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Would love your input! (Read 192 times)

greyhoundrick


    Hello everyone,

     

    I am 58 years old and have run very lightly for many years (about 1.5 miles per day 6days/wk.).  I run/jog at a very slow pace (about 12 min. per mile). Recently i have started to work my way to a long term goal of a half marathon. I have slowly been increasing my runs each week and am now at 25 miles per week. I have one long run, one intermediate run, and the rest short runs to get to my 25 miles/week.

     

    I have read conflicting reports about running on the internet and was wondering if you think i am on the right track in terms of my distances and number of days per week. A few little aches here and there, but generally feel good so far.

     

    Am very anxious to hear what you have to say and thank you very much for helping me.

     

    best to you always,

     

    rick Smile

      You're on the right track.....just keep building your minutes/miles and get a log run and an intermediate run......

       

      When is your Half Marathon?

       

      How long are your intermediate and Long runs???

      Champions are made when no one is watching

        I have one long run, one intermediate run, and the rest short runs to get to my 25 miles/week.

         

         

        This sounds like an ideal plan for a first half marathon, especially if all of those miles are at an easy pace.

         

        I ran my first half marathon at age 52 off a base of 20 miles per week, and a peak week of 27 miles.  I did several 10 mile long runs, with the fastest at 10 minutes per mile.  I tried a 13 mile long run, and ended up walking the last two miles.  Then I ran the half marathon in 1:57.  I was stiff and sore for the next week.   

         

        I ran a half marathon the following year off a base of 30 MPW.  That one was about 3 minutes faster, and I was stiff and sore for a day or two.

        NHLA


          I think you are doing just fine. You only have to run 30 mpw for a 1/2.

          Try running some 1/2 mar pace runs 6-8 miles long. Get used to the pace.

          Where is your log?

          greyhoundrick


            Thanks so much Phidippides, JRMichler and NHLA for the great input. Appreciate it! Smile

             

            Right now here is my running schedule:

            M,T, Th & F     2.75 miles

            Wed 8 miles, i increase this around a 1/4 to 1/2 mile per week

            Sat  5 miles

            Sun rest

             

            This seems to be working ok however i dont believe im giving myself adequate recovery days or weeks so im going to modify my program to:

             

            M, T, F    2.75 miles

            W  8+ miles (keep building up until i reach about 10 miles)

            Th & Sun rest

             

            then every other week reduce it to:

             

            M, F & Sat   2.75 miles

            W 5 miles

            T, Th & Su rest

             

            Im going to see if this new schedule allows for a little more recovery time and in the long term provides more benefit. I am pretty active at my job so its not like my rest days will be sitting all day. Im going to see how this works as a lot of the articles ive read state that a little more rest than what im doing now may be a better overall plan. Thoughts?

             

            Oh, currently i have only run in one 5K race and finished in 31 minutes. I am running in another in Sept. and then my first 10K is in November. My goal is to be able to run in a half marathon within a year from now.

             

            Thanks again for your expertise!

             

            best,

             

            rick

            NHLA


              Nice plan but you need to run longer during the week as you add miles on long run.

              Use your rest days before or after a hard effort.

              Run three quality runs a week and run the other 2-3 as recovery runs.

                Greyhound,

                 

                I'd probably go the opposite of you.     I'd add days and 'slowly' add minutes to the days.     You need your schedule to look something like this:

                 

                day 1 - long run     ----     8 miles and building to 10

                day 2 - easy run    -----    2 or 3 run SLOW

                day 3 - hard run    -----    In your case this would mean 5 to 7 miles

                day 4 - normal pace  --  say 3 or 4 at your normal pace

                day 5 - easy run   -------  2 or 3 run SLOW

                day 6 - hard run   -------- 5 or 6

                day 7 - day off (if you insist) probably better with another easy run IMHO

                 

                Because you're building base, you will benefit the very most from more days running and putting on more miles.....almost all of them should be at a very easy pace and some at VERY SLOW pace.     On one or two of the days do a little bit of uptempo running - meaning something like pick up the pace for 1 minute and then slow down for a few minutes and for a few repetitions (just to wake things up)......

                 

                What you are really trying to accomplish is to build a decent running base..........do that and in a year or two ask this same question and we'll give you a totally different answer but for now, your biggest concern is consistency and mileage.....

                 

                'least that's what I think......Big grin

                 

                BTW - I'm 61 so don't tell me your too old to do this.....

                Champions are made when no one is watching

                greyhoundrick


                  Thanks again for the input. Much appreciated!

