DFW running club mark 3!! ALL ARE WELCOME!!

bj-sailaway

miss_cupcake wrote: »

It's so inspirational to read how ppl here have gone from no exercise to marathon running in such a short time (anything less than a year is a short time in my book!). Now that I've reached my 10K goal I've decided that I want to train up for a half marathon. There's a particular race I want to do and, however sad this might sound, it would quite alot of sentimental value being able to complete it. I grew up in a tiny wee village in Scotland and every year there's a local half marathon. As a pretty chubby kid, I always really admired the ppl who took part and used to stand out in the street cheering on the runners. Although I live down south now, my parents still live there and I would LOVE to be able to go back next year and actually take part in the race. It's ages away (May 2010) but I just had this kinda lightbulb moment that that's what my next running goal should be. Right, better shut up and go do some work now

Ah, I love Scotland, and I love the spirit of the people there. It was in Portsoy that I completely messed up a 10K and got all upset with myself.

Now I'm in trouble - After 2 glasses of wine last night, a friend e-mailed to dare me to run the Loch Ness 10K - but that's on 5th October - aarrgghh!!! Which sounded ages away, but looking at the calendar it's only about 10 weeks - oh eck!!!

Can I go from 4 miles a day to 10k in 10 weeks? Or will I do myself in?

Help help help - somebody help me!!!!!! Or do I bail out gracefully now, and say I'll do the 5K that's on the same weekend? Whilst everyone else does 10K - oh the shame!

RichOneday_2

bj-sailaway wrote: »

Ah, I love Scotland, and I love the spirit of the people there. It was in Portsoy that I completely messed up a 10K and got all upset with myself.

Now I'm in trouble - After 2 glasses of wine last night, a friend e-mailed to dare me to run the Loch Ness 10K - but that's on 5th October - aarrgghh!!! Which sounded ages away, but looking at the calendar it's only about 10 weeks - oh eck!!!

Can I go from 4 miles a day to 10k in 10 weeks? Or will I do myself in?

Help help help - somebody help me!!!!!! Or do I bail out gracefully now, and say I'll do the 5K that's on the same weekend? Whilst everyone else does 10K - oh the shame!

10 weeks is a lot of time, BJ, to get to the point of running a 10K.

Use the parkruns to build up...by increasing your warm up before the race. The warm up should be very, very slow but should be built to be 5K so that taken with the race itself you will have actually covered 10K.

You may well be surprised to see your parkrun times come down as a result, but build up to it gradually.:D

miss_cupcake_2

Rich, that's interesting about having 'to finish' as an ultimate goal for the half marathon. At this moment in time that's the only 'goal' I can realistically have, but as I step up the training and start recording times etc I will hopefully be able to work towards a specific time.

bj-sailaway, I'm no expert on the matter but you should definitely go for it! And i'm not just saying that as a biased Scot, honest! I'm a running newbie (well, almost) and managed to train from doing 2K to 10K over the course of 7 or 8 weeks. I'm sure you could do it no problem with the correct preparation

RichOneday_2

miss_cupcake wrote: »

Rich, that's interesting about having 'to finish' as an ultimate goal for the half marathon. At this moment in time that's the only 'goal' I can realistically have, but as I step up the training and start recording times etc I will hopefully be able to work towards a specific time.

The point being that 'to finish' is just to complete the 13.1 mile distance. You will be able to do that, no question. So thats a 100% given. You have so much time to train that that will become no sort of challenge by the time the race day comes along, however unlikely that seems now.

Or put it this way, I've never known anyone who is capable of running a 10K who isnt capable of running a half marathon with suitable training.

So what can happen is that motivation decreases as the training progresses and the challenge gets downgraded in your own mind to the status of 'so what' because you know you can do it.

So far better to set a time, say 2 hours, which is physically impossible for you to achieve at the moment.

Then, as training progresses, and the seemingly impossible comes into reach, your motivation grows towards race day rather than the other way around.

mascott514

RichOneday wrote: »

The point being that 'to finish' is just to complete the 13.1 mile distance. You will be able to do that, no question. So thats a 100% given. You have so much time to train that that will become no sort of challenge by the time the race day comes along, however unlikely that seems now.

Or put it this way, I've never known anyone who is capable of running a 10K who isnt capable of running a half marathon with suitable training.

So what can happen is that motivation decreases as the training progresses and the challenge gets downgraded in your own mind to the status of 'so what' because you know you can do it.

So far better to set a time, say 2 hours, which is physically impossible for you to achieve at the moment. a great example is simply, whos times are great!

Then, as training progresses, and the seemingly impossible comes into reach, your motivation grows towards race day rather than the other way around.

hi rich
just read through a couple of your recent posts....wise words!!

i am proof of the need not to push on too hard, i am doing ok now but it is so tempting to get carried away.
and as for the targets....couldnt agree more. you need to set that level because fitness and performance improve quickly those goals soon become relevant.

i have now managed a 4 runs with only mild/moderate pain afterwards and my pace is around 9.15per/mile, not far from where i was.
i really want to kick on now and get this half marathon under my belt.

i am goin g out today hoping to do around 8 miles ish.
my target for the half is 2hrs. that will be tough but as you say you have to set these targets.

any advice??

good luck for all your runs tonight.

Ukevas

my tip is dont to a 1/2 because then you want to do loads of 1/2's

once you get your first T-shirt / medal or flapjack thats it you have sold your soul.... just stay on the couch!!!!

lol

and my name is finally in the Cabb 10m list only 1000 places left....... 1hr 10m ??? hope so

RichOneday_2

Good to hear things are progressing well again, Mascott!:D

The approach to training should be to separate out speed and distance and only bring them together on specific occassions - view them like two family members that dont get on and are only allowed to meet up at weddings, funerals and christenings!:p

Long, slow runs are excatly what they say on the tin and should be very relaxed...nothing other than completing the distance matters.

Speed should be developed at shorter distances. To run a 2 hour half marathon requires:

5K 25:50
10K 54:00

So concentrate on testing over 5K......this is why weekly parkruns are ideal. Once you can do a 25:50 5K you know you have the speed for a 2 hour half marathon.

becky_rtw

My only advice Mascott is take the first 5 miles what feels like slowly - I went off way too fast on my first half and my time was 2:05 - without any extra effort on the second one I able to put in 1:56...

Whens the Cabb 10 uk?? Sounds exciting!

mascott514

yes .... i am slightly worried about all this goody bag addiction. however......i am not going to lie on the sofa............financial ruin and a load of free vaseline samples sounds much more inviting.

RichOneday_2

Ukevas wrote: »

and my name is finally in the Cabb 10m list only 1000 places left....... 1hr 10m ??? hope so

If the Bristol 1/2 is sub 1:30 then sub 1:10:00 will be a walk in the park, UK.:D