[Add!ction]

I'm not a particularly active or fit person and I want to change this. I'd like to start jogging but I don't know where to start. How far should I jog to begin with and how many times a week? Advice is appreciated

[bytail]

Give the Couch to 5k plan a go!

[Add!ction]

Thanks! This looks really good. Good ol' NHS.

[Apocalyptic Fish]

I started recently, too. I've only done it twice this year, and as my exams are finishing I'm hoping to go more frequently. My birthday is on the 9th, and I want some running shoes and an iPod holder that goes round the arm.

[Add!ction]

I have Nike running trainers, they're like walking (or running!) on clouds. I took them on a school trip where we were walking for 8+ hours a day and I was the only one able to walk by the end of the trip :P I'm also waiting for exams to finish, I've got a route planned and everything!

[turkishdisco]

Same here, I'm looking to start jogging some time this week. I think I'll be paying visit to Sports Direct...

[almasy]

I got some great running shoes for my 0th birthday, you should give them a try, they're called feet.

[littlehobbit]

Join the Couch to 5K thread - there are loads of tips amongst the pages and also keeps me motivated to keep going, hearing about everyone else's progress!

[almasy]

(Original post by Add!ction)
Thanks! This looks really good. Good ol' NHS.

For couch to 5k? that's nothing to do with the NHS...

[Jas1]

I also want to start running over summer when my exams finish, but I feel really self conscious about how unfit I am so I'm a tad apprehensive about bumping into people I know :/

[Add!ction]

(Original post by almasy)
For couch to 5k? that's nothing to do with the NHS...

Well it to me to the NHS website.

[flying plum]

(Original post by Add!ction)
Well it to me to the NHS website.

The plan isn't an nhs design, but their podcasts of it are great. I used them to get into running - builds you up nice and slow. Albeit to really cheesy music that all sort-of-but-not-quite sounds like someone famous

[Millyshyn]

I started running 2 months ago for the Bupa 10k and now my knee is screwed. Pretty much everyone I know that runs has knee problems.. so yeah, hope you're willing to risk your knees.

It's great though, feels really good when every week you can feel yourself getting better. When I started I gave myself distance goals, so the first week I was doing 3km in one session, whether I could run that in one go or not and I would time myself. The first time I walked some of it but I got better VERY quickly and once I could run that 3km without stopping, I started doing 4km, and so on, increasing the distance every time I got comfortable. Having some good shoes is important too, I use reebok easytone (running ones, because there's different types apparently), they're supposed to make your muscles work harder because of the dodgy stuff on the sole but I find them incredibly soft and comfortable because of it, they're almost bouncy

[RainbowJellyfluff]

I'm on week 5 of the couch to 5K program. You should definitely give it a go, it starts off slow and each week you can feel yourself improving. The podcasts are good too, they tell you when to start running and when to walk, the music is cheesy but it does help keep you going.

[SebMurphy]

(Original post by Millyshyn)
I started running 2 months ago for the Bupa 10k and now my knee is screwed. Pretty much everyone I know that runs has knee problems.. so yeah, hope you're willing to risk your knees.
)

If you have knee problems its because you're not running properly. Whilst its true that people who have run every day for 30 years have no knees, 2 months in is nowhere near enough to attribute your knee problems to running if you've been doing it right.

If I were you i would get some gait analysis done, get the right shoes, and then maybe some coaching sessions.