Forums >Running 101>Beginner needs feedback
I currently is trying 5k 3 times a week. I usually try to run such that I finish the run fully exhausted (as in high heart rate around 150bpm, very out of breath, and very tired legs). Given my goal, I'm not sure if this is how I should run.
My goodness!
That's the opposite of what I'd recommend.
Slow way down. If 150 bpm is a high rate for you then try to keep your runs under 130. 120 would be even better.
Doing that you'll probably get to where once a week you will really enjoy a 10k run farther from home on a really nice trail. Enjoy.
I think for a lot of people having a concrete goal, especially as they get started, helps shape training.
There are all kinds of goals, from something like running for 30 minutes straight, to personal best in a marathon, with much in between -- weight loss targets (sounds like it may not apply to you), mileage (building up to a certain mileage in a run, or increasing to a certain monthly level, etc.), race times and so on.
Once you pick a goal, then you can put together a training plan based on those goals, and track your progress. This may 1) keep you motivated, 2) help you put some structure around your training, and 3) give you the satisfaction (and health benefits) of meeting your goal.
In terms of courses, I struggle with how boring running can be, especially as distances build up. I could never keep it up if I ran the same 1 or 2km route in a loop -- I don't even like running the same course twice in a week. I don't know how running fits into the rest of your life, but i love looking at my city through the lens of the RA mapping feature (esp on satellite) to find new routes and connect up old ones. For me the novelty is very important to keeping me from keeling over from boredom.
Unless you plan to run an occasional double (running twice a day) , this might be tough to pull off. On a more helpful note, the long runs build your stamina and aerobic capacity. Think of the short runs as the building blocks enabling you to run the longer run, and the long run a tool to help you run faster (occasionally) at the shorter distance.
Unless you plan to run an occasional double (running twice a day) , this might be tough to pull off.
On a more helpful note, the long runs build your stamina and aerobic capacity. Think of the short runs as the building blocks enabling you to run the longer run, and the long run a tool to help you run faster (occasionally) at the shorter distance.
I'm pretty sure those two were exclusive options in his mind.
Aha.
I guess they need not be exclusive options.
Joggaholic
No, I didn't intend the options to be exclusive, I guess it just came across that way in my post.
Since I just scrapped my "run-as-fast-as-I-can" plan, I am sort of starting at a blank slate.
There's really only 2 constraints that I have right now. First is just a matter of scheduling. I can only find time to run late at night, so I won't be running more than once a day at most. It's actually way too hot for me to run during the day where I am anyway, even at 9pm it is still around 90 degrees F here. Second is my physical capability. I do think I can physically run 5km every night if I have the time to do so, but I don't know how many nights I can last if I switch over to 10km. From all the feedbacks I have gotten so far, maybe I should alternate between 5km and 10km every other night?
Thanks again for all your inputs
Why not drop the whole distance thing? If you have 30 min.. run 30 min.. If you have an hour.. do that. Pace really doesnt matter. Just get used to running most days. Then increase the time spent running during each session.
And we run because we like itThrough the broad bright land
I was counting distance purely for convenience. The loops (I have a 1km and a 2km route) start/end next to my home so I'll always run an integer multiple of km, so I pretty much know how far I've run everytime. Also in my mind I kind of equate 5km to around 30 to 35 minutes. I guess instead of making use of rigid numbers like distance and time, I should have asked how shall I mix up long and short runs during the week?
Based on your reply, are you recommending that I run for an long as I have time and energy for on any running day? So if I have 2 hours of free time, shall I slow way down and try to jog for 2 hours?
not bad for mile 25
Well, it also depends on how you feel on a given day. If you have the time and feel great, do a long run. If you feel crappy, make it shorter.
Be careful not to be too rigid with your expectations. I learned (the hard way) that the easy pace is variable for me. On a cold day, 8:45 / mile feels easy, where a run in the heat and humidity could make my easy pace more like 9:40 / mile. The same holds true for runs where I am tired or did not eat properly during the day. I now just run by effort for my runs and it has worked much better than trying to always hit a certain pace when I am tired / hot etc. If I find myself winded or wondering how much further I have to go......I slow down and enjoy the run.
Good luck!
Also in my mind I kind of equate 5km to around 30 to 35 minutes.
Rebuilding my aerobic base....racing next year.....nothing to see here....move along now.
Wing,
I'm thinking that you want a little more of a template than what I initially posted, which is fine. So, the following is an attempt to provide an example of how I think you should structure things:
45' easy running, focus on maintaining effort throughout the entire run, keeping breathing steady,
and try to maintain your form and relaxation
I would follow that pattern for about 3-6 weeks, and then increase the lengths of the long and medium runs by about 10 minutes each, and all but the Monday run by about 5 minutes each. Hold for another 3-6 weeks, and see how you feel. Increase accordingly.
For the easy runs (except Sunday), finish each of them feeling like you could turn around and do the exact same run at the same effort level with no problem. If you are focused on your breathing, and you're not huffing and puffing, that's exactly where you want to be. You should finish the Sunday run feeling pleasantly tired, like you just accomplished something, but not beat up. You should definitely be able to run Monday; if you find that you have to skip Monday because you're too tire/sore/etc., then do so, but realize that you ran too hard on Sunday.
NOTE: The days are organized in a fashion that I like and am used to. Feel free to adjust the days around to whatever fits your schedule.
Hope this helps.
Goal: I need to keep my cholesterol/LDL numbers down. (I also need to keep my triglyceride down as well, but I think I'm successfully doing that by cutting down on my sugar intake.) I'm naturally (by genetics) skinny, so my goal is not to lose weight. However I do have slight issue with my cholesterol/LDL numbers. I had verified that my running routine did lower the numbers, that's why I'm trying to stick to running, I am just not sure if I'm doing it right.
I had very high numbers- excercise and diet helped knock those down, but not far enough. Lipitor did the rest. Don't count it out- you might need it in combination with running.