This guide is not your usual detailed “4-Week Get Ripped Six Pack Extreme Jacked for Spring Break” plan. I am not going to sell you on a plan. I cannot say for certain that it will work for you. And I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or anything like that. If you are heavy–either lifter or just large framed–and want to start your journey to becoming a runner, this is how I did it. Take it or leave it.
If you are more than 200 lbs, you know that running is often more laborious and rough on the joints. Often times it is so rough on the body that you give it up all together and just assume that “your not made for it.” Shortly after shrugging it off, you go back to hitting the weights, with no results.
In this guide I share my experiences that led me out from the collegiate offensive line to running a 19 minute 5K in 18 months. I am not a natural runner nor do I have a background in it. Through a systematic approach, some trial and error, and heavy-lifter-in-mind-focused training, I made it my own mission to conquer and ultimately enjoy. Today I’m happy to say that I run every single day and hope you can learn from this and enjoy it too.
Background Story
After a nasty football shoulder tear, I ballooned up; gaining 20 lbs in less than 6 months. This was partly because being a NCAA football player in a competitive program demanded that you lift for hours a day and consume as many calories as possible. The amount of physical condition and heavy lifting often put me at a calorie deficit so weight control was never an issue. I got stronger and even leaner in the process. As soon as the activity stopped, and I was confined to the couch, every calorie went into cold storage. My shoulder was so unstable and raw that even a brisk walk had me wincing with pain. During these “doldrums,” your mind often has to decided between fight or flight. Either you are going to concede to the injury and accept the fact that you are changed forever or you will fight and resolve to heal and come out stronger; simple as that. Fortunately I chose the latter–perhaps by accident–and made a personal pact that I was sick of being huge, riddled with aches and pains, and I wanted to start running.
So four months later, I could at least hobble around with a sling. Hell bent on running, I knew that I had a mountain ahead of me. I was no stranger to the weight room so I started by avoiding it all together and found the 200m track (8 laps = 1 mile) in the field house. At a very slow walk I started walking at least a mile every day. Then, wanting to turn it up a little bit but not able to run yet, I started weaving in time on the machine cycle.
Hit the Cycle First
Running with that much weight on your skeleton is not healthy. Its like running with another person on your back. And if you are of the power lifting variety (love squatting and dead-lifting) it is very likely your flexibility is not where it should be. Many strength coaches will tell you there are strong athletes and there are endurance athletes; and very few in between. Those who are we call “unicorns.” Extremely rare and not human.
So in an effort to give my body an “intro to cardio” crash course, I chose the seated bike machine. No, not the high speed cycling bike you see in spin class. The seated push-the-pedals-out-in-front bike
I could not find a suited program anywhere that was made for people in my position; reasonably athletic, large, but painfully averse to running. So I made my own “program.” I started with something easy to remember: 1/4mile walk (2 laps), 10 min bike, 1/4 mile (2 laps) walk and repeat until I accomplish 1 mile. I would increase 1/4 mile every day until I could complete 1 mile. By that time I was healed enough to jog. I attacked it the same way except switched out the walk with a jog. I would jog a couple laps then practically fall into the seated bike and crank out a 10 minute tortoise workout then go jog a couple laps. I gradually pushed it up to 3 miles total, which was the point I said I would ditch the bike.
Divide and Conquer
Once I got off the bike, I decided I wanted to run 5K non-stop without walking. I approached it the same way only substituting walking for biking. I would jog for 2 laps, (very slow) walk for two laps, and repeat for a total of 3 miles (or 24 laps, since the track was 1/8 mile). After I did that for 3 days, I sarted to work in more running. I divided up the 24 laps into blocks of 4 and started working towards more running over walking. Heres how it worked best for me:
Days 1-3
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 2 laps, walk 2 laps
Run 2 laps, walk 2 laps
Run 2 laps, walk 2 laps
Days 4-6
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 2 laps, walk 2 laps
Run 2 laps, walk 2 laps
Days 6-9
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 2 laps, walk 2 laps
Days 9-12
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
Run 3 laps, walk 1 lap
So basically all I was doing was working my way up to a more run-heavy block of 4 (or half mile). I continued this until I was running 4 laps and walking zero laps, and so on.
