DFW Running Club!!

Idiophreak

sallyx wrote: »

Would it be best to build up my distance or speed first or should I combine the 2?

Like Rich/Steve/Rod (this is a new one...i like it) said, it's much better in my experience to just keep upping the distance...take it *really* steady and just see how far you can keep going for...Once you've got this up to a level you're happy with, you can feel confident you'll be able to make the distance you're after and *then* you can focus on the "race" part and start turning the screw on the speed...

I'm going through that process myself now...I've got up to 13 miles doing a really steady jog (around 10-11 minute miles), little more than a fast walk, really...Next up, I want to be able to "run" the same distance...opening my stride out to a run. (around 8-8:30 minute miles).

The first thing I've been doing is working out where my (this is my term...don't quote me on it) "recovery zone" is - this is a speed at which I can run/jog at a reasonable pace, yet still get my breath back a little at the same time.

Having found that, I've been trying to alternate this "recovery" pace and my new "run" pace...

So, the first 10k I did last week, I ran 4 miles at "recovery" pace, then the last 2 at "run" pace. The next one, I ran at a steady pace throughout, just to keep me ticking over. The third, I ran 1 mile "recovery", 2 mile "run", 1 mile recover, 2 mile run...

Wednesday, I'm aiming for 3-4 miles "run" and then hopefully, by Sunday (10k day) I'll be in a position to do something like 1/2mile recovey (5 mins at 10m/m), 2.5mile run(20 mins at 8m/m), 1/2mile recovey, 2.5mile run - a total of 50 mins, which is my target time...That's the plan, anyway...

(as an aside, it's this kinda stuff the garmin is *great* for - just being able to glance down and *know* what pace you're running at is just invaluable...)

(Land_of)_Maz

sallyx wrote: »

Right I want to see you back on here later with your achievements. If you have a break in between make sure you do some stretches to keep yourself supple and don't let yourself get cold.

Yes It is hard Maz trying to fit everything in around a child.. Housewife, mother, student, work, jack of all trades master of none that is me!

Have decided though that now its dark in the mornings I won't be able to go so am going to use my study mornings (wed and fri 2. 3/4 hours) to run and my evening to do study (when its dark and miserable) So based on that I should theoretically be able to do 3 good runs a week and maybe a swim or 2 plus walking/cycling to work 3/4 times a week

Sounds like a plan hun re using the study time to run, and really IMHO you don't need to increase your miles yet... you could maintain your current level of training until nearer the time, then you need to up your miles in preparation.......

You sound like me.........
Housewife - check!
mother - check!
student - check!
work - check!
jack of all trades master of none - check!

:rotfl: :rotfl:

sallyx

RichOneday wrote: »

Well, the less training you did the better the achievement was.

In terms of a marathon, the bottom line is that you could do one now (well maybe not this very minute, but in a couple of weeks) on the basis of running 13 and walking 13. It would be hard graft though and I'm not sure how much enjoyment you would get from it.

So, its a case of working up from there. The more training of the right type the better.

I wish I could say 30 mpw and it will be a breeze but a marathon is no fun run. It only becomes fun when you feel prepared and ready for whatever it can throw at you. But then again I'm a wimp and don't like pain!

On the basis of what you've said about your Bristol training you're probably made of sterner stuff than me so may get away with less training.

No I could definatley not do a marathon now even if my legs were aching. I know a lot of it is positive mental attitude but my body would not have gone any further..think I would have physically passed out on the street.

I guess I knew I could push myself and just about get around a half. Now having done a half I know that its not possible to do that for a marathon and would seriously stick to a plan. Not only that I would like to get quicker, its ok plodding but being able to beat a PB or be up there with some seriously fit people gives me more motivation.
If I could shed a stone I know that would also help no end. Right going to buy myself a little diary and keep all my miles written down

sallyx

(Land_of)_Maz wrote: »

Sounds like a plan hun re using the study time to run, and really IMHO you don't need to increase your miles yet... you could maintain your current level of training until nearer the time, then you need to up your miles in preparation.......

You sound like me.........
Housewife - check!
mother - check!
student - check!
work - check!
jack of all trades master of none - check!

:rotfl: :rotfl:

God you make me laugh!

redsquirrel80

Gosh, there's so much planning going on here, you can almost feel the buzz.. it's quite addictive! I've been planning out a few routes near home and thinking about aims for getting further and faster. I really want to look at that '43 things' site but work internet classes it as 'social networking' so it won't let me on, tut!

beer_tins

sallyx wrote: »

No I could definatley not do a marathon now even if my legs were aching. I know a lot of it is positive mental attitude but my body would not have gone any further..think I would have physically passed out on the street.

I guess I knew I could push myself and just about get around a half. Now having done a half I know that its not possible to do that for a marathon and would seriously stick to a plan. Not only that I would like to get quicker, its ok plodding but being able to beat a PB or be up there with some seriously fit people gives me more motivation.
If I could shed a stone I know that would also help no end. Right going to buy myself a little diary and keep all my miles written down

That helped me no end. I've still got some to lose, but picture that stone as bags of sugar in a backpack that you have to carry around and then think how much easier it is without.

beer_tins

(Land_of)_Maz wrote: »

Sounds like a plan hun re using the study time to run, and really IMHO you don't need to increase your miles yet... you could maintain your current level of training until nearer the time, then you need to up your miles in preparation.......

You sound like me.........
Housewife - check!
mother - check!
student - check!
work - check!
jack of all trades master of none - check!

:rotfl: :rotfl:

I've said it before, but I seriously take my hat off to the posters like Maz and Sally. I've got err... work and my share of the housework* and that's it. A ((clappy smilie)) to you ladies for doing what you do.

*plus planning for the wedding, but that will be over in 17 days ((cold sweat of fear smilie))

Idiophreak

beinerts wrote: »

That helped me no end. I've still got some to lose, but picture that stone as bags of sugar in a backpack that you have to carry around and then think how much easier it is without.

Now, this is gonna sound stupid, but I'd never really thought about it like that...Say I've lost 2 stone now, imagine that as bags of sugar! Ain't *no way* I'm running back from the shops with that!

RichOneday_2

beinerts wrote: »

That helped me no end. I've still got some to lose, but picture that stone as bags of sugar in a backpack that you have to carry around and then think how much easier it is without.

Carrying weight in early training is no bad thing.

Muscles improve quicker because of the workload plus you can say with certainty (due to basic physics) that when I've lost 10% of my weight I'll be 10% quicker regardless of any further training effect.

So a 48min 10k automatically becomes 43min 12 secs with a 10% weight loss. And you can't avoid the weight loss so you can't avoid the time reduction!

sallyx

RichOneday wrote: »

Carrying weight in early training is no bad thing.

Muscles improve quicker because of the workload plus you can say with certainty (due to basic physics) that when I've lost 10% of my weight I'll be 10% quicker regardless of any further training effect.

So a 48min 10k automatically becomes 43min 12 secs with a 10% weight loss. And you can't avoid the weight loss so you can't avoid the time reduction!

wow really 10% so if I lost 10% body weight 12 pounds I would have improved my time on sunday by being 15 mins quicker. Right that has really spurred me on. Hey imagine how quick I would be at 6 stone in weight (rolling on the floor laughing smilie!)