Runner's Forum: The Official: Training Summary Start Up Thread

Hello all

 I've recently discovered mapmyrun.com and its great! I like the sound of this thread too.

 I've been running for a while but was more out of a sense of getting fit, etc. feeling. However, I'm now completely hooked and am training for my second half marathon!

I'm hoping this one will be better now that I'm at a better fitness level. I ran my first one (well ran and walked..) in 2h34. I definitively want to do better this time.

This week I went for an 8 mile run (4th time since uping the mileage from 6miles). I'm trying to get it to 1h20 but invariably it ends up being about 1h24. However, during the course of the run, I have to stop at a few traffic lights. Does this mean that I would normally be faster or is the stopping just helping the recovery so overall improving speed?  Maybe I'm overanalysing...

Hi Guys...

Been nursing a bit of a sore leg since my 'mega-run' on Sunday, but decided to go to my running club tonight anyway. I was super-tired and a little worried about my leg but for some reason ended up moving up a group into the 'Intermediate' group - woah!

Hill workout. Really? Is that sort of thing absolutely necessary?! We were doing tempo runs up an evil hill, in 10s, 15s, 20s and so on through to 45s (with an easy jog back down the hill) and then a second set the same but 45s down to 10. Then a 1km hill loop (6'14''). By that point my legs were like jelly, fatigue had truly set in and I had burnt off every last little calorie I could get from the handful of reeses pieces I munched before I left the house. Then a gentle run back to the store, followed by squats, planks, lunges and all that lovely stuff.  

Not sure whether to stick with the intermediate group. Some of these guys are quite serious but I think that's good for me. I was already coasting ahead of the pack in my last group (despite just graduating to it) so I don't think I would have been pushed in that group. While I know I will be pushed in this group I was about mid-way in the group - so not struggling at the back. I just don't want to push myself too hard, too fast while at the same time I do want to improve. What do you guys reckon? 

hey everyone,

 3 mile quick run this morning in a light rain. Not quite as fast as I'd like...21:44 (7:13/mi). But some of that may be because I ran 5 miles yesterday afternoon, and some may be the 30 minutes of weight training just prior to the run. I think with better rest, and some competition at a 5k race, I'd have my time under 21 minutes.

 

LexB--all hils are evil. I live in Eastern Tennessee, and there is no such thing as a flat run.

medium long run this morning - 14 miles. Closed the last three miles in 5:55, 5:45, 5:35 or so...was rollilng today, felt really good

Hi all,

I didn't want to run today! So demotivated to get out there! Thats where the support crew came in and my wife said,"Aren't you going for a run?" That was enough to bring on the guilt and go out and do it in the freezing cold!

Ended up doing 9.3km in 46mins which was amazing the first time I have gone under 5min kms on this course! Body has been feeling better since I started glucosamine.

I seem to be gaining speed all the time!

Lex B: I have been reading your posts with interest as I think we started at the same time. I think you have it in your to do more and with the foundations you have set you definitely will benefit from being pushed a bit harder. I have found running competitively or with others really increases my effort and speed as I'm so competitive.

kdogg....you're killing me LOL

5.2 miles this morning @ 8:28 per mile. My first race since my injury is an 8k race in about 6 weeks. My goal is 40 minutes. I have some time to knock off, but I think the course should be flatter than my training runs, and with some competition I should hve no problem with that time.

no runs for lex for a few days... I have bad shin splints... aaaaargh! Any ideas anyone? Really peeved that I won't be out there for a while, don't know what I'll do as my stress relief. Enjoy pounding the streets guys

 : (

Yet another crazy workweek. We have a BIG project going into the completion phase this weekend. I've still been able to manage getting out of bed for my runs.

Wednesday: A slow 4 mile buddy run. Fast for my buddy slow for me.

Friday: A nice strong run. 5.44 miles in 51 minutes. Still shaving a little time and trying to adjust to summertime humidity. Fatsest mile was 7:11.