After I was running at this I could start working my target pace, which was at the time 9 minutes. So start by running at pace for a lap then walking 3, then work your way up in the same fashion. Hopefully this makes sense. Its really predictable and flexible in that you can play with the numbers to meet your needs.
For you, I recommend you find a measurable distance, preferably indoors at first. This is so you can keep track and run in all seasons. If you have a 1/4 or 1/8 mile track that is ideal. If you have a street block that is .314 miles that’s fine, too. The point is you have a known distance that you can divide, conquer, and then benchmark.
The Non-Negotiable Habit
You must do something for this program day if you want to change your body. You can always dial back the workout if something hurts or you don’t feel like it. There were times I would go and knock out a quick 2 mile run/walk at 8PM. There are no excuses. As you force this habit as a non-negotiable the rest of your life as a way of correcting itself.
I like to follow the Rule of 3’s: do it consistently for 3 days and reward yourself. Then do it for 3 weeks and reward yourself. Then once you do that, its a habit. Now, do it for 3 months and really reward yourself. At that point you can change it up; but not before. By change it up I do not mean dialing back. For me, I would reward myself with gear. For example, after I did it every day for 3 weeks I went out and got fitted for proper running shoes (more on this in a minute). Then, after 3 months, I got some cool new Dri-Fit Nike Run
Running Shoes Made for Your Feet
The last point I will make is not as important as the above stated, however worth mentioning. Go find a specialty running store and have them evaluate your gait. I do not work for a running store and have no affiliation with one so take my word for it. They will identify whether you pronate or supinate, how your glide might be affecting your hips or knees, and recommend footwear that is made specifically for you. Although I am full minimalist now, this was a key enabler in cushioning the heavy blow that my body was delivering to my lower extremities. It will keep you in the fight.
The Thank Me Later List
When you are a larger runner, you’ll need to stay focused and comfortable. Here are some additional tips I learned the hard way.
- Find a scenic route or landmark. I was fortunate enough to have a large river nearby with a scenic bridge with a path. I looked forward to running this way because it was a predictable distance and was much easier to stay motivated; rain or shine. If you live by a monument, run to that monument and back. If you live by a giant hill or rock, focus on that and it will come to symbolize your goal. Touching that landmark will be satisfying.
- Wear compression shorts underneath. If you have large thighs, it might be a good idea to invest in some compression shorts
. Chances are you’ll never go back to regular underwear. Regular inner-underwear shorts will usually ride up and start a fire downtown by mile 1.
- Suns out buns out. Skip wearing the sweatpants and over-knee basketball shorts. You will get chaffed. If its all you have at first, so be it. Steer clear of standard running shorts or they will look (and feel) like booty shorts. Stick with something solid, mid-thigh, and mesh or moisture wicking. It’s not a fashion statement, but it will free you up to me much more comfortable.
- Start foam rolling and/or stretching. If you are coming from the same place as me, then your hips and IT band will tighten up within a week. This is because you are not used to the movement and it is a lot of volume to start with. Invest time and money into the mobility of your lower extremities. You will be sore less and avoid a lot of aches and pain. I personally swear by the The Stick roller
and a La Cross ball
, both of which are from Amazon. Here is a mobility reference site (I have no affiliation with them, just useful).
The Payoff
It took me about a summer and a fall to get completely comfortable running the entire 5K. After I did it I turned my sights on getting faster but slowly incorporating short sprints. Using the same system I was finally clocked at 19:02 in the 5K about 18 months after starting. Small milestone, but I am still on the climb.
Since then I feel significantly better getting out of bed, going up and down stairs, and doing other activities that I love. My lifts have also increased because I able to break through plateaus easier using a much higher rep range. Rather than go down the path of sustained weight, I got fit and never looked back. And I’m not the only one, here is a story about Steelers lineman Alan Feneca running a marathon.
Sure, this guide might not be what you are hoping for because I am not telling you specifically what to do. That is up to your body. Here you have a framework and some hard learned experience from a guy that broke into the running scene. You should not need much else. The motivation is inside of you. Now get outside and enjoy yourself!
Disclaimer: In order to keep Field Athlete sustainable, some of the links in this article are Amazon affiliate links. These will point you towards a partner site where we receive compensation when you make a purchase. We either own, test, or have experience with all of the products we link and will not point you wrong. Now go outside.
