Starting and stopping while running.

[contranigma]

If I jog for like 8 minutes and then walk for five, jog for 8, walk, jog for 8, that adds up to 24 minutes running. How imporant is it to run for as long as possible for improving health, endurance. For instance is it better to run just 16 minutes continuously rather than starting and stopping for a longer time.
Also, I've got a busy shedule with school and work during the weeks. Is it possible to improve cardio vascular endurance just by running on the weekends?

[hiimnotcool]

On the running forums I've been to it says that running for 7 or 8 miles in a single run is better than two 4 mile runs.

I personally think running any less than 30 minutes is rather pointless, but you obviously have to build up to being able to do that. Running only on the weekend would provide a bit of benefit but I wouldn't expect anything too substantial. At the least I'd try to get out there three times a week and run for 30 minutes.

Everyone has 30 minutes to spare during the day I just think the whole 'too busy' thing is an excuse people like to use-no offense.

[TheDaffodil]

Originally Posted by hiimnotcool

I personally think running any less than 30 minutes is rather pointless, but you obviously have to build up to being able to do that.

Yeah, if you run too hard for too long, you'll throw up. No one likes that.

Originally Posted by hiimnotcool

At the least I'd try to get out there three times a week and run for 30 minutes.

I agree with this, too. I think it's best to do it in the morning before you have anything else to do. If you go to bed early enough and wake up early enough, you'll make the time.

[Zeddicus]

Originally Posted by TheDaffodil

Yeah, if you run too hard for too long, you'll throw up. No one likes that.

I guess jogging (even walking some) for only one and a half miles, then, is too hard on my body, because I'll find myself vomiting afterwards everytime. F*** this out-of-shape crap.

[TheDaffodil]

Originally Posted by Zeddicus

I guess jogging (even walking some) for only one and a half miles, then, is too hard on my body, because I'll find myself vomiting afterwards everytime. F*** this out-of-shape crap.

Aww! Do you eat before you go?

[Zeddicus]

I dunno. Took me 18 minutes on my first 1.5 mile run though.

: /

[contranigma]

Well....okay, so it is better if I run three times a week, but back to the starting and stopping thing. 30 minutes I think would be in that throwing up range for me, so if I run 15 minutes and stop, then run 15 more, it gives me no health benefit? If that's the case, then I don't want to waste my time running more if the first 15 is the only thing doing me any good.

[TheDaffodil]

Originally Posted by contranigma

Well....okay, so it is better if I run three times a week, but back to the starting and stopping thing. 30 minutes I think would be in that throwing up range for me, so if I run 15 minutes and stop, then run 15 more, it gives me no health benefit? If that's the case, then I don't want to waste my time running more if the first 15 is the only thing doing me any good.

You could think of it as stepping stone time. Sure you're not getting the most out of the time BUT you're working to being able to do 30 minutes. Eventually your body will be better able to handle a 30 minute run. You have to start somewhere though. I don't think starting and stopping is that bad for now. Just keep pushing yourself till you get to where you wanna be.

Originally Posted by Zeddicus

I dunno. Took me 18 minutes on my first 1.5 mile run though.

: /

I went to school with girls who would take 20 minutes to do 1 mile. 18 for 1.5 doesn't sound too bad to me, haha. But if you don't eat before you the throwing up won't be so bad.

[hiimnotcool]

Originally Posted by contranigma

Well....okay, so it is better if I run three times a week, but back to the starting and stopping thing. 30 minutes I think would be in that throwing up range for me, so if I run 15 minutes and stop, then run 15 more, it gives me no health benefit? If that's the case, then I don't want to waste my time running more if the first 15 is the only thing doing me any good.

you can stop to walk as needed. the 30 minutes would include the walking as well. running is the type of thing that gets alot easier as you become more fit. i started running back in June and was doing 2-3 miles and taking walking breaks if I needed to. i'm now doing an average of 6 miles a day with some runs 8-9 miles long.

what exactly is your goal? are you running to lose weight or just because you actually enjoy it? how fast are you going while you're running? maybe slowing down a bit will prevent the urge to throw up.

[contranigma]

My goal? Well, it's definitely not to lose weight. I'm a pretty skinny guy, so I actually wouldn't mind gaining weight. It's more of an attempt to be healthy. Sometimes I enjoy it but I enjoy it when it is a leisurely thing on the weekend. I think if I increase the amount I do and the amount I push myself it will be less enjoyable. Also, fall and colder weather is coming, so that will make it less enjoyable, too. My fitness dream will be to bulk up and I know running a lot won't help me gain mass.

Which brings me to another point you made about making the time. I have 16 credit hours of college and I work 12 hours a week, which is a lot. I know that you say that everyone can make a half hour a day and I kind of agree with that. But when it is not something you really want to do, it is hard to make the time, especially when I am already tired, stressed from being on campus all day. I cook/make all my meals, too, so between cooking, studying, leisure reading, watching TV, playing online chess (I know those last three can be cut out but those are things I actually do like to do and don't have to force it).

