Forums >Running 101>Lose weight for half marathon
Is there another plan that you would recommend more? I'm open to all suggestions. Besides C25K and Higdon, I don't know any other training options for newer runners...
Is there another plan that you would recommend more?
I'm open to all suggestions. Besides C25K and Higdon, I don't know any other training options for newer runners...
Hey Rob,
I don't know of a plan that's better than Higdon's for beginners. I just meant that I wouldn't agree that Higdon's plans are particularly great or magical. I think you would do fine by using his as a guideline.
Hey, I see you're from Lowell. Great town!
PS If you're interested in a very affordable coach, send me a PM.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
The key is heart rate. Buy a HR monitor with a good lap counter. Keep your HR at about 180 minus your age (if 40 years old, then 140). You'll lose weight and be prepared for the event.
I wouldn't recommend this. Heart rate is individual and does not perfectly correlate with age. My maximum is 210 and a friend of the same age has a 160 max. (Maximum heart rate is genetically determined and not affected by fitness, other than fitness can help prevent age related decline.) You could see how a set formula like that would be hugely different intensities.
Heart rate training without some basic individual info can have limited effectiveness.
Rob, one more thing. This thread has gone to three pages, man. Don't drown in all the info. I'm about a year or so ahead of you. I promise all you need to do to lose weight and do decently at the HM is to run as much as your body and schedule allows.
Future running partner.
Agreed! For now the best thing to do is to do is Keep it simple, and stay consistent. Consistency is the most important aspect of getting faster. As for loosing weight. Running will help, maintaining a healthy diet and eating about 500 calories less then you burn per day will loose you a pound per day, consistently will drop you about a pound per week. Any less than that could more strain on your system and get you sick or injured in combination with the increased amount of running. So stay healthy and stay consistent.
I wouldn't recommend this. Heart rate is individual and does not perfectly correlate with age. My maximum is 210 and a friend of the same age has a 160 max. (Maximum heart rate is genetically determined and not affected by fitness, other than fitness can help prevent age related decline.) You could see how a set formula like that would be hugely different intensities. Heart rate training without some basic individual info can have limited effectiveness.
The 180 minus age formula is derived from Dr. Phil Maffetone's work and is used in his Mafeetone Method of endurance training, Its not a formula to calculate your MaxHR. Do a little reading about the formula before discounting it as it is used to find what he calls your "Maximum Aerobic Function" or MAF HR.
I'm not going to turn this into a LHR thread as that will go nowhere fast.
To the OP, if your interested, there is a forum on RA called the Low HR Training group for you to check out.
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
2014 Goals:
Stay healthy
Enjoy life
Thanks man. Last year I had a brief stint where I got into running and failed horribly because I jumped in too fast and went too hard. This year I'm taking it slow, just concentrating on getting out there and having fun. It's actually working quite well. A few weeks ago I couldn't run 5 minutes straight and now I can do 20-30 straight.
The 180 minus age formula is derived from Dr. Phil Maffetone's work and is used in his Mafeetone Method of endurance training, Its not a formula to calculate your MaxHR. Do a little reading about the formula before discounting it as it is used to find what he calls your "Maximum Aerobic Function" or MAF HR. I'm not going to turn this into a LHR thread as that will go nowhere fast. To the OP, if your interested, there is a forum on RA called the Low HR Training group for you to check out.
Okay, maybe it's a good idea for my friend to run near 100% of her maximal heart rate as tested if Maffetone says so.
But reading certainly doesn't hurt. I will go read more now. It is certainly quite different than the aerobic zone given to me when they did some testing on me (and my friend) to determine aerobic zones.
EDIT - to OP, I agree running more is the main thing you need Enjoy the process! Running is pretty awesome. If when you start to look for a little more, I'd also suggest looking at Pfizinger and Daniels. They have some great ideas that lead to me drastically improving - and I have never in over 12 years running had an injury.
running yogi
I guess what I'm asking is if it's a bad idea to shoot for a longer distance like that when first starting out, or if the general consensus is to just go for it. That's awesome that you lost that weight! I can't wait to hit my goal. I think overall I'd like to be at 180 lbs.
