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

Ran 3 at a 9:25 pace.  It's my first run in a few weeks, and so far the knee's ok.

I feel SLOW posting that just after Mark's rundown of good paces   I'm also in my 40's and have been running  about 4 years.  After most of this past year being not up to par, I still look forward to 10K in the low 50's, and a half well under 2. 

Mark, I experienced an elite marathon runner up close year before last.  In my last half mile running the ING Georgia HALF marathon, I heard horns honking behind me and soon saw the winner of the FULL marathon blowing by me, uphill, like I was standing stilll. There was no way I could have kept up with him for even 20 yards!  I looked at a woman next to me and just laughed.  But when I heard the pacers with the second place guy coming up behind me with the finish line in sight, I gave it everything I had and beat him by about 4 seconds.  My own personal victory. 

Seriously, it was truly amazing to see the winner's easy stride and speed at the end of a very difficult marathon course.

 

I'm baaack! Got a little bit freaked out about feeling good but not being able to run (would get out there and start but just, couldn't). Looked over my diet, checked that I was drinking enough water, tackled some serious stress at work - then sneezed. That answered that question! I had a sinus infection. I get very sneaky ones. The kind that laugh in the face of antibiotics. I can run with allergies, a cold, even a touch of the flu, but a sinus infection is my kryptonite (yes, I too am in the 40+ club). So after a week off, resting every chance I had, encouraging my immune system, I nervously faced the road.... and did it! 2 miles today! I'll stick with the shorter run for this week, build back up again. Man, it was GREAT to be out again!

 

 

Boyjame - thanks for your comments - it's great to be able to compare my progress with someone who's recently followed a similar path

Regarding mile/kilometer times - we're metric where I am so I'm also trying to get my head around the mile equivalents as most people on this forum talk in miles.  I know it doesn't quite answer your question but some straight pace conversions of your times give the following:

7:47 min/mile = 4:50 min/km

8:03 min/mile = 5 min/km

8:30 min/mile - 5:16 min/km

 

"Yes - also belong to the '40's club.  strange it seems such a BIG number when you actually write it down - like it doesn't quite belong to you!"

I totally agree - 40?!...can't be true.....I'm sure there must have been some kind of accounting error somewhere along the line!

well the ncaa regional meet didnt go well. I have no idea why. It was at a little over 5000ft altitude but that doesnt excuse me running a 33:50. Some guys I beat every day ran low 32. Since my workouts and races have been pretty bad for quite some time, with only a few decent ones sprinkled in, a few people have been telling me i need to go get my blood tested. I doubt there is anything there but it would be interesting just to see.

good start to the week for me with 12 mile long run in just under 2hrs. I was tired at the end but felt I could go on, and felt like I ran pretty hard at points. Really nice day for running today - I was out in my new dryline tights and new long sleeved top - only it was really quite mild so I was a little too hot for most of the run. But hey! I'll look forward to the cold and wet now!

Chiggy - sorry to hear about your race! I think the blood tests sound like a good idea, just to set your mind at ease like fungusfoot said. Just down the road from me is a clinic called moveo where they have a team of sports specialists therapists - including chiropractors, physios, massage therapists, medical doctors, nutritionists and I think maybe a naturopath. Your initial exam is with all of them one by one - from there they then work out the best course of treatment whether it is preventative or curative - maybe you could find a similar sort of set up near you to get a more holistic view. Do you think it could in part be psychological now too? IE you are stressing out before each race?

Tranquil - with regards to your comment about checking other runners on their gait, I would recommend not doing that! Was thinking about my gait today, towards the end of my long run my form was 'crumpling' I would then reassess and then correct but when you are tired it has hard to maintain perfect posture. If a passing runner corrected me on my posture at mile 11 of a long run I think I would be slightly irked!

Fungus - My runs are always hilly all the way through - so I would say mix it up on a general run definitely work some hill repeats into your general training schedule - that's the only way really. On a regular run, if it's a really steep hill then I take it easy, but if it's a hill repeat session then I try to charge them.

 

Sorry your race was so off Chiggy.  Might be worth a little investigation since it wasn't just a bad day.

Fungusfoot, knee is okay.  I am only running 3 days/week max to keep things in check.

have run twice sicne the marathon but have been busy riding and playing cricket, so the fitness levels are still pretty good, although I have forgotten how to get one foot in front of the other.

Had a fun run after work. 2 laps of the tan whcih is a total of about 7.7km. I did it in about 33.37 (15.57 and 17.39). For those who know it we finished up the hill towards the Music Bowl. That was fun at the end of 7.7!!! The dust from all the runner was pretty bad, and I hit Anderson st on the second lap when the walkers were hitting it on their first. But I was pretty happy with how it all went. Would have been good to see how I would have gone when I was at my "peak"

 

Increased my regular midweek early morning run from 6 to 7km this morning - I'm mindful of the need to start increasing my weekly miles if I'm ever to consider running a half or full marathon in the future.  I'm going to struggle to increase the distance much beyond this in the mornings however due to time constraints....

Anyway, took it fairly steady and came in at a predictable 5:30 mins/km.  

It was dark, damp and pretty uneventful. ho hum.

GraemeC - running the Dublin Marathon is still a bit of a fantasy for me at the moment but I'll stick with the programme and see how I feel about it in the Spring!

I did 30 minutes on a "hell"-iptical last night after about 30 minutes of weights. I ran only 2 days last week. Anyone else getting the winter running blahs? It's dark when I head to work, dark and cold when I get home...and  just don't feel like getting out and running.(worked 7 days last week)

Hey Fungus....I was worried about you  glad you are back!!

