go see a foot doctor and check that you are wearing the right shoes! running shoes are not all made equal. When i first started running seriously I had the wrong shoes and because of that I lost my big toe nail - and it was gross - turned all green then black then they yanked it off - ouch!
almost ready to run again - it's bad though - being off the running circuit getting lazzzzy.
6.5 is great - I need to build up to that again.

Thanks Rai, I'll have to give those bandages a try. Hopefully they will help me avoid having this problem again. Sooo frustating! I do have running socks, and they are great. I think my old shoes were causing much of the problem.

I started running in October. Before that, I would try to do too much and get frustrated. I thought I just wasn't meant to be "a runner". Anyway, I started doing 30-45 mins. and built to an hour on the treadmill, mostly walking, with maybe 5 minutes of jogging at 5.0-5.5, 10 minutes walking at 3.5-4.0. I always run/walk at a 1.0% incline because I read somewhere that it helps when you transition to running outside to work at the slight incline. Slowly, I added a few extra minutes of running and would decrease my walking time, until I could run for the entire stretch. Then, once I could jog/run for extended periods, I would jog at 5.5 for 10 mins, and do a bit faster run at 6.0 for 5 mins. Once that became too easy, I jogged at 6.0 for 10 minutes, run at 6.5 for 5 minutes, and so on. I kept building up that way. Every other day I do 30 minute workouts, and I do periods of walking, jogging, then speed intervals of 1-2 minutes at a sprinting speed of 8.0-9.0. This helps me get faster on my longer runs. I hope this makes sense. Let me know if you need me to clarify

And can I just say how impressed I am that you run marathons?! I would LOVE to do that. My dad used to do them, and wants to run one with me, but every time I think about doing 26 miles, I get exhausted just imagining it Any advice? I think my biggest hurdle would be having the mental strength to complete a race that long. Thanks for any help, and good luck!

Bida-
Owww that sounds awful I hope you are feeling better soon! The new shoes I have seem to be 100% better for me. No problems to report yet! I understand how you feel about not being able to run. It's the worst feeling when you just want to get in a good run but can't because of an injury. Just take it easy and let yourself heal. You'll be back to where you were in no time!

Thanks Meg for the detailed explanation. I started laughing when I read your post because for me 5.0 - 5.5 mph is a RUN. I think I need to push myself more. Tuesday my husband did intervals, but I just ran at my usual distance at my usual slow pace. I'm going to do some intervals on next Tuesday. Now, I'm trying to decide if I want to do them on the treadmill or on the indoor track. I think the treadmill will help me control my speed a little better. In regards to running a marathon, it really helps if you train with someone and since your father wants you to do it with him, you already have a training partner! Also, check out some running clubs in your area. I trained for the marathon with my husband, but I wished we trained with a running association. If we run the marathon this year, then we are going to sign up with CARA (chicago area running association). Also, I find it easier to run outside along a trail than on a treadmill or even on the streets.

Okay, my running stats for today:
3.98 miles (37 laps) in 45 minutes and 46 seconds.

Ouch! hey I heard that normally happens when you shoes are too small when you run.

Too big, too small, laced too loose and you're running downhill, you're doing something weird with your toes... there are lots of reasons for black toenails. It's worth checking your shoes but IME it's not automatic that the shoes need to be bigger.

The discoloration is blood trapped under your nail. If the blood is still fresh/not dried up, it may feel better to drain the blood (sterilize a needle and puncture the dark spot).

oh yea - my toe nail has been back and h ealthy for a while now
may get a run in today....may....

bida, did you get that run in?

Yeah, intervals are really great for getting your speed up on longer runs...and they help pass the time too! I like to do my runs on a treadmill, just so I can control the speed. On days I am more tired, I can push myself to keep up with the treadmill, or else I'll fall off the back Otherwise, if I were running on a track or outside, I might not push myself as hard.
Thanks for all of the great advice about marathon running too, I'll be looking into it!

I had the WORST shoes when I started running...they had to have been at least a year old already and I continued to run in them for a good 5 or 6 months more (yes yes I know!) AND I have flat feet...so I really wasn't doing myself any favours lol.

I got a tonne of blisters as well, mostly along the base of my heel and my instep (probably from the way my feet rolled). After I bought my nice new comfy supportive runners the blisters mostly healed up, but I do still get the odd one on my instep.