I've got a 5K coming up in a few weeks. I talked the above mentioned buddy into it and he talked some of his buddies into it so we should have a nice turn out. Only thing is my friend has been bragging on my wife and I. He expects us to dust everyone else. I keep telling him we're just going to run our race. Still I feel a bit of competitive pressure. Good or Bad?

By the way since I started running again in March I've now lost a total of 20 Lbs.

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I like this thread. My ridiculously detailed spreadsheet is starting to get boring, so I may start posting in here. Yesterday, I did an eight mile with the baby in the jogging stroller. It was the longest run that I have done with him (runner up is 7 miles and really flat) and I went on some pretty sick hills. I was surprisingly energetic. I have been experimenting with foods while I run (I just started doing long runs about 2 months ago and am training for my first half marathon for June 22nd). I had half a Cliff Bar about a half hour before leaving and didn't feel sick. My black toes felt surprising good during the run (I took the downhills slower), but had a significant amount of throb about two hours later. Fun thread...oh and KDogg...rock on girl! : )

Gorgeous day today,  but a little warm.  went out a little slow,  and felt a little dry by the end of my 5.1 miles.  plan on running 8 miles tomorrow morning,  so i may bring water with me. any suggestions on taking water with me. i don't own one of those fanny pack type things,  just might carry a bottle of poland spring.

Took my time this morning....5.2 miles, at an 8:43 pace. It was only 71 degrees out, but with an 83% humidity. I'm thinking of adding some miles tomorrow, but may wait until tomorrow to see how I feel (calves hurt a little today for some reason). kdoggs gonna reallllly slow down..to what 6 min miles ??? LOL

These last two weeks have been my rest period and i have not done a thing. My coach tells us to go an "active rest", he said, "you need to take time off running but dont just go home and sit on the couch eating ice cream, get out there and do something active like besketball and dont stop eating healthy." So what did I do? I went home and bought some ice cream and camped out on the couch and ate a ton of fast food. Now i will have to pay for it on monday when i start up again lol.

Anyway this summer is just gonna be some easy mileage. I'll probably start off with only 35-40 miles my first week just to get back into things. I tend to get injured if i dont. Then i will start adding mileage pretty quickly till about 65 a week and start adding slower. I'm wanting to hit about 85 a week for the last part of the summer, but not more because i get more unjury prone when i do.

I'm Back! Wahey! That was only a few days but it was like torture!

Thanks for the input on the exercises, I have flexed and pointed my feet so much I thought they might drop off. But it does seem to have helped. I did a little bit of cycling too - trying to get more into my bike for the cross training! Yesterday I went to see the guys at my athletics store that does the running club (which was the last run before I shin splints) the guys there thought that more than it being a sign of long term damage, the pain was probably an immediate response to the intense hill work out. It seems I may have come down the hill a little too hard (I really did try to be careful but lesson learned, next time I am walking down). I'm also keeping an eye on my shoes, they've only done a couple of hundred miles but the inside of the heel has started to crease slightly which is apparently a sign I may have worn them through (?! Bit peeved if i have as I really liked them and they weren't cheap - if anyone wants a warning they were Nike Air Pegasus Bowerman Series). I hope I don't have to buy new shoes already!

Anyhow on the advice from the guys at the store I felt a lot better today so went for a gentle 5k, I planned a route through some trails and across as much grass as possible with as little steep downhill as possible. Very nice it was too - really enjoyable run on a beautiful summers day, noone around (did suddenly start wondering about bears on the trail!!), blue skies, sunshine, cool breeze... Bliss. I even saw what I think was my first blue jay.

My legs were fine -  tiny little twinge here and there but nothing serious. When running on grass I was a little concerned about going over on my ankle as there were so many dips and 'pot holes' any suggestions? 

I'll try for a longer run tomorrow but only 8k or so and as flat as I can make it. Now I am off to train a stray pit bull. Have a lovely weekend everyone! 

11 miles today, just went out for a little jaunt in the morning before work...it was really hot

Day off today after dropping my long run Sat down to 15km after doing a half marathon last week.