I guess what I'm asking is if it's a bad idea to shoot for a longer distance like that when first starting out, or if the general consensus is to just go for it.
That's awesome that you lost that weight! I can't wait to hit my goal. I think overall I'd like to be at 180 lbs.
I didn't read all the replies, so I don't know if I am repeating.
One tip I can give you based entirely on personal experience is running alone will not lose weight for you. You will have to focus on your diet and believe me it was much harder than preparing for a half marathon for me.
When I started running to lose weight, the more I ran, the more I got hungry and more I made poor choices about food, because I though I could eat anything because I was running. I don't know where I got that idea from, but I did.
Weight loss is calories in - calories out. Even with all that running we eat way more calories that we think we should.
Eating healthy will help you run better too.
btw : i don't think you did anything crazy by signing up for a half marathon. sometimes that's what it takes to get us motivated. you will find lot of help and support in these forums.
I will add myself to the list. I started running in March of 2008, and ran my first 5k in June. I tehn ran my first half marathon in September. When I started running I weighed about 280 lbs, and by the time I got to the marathon I weighed 230 or so.
I did the C25K program and then the Higdon novice program to train for the half. I didn't focus on hills, sprints, speedwork, etc, just ran the prescribed distance, and my whole goal was to haul my ass over the finish line in one piece. I did exactly that, in 2 hours and 9 minutes. I worked hard all summer and was happy to reach my goal and finish the race in a good time.
Since then I have had some health issues, but I am now back running and plan on another half this Fall sometime.
You will do really well following a simple plan - don't run too much, eat as well as you can, and get plenty of sleep and water.
I am so far from the ideal runners build that it isn't funny. Most guys 6'5" and 250 lbs aren't supposed to run any long distances, so they say. Yeah well, to heck with them, I did it and so can you!
Good luck and have fun dropping pounds and adding miles!
5k PR - 26:27 | 10k PR - ??? | HM PR - 2:09:14
don't run too much,
Why?
I mean don't run more than the training plan dictates, and don't increase distance too fast, otherwise you'll hurt yourself! Running puts a pounding on these big bodies!
I just want to thank everyone for all of your great advice and success stories. It has helped a lot.
So far I'm down 15 lbs since the start of C25K and I'm in the middle of week 6. Tomorrow is the last interval run of the program and from here on out it's warm up walk then run for the remainder of the workout. Might get interesting. I know I can do it though!
I just want to thank everyone for all of your great advice and success stories. It has helped a lot. So far I'm down 15 lbs since the start of C25K and I'm in the middle of week 6. Tomorrow is the last interval run of the program and from here on out it's warm up walk then run for the remainder of the workout. Might get interesting. I know I can do it though!
That first long run was a big psychological thing for me. I had no trouble with the intervals but when I saw the big day coming when I would warm up for 5 mins then run straight for 20, I didn't think I would ever make it.
Surprisingly, it is much easier than you expect. Before you know it you're at 10 minutes and then more than halfway done, and a few minutes later you just hang on for the last few minutes. You will feel so great when you finish the first long run. It is a huge accomplishment for a new runner, and you will be ona high all day from it. Soon you will get used to the "long runs" in C25K, and in a few months you'll look back and think how easy a quick 20 minute run is.
Don't forget, just go nice and slow, don't push it, and focus on running for the whole 20 minutes.
Good luck.
Just a slight semantic disagreement with Collin. Don't go slow, go easy. And, yes, keep at it. Too much caution is not a good thing. You played competitive sports in high school. Go back to that time in your mind. It wasn't so long ago, now was it? Do you recall walking on pins and needles? Afraid to offend your heart rate "zone." You're an athlete and a competitor. Get after it.