I've been good this week and had four decent runs in the morning. Took wednesday off because I like giving my body a rest and I'd also done a spin class on top of running the night before :P

This mornings effort was about 9kms in 45minutes which I think is roughly 5.6 miles so a pace of 7.5mph. I could have kept going but that would have meant being late for work lol. Maybe I will have to start leaving the house a little earlier to fit another km or so in! I'm going to another spin class tonight so I may or may not run tomorrow...depends on how tough this instructor is! hehe

Liv

No - I did not get it in yesterday -
BUT I got it in today - and before I started the day! yah!
3.4 - pretty slow - but since I haven't run for a week I let myself work into it - got faster near the end. I hate when u go back to running (well for me) and you get that ichy feeling on ure skin where ure fabric is - luckily it didn't last too long - but that is something that wants to make me stop.

Here is my two cents on marathon training (I did the NY one a few years back) - it SOOOOO helped me to go to a "running class" - my friends always made fun of me because they were like - what you learn to put one foot in front of the other. But what it taght me in central park - one of the biggest hills in NY and the finish for the NY marathon was tempo runs (what and how to do them) interval, sprinting at the end of being really tired, finding friends to run with or do other races with, committment, and I enjoyed it - and I am usually a solo runner (Scares me to have to keep up with someone or slow them down.)

Now last semester I was running each week with the triathlon team here at school - hopefully will do my first tri soon - but to the running it helped soooo much - we did mostly interval running on a track and my mile improved like 2 minutes. Bad news is you gotta keep up with it else you get slow again (like I am now) and htey moved the class to the AM on days I couldn't really do it. mad about that. but anyway - time to get inspired.

I love spin Lyria - I used to do it twice a week last semester - i have not done it once this year - the classs don't mesh well with my schedule - I'm hoping to start doing it again SOON - esp if I am training for a short Tri. I think next to running spinning is the best workout. (oh and the stair machine climber (not master) where its like an escalator.

ok - enough! whoo hoo!

B

thanks for all of the great marathon info bida! i will definitely be looking into running classes or something similar...sounds like fun!

oh, and i was FINALLY able to get in a full hour run since the adventure with my blister began a few days ago. thanks to everyone for all the great advice!

How should one interval train in a week? And how long does it take to start seeing some improvements?

Ran a hard and fast 1.2 miles today. Felt awesome. I can't wait to be able to run hard like that for longer, feels great! ^___^ Booya! "Every day in every way my as is getting smaller." Run ladies ruuuun1!

on the old runners thread i used to post some interval training that i did.
But I think i can find some - hold on (you should have access to a track or at least know some distances in ure neighborhood)


Warm-up: 1600 w/ strides during straightaways of last two laps
active warm-up drills
2 X 200 build

Main Set:
1 X 1600
4 X 400
1 X 1600

1600s are at 10K pace; 2nd one should be faster than the first
400s build from 10K pace to mile pace

1 min after 16s; 30 seconds between 400s

Cool-down 800
--------------------------------------
slight recovery workout

Warm-up 1600

1 X 800
4 X 400
1 X 800
4 X 400

1min rest after 800s, 30 seconds after 400s

800s are at 5-10k pace

First 400s are build easy to hard effort

Last 400s are best average (hold as hard as you can but still keep
1-4 within a few seconds of each other.) last set is hard/easy
alternating if you're recovering.

Cool-down 2 laps

--------------------------------------

Tomorrow's workout will be built around honing the race mentality. I.E. being able to switch gears when necessary and still having enough for a finishing push.

We'll warm it up then 800, 400, 1200, 400, 1600, 400

Odd intervals are @ race pace (5-10k pace)
Evens are @ mile pace (hard)

rest: 45 secs between each.
--------------------------------

The pace test tomorrow is just for a beginning of the season baseline. Don't pin your hopes and dreams to it. Save that for late march/early april when we're peaking for Nationals.

The workout (for those who won't be there):

1600 warm-up, stride the straightaways on last two laps.
2 X high knees/butt kicks
2 X side strides
4 X 200; build from slow to 90% (faster than your time trial pace)
1 X 4800 (three miles) even or negative splits on each mile

2 lap cool-down