 Feeling fantastic in comparison to the recovery it takes me to get over the half. That means this week I should be far better off in training. My body will get the break it needs.

 

 

Took off running, intending to run 8 miles. Well, took a wrong turn, ended up at 5.6 miles in 47 minutes. Looking forward to a shorter run tomorrow, and a day off on Tuesday :)

Nahtus...looking forward to your long run?!? you're crazy!!

I had my first long run back today - it was only a mile longer than my medium long run on Wednesday. So I ran 15 out on the trails at my school. My alarm didn't go off so I didn't get out there until about 10:30 and by then it was 85 degrees. I was gonna try and close out the last four miles of the run with a tempo, but after about a miles worth of tempo effort I shut it down and just ran easy for the last miles. 

Hi Dan,

All I can say is hang in there mate. Night shifts definitely play havoc with your body, eating and motivation habits. I'm not even doing night shift at the moment and finding it really hard to get going sometimes.

The thing I suggest might be to lock in something like an upcoming race if you are up for it. I find for me - thats the only thing that gets me out of bed to run in the cold and dark. I know that if I have a race coming up I have to train. Without that end goal I would make every excuse not to.

I felt terrible today - didnt want to run - but did it anyway. 9km and it was one of those runs people tell you about. For no reason at all it was just really hard work. It hurt the whole way. Ran an ok time but nothing special.

 

A nice easy run today....or at least I planned on an easy run. 3.5 miles in 28:50, 8:11 per mile. Anyone else have a problem with running an easy pace? I just get going and settle in to a natural running pace.

heh, summer heat...last summer when I started running, at 6am the temperature had already hit 100 degrees....and don't even think of afternoon running...130+.

6 easy miles this evening for a nice little double for the day...now I get an 'easy' day tomorrow and Friday :)

1st day back after a few weeks off. I only did 40 min today at about 7min pace and it didnt feel that great. Its amazing what a few weeks with absolutely no running and lots of bad food can do to your body. ill probably do no more than 45 min runs this week jsut to get back into things

 

I did my yesterday's run in the at 5:30am. I'm not a morning person, but i'd like to register for a bio class in the evenings for the next two months. so, i'll have to do my runs in the morning in order to get my training in. It was nice getting out early - and my dog was actually excited too - he's usually a late sleeper =). Anyways, crazy storm this morning, so I'll have to do my cross training this afternoon. Hopefully I can get a few good miles in on my bike.

Happy running! =)

Didn't run yesterday, but I did get assigned to bike patrol for a few hours. Did about 25 miles on varied terrain, stop and go, as I was dealing with people the entire time. It was a great night for a ride, and I really enjoy the change of pace. Gonna get a 10-12 miles in Wednesday afternoon when I wake up. Off for another night of fighting crime.

4 miles this morning. My crazy stomach prevented me from going much further. So I doubled back tonight and ran 11. Now I can have some lower mileage days before my upcoming race

Hi Guys,

So I also squeezed in a nice long bike ride on Saturday. Then I actually bailed on my Sunday run - wasn't feeling great and still taking it easy with my bad leg/shin splints. I am back on track now though. Back at kickboxing again, I had my first session back in a month! Ouch! It was really good to be back though! Nice tough upper body work out.

Then tonight it was run club - thanks for your input guys - I talked it through with the group leaders and I am sticking with the intermediate group. Tonight we had speed work at the tracks. Warm up run to track. 2 quick laps (1'35''; 1'38'' - so about 6.20 pace? Did I calculate right?), then we did one lap of fartleks, then a relay race, then a 2 lap 'scottish mile' race (four teams of four people, each team runs in a line, rear man runs to front of line and so on...). My team came first - wahey! Then cool down jog back to the store and lunges, press ups, planks etc...

I had a really good session tonight - I really pushed myself and was happy with my performance - especially in relation to the rest of the group, I'm coming in mid-way, behind the 'proper' runners and ahead of the rest of the group. Which I'm pretty happy with as a newbie! Plus I had a lot of fun doing it!