Also, my SA comes into play with exercise. I like to run on nature trails where there is very few people because running around the city where there are people, that wouldn't be any fun for me. You say you run every day. Your social anxiety isn't a problem (I assume you run in city/neighborhoods)?

[Brightpaperwarewolf]

It sounds cliche, but Rome wasn't built in a day. You can't just turn on a switch and become what you want. It has to be built in steps.

For example, take your jog for 8 minutes, then rest for 5. Next time you run, just push yourself for 8 1/2 minutes and walk for 4 1/2 minutes. If you feel comfortable with that, move to 9 minutes and walk for 4 minutes. You don't have to push yourself excessively if you don't want to but you should have measurable, achievable goals in mind.

[ninka]

When I started running, I was following a c25k program at www.c25k.com and it actually tells you to alternate running and walking for app.12 weeks until you have build up endurance to run for 30 minutes. btw, it works great: I never did any sports, couldn't walk up 3 flights of stairs without being totally breathless: now I can run for 50 minutes straight

[nobodyuknow]

For interval training you alternate running and walking, so there would still be benefits. You could look on runner's world or something for training ideas. There's lots of beginner's running articles, and probably lots of stuff about running intervals.

Any amount of running you do is better than none at all. I used to run quite a bit and then stopped, and I always find it hard to keep doing it because I think I should be able to do what I could when I had better endurance. If I start thinking about it I end up doing nothing. Too many rules about what you should be doing is a really good way to demotivate yourself. It works that way for me at least.

[pokeherpro]

It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

If you're trying to increase the length of time you can run, then just keep doing what you're doing, but every week aim to make your jogging sessions longer and your walks shorter, until eventually you don't even need to walk.

If you're running to lose fat/weight, then you should modify what you're doing now.
Warm up with a good pace, 5 minutes of jogging, say 4 out of 10, if 10 is max effort and 1 is walking casually. Then run hard, say 8 of 10 effort, for 30 seconds. Then walk for 90 seconds. That 30/90 split counts as 1 interval. Do as many as you can to start, and work your way up to 10 intervals. Then do a cool-down jog/walk for the last 5 minutes
Total workout is 30 minutes, but to start it'll only be 15-20. Scientists have shown that this method works better, long term, at burning fat and losing weight.
You can do 30...45...60 minutes of straight jogging if you like, but for losing weight, it doesn't make sense. You'll start out burning, say, 300 calories for 30 minutes of jogging. That's not bad. But as you get stronger, your body will adapt and after a while you'll burn only 250 calories for that 30 minutes. And then 200. Until you either need to run harder or longer.

The best bet would be to do the interval stuff 3 days a week, and a 30-45 minute steady state jog for 2-3 days a week too.

Think of a marathon runner and a sprinter. Whichever body you want, do what they do.

If this isn't about weight loss and you're only trying to improve your distance/time in running, this will still help. The key is to trick the body so that it doesn't adapt to what you're doing.

[BlueBamboo]

Originally Posted by ninka

When I started running, I was following a c25k program at www.c25k.com and it actually tells you to alternate running and walking for app.12 weeks until you have build up endurance to run for 30 minutes. btw, it works great: I never did any sports, couldn't walk up 3 flights of stairs without being totally breathless: now I can run for 50 minutes straight

I second this. I use the one from Cool Running. I run outside and I got up to doing 25 minutes a couple of times before high summer hit and it was just too hot to do it. Now that it's cool again I had to start way back at the bottom. =/ Sometimes I wonder if it's possible to just have a naturally low level of fitness relative to other people... I feel like any kind of fitness activity is something I really, really struggle with and I don't have any health/weight problems to blame for it.

[proximo20]

Originally Posted by contranigma

If I jog for like 8 minutes and then walk for five, jog for 8, walk, jog for 8, that adds up to 24 minutes running. How imporant is it to run for as long as possible for improving health, endurance. For instance is it better to run just 16 minutes continuously rather than starting and stopping for a longer time.
Also, I've got a busy shedule with school and work during the weeks. Is it possible to improve cardio vascular endurance just by running on the weekends?

from http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym1.htm

Interval Training

A common phrase in today's athletic community is sport-specific training. Well guess what, boxers can make their running program more sport-specific (anaerobic) by training around the work-to-rest ratios of an actual bout. This style of running is often referred to as interval training. Essentially, it consists of running hard for the duration of a round, for example 2 or 3 minutes, depending whether you are amateur or pro. Your rest period will consist of approximately the same rest period you have between rounds. If you are fighting 4 rounds, a good program will consist of 5 intervals. Pros training for longer bouts will increase the number of intervals. It is a good idea however to keep the maximum number of intervals somewhere around 8 to 10 to avoid overtraining.

This program should only be performed 2 or 3 times per week. On non-interval days, you can return to the traditional form of roadwork, such as a 2 to 4 mile run. The longer runs are still important, as they enable your body to endure the harder interval work. These sessions will also be run at a brisk pace. When you train, you must train hard, or do not train at all. Most boxers should be able to maintain a 6 or 7-minute per mile pace, depending on the distance of the run. I like to see all fighters run 2-miles in 12 minutes or less. This is a good measure of fitness.