On September 13 2012 00:33 Cambium wrote: Can someone give me some advice for a beginner runner other than 'take it easy' and 'run slowly'?
Does the 13 week couch to 10K program work well? Currently, I can hold 5K with a 'decent pace' (for me, purely recreational), roughly 30 minutes, without feeling too tired at the end of it. Using that as a starting point, which week should I start in the program should I employ it?
I've also been running with my NB Minimus, and it feels pretty good, even though I run slightly slower in them than I would in my regular running shoes. I think it's just something I have to get used to more.
Hey Cambium,
Part of the beauty of running is that it is pretty much as simple as 'take it easy' and 'run slowly' when you're first starting out. Most people would agree (correct me if I'm wrong) that just going out and running, as often as your body will let you, is the most important part of starting running.
I've read many success stories on the couch to 10k/5k program so clearly there is some merit. But I can assure you you'll also find success if you go out and run 5x a week for 13 weeks. Don't worry about pace too much - you want to be able to wake up the next day and run again rather than be sore. If you're the type of person that requires, or enjoys, the structure and guidelines of a set out program, start at week 1. It's easy to overestimate your ability and then quit when you feel overwhelmed by what week 7 (or whatever) is telling you to do. I assume you haven't run regularly for the first 20 years (or however old you are) years of your life, therefore starting slowly might be the right idea.
I'll let the more exerianced runners expand/add/contradict what I said.
PS- the first couple pages of this thread discuss minimal footwear somewhat. I think the verdict is still out on them. Wear what you feel is comfortable and leaves you feeling better during and after the run.
PPS - I'd expand on what you mean by "recreational". Do you have a goal of being able to run a marathon one day? Do you want to lower your heartrate and live more healthy? Do you just want to exercise for a maximum of 30 minutes a day? Define your goal a little more and I'm sure the advice you get will suit you better.
On September 13 2012 00:33 Cambium wrote: Can someone give me some advice for a beginner runner other than 'take it easy' and 'run slowly'?
Does the 13 week couch to 10K program work well? Currently, I can hold 5K with a 'decent pace' (for me, purely recreational), roughly 30 minutes, without feeling too tired at the end of it. Using that as a starting point, which week should I start in the program should I employ it?
I've also been running with my NB Minimus, and it feels pretty good, even though I run slightly slower in them than I would in my regular running shoes. I think it's just something I have to get used to more.
Do you want to be better at running distance? Shorter distances?
If you don't want to increase distance, you can run as fast as you like as long as you don't have to stop to walk. If you're looking to train distance, increasing your average run by 10% a week is a standard benchmark (unless that feels too easy, in which case you can bump it up higher.)
I don't know anything about the couch to 10k program, I'm sure it works but I find running to be more about what kind of running you enjoy. If you enjoy running along then sprinting to random objects (fartlek) then do that. If you like piling on miles then go for it. As long as you enjoy whatever running style you pick, you will improve and you won't drop out.
Also, very important, listen to your feet. If it feels like you're starting to form a blister, don't power through it because you want to finish your run. Blisters will put you behind far more than cutting a run short will.
On September 13 2012 00:33 Cambium wrote: Can someone give me some advice for a beginner runner other than 'take it easy' and 'run slowly'?
Does the 13 week couch to 10K program work well? Currently, I can hold 5K with a 'decent pace' (for me, purely recreational), roughly 30 minutes, without feeling too tired at the end of it. Using that as a starting point, which week should I start in the program should I employ it?
I've also been running with my NB Minimus, and it feels pretty good, even though I run slightly slower in them than I would in my regular running shoes. I think it's just something I have to get used to more.
Hey Cambium,
Part of the beauty of running is that it is pretty much as simple as 'take it easy' and 'run slowly' when you're first starting out. Most people would agree (correct me if I'm wrong) that just going out and running, as often as your body will let you, is the most important part of starting running.
