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Runner's Training Tips: new runner needs help!!

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    • CommentAuthorFree Membercristoff
    • CommentTimeApr 11th 2008
     
    cristoff

    I have signed up to do Nottingham Half Marathon in September and am 8 weeks into what will turn out to be a 31 week programme. I am following the training plan put together on the Robin Hood Marathon website, as i have never done any running before i started on the 'get you round' programme and plan to switch to the 'sub 2hr' plan in 2 weeks time. I confess that i am quite competitive and am finding the running both enjoying and challenging and feel the sub 2 hr will give me added motivation, the first 6/7 weeks have been about getting used to running regularly but now mileage is starting to go up and find myself bursting to go out and attempt 5 miles on Sunday for the first time!!

    I could do with some advice though on things which are bothering me at the moment due to the massive expanse of advice i am getting online and in magazines;

    1. Is it too soon to embark on a sub 2hr plan bearing in mind i have only been running 2 months - the last thing i want to do is injure myself.

    2. During the week i run when i get home from work, at weekends i get up and run first thing in a morning, usually about 7.30 - 8.30, whenevr i get up, i justget up, have some water, stretch and start running. I have read that you should not run on an empty stomach, but if i eat then surely i have to wait a couple of hours before running and i worry that if i dont run as soon as i get up, i will get distracted and find something to stop me going. Getting up and going is working for me at the moment, i dont want to have to change it. It does not seem to be affecting me at the moment but i guess it may do as i up the miles.

    3. Warm ups? I currently do about a minute or two of stretching before i go out, is this enough of a warm up, should i do some gentle jogging first before kicking into my normal miles? Again, i dont seem to be feeling any ill effects but as the mileage increases i dont want to be putting myself at any risk.

    4. Any tips for pacing? I currently do 2 miles at about 9.10 pace, 3 miles at 10.20 pace and my first attempt at 4 miles was 10.47. i think it varies a lot due to distance obviously but also the amount of hills that are around where i live and how many i encounter depending on which route i take. I want to know how i can better control the pace i want to run at?

    sorry it is so long winded but these are burning questions i have and feel this may be the best place to get them answered. Thank you.

    • CommentAuthorFree Membermeeneghan
    • CommentTimeApr 11th 2008
     
    meeneghan

    Hey there and welcome to the club!

     1. Whether or not it's "too soon" to try for a sub-2 in a half-marathon is a loaded question.  There are so many variables figure into the answer.  "Easy" for you might be "ambitious" for the next guy and vice versa.  To get a good idea of what  you're capable of, you should try the running calculator at McMillan Running.  Simply enter a recent race time at any of the listed distances and it will tell you what you should be able to do. If you have yet to run a race, then just go down to your local track, run a mile (a.k.a. 1600m) as fast as you can, and use that time

     

    2. If running in the morning is working for you, then go ahead and do it.  If you feel yourself getting weak due to lack of food, maybe just bring an energy bar or something.

     

    3. As far as warm-ups go, I would strongly advise NOT stretching before you go for a run.  That is a sure way to injure yourself (especially if you're going first thing in the morning).  If you're going to stretch, then you should do it AFTER you run, because you should only stretch warm muscles.  Instead, try doing the first 10-15 minutes of your run at a slightly slower pace and call that your warm-up.

     

    4. The above mentioned running calculator will also give you appropriate pace times for various types of runs.

     

    Well, I hope that helped.  Good luck with your training.  The half is a great distance. 

    • CommentAuthorFree Membercristoff
    • CommentTimeApr 11th 2008
     
    cristoff

    Thanks for the reply mate!

    Yeah, running first thing without food seems to be working fine, but my worry is what happens as i start to increase mileage/intensity, guess my body will tell me if it aint gonna work! Do you class that as running on an empty stomach? Cause i tend to eat lateish at night (between 6 and 8 usually) so my body will surely use that as its energy source?

    The warm up stretching thing is a bit of a revelation, if you stop and think about it its a bit of a no-brainer really, i often find myself wincing at tight hamstrings when trying to stretch em first thing, gonna give that a miss from now on.

    thanks again

     

    • CommentAuthorFree MemberDanie23
    • CommentTimeApr 21st 2008
     
    Danie23

    Hey

    I am also running my first HM in September (Bristol) and have been training now for about a month and a half. 

    I have been running 5 miles 3 times a week, my fastest time being 54 mins.  I have also ran one 7 miles and completed this in 1hr 18mins.  Although i seem to be coping with increasing my Milage, i dont seem to be getting any faster!  Are you finding the same thing?  I'm kind of hoping that the more I run, the faster i will get. 

     

    I have been recomended to try running for short fast burst between lamp posts and then recover with a 2 / 3 minute jog and then repeat. 

    I also want to finish sub 2 hrs - and my competive streak has come out from nowhere! 

    I tend to have half a bananna if im hungary before running, as its not too heavy.

    Good luck with your training.

    Danie

    • CommentAuthorFree MemberCmerun
    • CommentTimeApr 21st 2008
     
    Cmerun

    I'm no expert, but I can give advice from experience.

    As for food before a morning run...once I was running 4+ miles, I had to eat something.  Usually a small bowl of Cheerios, or else a glass of milk and a banana.  Eating this about 1/2 hour before has been fine.  It's easy to digest (for my stomach) and is good energy.  

     I agree on the stretching.  Wait until your warm.  For me, I like to run half a mile or so, then stop and stretch.  It feels wonderful and when you start up again, it's like a burst of energy.  (for me anyway).

     

    best of luck

     

    • CommentAuthorFree MemberGilly32
    • CommentTimeJun 19th 2008
     
    Gilly32

    Regarding your comment on food, I know you have read that you should not run on an empty stomach, but it's really an individual matter.  Some people, like me, do very well on an empty stomach.  The majority of my runs are very early in the morning, ususally before I would have breakfast anyway.  With proper hydration, I do my best running with an empty stomach and colon.

    I would suggest you balance what you read with what works best for you.  Your body will tell you what's what.

     

    Good Luck!

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberjunkie_99
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008
     
    junkie_99

    When I was doing longer runs (10+ miles) I'd have an energy bar before the run, and carry gel packs for energy during the run. But like Gilly says...pay attention to your body.

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