I hate running--is it really necessary?

crazystepr

crazystepr

Cathlete
So, I'm trying to force myself to crosstrain a little more. I have been swimming and cycling and changing up my Cathe workouts more than usual. I'm trying to force myself to go for a hilly run tonight but here are my problems:

a.) I hate running
b.) It's so incredibly hot here and I hate being so uncomfortable when I workout
c.) I really prefer to work out in one place--i.e. the gym or my basement. Going away from home makes me nervous--what if I need water? Or I hurt myself? or (god forbid) need a toilet? :)

I used to run religiously when I was younger and now don't know how I used to do it. I was in the throws of a slight eating disorder and to be honest, everytime I run it brings me back to that time.

So, what should I do? I would love to do the Hi/Lo from MIC tonight with the leg blast premix from butts and gutts but I feel like I need to shock my body a little bit. Should I go for it and do the run tonight or should I chicken out?

Allison
 
What about trying a different instructor than Cathe? (I know, it's a dreadful thought!).

I like Bootcamp workouts to shake things up.

I can't run either. I hate everything about it, and like you, I don't like to go outside the house to do it.
I personally don't think you HAVE to have running in order to properly crosstrain. I think the idea of shocking your body is just doing something new.

Or, as a subsitute, if you have hills, I think a solid power walk uphill is as good as a run!!
 
One of the most important things about a good exercise program is to do something you actually enjoy. If you hate running, don't do it.

Swimming, cycling and step aerobics is plenty for cardio cross training. Good for you! The only thing I do is step and the elliptical.

So do MIC and enjoy.
 
No, running is not necessary. You should only run if you enjoy it. Same for any exercise. Do what you enjoy, or you'll never do it! :)
 
Really?! You don't think I have to run? I do step aerobics WAY too much and I feel like I need to shake things up a bit to get some good DOMS! haha (I know I'm crazy, but aren't we all?! ;-)


Allison
 
allsion-
Lots of activities are great crosstraining..

step
Kick
biking
walking
Swimming
Athletic Yoga
Tennis
Treadmill Incline walks
shooting hoops
vigorous dancing
plyometrics
jump roping
Changing ANY of these (& more) from SSC (steady state cardio) to
Interval Training, to high intensity.... So if you find you LOVE kickboxing you can do it multiple ways and get different kinds of workouts with each.
I like to run once in awhile... So when the bug hits to do it- I do... otherwise I just make sure my month is filled with variety.
 
Why run when there are so many other great alternatives? I don't run but I regularly do biking with cardio coach, power walking with a friend, step tapes, tennis, swimming and kickboxing. I would like to run but it is so hard on my joints and I always end up hurting myself.
 
In a word: NO. It's not necessary. I hate running too. It doesn't suit your personality or mine. I also don't like being away from home, and I don't like the lack of control over my environment. I'm all about the nice, air-conditioned gym, the safe, smooth treadmill with the personal tv monitor and all my gadgets :7 .
 
Hello, Allison!

I was sooo in the same boat you are 6 months or so back. I ALWAYS said I HATED to run! I would do step all the time and that was my fav! :)

My husband bought me an iPod for Christmas and I vowed to give running one more chance, with the iPod. Boy am I glad I did! It changed the whole experience for me. It gave me something else to concentrate on and a way to distract myself through pain and a great motivational tool! I have gotten to the point now that I even listen to self-improvement info on the iPod too.

I run really early in the morning to avoid the heat, and truly it is much more comfortable. I think I have a "small-ish" bladder and I always seem to do ok during my hour run. ;-)

I would like to encourage you to give it another try some day, maybe not now, but in the future and do it with some really great music! And perhaps, if you can find a way to overcome it, it may help you realize your accomplishment of breaking through your eating disorder that you associate with it.

xoxo, neicebug :D
 
I hate running too!

I've been doing a lot of power walking (the pushing 65+ lbs double stroller variety) and my legs are feeling it!

I agree with the above poster who suggested that power walking up a good hill is a decent workout. Heck yeah! I've been doing an uphill walk from my house lately--if I just head east up the street it gets steep pretty quickly. It's TOUGH! (of course, I AM pushing that double stroller too)

Gisela





"She's living in sin with a cowboy, and hell--he can hardly even walk!" --J.R. Ewing, "Dallas"
 
Gisela:
I am sooo jealous that you have the patience to exercise with your children in tow! If there is one thing that irritates me, it is being interrupted while exercising! :( Boy does my husband know when I answer the phone if he has called at a "bad" time! x(
xoxo, neicebug
Keep up the hill climbing, Gisela! :7
 
"I hate running--is it really necessary?"

I can't pass this up anymore...

If you are late for the bus, if a bear or alligator is chasing you, if your toddler is heading for the street, if the post man is about to pull up and you have mail to send, if the garbage truck is at the end of the road and your cans are still in the garage....

