Runner's Forum: The Official: Training Summary Start Up Thread

I had a ridiculously slack weekend which involved no running or training of any sort at all. Not good before the race but hey... I have the guilt and the shame! Couldn't run yesterday as mega long day at work so decided to get out early today (and when I say early I need to be up at 5am to get to work anyway so I was up at 4am for a run) for 3 miles at tempo. did it in 28 mins so about 8.30pace - bit slower than I could have been as I was also doing a kit test for the race this weekend (headlamp, safety jacket and had a few things bugging me).

All in all to say I started at 4.30 am, I am happy with my time - hell, I am happy that I survived it! Was quite nice being the only one up and about that early!

5/12 double today. I only had about 15 minutes of rest between the two (so it was more like one run). Me and a couple other (half naked) guys ran through the county fair. It was pretty freaking fun. There were all sorts of people cheering for us and other people saying wtf and others saying how hot we are.

Good times

Last week I did my 10 mile with the stroller.  The next day, I did a 4.5 mile with the stroller and had to lock the front wheel because it was vibrating a lot on the sidewalks that I was running on.  When I do that, it becomes really difficult to turn and I ended up injuring my right shoulder.  From what I see online, it loos as if I got each of the three sections of the trapezius muscle.  The top section (running from my neck to my shoulder) was about an inch and a half bigger than my left one.  It looked like my muscle went into my head almost!  LoL!  Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit, but it looked really funny.  It was really hot to the touch and was red.

Due to my lack of health insurance, I haven't gone to the doctor yet.  I have been icing and resting.  The swelling went away after a few days.  The pain went from sharp, acute pain with a general achiness to just the ache.  Yesterday, I tried a ridiculously slow 1.5 mile jog.  My shoulder is really sore today (no sharp pains yet though).  I'm kind of pissed off, honestly.  I want to start training for my second half marathon soon and don't want to lose the base that I have right now.  Any suggestions?  (sigh)

Been following this post for awhile and it seems open to all levels.  I had a really humliating experience that makes me somewhat hesitant to post (evidently there are those who feel I don't run fast enough to call myself a runner). I run about a a 9:00 mile that devolves into about 11:30 after about mile 10.

Anyway, I'm currently training for the Houston Marathon (my first). And I'm pretty excited.  I've done a couple of halfs, but 15 is as far as I've ever run. 

Ran three last night and will probable do the same tonight.  It is unbearably hot and humid here.  Any thoughts on how to get through the boredom of a treadmill on long runs.  I'm killing myself trying to run in the heat. 

welcome tenminute. Just ignore the idiots that say you're too slow to be a runner. If you're out there running, then you're a runner regardless of the pace.

I've decided to hit up the pool for a bit to stay in shape while I give my knee some time to rest. I also discovered that I can't swim nearly as long as I can run. 7 laps in a 25m pool and I was spent . Gonna try to get back on the road sometime next week or the week after depending on how the knee feels.

Hi All, its been great to catch up on all your posts whilst I was away. Some really great achievements.

am still getting used to the cold - i am freezing.

Bali was beautiful - I am pleased to say that i was able to get a run in all but two days whilst away. no really long ones - but all on the sand of Seminyak -Legian beach. Amazing surf - beatuiful sunshine - not too humind/hot we ran mostly before 7.30am each day to miss the really hot sun.

I want to go back - its too cold here...

did 10 yesterday then a fartlek today, 8x (2min hard - 1min easy), on a dirt trail around our old xc course. I was surprised with the fartlek. I was feeling pretty drained beforehand but felt good once i got going and ended up going right at 5:00 pace or faster on the hard intervals. I think i'm gonna do my first tempo of the summer next week, nothing really long maybe 4miles.

Good luck Lex! Have fun!

On Tuesday my boyfriend taught me how to play squash. We were at it for an hour and 20mins, I was suprised at how quickly the time went by! But still, Im not sure its the sport for me, hitting a ball against a wall! I was aching in strange places the day after though! Yesterday we went for a long walk along the coast line here in South Devon, enjoying the wonderful sun! Today I went for my first run since Monday, I figure I'm about on week 5 of the c25k plan, so I went for the first day of that as a basis. 5min run, 3min walk, 5min run, 3min walk, 5min run. It's the longest I've run yet, and I feel that everytime I run I am progressing a little more. I'm excited!

