Forums >Running 101>Hello everyone, new/old runner here
Hello everyone and thanks for having me on this forum. I am 34 and decided to get back into running. In high school I played lacrosse and ice hockey and ran on the cross country team for fun. Those days are long over but I miss being able to run 8 or 9 miles a day easy!About ten years ago I worked back up to a 5K and ran a hilly 5K in 21 minutes. This time my goal is 2 miles in 12 minutes and consistent 5 miles per day. I can run about 3 miles- I weigh 250 pounds so I have to shed lots of weight before I try. The problem I have had is I run one day and am tired the next. So I have started slow- two weeks ago I ran 1.5 miles/1/1.5Last week 1.5/1/1/1/1.5
This week 1/5 every day. My plan is next week 2/1.5/2/1.5/2The week after 2/2/2/2/2Then intervals on tuesday and thursday Sprints and stairs- Essentially 2 miles of sprints and 10 time up and down all the stadium stairs.
I actually feel great for once..... I don't seem to be pushing too hard.What am I missing though and should I increase the pace more??? Thanks in advance. (Oh, my first mile has been 9.16-9.42-the second half mile is roughly 5 minutes)
I forgot to put the reason for my post- LOWER BACK PAIN. The first two weeks have ended with me fighting intense lower back pain. This third week the pain was hardly noticeable until today, when it is quite manageable. Is this just beginners growing pains? I've been stretching morning and night. I have played ice hockey still and I am thinking it is my hamstrings are too tight and maybe not that strong of a core. Is lower back pain common for a newer runner and, like it appears to be doing, does it dissipate as one get stronger.Thanks in advance!
250 pounds sounds a lot, especially if you are an average height (?) of 5'10"? I would say when you start running, even you are not overweight, body can hurt in different places for a while. That would mean one thing - slow down. I know you might say 9:30 per mile is slow already, but if your body (back) complaints - slow down. One more thing - at this point I would not worry about speed or workouts. Work your way to a mileage you would like to be at with just an easy mileage. Work to that mileage without body complaining. Only after that I would start thinking about other stuff - based on experience. I am telling - that is the wisest thing you could do, though I know you won't do that - people are so impatient. And they also think there is a magic in doing "workouts".
paces PRs - 5K - 5:48 / 10K - 6:05 / HM - 6:14 / FM - 6:26 per mile
No no, I wholeheartedly agree. This will be my third time trying to get back into running and I have hurt myself both previous times. I am 6ft, I have slight gut but I have sprinters legs. I am not worrying about pace yet. It is the third week in and I feel good-which hasnt happened when I tried to push it. I figure I can start sprinting at least once a week if I make it at least 3 more weeks. But importantly for me, is being able to do it every day. My prime running days I was running at 200-so I need to get 50 off........I figured the lower back pain was natural and I just have to push through it. Guess there isn't a magic bullet to fix this...
The magic bullet is to take day, two, three off if the back really hurts. Don't even think about running through the bad pain - back is way too vital to everything, to your life. Just be patient, run and listen to your body, if it doesn't hurt really bad, run, if it hurts to the point of discomfort, do not run. Back is way too important and you are too young to hurt it and then live with that. Be patient, don't abuse your body and it will adjust if you treat it right - our body is amazing at it.
I"m running less than half of what I can just to get my body used to it. The pain is like 20% of what it was when I started
The first week I cut off the last two days to rest for 4 really helped. Thanks for the advice. My objective is 2 miles in 12 min by the end of august
#RunEveryDay
I think you are heading toward injury. Pain is not the same thing as discomfort.
What is your hurry?
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I'm 34 years old. I want to be in as good a shape as I was when I was 18. It's just a matter of hard work right? I think this time though I have been playing it smart and listening to my body.Just because I CAN run 3 or 4 miles doesnt mean I should everyday. I'm at 1.5 Miles a day. I want to be at 2 miles in two weeks. I think its doable. My back pain comes from the hamstrings. I skate all the time and its completely different motions.
Is this just beginners growing pains? I've been stretching morning and night. I have played ice hockey still and I am thinking it is my hamstrings are too tight and maybe not that strong of a core. Is lower back pain common for a newer runner and, like it appears to be doing, does it dissipate as one get stronger.
I think this is your problem. Work on the core. The running fitness will come back. Just take it slowly so you don't hurt yourself by doing too much too soon.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
Completed my third straight week of running. Slow and steady, was at about a 10m mile pace today as the legs were a little sore but felt good. Back is good. Only pain I have is before I run my right big toe aches, isn't that weird? I think I broke it too many times playing ice hockey! Thanks for the kind words and advice. In 3 or maybe 4 weeks I will be bugging you all for good interval/sprint workouts because I have decided to take it slow and not move onto sprints until I have another month of easy running. Why rock the boat and hurt myself!
In 3 or maybe 4 weeks I will be bugging you all for good interval/sprint workouts because I have decided to take it slow and not move onto sprints until I have another month of easy running. Why rock the boat and hurt myself!
3-4 weeks is not slow, it's too fast. When you getting back / starting to run and want something good to happen in a long term and for a long term, you should think 6-8-12 months, maybe even year or two. But I understand, you are 34 and 3-4 weeks might seem slow (just don't tell me you already ran whole 3 weeks before . I am pretty sure for 18 years old 1-2 weeks is too slow - I barely, but remember those times too
True, it is a matter of perspective. I always feel that if I am cautious and careful with my health I can push hard to my goals.
True, it is a matter of perspective.
Nothing to do with a perspective, more with knowledge and experience. If you take a 500 feet building and change your "perspective" (angle/distance, etc), to convince yourself it is much lower, the building still will be 500 ft tall.
I always feel that if I am cautious and careful with my health I can push hard to my goals.
Huh? Are you sure? Carefully push hard? I didn't know such thing is possible
Mother of Cats
point 1) it takes months for soft tissue and bones to adapt to the stress of running. The aerobic system and neuromuscular systems adapt much faster. "Being cautious" includes giving your tissue time to adapt.
point 2) for some reason, the people that give the most lip service to "pushing hard," "giving your best always," and "believing" are never those who are either most successful or most inspirational. (corollary: I've never met or observed a truly inspirational person who labeled him or herself as that)
If you try to always train smart, you'll end up being a tough runner. If you try to always be tough, you won't be a very smart runner.
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And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.
If it hurts I take breaks. I can easily run 3-4 miles at a 9M pace or better now. I just realize I don't have the body type to push it. I am doing a 1.5 Mile at no faster than a 10 min pace to break my body in and get it used to it. I fully expect this to take months and months of work. I did 7.5 miles this week. I am bumping that to 9 next week, 9 the week after and then 10. I think that is a well reasoned approach.