I've read many success stories on the couch to 10k/5k program so clearly there is some merit. But I can assure you you'll also find success if you go out and run 5x a week for 13 weeks. Don't worry about pace too much - you want to be able to wake up the next day and run again rather than be sore. If you're the type of person that requires, or enjoys, the structure and guidelines of a set out program, start at week 1. It's easy to overestimate your ability and then quit when you feel overwhelmed by what week 7 (or whatever) is telling you to do. I assume you haven't run regularly for the first 20 years (or however old you are) years of your life, therefore starting slowly might be the right idea.
I'll let the more exerianced runners expand/add/contradict what I said.
PS- the first couple pages of this thread discuss minimal footwear somewhat. I think the verdict is still out on them. Wear what you feel is comfortable and leaves you feeling better during and after the run.
PPS - I'd expand on what you mean by "recreational". Do you have a goal of being able to run a marathon one day? Do you want to lower your heartrate and live more healthy? Do you just want to exercise for a maximum of 30 minutes a day? Define your goal a little more and I'm sure the advice you get will suit you better.
I started running (just for exercise and fun) when I was in high school, and did a bit more of that in university and grad school, with 5K being my typical running distance, almost never going over.
I recently started running again because we are having a charity 10K run in mid-Nov, and my boss is really encouraging my team to participate, so I think that's a short-term goal that I am willing to work towards. Slightly long term, depending on how I feel about the 10K, I might do a half-marathon next year, and possibly a full marathon in 2014, but that's still fairly far into the future. In terms of speed, I think I can hold 5K in 30 fairly easily, so I'd like to aim for 10K in one hour, with some training.
My physical health is quite good, I'd say, probably much above average. I've been doing a lot of weightlifting for the past two years, mixed in with yoga. But I think my endurance is rather lacking, as I haven't gotten much aerobic exercises other than occasional jogs (<= 5K) and swimming (<1K). I started doing 3-5K runs at work daily for almost two weeks now, and I feel it's something I could enjoy, so I figured I wanted some advice from people who are more experienced
I think a structured programme could help me greatly because I benefited a lot from weightlifting programmes, rather than coming up with my own; although I'd like to think I'm above 'couch' and I don't have 13 weeks to train for 10K
On shoes: I'm definitely more comfortable running with my regular running shoes, as I don't have to focus too much on my strides, but I feel that's something that I can get used to quite easily should I keep this us. I'm definitely willing to front the effort if it's beneficial in the long run (haha...).
On September 13 2012 00:33 Cambium wrote: Can someone give me some advice for a beginner runner other than 'take it easy' and 'run slowly'?
Does the 13 week couch to 10K program work well? Currently, I can hold 5K with a 'decent pace' (for me, purely recreational), roughly 30 minutes, without feeling too tired at the end of it. Using that as a starting point, which week should I start in the program should I employ it?
I've also been running with my NB Minimus, and it feels pretty good, even though I run slightly slower in them than I would in my regular running shoes. I think it's just something I have to get used to more.
Do you want to be better at running distance? Shorter distances?
If you don't want to increase distance, you can run as fast as you like as long as you don't have to stop to walk. If you're looking to train distance, increasing your average run by 10% a week is a standard benchmark (unless that feels too easy, in which case you can bump it up higher.)
I don't know anything about the couch to 10k program, I'm sure it works but I find running to be more about what kind of running you enjoy. If you enjoy running along then sprinting to random objects (fartlek) then do that. If you like piling on miles then go for it. As long as you enjoy whatever running style you pick, you will improve and you won't drop out.
Also, very important, listen to your feet. If it feels like you're starting to form a blister, don't power through it because you want to finish your run. Blisters will put you behind far more than cutting a run short will.
Thanks for the advice. Basically just have fun and take it easy
On September 13 2012 00:33 Cambium wrote: Can someone give me some advice for a beginner runner other than 'take it easy' and 'run slowly'?
Does the 13 week couch to 10K program work well? Currently, I can hold 5K with a 'decent pace' (for me, purely recreational), roughly 30 minutes, without feeling too tired at the end of it. Using that as a starting point, which week should I start in the program should I employ it?
I've also been running with my NB Minimus, and it feels pretty good, even though I run slightly slower in them than I would in my regular running shoes. I think it's just something I have to get used to more.
