogging, annoying jog into a decent run. Also at times when I've been trying to push myself to new goals, this helps. (I read this in a newspaper's health section and I also read something in a Men's Health or somewhere about how a flat Coke is perfect for when you hit a wall on a long run.)

it's good because it is a shot of sugar, so

^ yeah i've never understood this because sugary stuff when you're exercising is so gross, and causes cramps! whatever works.

anyway i've just gotten up to 6 miles (takes me an hour but oh well!) but i have trouble running during the week so i'm doing ok with long runs but not shorter, faster ones! fail.

http://www.doitsports.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0009w6

I read a magazine article posted in a coffee shop about how caffeine before running can be a good thing.

By the way, the reason I do double espresso instead of a coffee or soda is that it's more concentrated, not b/c I think it contains more caffeine. A minor peeve of mine is when people get all het up about espresso keeping you awake for days, etc.

It's strangely ILX-ish over in that board.

I forgot I started this thread.

Jesse, let's run today. We'll race.

I won't run unless I can track it somehow. Currently I use the Garmin Forerunner 305, but I'm jealous of the smaller 405 these days.

Having said that, I haven't run since 1/4/09 when I ran 2 miles in 19:21. I was so dissapointed in myself I haven't done anything since then. Plus it's been too damn cold.

I have only really done any serious running on the treadmill and I will not be racing you. I will run w/ you, though not today.

OK, I ran. 2.35 miles in 22:21. It was pretty miserable. I think I need to go to an ENT before I do that again.

I want to start running. I'm afraid I'll be one of those guys that gets a heart attack immediately. Oh well. Where to start? There's a gym down the block from me that's only $5 a day. Should I be intimidated by the 'gym people?' Just bought an iPod shuffle. There are lots of nice places to run outdoors here too. Is the 'runner's high' real? Help me get started!

i think the best thing is to just make a start. and don't feel bad if you go slow! i agree with that person up there that said just keep going as far as you can, even if it's just a shuffle.

I've heard this site/program is good for starting out: http://www.c25k.com/

No need to be intimidated by the gym people - they are just there doing their thing and you don't need to worry about being judged. If you're going to run on a treadmill (which I think is good to do sometimes to get realistic assessments of progress, as discussed above) getting an employee to show you how it works could set your mind at ease. They're pretty straightforward, but still.

Also what gem said - just do what you can to begin and if you keep it up, you will be fine. Following a program would be a great idea.

I don't know about runner's high - can anyone speak to that? I've heard that it's the rush of endorphins you get at some point during a hard run, but I don't know if I've ever experienced it.

i did the couch to 5k--didnt get up to 5k but i was doing 2 miles in around 20-25 minutes when i stopped (which is a HUGE accomplishment for someone like me). i think its helpful for the kind of person (like me) who needs concrete goals, times, distances, etc. in order to feel and measure progress. without it i would end up spending a week just sort of running for half an hour at a time and abandoning it because there was no structure. once you complete the c25k you can just go out there and start doing 3 mile runs or whatever. i should take it up again really.

i haven't gotten it recently but i did sometimes get runners high when i was in better shape, like when i was 19. i think you would know if you got it though. it feels like you don't have to try and you could keep going forever, not like the struggle it normally feels like. cruisin'

I have gotten that sort of feeling. I just thought it was supposed to be some sort of euphoria. Maybe my standards for euphoria are too ambitious.

lol people who tell u runners high is like ecstasy are people who have never done ecstasy--its more like "being in a good mood"

yeah

i try to do btwn 3-5 miles every other day & basically track totals by month which helps a lot w/ the structure and measuring aspect

No runner's high for me. It is miserable every single step.

Every winter gets me totally out of the routine and out of shape, but I'm getting started again since the time change, and since the sidewalks haven't been iced over for a couple of weeks. (I know some people get out of bed an hour earlier to go running in the cold just before sunrise, but...no, I run because I *like* it). Right now I'm only running about 3 miles a couple times a week, and I'd like to work up to more regularly running 5 miles again, hopefully approaching 10 in the summer.

I don't think I've experienced runner's high, which I've always thought is because I like to fall into a comfortable groove that I can keep up for a long time, instead of pushing myself so hard I break through some kind of crazy physical barrier...but if it's more "cruising" and less "euphoria", maybe I have!

