• H&R Moderators: VerbalTruist

Running Nerds Unite

I don't think there are any 1 year training plans! That's a looong time out to start training! Depending on your current fitness, perhaps pick a 10k plan, then immediately after pick a 1/2 mara plan, then after that, try an intermediate 1/2 plan, then go for the full. In the meantime, do as many 10k and half marathon races as you can to get used to racing and improve your times.

Get your plans and put them in a training diary/calender/excel spreadsheet. Don't feel you have to stick to it religiously - listen to your body and use the plans as guides.

Lots of good training plans out there. I personally like the Hal Higdon ones because they don't involve too many days of running (therefore less chance of injury). I don't stick to plans though because I always seem to get injured.

www.coolrunning.com.au has links to the most popular plans. There's a US coolrunning site too but I think that has changed and gone bad. I have a feeling they make you pay for training plans there now, can't remember...
 
awesome, ill check those babies out

its interesting that you say training for a marathon over a year is a long time. Other people ive talked to say dont even attempt a marathon unless youve been training for a year
 
list said:
BM - is the marathon Feb 08 or 09? You'll have more than enough time to prepare if it is next year! You would even be able to aim for a respectable time.

I did my first half marathon a few weeks ago and it was grrreat!!! I'm raring to go for the next one :)

Tip for everyone here - since it's the start of the new year, the 08 models of shoes have been released, meaning you can get great bargains if you buy last year's models. If you think you'll be up for a new pair of shoes soon, now is the time to buy!.....and for any Aussies here, I suggest buying online in the states - I just got some Asics for $75 USD compared to $219 AUD

www.shoebuy.com

AU$105 for my Brooks Arendaline GTS 7's compared to RRP AU$200.
 
blissfulMenace said:
awesome, ill check those babies out

its interesting that you say training for a marathon over a year is a long time. Other people ive talked to say dont even attempt a marathon unless youve been training for a year

BM, where are you located? I think you'd find a lot of benefit hooking up with a coach locally.

You'll find you'll run faster, longer, better and injury free and feel as though you are working toward some more realistic goals.

My fitness has been transformed since I've been pushed by a coach (albeit it's been for triathlon) and it has helped a bucket load.
 
blissfulMenace said:
awesome, ill check those babies out

its interesting that you say training for a marathon over a year is a long time. Other people ive talked to say dont even attempt a marathon unless youve been training for a year

BM, where are you located? I think you'd find a lot of benefit hooking up with a coach locally.

You'll find you'll run faster, longer, better and injury free and feel as though you are working toward some more realistic goals.

My fitness has been transformed since I've been pushed by a coach (albeit it's been for triathlon) and it has helped a bucket load.
 
i live in austin texas.. i plan to get a coach, the problem is at the moment i have no car so its impossible to get to a decent place in a decent time while going to school and working full time

i fully plan to go up to runtex and join a running team as soon as i get a car, the problem is that isnt until november
 
i ride my bike everywhere i go, i dont even have a car. Given that everything is pretty close i still average about 4 miles a day on my bike whether i want to or not.

keeps my quads in good shape :)
 
I've just started to run, trying to get out 3 times a week. I'm doing about 2-3 miles each time.

I have a semi old pair of asics gel shoes. I'm thinking of getting a new pair, because on my right foot i am having problems with the ankle buckling out (a little) and my contact feels like it's sort of rolling around the outside edge of the foot. My left foot feels neutral. I can't work out if this means i am pronating or supinating or whatever. It's not really causing me any pain, but i am wary of causing myself an injury, the way it goes makes it a little sore while i run but not afterwards.

I guess i have to try a pair of stability control shoes. I am also running on city streets, mostly concrete so something appropriate for that would be good too. Does anyone have any recommendations?
 
Currently running twice a week. 10 or so miles each time.
I havne't had the incontinence problem since I cut way back on coffee.
 
i been running a mile everyday at the gym and then hitting the weights at the gym and i feel great and exhausted everytime. i only run for about 10 minutes though, and am trying to work on increasing my stamina so that i can run for longer. i find it easier to sprint and run shorter distances than it is to jog for longer time spans however. why is this?

i remember someone telling me eating lots of carbohydrates the night before you plan to run, and the morning before will help with stamina, as well as drinking alot of water. is this true?
 
Cyrus said:
i been running a mile everyday at the gym and then hitting the weights at the gym and i feel great and exhausted everytime. i only run for about 10 minutes though, and am trying to work on increasing my stamina so that i can run for longer. i find it easier to sprint and run shorter distances than it is to jog for longer time spans however. why is this?

I'm guessing you're on a treadmill? It's different for everyone, and some people can tolerate it, but I can't stand running on a treadmill. I think it's easier to run distance outside since the scenery changes, there's more variety. It's probably why you find it easier to alternate speeds, since you're not doing one monotonous pace. Plus, you can just hop off a treadmill when you're bored, you can't just hop back to your house when you've got another mile to go. :)
 
Hi runners!

I run about four times a week, almost always on trails. My runs vary in distance from 5K to 25K, with the longer runs coming on weekends. I also bike and swim for cross-training, so as you might imagine, I'm also into triathlons.

I have been running since 1984, when I started running at the age of 33 to quit smoking and get into shape. I also started college in 1984 and after two years of community college, I transferred to a 4-year university. They had a track program, and since it was a small school, they let anyone join the track team. I joined, and at 34 years old was by far the oldest person on the team. I was usually last or near last in our meets (I ran the 1500 and 3000 meter events), but man did it get me into shape!

My fastest 10K was 39:00 and my fastest 5K was 18:12, but that was a lot of years ago. Now I'm trying to get back at least a little of the speed I used to have, and I've upped my training some. I only enter trail runs and did a 25K really hilly one in July in a little over three hours.