Hey Cambium,
Part of the beauty of running is that it is pretty much as simple as 'take it easy' and 'run slowly' when you're first starting out. Most people would agree (correct me if I'm wrong) that just going out and running, as often as your body will let you, is the most important part of starting running.
I've read many success stories on the couch to 10k/5k program so clearly there is some merit. But I can assure you you'll also find success if you go out and run 5x a week for 13 weeks. Don't worry about pace too much - you want to be able to wake up the next day and run again rather than be sore. If you're the type of person that requires, or enjoys, the structure and guidelines of a set out program, start at week 1. It's easy to overestimate your ability and then quit when you feel overwhelmed by what week 7 (or whatever) is telling you to do. I assume you haven't run regularly for the first 20 years (or however old you are) years of your life, therefore starting slowly might be the right idea.
I'll let the more exerianced runners expand/add/contradict what I said.
PS- the first couple pages of this thread discuss minimal footwear somewhat. I think the verdict is still out on them. Wear what you feel is comfortable and leaves you feeling better during and after the run.
PPS - I'd expand on what you mean by "recreational". Do you have a goal of being able to run a marathon one day? Do you want to lower your heartrate and live more healthy? Do you just want to exercise for a maximum of 30 minutes a day? Define your goal a little more and I'm sure the advice you get will suit you better.
I started running (just for exercise and fun) when I was in high school, and did a bit more of that in university and grad school, with 5K being my typical running distance, almost never going over.
I recently started running again because we are having a charity 10K run in mid-Nov, and my boss is really encouraging my team to participate, so I think that's a short-term goal that I am willing to work towards. Slightly long term, depending on how I feel about the 10K, I might do a half-marathon next year, and possibly a full marathon in 2014, but that's still fairly far into the future. In terms of speed, I think I can hold 5K in 30 fairly easily, so I'd like to aim for 10K in one hour, with some training.
My physical health is quite good, I'd say, probably much above average. I've been doing a lot of weightlifting for the past two years, mixed in with yoga. But I think my endurance is rather lacking, as I haven't gotten much aerobic exercises other than occasional jogs (<= 5K) and swimming (<1K). I started doing 3-5K runs at work daily for almost two weeks now, and I feel it's something I could enjoy, so I figured I wanted some advice from people who are more experienced
I think a structured programme could help me greatly because I benefited a lot from weightlifting programmes, rather than coming up with my own; although I'd like to think I'm above 'couch' and I don't have 13 weeks to train for 10K
On shoes: I'm definitely more comfortable running with my regular running shoes, as I don't have to focus too much on my strides, but I feel that's something that I can get used to quite easily should I keep this us. I'm definitely willing to front the effort if it's beneficial in the long run (haha...).
On September 13 2012 00:33 Cambium wrote: Can someone give me some advice for a beginner runner other than 'take it easy' and 'run slowly'?
Does the 13 week couch to 10K program work well? Currently, I can hold 5K with a 'decent pace' (for me, purely recreational), roughly 30 minutes, without feeling too tired at the end of it. Using that as a starting point, which week should I start in the program should I employ it?
I've also been running with my NB Minimus, and it feels pretty good, even though I run slightly slower in them than I would in my regular running shoes. I think it's just something I have to get used to more.
Do you want to be better at running distance? Shorter distances?
If you don't want to increase distance, you can run as fast as you like as long as you don't have to stop to walk. If you're looking to train distance, increasing your average run by 10% a week is a standard benchmark (unless that feels too easy, in which case you can bump it up higher.)
I don't know anything about the couch to 10k program, I'm sure it works but I find running to be more about what kind of running you enjoy. If you enjoy running along then sprinting to random objects (fartlek) then do that. If you like piling on miles then go for it. As long as you enjoy whatever running style you pick, you will improve and you won't drop out.
Also, very important, listen to your feet. If it feels like you're starting to form a blister, don't power through it because you want to finish your run. Blisters will put you behind far more than cutting a run short will.
Thanks for the advice. Basically just have fun and take it easy
I don't think you need any sort of couch to 10k program. Your already running consistently and not struggling to get through shorter runs. The distance of 10k will not present any sort of challenge to you, even right now.
