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For various reasons I'm working on being able to run distance. Not very far - 2 miles or so. Key is, non-stop. This may sound like a stupid question, but I'm looking for advice on how to get there. Should I run every day? Every other day? I can't currently run for the whole time, I have to walk every once in a while. Should I be going longer distances? Should I mix it up? Who shot J.R.? These questions and more will be answered in the following posts. STAY TUNED!

BTW, I'm not sure if it matters, but I can hike all day long with a large pack no problem.

No clue on running but I know for hiking up and down Squaw or Camelback. From countless personal records pushing hard a short distance didn't have much results. Back in the late 90's I pounded out Squaw Peak day after day. My times rarely moved a minute. Then I started going 2 and 3 rounds a little slower but consecutively. I went from never being able to break 46 minutes to 38-40 minutes regularly in a couple weeks. My best time would always come on the second ascent.

Also know that after doing a couple 14-16 mile hikes in a month I feel much stronger than doing 90 miles of piddly stuff.

I believe it was a dream...

Back when I used to run I would go out every 3rd or 4th day to run 5 to 6 miles. I probably could have gone more often, but it wasn't very fun. Plus, it seems that you need to have rest periods to build up your strength and endurance. If you progress, you'll be able to go more frequently, and longer. The biggest thing is to not go out and run when tired and sore from a previous run.
You could do what I had done. I had never ran before, so I started doing a run walk combination. I would run until I tired, and then walk until I felt better to run again. In a week or so I was running a mile before I had to walk. I started out doing it as part of a warm up for my exercise routine. I started shorter, 1 to 1.5 miles, and built up to 3 miles. Eventually I did it independently of my exercise routine and was up to about 5.5 miles. It didn't last long though, after 2 yeas I stopped running all together. Its kind of boring.

Start slow and easy. The mind is stronger than the body, and it is very easy to push yourself hard enough for injury. Take a day (or even two) off between each run. Increase your distance very slowly. The standard rule of thumb is not to increase your mileage more than 10% per week. For quite a while you should just run slow and easy. You should be able to carry on a conversation without huffing and puffing. It may seem frustrating starting out slowly, which is why most beginning runners get injured sometime in the first two months bad enough to need a whole month off. Your cardiovascular condition will improve much faster than the strength of muscles and joints. The critical time for injury after about three weeks, when you're no longer limited by how much air you can suck in. Most people start running harder then, and end up with knee pain or something else. Have fun!

I ran on my cross-country team in college. That was over 25 years ago, but I still use alot of what I learned. We did pace running,endurance,and speed running. Pace running is a fast interval with a recovery of about the same duration(i.e. run a 400m rest a 400m or run mile rest mile). Endurance is a medium interval with a short recovery(run at medium pace 400m rest 200m). Speed is speed. All out sprint(100m rest 200m,200m rest 400 ,400m rest 800m) rest should be to full recovery. Endurance running is mostly for long distance, but still has its benefits for shorter (under 5 miles). My philosphy is change it up. No matter what your doing, the body will adapt if you keep doing the same thing. Also, like others said make it fun. If you want I can give you more "exact" details based on your mile time, and post some generic intervals to follow for each type of running. or PM me.

Interesting how many of us hikers are lousy runners. I could ditto most of the above--having to run and walk at first. When I was much younger I could often out-hike marathoners, who are not attuned to hiking.

All that being said, running improves your wind, and if done carefully can probably improve over-all fitness. I do believe the minute your knee or ankle hurts it's time to quit, though. Don't "push through it."

I agree with what others have said. In the 70's I could not run a quarter of a mile without stopping and worked up to a marathon in 9 months. I followed the 10% rule mentions by Big_Load, have a feeling that's an old Runners World Magazine guide. If you're real sore, rest a day or two as you start the process. Just keep at it and with adding 10% a week guide you'll get there. Good luck.

I think the key to running low distances to run at a slow enough pace not to wear yourself out. That can be hard to do. I'm by know means a running expert, but was able to run a marathon this year. Never had ran more than 6 miles at a time before that. Now I don't recommend that by any means as it took 2 months for me to be able to walk/run/hike normal again.

I can run a 8 minute mile pretty consistently, but can only due that for 1-2 miles, for the marathon my pace ended up being a mid 10 minute mile.

It definitely helps to have a partner too, preferably someone with around the same physical ability. They say that you shouldn't jog any faster than you can talk and be able to hold a conversation without being winded.