Hello !

I plan on going jogging soon & I wonder how long should I start jogging out for? I never really jogged before so it'll be a first time for me & I want to know how I should start it out.

There is only one gym near where I live & you have to wait 30 minutes to use a machine, so that option is out. The only exercise I can think of is jogging right now .

Bellelaide~ Congratulations on your decision to start exercising. I will tell you for me when I first started jogging I made a lot of mistakes and I'll give you some tips so that hopefully you can avoid those mistakes:
1. Get fitted professionally at a running store for your shoes. You can go to www.runnersworld.com to find a store in your city. If this is not possible make sure you go up at least a 1/2 a size for your shoes and make sure you stay away from any cotton socks. You want socks that take the sweat away from your foot so you can avoid what's called in runners circles "black toe"!
2. Don't try to do too much too soon. Again the runners world site will be helpful or even buy 1 issue of the magazine and check out the couch to 5K schedule. It'll show you how to start with walk/jog intervals and build yourself up
3. Also avoid cotton shirts if you're running outside. Cotton will hold all of the sweat and as you get better it'll weigh you down unnecessarily
4. Cross train with strength training, stretching/flexibility training to avoid/reduce injury. Running is very hard on your body BUT when you take the time to educate yourself if can be SO REWARDING!


Okay hope that helps and good luck. One more thing I even took a running class when I lived in Chicago so a lot of citites have those classes and especially your local Y if you really wanna start on the right foot!


Hope

Great suggestions, Hope!
I would agree with doing the couch to 5k schedule (C25K). Way back when I was a teenager and started running the first time, that was how I did it--I didn't call it C25K then, but it made sense--start out walking, warm up, speed up, jog for a bit, speed walk a bit, jog a bit, speed walk, jog, walk, jog, walk, jog, etc. Each week, you increase the amount of time or length/distance that you are jog/running.
You can download podcasts, too, that have the intervals timed out for you (with a little ding or change in music tone indicating when to change to walking or running) so you don't have to watch the clock. They are free on itunes.
Congratulations! I am so glad to be running again after nearly 20 years!