I would say bump up your runs a little bit in distance each week, maybe aiming to do runs of consistently 5-8km by mid-October. If you start feeling really battered or tired just take a down week, where you do maybe 3-4 runs of like 3km max.
Once you get to where you're doing around 30-50 km/wk, then I'd recommend just a little bit of faster running. Once a week do a tempo run, which is basically a comfortable hard run that should last 20-25 minutes. The pace should feel strong and challenging, but at the same time smooth and fast. It should not be hard enough that it requires mental toughness to grind through the run. The other thing I'd recommend doing is after your run 2-3x a week do a set of like 4-6 20-30 second pickups at a strong pace (not sprinting, but definitely much, much faster than you would normally run) and just walk between them til you feel totally recovered. These "strides" are NOT meant to be challenging, they are just an opportunity to get more comfortable with speed with good form.
Jumping into a 5k race sometime mid-late October could also be a good thing, as it will prepare you for race experience/intensity and will help give you a good benchmark to target for your 10k.
On shoes: I'm definitely more comfortable running with my regular running shoes, as I don't have to focus too much on my strides, but I feel that's something that I can get used to quite easily should I keep this us. I'm definitely willing to front the effort if it's beneficial in the long run (haha...).
In my view, the most important thing with shoes is to make any changes gradually. Should you ever get a new pair, break them in gently over time -- maybe start with 20 per cent of your weekly mileage in the new ones and the rest in the standbys, and over the course of a month switch over to the new ones entirely. Double or triple this timeline if you're moving into minimalist or fivefingers shoes for the first time, and run on soft surfaces when you can.
And don't replace old shoes too quickly – whatever running kicks you wear right now are fine, as long as they don't hurt you and haven't fallen apart yet. The running shoe industry wants to convince you to replace your shoes far, far more often than you really need to. For the first two years after I stopped playing basketball, I ran in an old pair of Adidas Superstars that I had worn in games for my last season. I clocked thousands of kilometres on those things and only got rid of them when the holes in the soles got so big they'd destroy socks in two or three runs.
Many of the stock answers to "how often should I replace my shoes?" are total BS – see About.com's recommendation, for example. Dropping $150 on shoes every 400 miles works out to 37.5 cents a mile -- slightly below the cost of driving a small sedan, according to this estimate that accounts for gas, the cost of the vehicle, and mechanical maintenance.
(Apologies if any of this reiterates earlier discussion in the thread; I didn't much feel like reading 50 pages on the off chance I was repeating something.)
Many of the stock answers to "how often should I replace my shoes?" are total BS – see About.com's recommendation, for example. Dropping $150 on shoes every 400 miles works out to 37.5 cents a mile -- slightly below the cost of driving a small sedan, according to this estimate that accounts for gas, the cost of the vehicle, and mechanical maintenance.
Just because that works for you doesn't mean it works for everyone. I too, am lucky enough to be able to run basically infinite miles in my shoes and have no injury issues.
Even though that works for the two of us doesn't mean it works for everyone. Once you start getting several hundred miles on shoes they do start breaking down some. The shoe tends to lose some of it's stability, the support wears thin, it "crumples" more easily, etc. For some people, they need everything the shoe offers and if these start eroding away immediately gets injured. I've got a couple friends exactly this way. If they don't replace their shoes every 400-500 miles or so they start developing injuries like clockwork.
In short, the idea that everyone needs to replace their shoes that often isn't correct, but there absolutely are those that do need to follow those guidelines.
Many of the stock answers to "how often should I replace my shoes?" are total BS – see About.com's recommendation, for example. Dropping $150 on shoes every 400 miles works out to 37.5 cents a mile -- slightly below the cost of driving a small sedan, according to this estimate that accounts for gas, the cost of the vehicle, and mechanical maintenance.
Just because that works for you doesn't mean it works for everyone. I too, am lucky enough to be able to run basically infinite miles in my shoes and have no injury issues.
Even though that works for the two of us doesn't mean it works for everyone. Once you start getting several hundred miles on shoes they do start breaking down some. The shoe tends to lose some of it's stability, the support wears thin, it "crumples" more easily, etc. For some people, they need everything the shoe offers and if these start eroding away immediately gets injured. I've got a couple friends exactly this way. If they don't replace their shoes every 400-500 miles or so they start developing injuries like clockwork.
