PlonkerFish

posted: 3/30/2008 at 10:33 AM

Hi everyone, I am a 23 year old male and I have just joined this site after starting running again 2 weeks ago. I am currently 'running' 6.5km in 40 minutes, and I have to stop quite frequently - of course, due to my lack of fitness! My plan is to reduce this to <34 minutes without stopping within the next month. i have never been a fantastic runner and the most i have ever done was approx 15km in a week, which i have surpassed this week. i have a few goals that i have set myself: a) not to get injured! b) get fit (although relative, it would be nice to be able to run without getting short of breath) c) losing weight d) run a half marathon the half marathons i have looked at are mid- and end- october 2008. is this an immense task for an inexperienced runner, or is it possible? does anyone have any tips for me (or any links to any training programmes). also, one of the main issues that i have had in the past is to keep the motivation up. does anyone have any tips regarding this, apart from setting goals & running with a partner? minutes="" without="" stopping="" within="" the="" next="" month.="" i="" have="" never="" been="" a="" fantastic="" runner="" and="" the="" most="" i="" have="" ever="" done="" was="" approx="" 15km="" in="" a="" week,="" which="" i="" have="" surpassed="" this="" week.="" i="" have="" a="" few="" goals="" that="" i="" have="" set="" myself:="" a)="" not="" to="" get="" injured!="" b)="" get="" fit="" (although="" relative,="" it="" would="" be="" nice="" to="" be="" able="" to="" run="" without="" getting="" short="" of="" breath)="" c)="" losing="" weight="" d)="" run="" a="" half="" marathon="" the="" half="" marathons="" i="" have="" looked="" at="" are="" mid-="" and="" end-="" october="" 2008.="" is="" this="" an="" immense="" task="" for="" an="" inexperienced="" runner,="" or="" is="" it="" possible?="" does="" anyone="" have="" any="" tips="" for="" me="" (or="" any="" links="" to="" any="" training="" programmes).="" also,="" one="" of="" the="" main="" issues="" that="" i="" have="" had="" in="" the="" past="" is="" to="" keep="" the="" motivation="" up.="" does="" anyone="" have="" any="" tips="" regarding="" this,="" apart="" from="" setting="" goals="" &="" running="" with="" a=""></34 minutes without stopping within the next month. i have never been a fantastic runner and the most i have ever done was approx 15km in a week, which i have surpassed this week. i have a few goals that i have set myself: a) not to get injured! b) get fit (although relative, it would be nice to be able to run without getting short of breath) c) losing weight d) run a half marathon the half marathons i have looked at are mid- and end- october 2008. is this an immense task for an inexperienced runner, or is it possible? does anyone have any tips for me (or any links to any training programmes). also, one of the main issues that i have had in the past is to keep the motivation up. does anyone have any tips regarding this, apart from setting goals & running with a partner?>

backstretch

posted: 3/30/2008 at 12:02 PM
modified: 4/2/2008 at 9:52 PM

"The drops of rain make a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by oft falling." - Lucretius

ChknWingy

Oh Mighty Wing

posted: 3/30/2008 at 1:38 PM

you should look up some plans... hal higdon has some really nice beginner plans. Also you say back to running did you run before? Oh and you are probably running too fast. that is most likely why you have to stop and why your are out of breath. You are running 10 min miles (sorry i have trouble with km but i figured out you are running apx. 4 miles which means 10 minute miles) which is father fast for beginners and in general for many people. Also I wouldn't focus on speed. The more miles/km you run the faster you will get. My suggestion is you focus on mile building - nice and slow - and the speed will come to you. You will be amazed!

runnerclay

Consistently Slow

posted: 3/30/2008 at 2:21 PM

I second ShanHas. Slow your pace. You should be able to carry on a conversation and run. Try singing has you run to hold pace. Stretching is the best way to avoid injuries. Since you do not have a base(miles under your feet) avoid sprinting/speed work. Mileage increases should be no more than 10% a month to avoid injuries. No one remembers that until after an injure. Now if only I can follow my advice! Big grin

2 half marathons seem a bit much for someone with no experience. 5k in 6 weeks 5k 11 weeks 10k 15 weeks 10k 21 weeks 13.1 25weeks 1 race a month

Run until the trail runs out.

SCHEDULE 2016--

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

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PlonkerFish

posted: 3/30/2008 at 2:44 PM

Thank you to everyone who has replied so far. Although I have run before, it was never hugely serious and I didn't do it for longer than 2 months. By the end of the two months i was running 4 miles without stopping. In response to both ShanHas and RunnerClag, I have tried to slow my pace but I just end up speeding up again because i want to complete the course faster than the time before. I will bear in mind in the future that it is more important to run further than actually faster. I have also read on this site that the speed will come over time Smile

, as ShanHas has already mentioned. I would also like to note that my normal walking pace is approximately 5.0-5.5 km per hour, much faster than most people. I have looked up Hal Higdons information on training, and found the following. I will particularly pay attention to the tips he gives. (link for anyone else interested: http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm). Although 2 half marathons is a daunting task, once I have set myself a goal I will usually achieve it - no matter how many people try talk me out of it - also called stubbornness! Thank you all for the tips & I will be sure to keep you updated on my training progress.

