loubiblu

I ran cross country as a school girl, but got to 16ish and stopped completely. Started again around 6 years ago using an app called Couch Potato to 5k. My top tip would be to not run too fast at first - my pace was slower than walking. I built the speed up very slowly. Am back to slow after too many months not running.

AdobePinon

Which is a fine way to start. Short intervals. If you overdo it to begin with, you'll likely wake up the next morning to some nasty leg pains, and for several days thereafter. So catching your breath isn't a bad thing.

Springy6

I wasn't built to run!

I'm a walker and, before I damaged my knee, had completed 5 Moonwalks (marathon distance overnight wearing a decorated bra!). I've been strengthening my knee with swimming for the past few months but the potential lack of walking places when we move to Maryland is worrying me - especially as I'd like to complete the New York Moonwalk next year. Anyone fancy doing it with me?!

ottotheboar

Was in the gym yesterday and saw on Fox News that a glass of red wine a day can equal one hour of excercise

Mrs Danvers

Eh? Lies, all lies.

petitefrancaise

I must be drinking the wrong sort of red wine.....

I once went for a run after drinking 2 glasses. After a bit, the sky was moving around.....not advisable.

jjmb

After sitting listening to my husband and his friends going on endless about the joys running, I decided to join in the 'fun' late last year after walking a 5 k. Basically, I wanted to become part of the conversation and despite being very overweight, I have been going to the gym for the last 5 yrs so it would just be another element of my fitness. Surprisingly despite my very 'pedestrian' speed (16.00) I have kept up with it after finishing a couch to 5k session with a 4 wk break.
However, I will never do anything but a 5k as it seems once you go past that stage, you start incurring injuries and where is the 'fun' if you are in agony? My husband was going to do the Freescale half marathon this weekend but after a series of injurys, groin, hip, calf and now plantar Plantar fasciitis , he finally went to get treatment. His friends are just running through their injuries. I really don't get that mindset.
I was really pleased to see this report yesterday. BBC News - Too much jogging 'as bad as no exercise at all'. I will continue with little training runs to keep up my level fitness and rejoin the couch to 5k program next month. My next 5k is a redo of the first 5k I did last year and this time I plan to run most of it.

Hotscot

That's why I'm sticking with hiking...same energy expenditure over a longer term.
Less stress on joints and bones.

dunroving

A large glass is about 200 kcal, which is the energy expenditure of an average person walking 4 miles (which takes an hour) so, they are about right - except "physical activity", not "exercise".

For "exercise" (higher intensity, e.g.., running) it is about a half-hour.

scrubbedexpat091

I am going to start doing that once the roads to the back country open up in spring and the trails become passable again.

The stuff around town that stays open year round has too many tourists and perfectly manicured easy to hike trails, and not really all that fun or work out...lol

Snow keeps the good places closed in winter, so it's not a year round activity if your not a cross country skier.

Hotscot

Can't remember if you have a smartphone?

I've been using Walkmeter and it's very good with minimal ads in the free version.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/walk...330594424?mt=8

N1cky

I think the key is to find something you enjoy. If you like it, it's much easier to stick with it and make it a routine.

Personally I hate running, I tried the couch to 5k a couple of years ago, but came up with every possible excuse not to go. I got a Groupon for a boot camp last year, thinking I'd probably go a couple of times, but found I really enjoyed it, and am just starting my 5th month and going the 4 nights a week that it's run. I'm starting to see real results, lost 10lbs and 5 inches off my waist, feel tons fitter and more toned, and made a couple of genuine friends there. I'm also trying to find a drop-in UJam or Zumba class to do on a weekend, to add some cardio into it.

loubiblu

I think you've hit the nail on the head. I've been doing bootcamp style exercise since 2009 and I love it (even the kettle bells, begrudgingly!). I have a short attention span so bootcamp suits me. I discovered cycling in 2010 and I go out 5 times a week regardless of the weather - injuries aside. If I didn't cycle, I wouldn't really do much.

Hotscot

Where I hike, almost daily, has been quite desolate since most of the attractive vegetation dies off in 'winter'.
However attached is the first poppy of the season which I snapped this afternoon.

The whole place will look like this in a few weeks.

petitefrancaise

wow Hotscot, you lucky thing!

That's amazing. Austin gets a load of wildflowers for a few weeks in the spring and I'm looking forward to that.

In France, I used to go running/biking out in the countryside down near the pyrenees. I miss that so much I get choked up just thinking about it. I used to walk all the time in Scotland too. My favourite walk was the famous "ring of steel" aka The Mamores ridge. Unforgettable. I still have my munro guide book which I look through and reminisce.