Winter is here....today was an off day for me.  Good thing 4 inches of snow and 25.  Hope it is better tomorrow.  I alhave developed a pain in the outside middle part of my foot.  Not bad but almost feels like a cramp that comes and goes.  I am up to four miles and really don't want to slow down now!

Junkie - Winter is quite refreshing for me, as I love the cooler weather.  I think you are facing some of those post-marathon blues (another reason I am not rushing to run 26.2 miles). 

10 Mile Regular Run for me,,unseasonably cool temps...Yes!!!!

"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom.  No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or hump higher than that.'  The human spirit is indomitable."
                                                                                                - Sir Roger Bannister

Great 4 mile run today, went alot better then I expected.  Was planning on going 6:15-6:20 the whole run, but I felt really good going into the last mile so I picked it up alot.  Mile Splits were 6:18,6:16,6:29,5:39.  Fastest ive closed this season.  Had to make up for that slow 3rd mile.

Fricster - I play for one of the premier clubs (dandenong). I do a lot of coaching and they approached me to captain one of their teams with a view to helping some of their younger players. Competitve juices still flow though.

I am still tossing up whether to go at a marathon next year. I will probably aim to go for shorter runs as much as I can to maintain a reasonable base for some tris over the summer, and then maybe make up my mind a little closer to the race next year.

25 mins on the treadmill.  I'm with Junkie, so unmotivated in the cold, dark weather.  Don't know how you guys who have "proper" winters do it!

 

Hi All, no run today, but a very solid PT session. My trainer had me working with the kettle weights again today - very heavy.  Lots of reps til fatigue.

Mark RTC - I sometimes run to or from the office - it is about 5.5kms as well - and I can run most of it away from the busy roads, along the river which makes it a really lovely run. I usually have a pack on my back - which gives me a little bit of additional resistance for a shorter run. It is a great way to end the day..

Anyone heard from Burgalurg???

Gilly says,
Junkie - Winter is quite refreshing for me, as I love the cooler weather.  I think you are facing some of those post-marathon blues (another reason I am not rushing to run 26.2 miles). 

I suppose in FL 60 degrees is cold :). Here, it was 15 this morning, and not expected to get above freezing....and probably be 25 by the time I have time to run this evening.

Back to training: Got home early after taking the kids to the dentist....so got out to run. 6.66 mile "satan" run at under 8:00 per mile. It was about 40 degrees...about the coldest I like to run at with shorts. I'm going to have to find cold weather running gear, since the real cold weather is yet to come.

Forgot to log my run yesterday. Done the same 6.16mile run as Monday in 43:21 - 7:01 pace

Today was my day off work so I done a wee bit of a longer run. Ran 10.13 miles in 1:16:14 - 7:31 pace

MarkRTC - well done on running home from work. It's even better that you have to run back to work to get your car lol:) I must admit, I have ran to work and back several times in marathon preparation, but always on my day off. Considering it's over 20 miles there and back, I don't want to make a habit of it. It sure as heck makes you appreciate having a car though lol.  

 

Excellent MarkRTC! Okay, now I'm inspired. I WILL find a safe route this weekend!

In the spirit of being more green, I did my run from the grocery store parking lot before I shopped for groceries.  The concrete was not kind to my knee, but the late afternoon views of the city were a nice reward.

2.5 mi at 9:16 pace.

Yep I shoveled the last two days.  This morning the roads were covered.  Luckily I am in town this week.  By the afternoon snow on the road was mostly gone. 29f I ran a 34:00 four mile. Foot felt OK running though a bit sore after. 

 

Lex B  My wife and I are jealous!!  Our new bikes have to get stored for the winter!!  

 Fungus.. keep up the moderation...and BTW I will take snow over fire any day of the week!

FPB  I have lived here for 52 years...I guess I am just used to it.  If you don't go out in the winter you go stir crazy

Question for all:  I got new sneakers ASICS  woo woo.  What is the best way to start using them....just go on a normal run..gradual or what?  Thanks all

Junkie - I feel for ya.  What I meant is, during the summer, when you guys are enjoying normal runs, I'm facing brutal humidity.  So, when winter comes, it's a welcome reprieve.  I'm running in perfect weather...between 45 and 55 degrees and low humidity.  You and KDogg should move to Florida.  We, the Gator Nation, will welcome you with open arms.....

Happy Running!

I'm moving to Hawaii - the temps there are the same year round. Maybe I could lay claim to my own little island and I could have palm trees

headed to the track tomorrow for the first faster paced run (that isn't a tempo) of this segment - nothing too hard though

Biked into work and back yesterday again. 28 miles round trip + a few miles round trip when I went to a restaurant for lunch.  This time I swore I was going a bit faster on the way in but it still took me 1 hour and 10 mins to get there.  On the bright side, I swore I was going slower on the way home than the previous trip (on Fri when it took 1 hour 30 mins) but I made it back in 1 hour 20 mins (6% grade up the last mile on the way home).  I bought some nice cycling shorts between the ride on Fri. and the ride yesterday and my bottom is appreciative of the investment in gear. 

I still need to buy a better headlight -it's dark outside most of the way and while there's occasional lighting near the trail, it's nice well enough lit for me to see the bumps and occasional small potholes.  Will probably do a 6 mile run today.  Only 1 week + a couple of days to my first half marathon.

KDogg - Please take me with you.

Aloha!