My last race was a triathlon that I did in 1:22:00. It was a sprint with a 1/2 mile swim, 12.5 mile bike and 5K run. I placed second in the 55-59 yr age group.

My next race is this coming Saturday and is a 10-hour triathlon. It's the only event I've seen with this format. Essentially it is a sprint triathlon that you do over and over until you can't go any more. The winner is the person who does the highest number of the sprints in the shortest amount of time. I'm excited about it, and a little nervous, but I think it will be fun.

I'm also contemplating doing a 30K or 50K trail run yet this fall. I don't have enough training in, but that's never stopped me before (although it should have 8) ).

So, that's what I do for fun. :)

Bob
 
You give me hope for when I am 55.
Trail runs are my favorite. The terrain and scenery make the runs interesting. I like to run for hours on the Appalachain trail, or trails in Yosemite or any other great places in th emountains, which is every weekend lately.
 
Hi Socko,

I am so jealous! I took a trip to Alaska this summer and ran in the mountains around Anchorage. When I came back home I had mountain withdrawals! To be able to run in the mountains every weekend would be just awesome!

It is hilly where I live, with panoramic views of the largest fresh water lake on earth, and bedrock that is two and a half billion years old, but our biggest "mountain" is 700 feet tall. :(

Still, we do have a lot of wildlife (deer, rabbits, bear, etc.), and it's pretty cool to surprise them on my runs sometimes. Though I'd rather not surprise the bears close up. :)

Have fun running those mountain trails!

Bob
 
Whoohooo!! Great bump mc!! <3

I'm becoming really quite fanatical about running this year!

I don't think there are any 1 year training plans! That's a looong time out to start training! Depending on your current fitness, perhaps pick a 10k plan, then immediately after pick a 1/2 mara plan, then after that, try an intermediate 1/2 plan, then go for the full. In the meantime, do as many 10k and half marathon races as you can to get used to racing and improve your times.

Lots of good training plans out there. I personally like the Hal Higdon ones because they don't involve too many days of running (therefore less chance of injury). I don't stick to plans though because I always seem to get injured.

www.coolrunning.com.au has links to the most popular plans.

This is like, precisely what I'm doing this year! :D

I come from a family of runners (my Dad ran 20 marathons before retiring due to his knees, my grandfather ran about 40 marathons up until his mid-70's, my older sister's done a few, my uncle's done nearly 20...) and I've always been in to running for fitness. But I've only just started competing this year. My older sister is my mentor, she's a super-fit lady and a great runner. She's devised all my training plans for me so far :)

This Sunday I'm doing my 1st ever 10km event, and the following Sunday is an 8km event. Then I'll see what comes up next :)

I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to do the Sydney Running Festival half-marathon in September, so that's what's I'm aiming for. Then perhaps my 1st full marathon next year? How exciting!


BUT, I do have a question for you guys...

Almost every time I run, about 15 minutes in to it, I get a stitch in my diaphragm/abdominal muscles. Sometimes I can run through it until it goes away but other times I have to cut my run short because it's too painful.

Now, I'm on magnesium supplements every day and I take glutamine supplements on and off. I never eat or drink anything except water within an hour of running. I'll admit I've slackened off doing abdominal crunches for strength lately but I get the stitch regardless of whether I've been doing crunches or not.

When it happens, I've tried running through it until it goes away (varied success), and I've tried stopping and stretching until it goes away (varied success, mostly it comes back pretty quickly). I also try and focus on pushing my chest out (but not TOO much, just comfortably) to open up my lung cavity to breathe, and I try to keep my upper body stable too. Nothing seems to make much of a difference.

Any suggestions????? This has been happening pretty much my whole life whenever I run, and in the past it's really gotten in the way of building up my endurance. But this year I'm determined to get through it!
 
My last race was a triathlon that I did in 1:22:00. It was a sprint with a 1/2 mile swim, 12.5 mile bike and 5K run. I placed second in the 55-59 yr age group.

I've never done a tri before, but my girlfriends mom sucked me into doing one this July. I've got about 5 weeks to get ready for it. I could handle the running part fine now, but I'm a little nervous about the swimming and biking portions. Were you ready for all three sections? I think I'll do alright if I can bike and swim a few times before the race. I'm not sure which is going to be the weaker of the two.

I'd like to do some kind of road race beforehand just to get a feel for running fast and competing again, but I don't know if I could fit one in.


Should be fun! Glad to be running more again, hope I can keep it up! :)
 
I've never done a tri before, but my girlfriends mom sucked me into doing one this July.

Should be fun! Glad to be running more again, hope I can keep it up! :)

Sounds great man!! Good luck! I'm hoping to do a tri sometime this year too :)
 
N3o, that is great! Glad to hear you've gotten into running. I used to love it, but I ran shorter distances for track and cross-country (1600 meter, 3200 meter, and 5k).

The only advice I can think to give you for your stomach stitches is to pay attention to how you are pumping your arms when you run. Some people tend to fling their arms across their chest or stomach rather than keeping them parallel to your sides. One of our best runners back in high school would do this, and it took him forever to break the habit! He was really fast and a naturally good runner, but he'd often get abdominal cramps from stretching his arms too far over. It wastes valuable muscle endurance and energy. Also, just good posture in general can help with upper body aches and cramps. I used to look down a lot when I'd run and get tight in my chest and shoulders. These are things that you don't always pay attention to unless pointed out.

Good luck with that dear, and I hope you do well on your upcoming races :D

At this point, I don't know if I'll ever get competitive with running again. I loved being on a team and having the support of them and the one-on-one attention of a coach- I don't know if I could muster the desire to race just on my own :| However, running is fun and I'd like to at least attempt a 5k by the end of the summer in a decent time.

*EDIT* had to fix 3200 from 2300, my mathematical error was pissing me off.
 
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