I find running on tar mac messes my knees up. I prefer team exercise like netball or rounders.

From what i've read tar-mac (asphalt for our american friends) is very low on the list of quality running surfaces, with concrete at the bottom. Luckily we live just down the road from a park which means i can run there. Means going round in circles, but hey ho.

If i really get into the running i'll get myself a quality pair of running shoes and try road running.

I used to run for the county when I was at school. Now I can't run up the stairs. I'm so unfit.

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by Teresa
I used to run for the county when I was at school. Now I can't run up the stairs. I'm so unfit.

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I'm not that bad, but I want to get fit before i get there.

I did my first run this afternoon and once the initial tiredness wore off, I felt energised and had enjoyed the experience, so I think i'll get into it fairly quickly.

I'm ridiculously unfit but i sometimes have bursts of determination to get fit so i go running, i find im better when i run with someone else, gives me a reason to get out of bed if iv promised to go with someone, left to my own devices i wont go.

Running is the only excersise i actually enjoy because iv had far too many Bridget Jones moments in the gym

Unfortunately I don't have any direct experience to pass on, but both my brother and step-father are veterans of the road and have a pair of London Marathons each (and a handful of Great North Runs) to their names.

The single most important aspect I hear them talking about is getting a proper pair of running shoes. If you can, try and find a "runners" sport shop (forget the high street chains, they don't know jack) and get yourself sorted. It may be more money that you were hoping to have to spend, but it will also be considerably cheaper than a gym membership. If they are decent enough, not only will they help your running and protect you from stress injuries, but they will last too - my brother's first marathon pair are still going strong after 6 years.

Take it easy and don't overdo it too soon. Warming down is as important as warming up. After a run, my brother would return home and then spend the next 10-15 minutes walking around our garden before he actually came in and had a shower. I took me a while to ask him why.

There is a particular technique (which has a really odd name - I can never remember it) which, once you've got some basic conditioning will greatly improve your endurance. When my brother was in Marathon training he would often alternate long (10-15 mile) runs with this technique where he would rarely cover more than a few miles. Having warmed-up, get jogging and when you are ready break into a sprint. Run as hard and as fast as you can for 20-30 seconds, then slow to a walk and allow yourself to recover (as long as it takes), then break into a job once again and repeat a few times.

I certainly wouldn't recommend doing this until you can get a few miles under your belt at a comfortable jogging pace. However, this helped him to break the 5-6 mile barrier (10K) which he seemed to have a problem with, but once he employed this technique a couple of times a week, whatever conditioning it gave him allowed him to increase his mileage capacity when running normally.

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by gobstopper
There is a particular technique (which has a really odd name - I can never remember it) which, once you've got some basic conditioning will greatly improve your endurance. When my brother was in Marathon training he would often alternate long (10-15 mile) runs with this technique where he would rarely cover more than a few miles. Having warmed-up, get jogging and when you are ready break into a sprint. Run as hard and as fast as you can for 20-30 seconds, then slow to a walk and allow yourself to recover (as long as it takes), then break into a job once again and repeat a few times.

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I used to do that when I was training. Don't know the name of it but it's a great way to get faster and build your stamina. Easy way to time it..pick out 2 landmarks, one as the start of your sprint, the other as the end. Try doing it between lamposts for starters.

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by Maffrew
I've got a beginners running program from an online running community...

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And you think you'll get better advice from us lot???

I like to run but, partly because of injury, partly because of being too busy at work but mostly because of lazyness, I'm totally of it at the moment. I did the Nike 10K a couple of years ago. It can be good to have targets like a particular event to focus the attention. There's an organized run somewhere practically every weekend. Runners World list them. Find a local event a realistic time in the future and stick it in the diary.

I only run when i have to...

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by Milky
(quotes)

I used to do that when I was training. Don't know the name of it but it's a great way to get faster and build your stamina. Easy way to time it..pick out 2 landmarks, one as the start of your sprint, the other as the end. Try doing it between lamposts for starters.

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I've just given my brother a call. It's called Fartlek training.

A quick google search returns a few sites. This one seems to explain it quite well.

This sounds silly but I actually get bored when running. There is no stimulus to keep me entertained whereas a sport where you play a game and have to concentrate provides the interest for me.