If what I've experienced is a runner's high, and if that experience is what others consider euphoria, then I pity those people.

I ran 2 miles today in 18 minutes, which is Very Good.

i dunno it's kind of like you feel a switch go off, i really think you would know

also do you guys run in the morning? i can't do it, i always feel so stiff and tired, and if i plan to wake up earlier to run i just end up going back to bed. i'd like to do it in the morning just to get it done but i'm wimpy.

I don't even go back to bed, I can't get out of it in the first place. I ran in the morning when I first started, but I didn't need to be at work very early then, so it was easier.

My calves had been hurting or tense every time I run, so I decided it was time to abandon my stubbornness about low cushioning shoes and get a pair of Brooks Glycerin. No calf pain at all in my first 5k run with them. The fact is that I’m 44 and 200lbs and I need some cushion. I still prefer the feeling of thinner shoes in some ways and I hope to go back to them if I drop some weight.

I’m 44 too! It sucks but it is what we are.

Jeff what is the longest you’ve been sidelined from running due to injury

I got my first sub-22min parkrun since 2017 this weekend. Woo!

Jeff what is the longest you’ve been sidelined from running due to injury

My major injuries have been stress fractures, first in 2016 where I missed 66 days of running and then again in 2017/2018 when i missed 156 days. Not an acute injury, but I missed 101 days in 2021/2022 due to being anemic.

Only 66 for a stress fracture? Damn!

Today is the 4 month mark since the break/surgery. Walking unassisted, but not for much distance and only on flat, even surfaces. One-legging steps. Jumping horses with one stirrups, which lol falls! Including one in the middle of a pond :(

I didn’t think I would miss running, but I do—or at least I miss having it as an option

I caught the 66 day one early enough. Still missed the marathon I was training for that year. Came back strong the next year and was crushing my runs, and ended up getting another one in a different place in the same leg. Missed another marathon. That was the two years I learned that I cannot sustain 70+ mile weeks.

Is there anyone on this earth who can

Yes definitely but genetics must be a huge part of it right? I’m having dinner rn with a friend who ran the Gobi Desert 155-miler. Nuts.

Maybe a dumb question but what do y’all do with your sweaty running clothes after a run? Seems gross to me to just throw soggy clothes in the laundry hamper but I don’t think H appreciates me hanging them on a doorknob.

Hang them up outside if possible to dry out

Think I may just get a small rack. Want to be able to hang them on the way into the shower and not have to move them after.

I have a clothes rack in the bathroom so that I can do precisely that.

Did my long run this morning in very very humid weather and just got right in the shower with my clothes still on. Rinse out the sweat and hang them up until they go in the wash. Helps a little bit I guess.

I don't think I've ever enjoyed cold water showers as much as this season. The feeling on your face, scalp, and back when it's at a perfect cold pool temperature. And a minute after stepping out my body is still forming tiny beads of sweat and I drink as much in the next hour as in a whole day.

I typically think of myself as a fair weather runner - though lucky enough that in the last year I've very rarely had to make the decision whether or not to go out in the rain. This weekend though I cycled in the rain to a parkrun on saturday - it stopped raining for the run, though still wet underfoot - and then did 10k in the wind and rain on sunday, no rain jacket. And I quite enjoyed it! I think sometimes just deciding to carry on in less than ideal conditions can be a psychological boost and a kind of positive feedback loop. Plus it wasn't actually that cold, let's see how it goes in the next month or two.

I now listen to podcasts, mostly comedy, seems to be the best thing to distract me from the 'omg i hate this why am i doing this to myself' thoughts.

Yeah I’ve always run in all conditions. No distractions either. Running has always been about rawdogging it for me. I’m out here and I’m miserable, might as well embrace it.

I learned some time ago that motivating myself to run in adverse conditions is much harder than actually running in those conditions. Once I get out there I have to ask myself what the fuss was all about.

I haven't run in six weeks and had to watch the race that was my central objective from the side of the road. All because of some (probable) stress fracture on my toe - I blame the running itself and testing some portable equipment on a hike with the baby daughter this summer. I feel like it's my whole mental space that has taken a hit. Anyway, the few weeks of swimming cannot be bad and I think my foot is slowly healing - I went for a long walk on my running route this weekend and this morning I don't feel the foot hurting at each step anymore. I'm hoping that I won't feel it at all in two weeks (feels quite optimistic) and that I could start again slowly, maybe just in time for a short race in December - I don't feel like taking unnecessary risks though.