In short, the idea that everyone needs to replace their shoes that often isn't correct, but there absolutely are those that do need to follow those guidelines.
Is your friend running with perfect form? Because I find it really hard to believe worn out shoes are the cause of his/her injuries. Maybe he's/he's buying the wrong kinds of shoes. Anyone should be able to run with the simplest footwear (i.e. sandals or even less) without ever having to worry about injury.
On September 13 2012 05:47 L_Master wrote: In short, the idea that everyone needs to replace their shoes that often isn't correct, but there absolutely are those that do need to follow those guidelines.
Most definitely, if fresh shoes every 400 miles is what someone needs to prevent injury, then fresh shoes every 400 miles is totally worth it for them. And as you say, this isn't the case for everyone – my suspicion is that it's the case for far fewer people than is otherwise. But the advice I often see given to anyone who asks it from the running industry is that everyone needs to replace their shoes this frequently, which is wrong and misleading.
Many of the stock answers to "how often should I replace my shoes?" are total BS – see About.com's recommendation, for example. Dropping $150 on shoes every 400 miles works out to 37.5 cents a mile -- slightly below the cost of driving a small sedan, according to this estimate that accounts for gas, the cost of the vehicle, and mechanical maintenance.
Just because that works for you doesn't mean it works for everyone. I too, am lucky enough to be able to run basically infinite miles in my shoes and have no injury issues.
Even though that works for the two of us doesn't mean it works for everyone. Once you start getting several hundred miles on shoes they do start breaking down some. The shoe tends to lose some of it's stability, the support wears thin, it "crumples" more easily, etc. For some people, they need everything the shoe offers and if these start eroding away immediately gets injured. I've got a couple friends exactly this way. If they don't replace their shoes every 400-500 miles or so they start developing injuries like clockwork.
In short, the idea that everyone needs to replace their shoes that often isn't correct, but there absolutely are those that do need to follow those guidelines.
Is your friend running with perfect form? Because I find it really hard to believe worn out shoes are the cause of his/her injuries. Maybe he's/he's buying the wrong kinds of shoes. Anyone should be able to run with the simplest footwear (i.e. sandals or even less) without ever having to worry about injury.
One of them has okay form, the other...god no. What you said would make sense, but the problem is the injuries occur when the shoe wears. If he switches them out every few hundred miles he doesn't seem to develop injuries, but once the shoes get worn out he starts having problems like clockwork.
As an example, let's take an extreme motion control shoe designed to prevent huge overpronation. As the shoe wears, it loses it's "structure" and no longer supports the foot in the way it was intended to (the foot is now allowed to pronate). For some people, this is no problem as they may overpronate but don't develop injuries from it. For those that do however, they can develop problems pretty quickly.
Another example would be someone who heelstrikes with their foot landing well out in front of their COG. They may need a very cushioned shoe to prevent problems stemming from that, and when that cushioning starts to wear out they develop injuries. Now, you can argue that if that's the situation working on their form would help immensely, but the shoes wearing out are the cause of the problem.
On September 13 2012 05:47 L_Master wrote: In short, the idea that everyone needs to replace their shoes that often isn't correct, but there absolutely are those that do need to follow those guidelines.
Most definitely, if fresh shoes every 400 miles is what someone needs to prevent injury, then fresh shoes every 400 miles is totally worth it for them. And as you say, this isn't the case for everyone – my suspicion is that it's the case for far fewer people than is otherwise. But the advice I often see given to anyone who asks it from the running industry is that everyone needs to replace their shoes this frequently, which is wrong and misleading.
Looks like we are on the same page. Agree with the bolded statement for sure.
On September 12 2012 16:04 Hanakurena wrote: You don't need any more endurance than you already have now. A marathon is much more enduring than a short triathlon.
Your swim time isn't really fast so it needs to be improved on. Are you swimming breaststroke or freestyle? Breaststroke in a big field in an open water is a huge problem. People can't pass you by easily and they risk getting kicked in the face. A proper freestyle is very fast and also effficient. The thing is, it is hard to get. You need to practice it a lot. It is all about reducing drag and technique. Everytime you enter the pool your goal should be to fine tune your technique a little bit more. Ignore aerobic ability or getting in the mileage.