:) my apologies for being so doofy...
 
I hope it's NOT necessary, because every time I intend to take up running I end up giving up on it. We now live near a very beautiful trail that goes along a steep hill overlooking the Hudson River. It changes amazingly every season and should be the perfect place to jog. I did enjoy it a few times but just couldn't keep it up. I found it easier to go in the middle of winter than in summer, so maybe I'll pick it up again in the fall. And the toilet thing--always an issue for me--I must have a bladder the size of a pea. I must prefer stepping in the comfort of my home (not so comfy in the summer either, though).


***Lainie***

http://web.mac.com/lainiefig/iWeb/Site/Exercise/Exercise.html

"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain
 
Niecebug--don't be jealous! I'm not patient! If my kids weren't confined in the stroller while I chugged uphill, I'd be done for!

I'm determined--I know my kids can survive a 30 - 40 minute stroller ride (I mean please, there's worse a little person could be asked to endure), so I pack water and snacks and out we go. Yesterday my 4 yo daughter kept "making" me go up the next hill, and the next--and was cheering me on the whole way! Then, on the way back home, my 2 yo son kept saying "go faster!", so I had to break into a jog for him.


But I've NEVER tried to do a video when they're up and about. I do those while they're still sleeping in the morning.

Thanks for the encouragement! (who knows if you'll even ever read this)

Gisela



"She's living in sin with a cowboy, and hell--he can hardly even walk!" --J.R. Ewing, "Dallas"
 
Hi,

First, it all depends on your goals and obviously whether you are physically cablable of running (no injuries). No running isn't necessary, but it is an excellent form of cross training and you get a lot of bang for your buck in a very short amount of time. I've found with my own working out, that I prefer to do things within my comfort zone because they are easier. When I force myself to do something that I don't particularly like, for me it is hi/lo, I realize that there are some "holes" in my fitness.

You are obvioulsy thinking about running, and Cathe had a post recently about the benefits of incorporating running. Why not try 20 minutes on the flat instead of a hilly run? If you take it easier the first few times, you may see the benefit and find it more enjoyable.

Tracy
 
I also have always hated running. Having read the posts here about iTrain and Cardio Coach, I downloaded an iTrain workout to try (I was going camping and wanted something with no equipment). Even though the workout I downloaded was geared towards a treadmill, it really motivated me. I did a 45 minute walk/run and loved every minute of it. I've now downloaded several workouts to use at home. If you have an mp3, I'd give it a try. I don't really care for the samples I heard at Cardio Coach, and iTrain is really inexpensive, and I like the music better. I'd really encourage you to give it a try!

--Sharon
 
I go through phases where I enjoy running, then I train for some event, and get so burned out that I don't run again for months. I know that running is the other thing that gets my heart rate as high for as long. But, the wear and tear on your body is pretty remarkable.

If you would like DOMS, invest in some Spinerval work outs (you said you cycle - I assume you have the ability to cycle infront of a tv). They are not like Cathe - they are true cycling workouts geared towards making cyclists better riders, but they will kick your butt.
 
Allison, first of all, do what you enjoy. Exercise should have a "fun factor" and not feel like a chore (there are always times we may not feel like exercising, but for the most part, it should be something enjoyable). There are so many options to get your cardio in that there's no need to run if you really don't enjoy it.

Second, you said "I used to run religiously when I was younger and now don't know how I used to do it. I was in the throws of a slight eating disorder and to be honest, everytime I run it brings me back to that time." That concerns me. You should not do anything that could cause you to relapse even remotely. JMO.
 
Hi there! I'm one of those who LOVES to run!!! However, as much as I love it I do concede that it really isn't for everyone and it certainly isn't necessary for a well rounded fitness routine.

However, that being said... before you give up on running altogether
and miss out on all the fantastic benefits you can get from it, you may be simply doing too much too soon. Alot of people make this mistake and end up giving up, saying "I hate to run". Give yourself a break, take it slow and take lots of walk breaks when you feel like it. I rediscovered running in my 40s and what a joy it is.
I'm now 50 and am training for my second marathon. The last time I was "into" running I was in my 20s and also had an eating disorder
(anorexia) I was running strictly for the calorie burn, like you probably were. Anyway, I only mention this because it is possible to take it up again for the right reasons and enjoy it.... really!
I wish you the best of luck in whatever fitness goal you pursue!

ShellyC
 
I like air-conditioning too. So I have a treadmill and an elliptical. Cardio Coach is what has gotten me into running. However, it is not required for Cardio Coach. With Cardio Coach, you decide your own level 1, 2 & 3. That could be running, walking or cycling speeds. Also, an elliptical allows you to run without impact.

I hope you find various cardio options to enjoy. That is really important.:)

Sandra
 
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