Good luck to Lex and everyone else racing over the weekend!

Welcome, tenminute. Keep us up to date on you marathon training. Are you following any specific training schedule?

7.1 mile pace run today in 65 minutes (9:09 min./mile). This is right at my marathon goal pace. Normally this is my rest day, but I need to do my long run tomorrow (Friday) because I will not be able to run on Saturday and it is important in my training schedule to put my pace run and my long run back to back. So, 17 mile long run tomorrow, my longest yet . . . I hope the humidity breaks before tomorrow morning or it is going to be tough.  

LexB, do well!

Ran just over three, but don't know what the pace was because I forgot to push start on the watch.  If felt great.  We got some of the outer bands from the hurricane that hit south texas and that really helped break the heat.  I'll run in the rain any day. 

Any recommendations on training plans for a marathon? I've been given several, and they all seem pretty much the same. Three or four shorter runs during the week with a long run on Sunday; cross training on the off days.  The plan I've been loosely following  gets me up to 24mi before the marathon and tapers off over three weeks.

tenminute:

 I run about a a 9:00 mile that devolves into about 11:30 after about mile 10.

Anyway, I'm currently training for the Houston Marathon (my first).

If you can run 15 miles you count as a runner in my book! There were some stickers from rebok that said something along the lines of "An 8 minute Km is just as far as a 4 minute Km. Just run." Thats my philosophy too!

 I did 12km for my long run last sunday, followed on monday by a long bike ride (I hadn't realised how far it was to the pool via the Zoo to see the new baby bear) then about 1km swim. A few regular runs the rest of the week but probably nothing tonight as the clouds have come over and its really humid and just begging for a storm. Plus its Fish and Chip night at the canteen (worst excuse ever, I know, but because of the way it works out I cant have both) 

tenminute, a couple of us are following Hal Higdon's training schedule. He has a couple of schedules depending on experience. I am sure there are many other plans out there online. I know there are a couple good schedules that Furman University has online. I have a friend that used them and found them helpful. So check out the wealth of info. out there, find a plan, modify it to your needs, and stick with it.

17 miles today in 2 hours 43 minutes. The humidity did break, but it was still tough. Which each long run of increasing distance, the 26.2 miles of a marathon still seems overwhelming. The thought of having to go 9 more miles this AM made me wonder what I have gotten myself into.

Rest days Sat & Sun due to family get away, but I put my miles in for the week and I am ready to kick back and relax.

Just did a test speed run for next week's Beach to Beacon 10k.  Ran it at a 7:46 pace; which puts me at my goal of being in the top 1,200 of 5,500 runners.  20 miler on Sunday and then an easy week of 7 milers until Beach to Beacon.

 Tenminute, welcome.  I'm trianing for my 1st marathon in Oct.  As for "any recommendations on training plans for a marathon" I'm currently using Runner's World's Smart Coach.  I used it for my 1/2 marathons and it seemed to help me greatly.  As for running 24 miles and taper off for three weeks before you marathon; I wouldn't.  If you hurt yourself while running that 24 miles then your stuck not running for about 3 weeks. 

My training plan seems to focus on milage over the whole week with no single run being over 20 miles.   3 weeks ago was my last easy week of 6 milers which total 18 miles.  Then 24miles with my long run of 16 miles and last week was 27 miles with my long run being 18 miles.  This week will finish with 29 miles and my long run will be 20 miles.  

I know that there are a lot of training plans out there.  I just seem to have not hurt myself using this one.

 Run safe everyone and great luck on all your up and coming races 

took today off due to work,. only 3 hrs sleep fri nite and late day at work today so not sure how race will go tommorrow. 