Holy smokes, does my swimming ever need improvement. I swim 4:1 breaststroke:freestyle when I do laps, which I know makes me way slower. My problem with freestyle is that I can never do it at a relaxed pace -- I always wind up sprinting, or at least going too fast, so I get tired after three laps if I don't mix in breastroke. I suspect this is because I don't really relax when I swim freestyle, and it's something I'm trying to work on. I've read a couple online guides to improving your form, and I think just more practice and concentration will help, but if you have anything in particular to recommend I'd appreciate it.
Also, after looking at the Olympic times for the London Games, I'm fairly sure a sub-2 hour O-tri is an unrealistic goal, especially for my first time out of the gate. Maybe if I fall in love with them and want to dedicate the next five years of my life to training for them....
On September 13 2012 12:15 L_Master wrote: Looks like we are on the same page. Agree with the bolded statement for sure.
Highfives! I think my initial post was a bit too vitriolic on the subject; my apologies.
Also, after looking at the Olympic times for the London Games, I'm fairly sure a sub-2 hour O-tri is an unrealistic goal, especially for my first time out of the gate. Maybe if I fall in love with them and want to dedicate the next five years of my life to training for them..
2 hours is pushing it, but I could definitely see something like a 1:15 bike leg, sub 40 10km, and 20-25 min swim being realistic, making something like sub 2:15-2:20 a realistic goal.
Highfives! I think my initial post was a bit too vitriolic on the subject; my apologies.
Not that, it's just that at first it read to me like you were saying everybody could get away with not replacing their shoes until the shoe was completely falling apart.
EDIT: As far as swimming goes from what I gathered swimming is very, very much technique oriented. Basically the consensus seemed to be you could take an aerobic beast cyclist/runner and without training they would lose to even mediocre high school swimmers, whereas if you took a great runner/cyclist and out them in the other sport, while they wouldn't be elite, would still be very solid competitors.
Good news is the swim is by far the smallest time component of a triathlon.
Bonham, I am in the same boat as you. Just starting with swimming. I could do breaststroke for many kilometers with a little practice. But freestyle and I am out of breath after 50 meters.
They checked top swimmers and it turned out the fast one had less aerobic ability that the slightly worse swimmers. Both were in the pool a lot to every day. Reason the bad swimmers were strongly aerobically is because they were fighting the water more and the needed it more. But they swam slower.
So yeah it is all about swimming with proper technique, low drag and little effort. Especially for a triathlon rather than a 100m sprint or something.
I am pretty sure I swim like this:
1500m Olympic champ:
The 10k match has no underwater cam sadly since it is in open water.
Swimming is defiantly almost wholly technique. I did competitive swimming when I was younger, up until about highschool. I can't give too many pointers as I was trained way too long ago (and I'm sure just swimming 2 hours a day 6 days a week helped) but I can say that eventually it will come. Compare it to the first time you ran 5k and thought you'd die to a couple years down the road, where you can hold an easy pace for as long as you're interested in doing so - swimming will be the same.
I will say that most beginners I've seen have a hard time with their breathing. They always over twist their neck, which in turn over twists their entire body. I bet there are some good youtube videos on proper breathing technique in freestyle. I see a lot of people kicking way too hard as well. For endurance swims, your kicks should be used to keep your body horizontal and thus letting your arms pull you forwards easier.
Aw, man, I'm a total Arnie! This morning going into the pool, I spotted a pair of dudes a couple years my senior. They were both fairly pudgy and the taller one could not have been much above 5"9. I would have bet my life savings on beating the pants off both in any run distance beyond 400m. Of course, we wound up in the same lane, where both promptly swam rings 'round me, zipping up and down the pool via butterfly stroke when they weren't besting me in front-crawl and doing flip-turns.
Anyway, worked in a bit more front crawl this morning – 3:2 breast:crawl this time. I think my shoulders need to get a bit stronger, and obviously my technique needs to improve. I'll sniff around Swimtypes and Youtube to see what I can learn about getting my legs up.
