Hi mkroyer - I've been MIA for a while too. Just busy with life and stuff! I haven't raced since March because it's just too doggone hot now. The Florida heat and humidity is kicking my behind.

I'm still running about 30 miles per week off season and have kept a 14 mile long run base in the off season. I'm struggling both with the heat and a few extra pounds that have crept on since Christmas. Both factors together make for some very sloooooow and ugly long runs. I figure I don't care how long it takes, just move through the miles ...

Congrats to you all who are training for half-marathons. I'm so excited for all of you! Mkroyer - your trail running sounds awesome.

Yesterday I did my four mile run on the treadmill - too hot and humid to do it outside. Can't believe I used to do ALL my runs on the treadmill - boring! At least I love the music on my ipod and somehow don't get sick of it!

My next race is a 5k in August - a ways off, but other races just didn't jive with my summer schedule. I'm not hard core enough to get up at 4 am on a Sunday and drive two hours to go to a race that starts at 7 in the morning! I'm hoping to do some good cross-training over the summer including capoeira and other dance classes, but still keep up enough mileage and focus on running that I can pull of a sub 30 min 5k in August. Don't know about the route yet - and it could be hot and humid which would probably affect me.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Gosh I can't believe how many of you are running HMs! That's amazing. I'm so happy for you all, and I can't wait to be where you ladies are.

Weeee I ran my first 4 miler long run today! It's not that far, but previously I'd only been at a steady 3.5. I know I've lost endurance since I took a 2 week break. It was actually a little hard, surprisingly my legs got tired. I only had a few thoughts about walking, which is better than the usual "ok walk now, trust me you won't feel that bad about it, please start walking, you know you want to" internal monologue I usually have going. But I found a running buddy! I ran into a few of my boyfriend and my friends at Target on Sunday, and he offered to run with me. He even doesn't mind doing it at 6AM cos he agrees the heat is the pain.

Sadly he's been running for years so while we talked the whole time (the run FLEW BY for the first time ever) I sounded winded and he didn't. He didn't even start sweating until we were halfway through the second mile lol. But oh well! I have a new early Friday morning buddy. I'm so excited! He even wants to train for a half marathon, so maybe I'll even have someone to do that with.

I hope everyone else has a good weekend.

I did my first trail run yesterday, and let me tell you, it was amazing. 6 miles, hills, roots, curves, hills and more hills. You have to be constantly aware of your feet. No ipod, no zoning out. Much slower pace, but it was a terrific workout.

You are all doing amazing! I can only dream of doing a HM at the moment.
I've been running since January now and have my first 5k race on 3rd July. I run 5k or slightly more on the treadmill at least twice, possibly three times a week now, and then do one outside run to get me used to conditions for the race. My outside runs I make sure I cover 5k or slightly more, but due to hills I'm having to walk a little a times. The race circuit is supposed to be mostly flat so I'm hoping that I'll be able to run the whole thing without walking, and my goal is to do it in under 40mins.
I'm wondering now if you seasoned runners can give me some advice please. Now that I'm consistently doing 5k I'm getting bored on the treadmill... I have tried to mix it up a bit. On a couple of occasions I've run for 45mins at my slowest pace and ended up doing about 5.5k. On others I've done about 10mins at my slowest pace, then upped the speed for say 10mins, then knocked it back down, then up again etc. The problem is I don't feel I've got any structure to my treadmill runs and I'm feeling they're getting stale. I really want to keep improving my running overall, and speed and distance that I can cover, but not sure how best to do it.
I've read loads about running in mags, books and websites, but it all seems confusing and aimed towards more experienced runners. Terms like fartlek, tempo etc have me totally unsure what I should be doing.
I think I need one long run each week, which I gather is running at your slowest pace for a longer time, so overall covering more distance. Is this right? If so how should I do that? Should I add more time each week or more distance?
And as for improving my speed, any ideas? I know my speed has improved since I started running but I just want to make the most of my workouts. Am I right running for say 10mins at a faster pace or is that too long? Should I be running faster still but for a shorter time?
As I said, I have definitely two treadmill runs, and quite often three in a week, so what's the best way to use them to make the most progress?
I would LOVE to be able to build up to a 10k by the end of the year, if that helps anyone know what I'm hoping to achieve.

Until you are running on a regular basis DO NOT WORRY ABOUT SPEED. Speed comes from building a solid base, not from running faster.

Long runs are "easy pace" I'm not sure what you mean by "your slowest pace" They dont have to be done at the slowest pace you can possibly run. They should be done at the pace that allows you to finish your long run without being utterly wiped out.

Lets say you are doing 4 runs a week (1 outside 3 treadmill)

Maybe your week would be structured

1 longer run each week add either a little time or a little distance doesnt really matter which. Run at a pace you can talk comfortably. Personally I would make this my outside run and not worry about pace at all.

1 dead easy run. Boring slower than you want to go. This might be your shortest run of the week.

