RunningAHEAD - Topic: New runner - gearing up for a 5 mile race in 2 months

vmace

posted: 9/20/2006 at 1:22 AM

Trained in the gym this week, as I wanted to regularise pacing and also hang out with a few of my mates etc. And... I broke the 4 miles barrier! I can't tell you how satisfying it was, especially when all the treadmills were full in the women's section and I had to run in the men's section - this used to be so intimidating a year ago, but now I watched others come and go as I kept going! And to have my mate..the decathalete responsible for all this...gape in wonder at where my fitness had come from - then give me a massive high five at the end! Truly brilliant! For the first time since training I actually felt like I could do the whole distance. Am going to continue in the gym this week, and then take it back to the road next week and see what happens. My time was 46:47 mins so, the next goal is to improve on that time, before stepping the distance up again. My ultimate goal is to do the whole 5 mile run in under 50 mins. That would mean 10 min miles, so I don't know if I'm being to ambitious. Maybe I should set a goal of an hour and then have 55 mins as my next target and so on. However, I feel I am getting ahead of myself since I'm not at the 5 mile stage yet! Thanks for the help as always. Vic x Big grin

woodlandsprite

Finished!

posted: 9/20/2006 at 10:58 AM

Vmace: Looks like you're much further along in your training than I am - I've just re-committed myself to trying to run again and am following Cool Running's C25k training plan - seems to be working so far, though I'm going to have to start plotting outdoor routes soon if I intend to perform at the Race I've scheduled myself for. I'm running in a local IronGirl Event - and in order to further get me "going" I've set a fundraising goal to encourage my friends to support me - if I raise enough money, I committed to them to run the race in pink (and in a skirt) LOL. Here's to us new runners Smile

And thanks to those who offer to show us the way Big grin

Walk + Jog = wog.
I'm trying to Lose 5% at a time
I support Heifer International - join me by donating via my registry

zoom-zoom

Fanatic #3965

posted: 9/20/2006 at 12:04 PM

Quote from woodlandsprite on 9/20/2006 at 10:58 AM:

if I raise enough money, I committed to them to run the race in pink (and in a skirt) LOL.

Hey, my very favorite piece of my running wardrobe is a pale blue New Balance running skirt--it has hot pink trim! I just wore it Sat. for my first 10 mile race. I may have come in dead last for my age group, but I looked stylish doing it--and isn't that what it's all about! Wink

Seriously, though, it's super comfy. The inside layer is a really lightweight wicking stretchy short and the skirt keeps it from being too obscene. I am thisclose to buying a second one in black to wear next Summer, since I think it may be a discontinued item. I might even order it a size smaller, just for the incentive to lose my last 15#s before then. k

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

woodlandsprite

Finished!

posted: 9/20/2006 at 12:22 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 9/20/2006 at 12:04 PM:

Hey, my very favorite piece of my running wardrobe is a pale blue New Balance running skirt--it has hot pink trim! I just wore it Sat. for my first 10 mile race. I may have come in dead last for my age group, but I looked stylish doing it--and isn't that what it's all about!

Oh - well, the skirt part was more of a get those who are non-traditionalist in thinking to support me Wink

The Pink part is definitely going to be "new" - my favorite color is blue - I generally don't do any pastels - and for as long as I can remember, I haven't worn pink in any variety. I've been hiking in tennis skirts for a while...I'm um...a little shapely - definitely pear shaped and I hate chafing and the riding up of shorts between the thighs...so I switched over to a tennis skirt. It cracks me up when the guys do a double take when they see me out in the middle of nowhere backpacking in a short skirt. lol

Walk + Jog = wog.
I'm trying to Lose 5% at a time
I support Heifer International - join me by donating via my registry

zoom-zoom

Fanatic #3965

posted: 9/20/2006 at 12:43 PM

Quote from woodlandsprite on 9/20/2006 at 12:22 PM:

Oh - well, the skirt part was more of a get those who are non-traditionalist in thinking to support me The Pink part is definitely going to be "new" - my favorite color is blue - I generally don't do any pastels - and for as long as I can remember, I haven't worn pink in any variety. I've been hiking in tennis skirts for a while...I'm um...a little shapely - definitely pear shaped and I hate chafing and the riding up of shorts between the thighs...so I switched over to a tennis skirt. It cracks me up when the guys do a double take when they see me out in the middle of nowhere backpacking in a short skirt. lol

Hah, I have the same issues! You will probably really love the skirt. Nothing to really ride up, so no bunching. I still use Bodyglide to avoid chub-rub, though. It's funny, I used to HATE pink and pastels, too...then I lost 50#s and went all girly-girl. Ask backroadrunner/Eryn. For most of the years she has known me I lived in pretty much black and red, now my wardrobe is mostly varying shades of pink. Big grin

k

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

woodlandsprite

Finished!

posted: 9/20/2006 at 1:05 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 9/20/2006 at 12:43 PM:

Hah, I have the same issues! You will probably really love the skirt. Nothing to really ride up, so no bunching. I still use Bodyglide to avoid chub-rub, though.