On September 13 2012 02:41 Cambium wrote: Thanks for the replies, really appreciate it.
On September 13 2012 02:02 caznitch wrote:
On September 13 2012 00:33 Cambium wrote: Can someone give me some advice for a beginner runner other than 'take it easy' and 'run slowly'?
Does the 13 week couch to 10K program work well? Currently, I can hold 5K with a 'decent pace' (for me, purely recreational), roughly 30 minutes, without feeling too tired at the end of it. Using that as a starting point, which week should I start in the program should I employ it?
I've also been running with my NB Minimus, and it feels pretty good, even though I run slightly slower in them than I would in my regular running shoes. I think it's just something I have to get used to more.
Hey Cambium,
Part of the beauty of running is that it is pretty much as simple as 'take it easy' and 'run slowly' when you're first starting out. Most people would agree (correct me if I'm wrong) that just going out and running, as often as your body will let you, is the most important part of starting running.
I've read many success stories on the couch to 10k/5k program so clearly there is some merit. But I can assure you you'll also find success if you go out and run 5x a week for 13 weeks. Don't worry about pace too much - you want to be able to wake up the next day and run again rather than be sore. If you're the type of person that requires, or enjoys, the structure and guidelines of a set out program, start at week 1. It's easy to overestimate your ability and then quit when you feel overwhelmed by what week 7 (or whatever) is telling you to do. I assume you haven't run regularly for the first 20 years (or however old you are) years of your life, therefore starting slowly might be the right idea.
I'll let the more exerianced runners expand/add/contradict what I said.
PS- the first couple pages of this thread discuss minimal footwear somewhat. I think the verdict is still out on them. Wear what you feel is comfortable and leaves you feeling better during and after the run.
PPS - I'd expand on what you mean by "recreational". Do you have a goal of being able to run a marathon one day? Do you want to lower your heartrate and live more healthy? Do you just want to exercise for a maximum of 30 minutes a day? Define your goal a little more and I'm sure the advice you get will suit you better.
I started running (just for exercise and fun) when I was in high school, and did a bit more of that in university and grad school, with 5K being my typical running distance, almost never going over.
I recently started running again because we are having a charity 10K run in mid-Nov, and my boss is really encouraging my team to participate, so I think that's a short-term goal that I am willing to work towards. Slightly long term, depending on how I feel about the 10K, I might do a half-marathon next year, and possibly a full marathon in 2014, but that's still fairly far into the future. In terms of speed, I think I can hold 5K in 30 fairly easily, so I'd like to aim for 10K in one hour, with some training.
My physical health is quite good, I'd say, probably much above average. I've been doing a lot of weightlifting for the past two years, mixed in with yoga. But I think my endurance is rather lacking, as I haven't gotten much aerobic exercises other than occasional jogs (<= 5K) and swimming (<1K). I started doing 3-5K runs at work daily for almost two weeks now, and I feel it's something I could enjoy, so I figured I wanted some advice from people who are more experienced
I think a structured programme could help me greatly because I benefited a lot from weightlifting programmes, rather than coming up with my own; although I'd like to think I'm above 'couch' and I don't have 13 weeks to train for 10K
On shoes: I'm definitely more comfortable running with my regular running shoes, as I don't have to focus too much on my strides, but I feel that's something that I can get used to quite easily should I keep this us. I'm definitely willing to front the effort if it's beneficial in the long run (haha...).
On September 13 2012 02:23 dudeman001 wrote:
On September 13 2012 00:33 Cambium wrote: Can someone give me some advice for a beginner runner other than 'take it easy' and 'run slowly'?
Does the 13 week couch to 10K program work well? Currently, I can hold 5K with a 'decent pace' (for me, purely recreational), roughly 30 minutes, without feeling too tired at the end of it. Using that as a starting point, which week should I start in the program should I employ it?
I've also been running with my NB Minimus, and it feels pretty good, even though I run slightly slower in them than I would in my regular running shoes. I think it's just something I have to get used to more.
Do you want to be better at running distance? Shorter distances?