                   

                  Im sure youve read the recent studies regarding the negative effects of overdoing it in terms of vigorous exercise and this quote from a recent study got me thinking:

                   

                  "Heart disease comes from inflammation and if you're constantly, chronically inflaming yourself, never letting your body heal, why wouldn't there be a relationship between over exercise and heart disease?" said John Mandrola, a cardiac electrophysiologist and columnist for TheHeart.org.

                   

                  After reading these studies i think it might be wise to give myself a little more time to recover by taking more days off. Im going to try going down to 4 or 5 days per week and supplementing my running with walking (we have a lot of greyhounds that like to go for walks!).

                   

                  This would keep me in the so called "sweet spot" for most of the days in terms of time of each session. It appears from the studies that over an hour could cause a problem.

                   

                  thanks as always for your input,

                   

                  rick

                    Im sure youve read the recent studies regarding the negative effects of overdoing it in terms of vigorous exercise and this quote from a recent study got me thinking:

                     

                    "Heart disease comes from inflammation and if you're constantly, chronically inflaming yourself, never letting your body heal, why wouldn't there be a relationship between over exercise and heart disease?" said John Mandrola, a cardiac electrophysiologist and columnist for TheHeart.org.

                     

                     

                    No - actually I haven't read it - to be honest I never believe this stuff because next week someone will come out with a study that has the very opposite finding and they'll be telling you to run hard for 2 hr a day if you want a strong heart.........I dont pay much attention to any of it...

                     

                    Besides there is nothing anyone could ever say to me (and my wife does all them time) that would make believe that running 3 miles at a casual pace could be considered 'constantly, chronically inflaming - and puts me in danger'  -- I just don't buy it.........

                    Champions are made when no one is watching

                    BeeRunB




                      "Heart disease comes from inflammation and if you're constantly, chronically inflaming yourself, never letting your body heal, why wouldn't there be a relationship between over exercise and heart disease?" said John Mandrola, a cardiac electrophysiologist and columnist for TheHeart.org.

                       

                      What my eyes and experience have taught me is that people who run into their 60's and 70's are a heckuva lot healthier, sprite, and mobile than those who don't do any exercise. There will always be some runners who get heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, The causes could be genetic, from chronic stress, earlier smoking, or diet, or whatever.  Chronic over-training could add to the overall inflammation in the body, but is probably not what kills someone. There will always be a runner or two dying while they jog, train, or race. It wasn't the running, it was just their time.  That's life. Don't let these articles scare you. Be smart with training, educate yourself, and learn what works for you. Most of all, have fun. No matter what you do, something's going to get you—there is no hope when it comes to your demise. In terms of the great span of time, we're already dead. Once you accept that, then you can run from here to Tierra Del Fuego, and it will be a glorious expression of your soul, life as art, and just crazy enough to inspire a story or two among the relatives. Runners are crazy, you know. With each step, you get crazier and crazier, and soon that's what some people will be saying behind your back and to your face "you're crazy." Race you to the afterlife, loony.Cool

                      arca


                        That was poetic Jimmy B!


                        No more marathons

                           

                          No - actually I haven't read it - to be honest I never believe this stuff because next week someone will come out with a study that has the very opposite finding and they'll be telling you to run hard for 2 hr a day if you want a strong heart.........I dont pay much attention to any of it...

                           

                           

                          Agree - stuff like this really sets off my BS meter.

                          I'm 62 and have been running more on than off for the past 5 years (averaging more than 1,000 miles per year – over 1,600 last year including two marathons).  My resting pulse is what it was when I was in my 30s.   If I die tomorrow I doubt it’s going to be from an inflamed heart.

                          Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                          Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                          He's a leaker!

                            I'm 61 and have run over 2000 miles per year for each of the last 6 years.  I'm healthier than I've ever been.

                             

                            Too much exercise for your fitness level can cause overtraining.  If that happens, you will know it.  You will push harder to run slower, you will be tired, lack motivation, and other misery.  The cure is to run slower and run less until you feel better.

                             

                            Your quote looks like somebody found a way to get a paper published by hypothesizing a link between inflammation and heart disease.  Keep in mind that success in the research field is judged more by the number of publications than the quality of those publications.

                              Your quote looks like somebody found a way to get a paper published by hypothesizing a link between inflammation and heart disease.  Keep in mind that success in the research field is judged more by the number of publications than the quality of those publications.

                               

                              GREAT POINT - Sad but true....

                              Champions are made when no one is watching

                              AmoresPerros


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                                Recovery can include easy jogging for a short distance. I think this is fairly common.

                                It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

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