1 "workout" Choose one of the following options.
a) Hills - hills are speedwork in disguise. Keep the speed low and vary the incline from 2-8%. Hills build leg strength and lung power
b) Race pace - Warm up for 10 minutes at an easy pace, run the rest of your workout up to 2 miles (while training for your 5K ) or 3-4 miles (while training for your 10K) at the pace you want to run your race at. Leave 5 min at the end to cool down
c) Intervals I wouldnt do this more than every couple weeks. Warmup for 5 min. Do faster for 2-3 min, recover for 2-3 min etc. The interval pace should be difficult and take focus but NOT be all out. It will take practice to find the optimal pace.


If you do a 4th run in the week depending on where you put it you have some choice. I would personally do a run at just a little bit faster than your long run but not NEARLY as fast as a race pace run. Start with maybe 0.2mph faster. If you are really bored make it a fartlek run. Fartlek means "speed play" and is a totally unstructured run. When you get bored, hit a button on the treadmill. Speed up, slow down, incline up, incline down. Doesnt matter what, doesnt matter how long. If you are tired that day, go slow, if you are energetic go faster. Play.

ACK! My half marathon is just around the corner and I'm FREAKING OUT!
The tapering is driving me insane! I'm only doing 6 miles for my long run. I feel like I'm slacking! My longest run was only 10 miles and I'm wondering if it is enough to get me to the finish line? I know these people who made the training program have done this countless times, and know what they are talking about but gah i'm just over thinking things I guess! I get to go pick up my race packet on Monday I am soooo excited!

I did my first trail run in the mountains yesterday since, forever ago, and it was awesome!! I set out to do 5 miles and I did 5.25. I wasn't quite prepared for the heat and the uphill on the second half so I took a lot of walking breaks. I'm glad I was wearing my water belt lol My miles are still kind of dismal, only 11 this month. Oh well I'll just keep plugging along.

EveL, I'm sure you will do great! I don't think I've ever done a longer run than 10 miles for a half, and my first half I didn't even run for like a month before the race due to injury, but still was able to do it so you can for sure do it!

I did my first structured interval session on the treadmill at the gym this morning and it was GREAT! It seemed to fly by because overall I ran for less time than I usually do, but it was good to push myself for set amounts of distance and then have chance to recover before doing it again.
And I don't know if it was just a good workout today, but I actually think my steady pace is getting slightly easier!

You will be just fine. that's as far as my training took me, and I crossed the finish line with no problem. Good luck!

I did my LONG (well long for me lol) treadmill run today and ran 5.5k in 42.59mins. As always the first 15 or so mins seemed hard, but when I was getting near the end I actually considered keeping going to 6k. But I remembered the advice I've read so many times that you should only increase your distance by 10% per week so decided I'd better listen to it.
I also noticed today that my heart rate only rose very slowly throughout the run and at it's highest was still pretty good. I really think I'm making progress!!!

Eve - you can do it! You have put in your miles, done your training - be confident!

Loving - I agree with everything Ennay said re weekly runs. Mixing in intervals and hills on occasion are great, but better to focus on slowly increasing time at a comfortable pace rather than over-focusing on speed. And big congrats to you on your heart rate lower less - that means your cardiovascular health is improving which is awesome.

Had a decent run on Tuesday - shorter than I would have wanted (about 35 or 40 min) because I started it at 8:25 at night and it just got too dark to keep going. Did something new for the first time last night - jogged to the gym to warm up to do my strength workout (free weights, assisted pull-ups, BOSU, stability ball, etc) and then walked home the long way. Today's a planned off day and look forward to a good run Friday.

I had THE best outside run every today!!!
The most I've managed to run outside non-stop til today was 4.3k and overall 5.5k with run/walks.
Today I really needed to feel better than I have the last few days, so I forced myself out there into the big bad world and went for it.
I ended up running 6k non-stop and ran/walked approx 8k in total in under 55mins, including the hills!!! I did the 5k in 38.13 so my goals of running my first 5k race non-stop and in under 40mins are now seeming possible!
And about those hills, I still had to walk a couple, but I remembered Ennay's advice from another thread to me and when I got to the first one I slowed my pace a little, took smaller steps, and grabbed for that imaginary rope going up the hill, and it worked!!! I crested the hill and carried running on the flat and even began running up the next hill before I had to walk. I was truly amazed at myself! So thanks Ennay, you rock!!!

Awesome job Loving!

I had my HM yesterday and am really happy. For the first time in about 18 months I feel I am really on the road to recovery and things will start turning around. It was only marginally faster than last year, and still 6 minutes slower than my PR on the same course, but I raced it well and feel like I have a grasp on my appropriate pacing again. My hamstring didnt crap out so my self designed rehab seems to be working. (16 months of PT with only marginal results, 2 months of my own design and things are happening)

I should run recovery today but I had my 40th birthday party last night and, well, yeah no. Although my working theory that after a HM or Marathon I can NOT get buzzed no matter how much I drink is still holding. Bizarre. You would think it would be easy to get buzzed then.

congrats on the HM ennay! And happy belated birthday!