If you don't want to increase distance, you can run as fast as you like as long as you don't have to stop to walk. If you're looking to train distance, increasing your average run by 10% a week is a standard benchmark (unless that feels too easy, in which case you can bump it up higher.)
I don't know anything about the couch to 10k program, I'm sure it works but I find running to be more about what kind of running you enjoy. If you enjoy running along then sprinting to random objects (fartlek) then do that. If you like piling on miles then go for it. As long as you enjoy whatever running style you pick, you will improve and you won't drop out.
Also, very important, listen to your feet. If it feels like you're starting to form a blister, don't power through it because you want to finish your run. Blisters will put you behind far more than cutting a run short will.
Thanks for the advice. Basically just have fun and take it easy
I don't think you need any sort of couch to 10k program. Your already running consistently and not struggling to get through shorter runs. The distance of 10k will not present any sort of challenge to you, even right now.
I would say bump up your runs a little bit in distance each week, maybe aiming to do runs of consistently 5-8km by mid-October. If you start feeling really battered or tired just take a down week, where you do maybe 3-4 runs of like 3km max.
Once you get to where you're doing around 30-50 km/wk, then I'd recommend just a little bit of faster running. Once a week do a tempo run, which is basically a comfortable hard run that should last 20-25 minutes. The pace should feel strong and challenging, but at the same time smooth and fast. It should not be hard enough that it requires mental toughness to grind through the run. The other thing I'd recommend doing is after your run 2-3x a week do a set of like 4-6 20-30 second pickups at a strong pace (not sprinting, but definitely much, much faster than you would normally run) and just walk between them til you feel totally recovered. These "strides" are NOT meant to be challenging, they are just an opportunity to get more comfortable with speed with good form.
Jumping into a 5k race sometime mid-late October could also be a good thing, as it will prepare you for race experience/intensity and will help give you a good benchmark to target for your 10k.
Went out for my first run after my race yesterday. It started off feeling good but I lost momentum at the end. Went out of the gates a little too fast, especially for what I planned on being an easy jog to get me back into my training schedule.
Today though, I feel I finally figured out this "easy run" business. Did my run to work today (11k) and wasn't on the verge of dying when I got there. Funny thing is, despite the relaxed pace (I was just going by feel, or effort rather than looking at my watch) I finished the run in about the same time its taken me in the past, when I gave it everything I had.
I'm especially happy that I got up early to do it as I had quite the night the other day: went for 18 holes of golf after work with a friend. We ended up drinking way too many beers on the course and smoking a couple cigars. Ended up biking home and never thought I'd work up the will to run in the morning. But here I am!
On a side note, my golf game has led me focus on running all the more. Not because I think it'll help, but because it's so utterly hopeless that I think I'll shift priorities
I did some reading on the net today and I came across people discussing Phil Maffetone and his ideas on training. As many of you know there is a fat burning zone and after that comes the carbohydrate burning zone and with even higher heart rates you get more and more of the anaerobic system in the mix until you hit anaerobic threshold.
Going anaerobic in training means you increase your lactate resistance which means you can burn more anaerobically. Thus you go faster because of improved ability to deal with lactate.
But Phil Maffetone recommends to first build a very solid aerobic fountation. This partly to prevent overtraining. His idea is to train in the fat burning zone for 12 weeks. This means running at quite low intensity, much lower pace than you are used to, to improve your aerobic engine first. Burning fuel aerobically is so much more efficient to make it a worthy investment. Then with the aerobic foundation you start to work more anaerobically and you can have the 'no pain no gain'-attitude. I think Armstrong trained in a similar fashion, training low intensity long duration during the winter.
So this means running with a HRM and keep your HR at aerobic level. His formula is 180 minus age. And then he does some 5 point adjustments based. For most of us that means staying below 140 to 150 HR in all our training. You'll run really slow but he claims you will improve your pace at this low HR. An important test to track improvement is his MAF test. This is where you track how slow you have to pace each mile/km to stay below your max aerobic heart rate and see improvements in pace.
The guy is pretty well respected and the people he has coached and people like Mark Allen attribute a lot of their improvements to his coaching. Gonna order his book.
EPT