Ah - I've been getting the skirts with compression shorts - I'm finding some of em have too short of an inseam allowing chub rub Sad

I'll have to see if I can find some body glide (never used the stuff) Im much too fond of food, and it shows. My body seems to have a setpoint of 145lbs and I will go +/- 15 lbs from there - I'd like to get back down to 130 as I'm on the upper end (and quite possibly higher than the +15) though I haven't verified it with the scale recently - all I know is my clothes don't fit right these days. I figure with the stepped up training, and a bit more attention to what I'm eating should bring the pounds back down without having to resort to full on food-diary points counting (I did Weight Watches ages ago to get down to 130)

Walk + Jog = wog.
I'm trying to Lose 5% at a time
I support Heifer International - join me by donating via my registry

vmace

posted: 9/25/2006 at 3:38 PM

4 miles is now a consistent thing - have done 2 runs on the treadmill at 4 miles and one outdoor. The British weather has turned rainy, so I have moved into the gym for some workouts, but I am trying to get outside for at least 2 of my 3 runs a week. We'll have to see what the skies have in store! For the first time in my training, I really think I can do this race now. My time for 4 miles was 45:34 today. Gutted not to reach my 45 min goal, but pretty close. To think only a few weeks ago it took me that time to do a mile less. So, about to go soak my aching knees - they hurt tonight! - in a long hot bath... Sleepy

...so well deserved!!!

vmace

posted: 9/25/2006 at 3:41 PM

vmace

posted: 10/8/2006 at 4:34 PM

Ok, I'm about 3 weeks away now, and am up to 4 1/2 miles. Time for some race advice. So, can I have some pearls of wisdom? What should I do, and what shouldn't I do!! I know never to run with no socks - that one I found out yesterday when I cut both my feet on my trainers. Nasty! Bloody blisters! I am starting to get a bit nervous about all my mates coming to watch me. Stupid I know! Vic x

tbarton

posted: 10/8/2006 at 5:16 PM

Vic, The best advice is just to have fun with it. :-) Don't stress over it. Just enjoy the moment. Next best advice is to run your own race. (Advice that I never seem to take myself. Hmmm...) If you decide you want to go out and run 12 minute miles, then go out and run 12 minute miles. Don't let the crowd of people running 10 minute miles drag you along with them. Wink

Makes for a *very* long race. LOL! My first 10K I planned on 10 minute miles. (Fairly ambitious since I'd just run a half marathon at 11:19 minute miles.) Well, my first mile was in the 8 mile range. I had no idea I could even *run* an 8 minute mile. LOL! At that point, two was my limit. The next few were *considerably* slower. I didn't even think I was going to be able to *finish* the 6.2 miles when three weeks earlier I'd run 13.1 miles. Tongue

Don't worry about being last. It's no big deal. Someone has to be. Smile

I got a nice police escort in to the finish of that 10K. Big grin

It was a small race and most of the other runners were a high school boys cross country team and a few girls from a nearby college's track team. And then me -- 41 year old mom of four who'd been running all of 4 months at that point. LOL! They were probably done before I was even halfway through, but they were all there cheering for me at the end. Smile

It was still fun and depite my cluelessness I still ended up beating my goal time and setting a PR. Teresa

I'm Running to Eat

zoom-zoom

Fanatic #3965

posted: 10/8/2006 at 5:24 PM

Quote from vmace on 10/8/2006 at 4:34 PM:

I know never to run with no socks - that one I found out yesterday when I cut both my feet on my trainers. Nasty! Bloody blisters!

I've never understood the no socks thing...there are so many seams and things inside shoes that I don't really want to feel (heck, even a pine needle inside my shoes makes me nuts)...how tough are the feet of those people who never wear socks? Add to that the sweat issue--I don't know if shoes alone wick sweat as well as socks between sweaty feet and shoes. I hope your feet are nicely healed in time for your race. And as for socks, I really recommend the Smartwool running socks. Backroadrunner got me hooked on those--and after a few runs and a race in the rain I am utterly addicted. Your feet may still feel moist, but they will be warm. And they don't make your feet hot. They are a perfect, soft, natural insulator. The Wright double-layer wicking socks are also very nice (I got those when I was having some blister issues, though the Smartwools will also minimize blisters). Other than that Teresa gives good advice. For your first race you want to pace yourself and really TRY to not go out too fast. It's easy to do, since everyone seems to do it. I had that problem with my first 10k, but so did everyone else. Plus it was super hot and humid and there was a big hill not far from the start, so a lot of folks were looking pretty weak only a mile or two in. k

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

New runner - gearing up for a 5 mile race in 2 months - help! (Read 1131 times)

'13 Goals:

'13 Goals:

'13 Goals: