Runners: It's June
 

Three miles for me this morning. Nice and easy. Wildlife sighting: two mule deer.

Anne

I have been out running exactly once since the half marathon. Oops! Time to get moving again! My sisters are doing a half in the fall, I'm considering training for it. It doesn't seem to make sense to start out with another 12 week from scratch training program at this point. Maybe I'll try my hand at making up my own training schedule. Anyone have thoughts or suggestions?

Hi Anne! I'm back again. Hopefully my much needed break will prepare me mentally to tackle this again.

Shananigans... continue at a level you feel good maintaining and merge into a program and or look for a more challenging program. A lot of times where I am at in maintenance mode I only need 4-6 weeks to prepare for a half.

Hello ennay! Good to see you back. Good to see me back. :)

Shananigans, I recommend the Lore of Running by Tim Noakes for almost anything you can think to ask about, including lots of training plans. I'm sure Runner's World has some advanced plans on line as well.

Anne

Shenanigans, IMO, the easiest way to short-cut the training process for a half (and get faster) is to keep your running base up. If you haven't run for a while, you can try a few runs to see how it feels, then pick your training plan and timing accordingly. For example, if you can still run 5-6 miles comfortably, then you just hop back into your training schedule at that point. The more advanced training schedules mostly have you do more runs at the longer end, so you are more comfortable with the distance.

Last summer (our off-season), my running group dropped back to a long run of 7-9 miles, which we did most weeks, sometimes doing hill work instead. This year, we decided to keep a long run base of 12 miles, so ramping up for the fall/winter marathon season would be easier. So essentially, I can go out and do a half any time I want to. So it depends on where you are right now.

Well, it's only been a week and two days since the half. I cranked out about 5 miles on hilly trails pretty easily. Planning to go for 8 after work today. I want to make sure I don't let all this progress slip! I feel like I definitely need a schedule or I just don't do enough. I'll have to spend a little time researching and get it all down on paper.

Thanks for the recommendations, I'll look around at some plans and see what makes sense.

hey all! can i join your chat? i am fairly new to running (a couple of months) and am currently training for my first half marathon in October. I am only running about 5km right now, so I have a lot of work (and hopefully enough time) to get there.

i won't be "racing", just running to finish. i'll be happy with anything under 2:30!

i would love to get some tips and techniques from some of you pros!

welcome, skinnywish. wow! a half marathon! that's fantastic. i wish i wasn't such a scaredy cat, but the idea of that terrifies me. a lot of the other chicks in here have done them though, so i bet they have tons of great ideas.

as for me, for the first time in aaaaages, i just had a really great run. it was one of those days where everything just clicked into place and seemed relatively effortless. unfortunately i stopped after 4.5 miles just cause i was sorta bored, but i felt great for a change. i love it when this happens. i just wish it happened more often rather than once in a blue moon. today i'm choosing to credit the ginormous bowl of pho i had for lunch, despite my nutritionist's prohibition on carbs.

thanks sws19! just getting ready to head out for my run this morning. it's rainy here, but not too bad yet. hoping to do three miles today...haven't eaten very healthy this weekend (were away at a friends house), so hopefully this isn't too painful...although if i follow your example, sws19, i should have plenty of carbs to make for a great run...:)

Lousy run yesterday. HR was high from the start, and I'm dealing with a fossilized side stitch I gave myself running through it at Wednesday's aquathlon. I made it 2.5 miles and walked it in.

Working with my tri coach again, and she's got me doing 4 on Monday.

Anne

hey ladies!!!! I am glad to see everyone is still trucking. Internet has been down for a while. I am now running 5 miles comfortably and I couldn't be happier. the 10K is at the end of the month so I be fine! I tell I love running more and more each time I go out....its amazing!

welcome skinnywish!!!

Hey Ladies.

4.5 miles for me on Saturday and 5 yesterday. Today I stayed in.

Do any of you ever do any water jogging?

Hi Ladies--again--

I have only been running a few months--well, like 8 or so...I want to know how quickly you "replace" your running shoes..do you alternate your shoes or just have one pair to run in?

Also, do any of you find it MORE difficut to run in the heat?

Final question--do any of you run in running skirts?

Hi Thighs!
Hi Runners :)

I have asked the shoe question and have been told to replace every 300-500 miles. I use brooks, found them online for 50% less than local store and bought 3 pairs. My original thought was to alternate but then I wouldn't keep as great track of mile so now it's just the one pair with the others on back up duty.

yes, too hot is horrible for me too--i go in very early am

I like the running skirts but have yet to feel comfortable buying and wearing one. (I bought one and returned it to Target-- it was on sale//bright blue--)


5 miles this am after a very off plan sunday. what a great way to start a monday :)


happy running gals :)

if youve just completed a half ( your first?) its ok you took a little time to recover. While it is a very good idea to maintain your base milage, especially if you are considering training for another half in a few months, its also a good idea to back off the milage, a little bit...lett your body fully recover..your body isnt going to forget how to run, i rpomise!!! Its ok to back off, then when it is time to train again, consider stepping up to a slightly more advance schedule, if you dont want to feel like you are starting from scratch, and tis too easy. Hal Higdon has novive, intermerdiate 1 and 2,and advance training plans, each that call for higher weekly milage, and start off with longer runs than the plan below.... Good luck!

Wndranne-- when your HR is too high right off the bat, when you awake up in the morning, it is a sign your body is overtrained without enough recovery between workouts...take the day off when that happens, or go really EASY... i know, easier said than done.. :)

THighs - a running skirt sounds cute. are there shorts under it?

Rocky -That has happened to me...the HR high as all get out when I first start...I will keep your advice in mind.

hey cake--yes, there are shorts underneath..

I love the feel of bike shorts (spandex) that are snug fitting but do not feel comfortable bearing all like that....I noticed a lady running in what I would consider a tennis skirt so it gave me the idea...

Mine is white--adidas brand--and has white shorts underneath that cover touche and upper thigh area pretty nicely. I ran for the first time yesterday in it. It felt pretty good--and the shorts and skirt stay put--just wondering if I look like a freak. Of course, that never stopped me before. LOL.

hey all! went for my run yesterday and it went awful! i had eaten poorly all weekend and then tried to run with no food or water in me sunday morning, only a cup of coffee...silly, i know!

back on track tomorrow! i am also planning on buying the nike + ipod, so am excited for that!

Four miles this morning. Well, almost. I walked a hill.

Yes, running when it is hot is harder. Elevates the HR and rate of perceived exertion.

I don't do running skirts. Change shoes quarterly.

Anne

I love running skirts!! I do them all of the time. I like the bike shorts underneath because they don't ride up like running shorts can (that drives me nuts), while the skirt part gives a little more thigh coverage. I think they look girly and are cute!

On shoes: I do alternate -- I keep my newest pair for my longest runs, and my next newest pair for the shorter weekly runs. When the older pair gets around 500 miles on then, then I get a new pair for the long runs.

Running in heat: Oh, absolutely yes, heat and humidity slow you down. You just have to accept that summertime runs are slower. But if you keep training, you'll find that your speed picks right back up in the fall when the weather cools back down and it will feel SO much easier! And don't forget to hydrate, hydrate!!

Thank you all for your help. I ran just over two miles this morning--short run.

Short run for me last night as well. 2 miles...need to get up to at least 3 miles this week, as i am on the 4 month countdown to the half marathon!!! need to get my distance up!

so i guess i've been taking it easy on distance for the last few months. after a brief stint doing 6 milers, i cut back down to 2-3 miles of sprint intervals. yesterday afternoon was sorta difficult (decided i needed to break up with a guy that i reaaallllly really like) so i decided to go for a longer slower run just to clear my head. wasn't nearly back to my 6 mile thing, but i did manage to eek out a little over 5 miles doing the run/walk thing. did 30 mins run then 1.5 min walk. then walked another 2 mins at the 40 min mark. and then ran it out to 50 mins. so all in all not bad. didn't come up with any solutions for my romantic life, i'm sorry to report. oh well.

I hate running when it's hot and muggy, hasn't really been much a problem here lately though, plenty of cool cloudy weather. Plus I tend to run late enough that it's cooled off considerable from the hottest part of the day.

My brother and cousin are doing a fitness challenge with my dad. They will run the half marathon with me and my sisters in Sept. if my dad will walk one mile 3 to 4 times a week between now and then. My dad has type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol and is very obese so this will be great if he actually does it!

I probably need to pick up the running a little. I did a little over 5 miles on Monday, went to power pump class last night (after a loooong hiatus from weight lifting) and plan to go out for a run tonight. Haven't decided the route yet, probably another 5 miler. Been enjoying some long walks with the dog too.

I just want to say that I have really enjoyed dropping down my mileage for a bit. I am killing these 4 - 5 mile runs, I feel like I'm flying. :cool: Our new foster dog makes a great running companion, which is nice. My dog doesn't keep up so well and is more interested in sniffing and peeing on things.

I do! I have a BRIGHT pink skirt I got from SkirtSports that I usually wear in races, particularly if I'm catching up with people - it's easy to spot from a distance. I also wear a black tennis skirt that I got for $5 from a factory outlet. It's good, but the pocket's upside down!

I went did a 5 mile run before my night duty last night. I've been trying to work out a way to mix up my runs, and do something different. I live in a dead-end street on top of a hill in a very hilly area, so unless I drive somewhere I'll always be doing hills. I hate hills! I know they're very good for me, but I still hate them.

So yesterday I was thinking I would love to go for a run along the river. Then it occurred to me, my place of employment is on the river! There's a ton of short, medium and long runs, depending on which bridge you loop over, and best of all they're (mostly) flat! So I went to work 1 1/2 hours early, went for a 5 mile run, had a shower and started!

It took a little organisation, I made my post-run smoothie and put it in a tupperware container, and I had to take all my clothes and shower stuff. But it was fun! And didn't really take any more effort than going for a run and getting ready for work if I'd done them separately.

I'm not doing it tonight though, Sunday is my rest day this week.

That's another thing. Now that I CAN run, is it ok to run every day with only one day off per week? Or am I setting myself up for injury? I love this game, and every day I am inspired to get out and go for a run, even if it's just a short one. I'm not sore, I feel strong and well, so I don't see how I can be hurting myself, but I just wanted to check.

Cheers chickies.

PS Entered my first 10k today - it's on 31st August.

Training begins...
 

Tomorrow marks the start of my 18 week marathon training program!!
Ive been waiting for this moment since last february, when i decided to run the Denver MArathon in October... The marathon is practically all i think about, so its GREAT to FINALLY be under way with the training...First week, pretty easy ( by my standards..the long run is only 8 miles, but im DETERMINED to FOLLOW and STICK with a program for once in my life!! I usually just do what feels right, but training for 10Ks and half marathons is an entirely different game than marathon training, so........ I will say, i am DREADING the loneliness of the 15 + mile runs....even the 12 milers can get to you...2+ hours is a LONG time for me to be alone in my head!! I dont know how ill handle 3 and 4 hours of running straight!! I wish i had someone to run with....Everyone i know thinks i am crazy-well, maybe i am, but at least i have a goal, i am passionate, and dedicated to achieving it no matter what!!!

Well done! A marathon is on my list-of-things-to-do, but I've just started running. I'm working up to 10k this year, a half next year and then the full mara the year after.

Keep us posted, won't you?

mkroyer - Good luck with your marathon training! I'm doing another half marathon in the fall, but I don't know if I'll ever be brave enough (or crazy enough ;)) to dedicate myself to training for a full. You've got my complete admiration.

thank you shananigans...have you ever seen the documentary "Spirit of the Marathon"?
It completely inspired me!!!! I had no intention of ever trying a full marathon until i saw it last winter....Any runner who AHSNT seen the movie absolutely needs to check it out!! Its beautiful...

Howdy, runners, just found this thread! I'm getting back into running after only having jogged sporadically over the last few years and am glad to find a group of fellow travelers : ) I jog much, much slower than I did in college (probably partly age) but I'm curious how much my higher weight is affecting things. Have any of you found your times speeding up as you lost weight? I'm curious how much I'll need to lose before I see a difference in my running capacity...

Ive read/seen stuff about this, and although i cant remember the EXACT numbers, its something to the effect of for every 5 lbs you loose (i dont remember if its just body fat, or overall weightloss) your speed improves by soomething like 15 seconds per mile.....like i said i cant remember the exact numbers, but they arent HUGE, however they ARE noticable...so YES, your running will def get faster as you lose weight, and also get in better shape...ever notice how EVERY SINGLE competitive runner (think olympian) weighs about 100 pounds sopping wet, with no apaprent body fat??

Yes, losing weight helped me get faster, definitely. In my early 40's, I lost weight, started running, and did a few races, halfs and a full marathon. I did the run/walk thing and I think my best 5K time was maybe 31 minutes or so. My best half marathon was 2:26. At the time, I weighed in the low 120's.

Then I fell off the wagon for about 2 years, regained it all (and more), and had to start over with the weight loss thing. :rolleyes: I couldn't even run at all when I started exercising again -- what a come-down after finishing a full marathon several years earlier!! As I lost weight and regained fitness, I started running again, and eventually found I didn't even need to do the run/walk thing any more. I'm a good 10 pounds lighter now than when I was running before and quite a bit faster. My 5K PR is a little over 26 minutes and my half marathon PR is 2:01. So yes, for me, that extra 10 pounds has made a significant difference.

Thanks, ladies, for the info! Can't wait to see it happen for myself : )

Hey girls. I am halfway through my HM train9ing meaning up to 6 miles as my long runs. I am however worried how I am going to finish 13 when it seeems like I am running forever doing 6. I love running but it worries me that I won't make it, It is wierd because I know I can run 7 miles next week for my long run without dying. any tips, advice or suggestions??

I am proud of my 6 miles BTW. I did it in 1:10:20. I was ecstatic the first time I did it!!!!

Cake- just take it 1 mile at a time. It'll be ok when you get there.

hi all.
i'm 5'3, 126 pounds, in good shape, work out 6 days a week and run more or less each one of those days. however, i cannot seem to run more than about 15-18 minutes at 5.5 mph. I do warm-ups before, I stretch, etc...and I do not smoke so that is not the issue.

I'm trying intervals right now...5 minutes uphill climb, 5 minutes running, to see if it builds up some endurance.
Any tips???? I'm really interested in running and one day I hope to have the ability to train for a 1/2 marathon.

Also, I sometimes get cramps during my runs. I usually drink half a bottle of water while I'm warming up on the elliptical. Should I not drink so much until after my run? Thanks!

Biju - I think as far as the water goes. I think the key is to stay hydrated all day so during your workouts you can sip occassionally rather than drink. Also if you want to run longer just slow your pace and work on endurance and then gradually ramp up your pace. I guess it is like, "what is more important...pace or endurance"?

Ennay - Thank you. I checked your running log.....awesome. It was inspiring to look over. I keep a hand written training log but it was neat to see someone else's.

biju, how long have you been at it? it sounds like you're at a good starting point, but as cake pointed out, you could always slow it down to start. though the interval training you mentioned will prob help a lot.
as for me, i've really been slacking off lately. only been to the gym twice a week the last couple weeks instead of my normal 3-4. went for a run yesterday and it wasn't so good. i think this run/walk thing we've been talking about lately as a way to extend our endurance is actually kinda just making me lazier and giving me an excuse to not push as hard. i'm not sure. yesterday i already had to walk a min and a half after two miles. i eventually made it 5 miles in around 50 mins, but there were many many walking intervals in there. it's not bad. it's just not as much as i used to do before i gave myself the permission to stop.

4.5 for me this morning. The last mile was tough, and I found my legs walking without my brain's permission. Ah, summer.

Anne