Mr Inertia

Suspect Zero

posted: 3/30/2008 at 4:50 PM

Good advice above - slow up your training pace (will do wonders for injury prevention) and be consistent. Certainly doing a HM in Oct is doable. You couold do two depending on your goals. If you're just looking to finish, two should be ok. If you're looking to race them, one would be a better idea than doing two. Also, make your log public. It makes these sort of question easier to answer.

PlonkerFish

posted: 3/30/2008 at 5:06 PM
modified: 3/30/2008 at 5:08 PM

I have made my log public for a little while!! I would also like to point out that I currently weigh about 100kg (i don't have any scales near me, but will have some next week) In response to whether I want to race the half marathon or just finish. I have two goals: a) finish the half marathon b) finish it in under 2 hours Hopefully, by training gradually over the next 6 months i will be able to speed up. But for now, i will take everyones advice and slow down. Does anyone recommend using weights at the gym for strength training? Cheers

C-R

posted: 3/30/2008 at 5:12 PM

Plonker - You've received som spot-on advice so far. Try the Low Heart Rate option as it should help with all of your goals. Using a HR monitor will also help prevent you from speeding up (personal experience on this one). Your trraining HR based on Maffetone would be 157 or below (180-age) so you should still be able to run at a reasonable pace. For instance my base training rate is 138 and I run this currently at about 9:48 pace. Over time, as my fitness improves, this pace will reduce. Running slower will certainly help prevent injuries while you build base. There is a forum if you are interested with some real experts and not just me (I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night Wink

). BTW - Once you get the miles under your belt, the multiple long runs is no biggie. I just finished a half and have two more in the next 6 weeks and I am no ultra or speed racer type - just your average plodder. Good luck and stick with the running. You wil never regret it.

"He conquers who endures" - Persius
"Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

http://ncstake.blogspot.com/

PlonkerFish

posted: 3/31/2008 at 2:57 PM
modified: 3/31/2008 at 2:58 PM

I have found a race I want to compete in which is in 6 weeks time, which leaves me plenty of time to get ready for it. It is a 5 miler, which I hope to be able to complete in 40 minutes on the day - having looked at previous results, I will be about 2/3rds down the table. I will also have a look at HR monitoring options, cheers.

Mr Inertia

Suspect Zero

posted: 3/31/2008 at 3:39 PM

a 40:00 five miler translates to a 1:51xx HM, well below your 2 hour goal. I would highly recommend racing your 5 miler as well as you can before you set a goal for the HM. Setting a goal based on what you would like to run instead of what you're actually able to run is a recipe for disaster in a longer race. Believe me, I know.

PlonkerFish

posted: 3/31/2008 at 4:02 PM

Okay. Thanks for the tip. I basically set the <2hr goal to make sure i don't look like a fool :d. i'm far to self-conscious to make myself look stupid. goal="" to="" make="" sure="" i="" don't="" look="" like="" a="" fool="" :d.="" i'm="" far="" to="" self-conscious="" to="" make="" myself="" look=""></2hr goal to make sure i don't look like a fool :d. i'm far to self-conscious to make myself look stupid.>

dnephin

posted: 3/31/2008 at 4:33 PM

Quote from PlonkerFish on 3/31/2008 at 4:02 PM:

=I'm far to self-conscious to make myself look stupid.

I never let that stop me.

DWARP
Marathon Madness Mob

PlonkerFish

posted: 3/31/2008 at 5:04 PM

I won't let it stop me, but i will let it motivate me to always be better!

smitty42

posted: 3/31/2008 at 6:25 PM

Quote from PlonkerFish on 3/31/2008 at 4:02 PM:

Okay. Thanks for the tip. I basically set the <2hr goal="" to="" make="" sure="" i="" don't="" look="" like="" a="" fool="" :d.="" i'm="" far="" to="" self-conscious="" to="" make="" myself="" look=""></2hr>

I would say don't over extend yourself just to impress other people. I'm by no means saying don't have goals or don't push yourself. But, if you run too far and too fast just to impress other people, you may end up injured.

"If I control myself, I control my destiny."

Mr Inertia

Suspect Zero

posted: 4/1/2008 at 10:19 AM
modified: 4/1/2008 at 10:20 AM

Quote from PlonkerFish on 3/31/2008 at 4:02 PM:

Okay. Thanks for the tip. I basically set the <2hr goal="" to="" make="" sure="" i="" don't="" look="" like="" a="" fool="" :d.="" i'm="" far="" to="" self-conscious="" to="" make="" myself="" look=""></2hr>

Did you say everyone who runs a >2hr HM looks stupid? Shocked

New To Running: Goal = 2 half marathons in 6 months time (Read 1000 times)

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