9.3 miles...shorter than I really wanted to go, but the humidity and temperature beat me down LOL.

and a little lyric that popped in my head while I was running as I was unfortunately reflecting on my poor running of late:

Doctor, doctor, give me the news

I got a bad case fo the running blues

No pills gonna cure my ill

I got a bad case of the running blues...

well, missed my 5k goal today,. verrry humid  and with little sleep last 2 days from work i think it affected my performance,. hit 7:32 pace..24:11,. which was off the 23:30 i was shooting for,. last 5k was 23:47 in june .. rest day tommorrow and then time to intensify traing for oct.

Hey folks - back from the race! Oh my god - was that the best fun ever. SO hard but such good fun, I had a great team - the guys were all actually very good - most people running an 8min mile +/- 30s, (there was a guy called Dale from Florida, in his early 50's he's been running barefoot marathons for 30 years or so he was running 6.5 to 7 min mile; One Ironwoman & Triathlete, 1 woman ultra runner from Ca., a couple guys who are just good and fast). Most importantly they were just a great bunch in it for a good time, there was awesome spirit and camaraderie and a big ol' hint of silliness. Our team name was Chafed Junk - and at the exchanges we had to do a silly dance.... anyhoo. I LOVED the whole experience and will definitely do it again and recommend it to anyone!

In short my first leg started at 4pm on the first day, it was a 2.9mile with a long slow climb, and it sucked I ran it at about 9.3 which felt slow. I never reached my stride or got into the zone and didn't really enjoy it that much. I think nerves got the better of me and I psyched myself out. But hey ho. We stopped at a checkpoint at 9pm for food, on advice from a few running coaches I chowed down on some pasta and salad thinking I had a good few hours before I would have to run again. However everyone in the first van of our team completed their legs waaay faster than predicted which meant that I was running at 11pm on my night leg. I will never ever eat that much before running again. Leg 2 was 7.8 miles, mostly in the pitch black - a few hills but nothing crazy, got to run past the puget sound oil refinery (not exactly scenic!!) and then over a really cool bridge and across a trail - trail running at night was pretty scary but good fun. I got cained by a woman ultra runner who sped past me a rate of knots - crazy fast lady, very inspiring. I really felt very uncomfortable for a lot of this leg because of the food (horrible stomach pains) but rode it out and ran faster (run faster=finish faster) and did an 8.3 min mile I think (which for almost 8 miles for me is very good). Quite enjoyed running at night! Managed about 2 hours sleep, a shower, and avoided heavy breakfasts before my 3rd and final leg at about 9am, 6.6 miles, half climb & half slow descent. Started out feeling great (a little fatigued but good). Climb was great, was in the zone and loving it. Then the descent almost killed me. I was soooo tired, I was hungry, my feet felt like bricks and my legs like tree trunks. Every step was an effort. The hunger started making me feel sick, I actually wanted to cry at one point as there were no distance markers at all so I had no way of knowing how long I had left (I was too tired to estimate). But I found I was made of tougher stuff than I thought - and I did it, I focused on my running and sang out loud (sorry to anyone who had to suffer) and did it... I bloody did it! Despite the fact it felt like I was almost crawling that last leg I ran in 8.4 again so very happy indeed - must have been sprinting that climb!

I know hurt like I have never hurt before - the logistics of the race make it almost impossible to stretch properly, it's hard to eat but it's hard to stop munching on snacks. I never want to see another bottle of gatoraid again. But I would do it all again in a heart beat...

... as soon as I can walk again

Oh and my team came 24th/57 in our division and 67 out of 140 over all. 

LexB - Great stuff!  I'm trying to get back into reasonable enough shape to join a local running club; one of the things they do is take part in a couple of relay events each year.  Not usually as long as the one you just took part in but lots of fun nevertheless.

Broke out of my plodding routine today and put in a 6k run with 15:00 mins of tempo in the middle.  Average pace overall was 5:35 per km.  Felt really good and wanted to go faster but the HR monitor said NO!

congrats lexb and ericjacque, and kdogg.   sounds awesome lexb,.

gonna go put in some mileage,.no idea how much,. just feel like running today ..(even though its a rest day),.hav'nt put in a "fun" run in a while,.i am stopped in upstate ny/ erie pa.   along lake erie,.nice day to run along the shore,. hav'nt been here in a while,.not even gonna map it out,. just gonna run and see where the wind blows me