I HAVE to be doing something wrong (Read 1519 times)

Your average MPW is pretty low right now, and in my opinion (for the little that is is worth) I think you probably need more consistency concerning days per week and miles per week to be taking on longer individual runs.

Yeah, I also realize that I was running like 6 mpw a month and a half ago and now I'm trying that in one run. Probably dumb. Next week I'm gonna take it easy with, I think, 3 x 3 miles and the race Sunday. Part of what I need to do is figure out what exactly my running goals are. I'm honestly not sure whether I really intend to start running more than 15mpw. I started running mainly as a way to stay in shape after college, not ever intending to run a race, and now here I am. I'm thinking about running a half this winter, so I gotta figure stuff out. But you're diefinitely right about chilling out and working on the base miles for now.

Emphasize consistency. Run more often. At least five days a week, every week. Or six. Or seven. I personally suspect this is the problem, and here's why: I just came off a 30+ day streak and during that time, never had a twinge of pain - even with 100 mile week and a 5k PR. Then I took 3 days off. On the day back ... it hurt. I was creaky, rusty. I suspect that you're running infrequently enough that all your runs have that problem. Run more. It goes with consistency, and from what you said above, you may not want to run more. But if you'll just get to 20-25 miles per week and stay there, most of it easy and gentle, I think most of your problems would vanish. That's less than 4 miles per day. In my experience, up to a point, more mileage = feeling better = less pain = more miles. It's a cycle, and a nice one. I know what the books say, but in my opinion, if you run 3 miles 3 times a week, you never get on that cycle. Run faster. Sometimes. I'm usually the biggest proponent of the "run lots - mostly easy" philosophy, but sometimes you do have to run a bit. Constant running at 13-17 minute pace seems like it would put a real strain on your body. If I were you, I'd actually start running less, walking more, taking a lot of walk breaks - maybe walk 2 minutes and run 1. But during those short periods of running, I'd actually run faster. For you, maybe 10:00-11:00 pace. Really get your legs moving. My two cents. YMMV. But I'd be willing to bet a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon that if you did the above, in two months you'd be amazed both at your speed and at how you feel.

Emphasize consistency. Run more often. At least five days a week, every week. Or six. Or seven. I personally suspect this is the problem, and here's why: I just came off a 30+ day streak and during that time, never had a twinge of pain - even with 100 mile week and a 5k PR. Then I took 3 days off. On the day back ... it hurt. I was creaky, rusty. I suspect that you're running infrequently enough that all your runs have that problem. Run more. It goes with consistency, and from what you said above, you may not want to run more. But if you'll just get to 20-25 miles per week and stay there, most of it easy and gentle, I think most of your problems would vanish. That's less than 4 miles per day. In my experience, up to a point, more mileage = feeling better = less pain = more miles. It's a cycle, and a nice one. I know what the books say, but in my opinion, if you run 3 miles 3 times a week, you never get on that cycle.

I agree with all the above - but she needs to be very cautious about the build up to these distances (even slowly and even at 4 MPDay 7 days per week. An untrained body needs rest as much as it need to be stressed by exercise and I fear the above advice doesnt allow for the normal growth of a beginning runner....and I'm concerned that she is not ready for anything beyond 5 days per week with two good solid rest days. I know that I run 20+ MPW and If I dont take my rest days, my legs get sore, I cant run and I begin to experience the symptoms she states in her original entry - which is the initial problem we are trying to solve with her. I personally think that if she follows this advice but starts where she is and does a gradual build to 20-25 and six or seven days per week she is good to go.......I probably speak from a position of having been hurt so many times trying to do more then Im ready for that I'm overly cautious....but we dont want her to increase her distance, days and run fast sometimes and then get hurt and end up quiting all together ..... I would take this advice (cause its good advice), but be very cautious and judicious about its application - start from where youa re and gradually build to the levels stated above - and I'd personally make sure you always get two rest days per week .....(least thats my 2 cents).

Also, where do you people find all this time for running? I know, I know, priorities and all. I'm sure most of you actually have less time for it than me, I just whine more. Here's another question: like I said, I was going to take it easy this week with 3 days of 3 miles, but should I go ahead and bump that to 4 days? I don't think running 2 miles Saturday morning would do anything terrible to my race Sunday night. And, really. How much worse can things get? I'm taking the week after the race off except for one short run (I'm going hiking crosstraining at the Grand Canyon).

Time is a premium for us all - I know that I run Tue, Wed, Thurs, Sat and Sun....On Tue and Thrus I usually have a long lunch break and go -- thre is a shower at my office which is really handy...on Wed everyone everywhere knows that I go after work and run with a running club so they simply dont try to schedule me for anyting cause they know on Wed I'm only running after work - PERIOD... On Sat and Sun, I know that if I dont get started EARLY that I probably wont go, so I get up have a cup of Joe and go out....by the time I get home my wife is up and 'tells me what I'm going to do...been married 24 yrs - I have no control over anything any more. There's not much you can do at this point for a 6.2 race on Sunday (wherever you are in your training is where you are). So if you feel up to running an extra day go for it...but if you are experiencing some of the issues you mentioned, I'd say rest a day.......as far as Sat 2 miles..its really about how you feel that day...if you feel good -go and if not rest the day before (I normally rest a day before a race - but everyone has their own way)... As far as taking the week off after the race -- Normally I would say NOT - but in your case I think its a great idea........If I were you I would take a week off and recover - then start back running and run no more then 5 days per week and 2 miles per day for a month (get that consistency going)....let the body get used to it and then start slowly building my mileage.......Again - everyone may not agree with this approach , but its what I would do.... And keep us posted on our progress as I'd be interested to know how its working out for you...YOU CAN DO IT......

About the side cramps you're getting: how are you breathing? If you hold your breath/forget to breathe as sometimes happens then that can give you cramps, try and focus on taking nice even breaths. I breathe in for 2 steps and out for 2, I run slow though so you might breathe in for 3 and out for 3. I also read in Women's Health magazine this month that if you breathe in through your nose for one step, then out through your mouth for two, you won't get cramps either (something about it letting more glycogen get to your muscles). I tried it today and running was certainly easier, but trying to breathe like that was a bit unnatural hehe.