As for running conditions, they have to be pleasant, which for me means between 0 and 25°C, light rain / moderate wind at most. But I also agree with henry s' point, I'm usually happy the moment I'm out there.

Had our first cross country league race of the season last weekend. A shit ton of mud because of all the recent rain we've had and the couple of streams we had to run through were much deeper than usual (again, the rain) but it was heaps of fun and the rain held off for the race itself which was a bonus.

my brother's Park Run was cancelled because it was under water (quite common, probably 10x a year)

[UK] Tewkesbury flooding seen from the air in dramatic new pictures > https://t.co/Zz3MpS8Jb5 via #ClimateCrisis #SevereWeather #Rains #Storm #Flood #RiverSevern #LowerLode #StormAshley #Tewkesbury #Abbey #Gloucestershire #England pic.twitter.com/UA1qdH4vKs

— firehorse23 (@firehorse249791) October 22, 2024

half marathon, new pb - 1:43:25. didn't have to stop for a piss this time. gps never works properly on my phone so not logged as a pb in strava :(

That’s an excellent time. Well done!

congrats, ledge!

I ran my first half marathon last December at the end of a 5K/10K training plan. I'm glad I went through with it, but I'm still pretty disappointed with my performance. tbf I was up against fuck-this-shit weather (a little under 40°F, roads still wet from the previous night's snowfall) on a fuck-this-shit course (684 ft. of ascent with a 40 to 60 ft. climb about every two miles). my target pace was 6:10-6:15/mile, but early on I settled into 5:55-6:00ish/mile because I was feeling strong and it seemed much easier than my usual threshold pace. I recovered fairly well after the first few climbs, but from mile 9 onwards, every hill hit harder than the last, and my legs were growing too stiff and weak to sustain my starting pace. at that point I was still in denial ("I'll pick up my pace at the top of this hill!", "I can still push through for the last 5K!"), but my calf briefly cramped up about 10.5 miles in (and again a few minutes later), which spooked me so much that I consciously dialed back on my effort until just before I crossed the finish line

per my watch, I averaged about 6:03/mile for the first 8 miles and 6:39/mile for the last 5.3 miles, finishing in 1:23:31. It wasn't a total disaster, but I feel like a could have easily finished a couple minutes sooner if I had stuck to my original plan and run relatively even splits. the root of the problem is that I didn't (and still don't) do any half marathon-specific workouts, so I didn't really know how it felt to spend a lot of time in the interzone between my easy pace and my threshold pace. I resolved at the beginning of the year to improve in that respect by doing occasional longish training runs at M or HM pace in addition to longer tempo runs, but that didn't happen, and all I'm really doing differently now is running slightly higher weekly mileage (50 mpw now vs. maybe 46 to 48 then). I haven't been very consistent with my workouts over the past six weeks, but I think I'm still slightly stronger aerobically than I was last fall. I just signed up for another half marathon that's coming up in two weeks. it's a much easier course, so I'm hopeful about setting a decent PR

damn, 1:23 for your first half-marathon and you're disappointed? It's a hell of a time IMO. I would be happy to get below 1:30, which I think I have in me at this moment if the stars align. But 1:23? That's serious stuff.

Yeah that’s super fast. Ran my fastest at 1:39 about 15 years ago. Related, I’m running a Half w my son tmrw morning. Have been feeling strong the past 6 weeks but have not built up anywhere near the mileage I should have done. Oh well, I’ll finish and my son will crush me.

Under 2 hours. Surprised myself! It was a v easy course and I ran miles 2 thru 7 with a young dude who kept me moving without any mental stress at all pace I wouldn’t have held on my own. Super helpful.

damn, 1:23 for your first half-marathon and you're disappointed? It's a hell of a time IMO. I would be happy to get below 1:30, which I think I have in me at this moment if the stars align. But 1:23? That's serious stuff.

― Dinsdale, Saturday, May 10, 2025 5:32 PM (two days ago)

thanks! it's not that I consider it a bad time -- I was satisfied when I crossed the finish line, but inevitably I scrutinized my splits after the fact and kicked myself a bit for not pacing myself more sensibly. and the downside to running a half in New England in December is that you don't have the option of trying to run a better race a few weeks later. realistically speaking it's probably going to take a couple more races to adjust to the half after years of focusing almost exclusively on my 5K performance, but I'm hopeful about my upcoming race, and it looks like the conditions will be about as favorable as I can expect for this time of year

and congrats on your half, tobo73! how did your son end up doing?

He crushed me. No surprise there.

I often think that the half marathon is rhe best and most sensible of the distances. Stay in half marathon shape, and you’re good to go. I try to do that.

yeah, while it seems like a bit of a retreat to switch to a longer distance for my peak race (I guess that's what a lot of runners do as they approach middle age and start losing their raw speed), I feel like my 5K times will benefit from the higher mileage I've been doing lately, as long as I don't back off too much on the speed work. every once in a while I'll ask myself if it would be worth it to ramp up my mileage even higher (say 60 or 70 mpw), but the prospect of running doubles and 7-day training weeks just doesn't appeal to me regardless of whether my body could handle the workload. it's taken me years to normalize 7 miles (and more recently 8) as my typical easy run distance. I probably could have progressed much faster over the past five years if I'd been willing to bite the bullet and start training intensively, but ultimately I'm not a professional, and "I don't feel like it" (or "this is boring", or "I might hurt myself") is a valid reason not to work toward achieving my 'genetic potential' or whatever (disappointingly, google only shows 5 results for 'V02 maxxing')

eh, my second half marathon ended up being more or less a repeat of my first. I thought I had a decent shot at running a sub-1:20 race, so I settled on 6:05ish/mile for my starting pace. the guy in front of me was doing about 6:00 flat, so I stuck with him for the first 4.5 miles but started falling behind gradually once we hit the first climb. hit a pretty big hill in mile 7, after which my pace declined steadily from 6:15 (mile 8) to 6:49 (mile 13). my legs didn't even feel particularly sore this time -- I just felt too weak to keep up a consistent pace, and I found myself breathing really hard every time I tried to speed up a bit. the weather didn't help: the temp was in the low 60s F, but it felt unexpectedly hot, and I must have poured more aid station water/gatorade over myself than I drank. I had enough energy to kick a little at the end, and I finished in 1:23, two seconds faster than last time. I could have done better, but I'm not too too disappointed: an extremely mild PR is still a victory from the POV of my numbers-obsessed brain

my post-race recovery has been difficult, though. my left heel was mildly sore the day after the race, but I went for a 3-mile jog a few days later, after which I spent a couple days limping in pain when I walked even short distances. after that I improved somewhat -- little or no pain at the beginning of the day, growing moderate or severe if I do a lot of walking without taking an extended break. I haven't made much effort to address the issue aside from limiting my time on my feet and taking lots of ibuprofen. I tried running for about a minute yesterday and my heel hurt a lot as soon as I stopped to walk, but I've been totally pain free today, and I managed to run for a couple minutes without incident. I'm hoping I've turned a corner and won't have to go to a specialist to learn what kind of -itis I'm suffering from. I guess I'm fortunate that I (just barely) made it to the 5-year mark without a significant running injury

Injuries happen. Pay attention to them. Your pace is unimaginable to me. Great job!

I haven't run in ten months, this toe thing is simply not improving. I probably need to bandage it better, or I should have gone the crutches route instead of assuming it couldn't possibly take more than 2 months. I have another appointment to talk to a specialist about all my vague systemic leg problems, which I'm dreading because I feel like I can't explain them in a way that makes sense to a doctor, especially a surgeon.

hello runners! as somebody who recently quit smoking and has taken up running to fill the void in my life (i have started running a mile every day), i have some questions about my new routine:

--is it healthy to do this every day without longer than a 24-hour rest interval? should i take one or two days off per week, or if i'm running (really jogging) only a mile/day, is it not worrisome?

--it takes me about eleven and a half minutes to run/jog my mile. is this sufficient exercise for a normal adult? if it's not, what should i aim for in terms of minutes per week? (at my current rate, it works out to about 80 minutes/week of running, but i have to assume my time will get better, although i'm happy to just cruise at a jogging pace for the time being)

The short answer is probably that everyone is different and you have to listen to what your body tells you.

One concern is that if the activity is really habitual, and you do it sort of automatically, you can get into bad habits that result in joint issues down the line. One physical therapist advised me that it's better to go faster in general, because if the ball of the foot spends more time on the ground it's more likely to pivot slightly, which can twist the tendons in the IT band, which mostly manifests as knee or hip discomfort. This was my chief nemesis when I started running greater distances. It might be that if you're just going a mile every day this problem is less likely to manifest, though.

At my peak of activity I ran 5-6 days/week around 8-10 miles a day. Eventually, probably due to said IT band injury, I decided this was too much and scaled it back to 3x/week, which I continued doing (bar periods of recovery for injury) until my late thirties when I had a hip issue diagnosed. By age 40 I only went about once a week, more likely to be cycling or using an elliptical machine. Now (at 46) I just run a few miles occasionally — this year it's been once or twice a month — seemingly just to prove to myself that I can still do it.

I’d add that your mile/day may be totally sustainable for a while but if you get the urge to add distance, you should prob compensate by cutting back on frequency. I think it’s very common for new runners to get injured while ramping up volume without sufficient rest between workouts and/or a technique problem. Rest days are the easiest ways to avoid minimize that risk. If you feel pain while increasing volume, back off. Your body is telling you something and it might be serious.

Eventually I’d mix in stretching and some basic hip and core strength as a means of injury avoidance. Long fast walks can also be a great way to build stamina without impact.

I’m 52 and running 3x a week, 5-7 miles each time with yoga/strength and mellow
commute biking sprinkled in here and there. Ran much higher weekly volumes 5 or 10 years ago but age is a thing. These days, running is much more about getting outside to clear the head as it is about speed or mileage. I’m lucky to have avoided major injury and have a great PT guy who I see when something flares up.

Eventually I’d mix in stretching and some basic hip and core strength as a means of injury avoidance

echoing this and if you're pushing 40 or over i'd start now.

A mile a day should be absolutely fine, especially if it's helping you get over smoking.

Once the nicotine void is less I'd maybe drop a couple of days and slowly build up a couple of the other runs to three miles/5K

With the combination of starting running/stopping smoking, you should see some big gains in your aerobic fitness fairly quickly.

But the number one thing is keeping doing what you enjoy, and if that's just running a mile everyday then don't let anyone tell you any different.

But the number one thing is keeping doing what you enjoy, and if that's just running a mile everyday then don't let anyone tell you any different.

^^ excellently put

maybe make sure you have footwear that is suitable for running, that can be a cause of injury at the start. down the line it might be worth going to a running shop and getting sneakers fitted, this is a free service they do. i know when i was running a lot as a beginner i got shin splints which put me out of action for ages, but after getting sneakers fitted this never happened again.

i would echo the suggestion of maybe trying to add on tiny increments and do longer runs, unless you find it really boring or aren't enjoying it of course. i am not a runner these days as i use a rowing machine for my exercise, but i know adding on little bits is a great way of seeing your improvement and feeling good about it, before you know it you're way further on from your initial goals.

groovypanda otm too.

thanks y'all, i will give this some thought. i don't know if i like running enough to increase my daily mileage, but it could happen. i'm definitely just trying to settle into some kind of situation where i'm exercising regularly, and it's making my body and mind feel good, without burning out or hurting myself

although my neighbors organize a neighborhood 5k every year in november and i might try to do that

Taking up running was exactly what I did to quit smoking (in 1998). I’d tried quitting probably 5 times before (including a try with nicotine patches), this was the try that stuck.

i had several years of overlap between when i started running and when i quit smoking, but the former is definitely a big part of how i did the latter.

it's making my body and mind feel good,

that's the thing to hold on to ime.

a mile a day is unlikely to cause problems, but listen to your body. as a rule I never run two days in a row, but I'm also running 3-6 miles at a go.

adults are supposed to get between 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise every week, so 80 minutes puts you in the healthy zone. the actuarial benefits taper off once you go outside that in either direction.

oh yeah, and running on packed earth trails is much easier on your body than running on pavement or concrete, if that's accessible to you locally.

uk nhs recommend 90 minutes a week, and link to the c25k stuff, which tops our at ~3 miles, about 30 minutes, 3x a week