I'm really new at working out. I've tried to run on the treadmill, but I get so tired, SO fast. I can't breathe and my lungs start to burn. Will this get better? Or is this how it will always feel???

With every new exercise there is an adjustment period, I could tell you about your VO2 intake and all that technical stuff, but to make a long story short, usually the first month stinks... but then your body starts to get used to it. The human body has great adaptability. You will definitely get better at the treadmill and your lungs will not burn forever. Don't give up. Eventually you might even miss the burning feeling and have to switch to a new machine to get the burning feeling back.

Take it slow, listen to your body! You'll get to where you want to be.

Hi, Sally! When I first started running, I applied a walk/jog rule for the first few weeks. What this means is that when you're on the treadmill, you warm up for a good 5 minutes walking, then increase the pace to a jog for 1-2 minutes, then slow it back down to a brisk walk for 1-2 minutes, and so on. This is nothing new - and is actually a widely-used training method for long-distance runners (see Jeff Galloway on the web)...

The benefits of this are twofold:

1) You can slow it down when you start to feel out of breath and still be working out at a good pace (aka - brisk walk periods). Your heart rate is still in a good range, but you're letting yourself recover a bit before picking up the pace again...

2) If you're new to running/jogging, inserting a brisk walk inbetween running bits actually decreases your chance for injury! If you're going from little exercise/working out directly into something as high-impact as running, you really should take it slow to minimize stress on your muscles/joints. As Ken said - your body readily adapts to new stresses - but the first few weeks, why not HELP your body adapt??

FYI - I ran a marathon last spring, and every "long run" I actually slowed to a brisk walk once every 10-15 minutes or so, only for 60-seconds....just to work different muscles, reduce impact, etc.

Anyhow...good luck - and have fun!!! It will get better and a little easier with time!!!

Thanks for your advice, konasmom!

I'll have to try the running for a while, then walking for a while technique. It sounds promising! In the past I've just tried to set a goal of running for a mile and couldn't make it so I would just stop at what ever point I made it to. I think if I started walking when I couldn't run anymore, it would give me some more energy back to be able to try running again...

konasmom had great tips, Sally. I know the Runners World site has quite a few tips and articles for beginners. Also, if you search for the "Couch to 5k" program (I think it's from CoolRunning.org originally), they have a great plan for working your way up to running. Most beginner plans center around run-walk intervals, slowly building the run time while decreasing the walk time.

Good luck!