Thanks for the replies re: running and low-carb. I incorporated 10 more carbs (30 total) before yesterday's 3 mile run and felt pretty good. For my long runs, I'm considering adding a piece of fruit about 2 hours prior.

eh.... ive done very low carb (only veggies) for extended periods of marathon training


didnt bother me any, i guess cause my body was tapping into stored fat to use as energy. AS my runs got longer (more than 90 minutes) i started taking a running goo (100% sugar) which didnt even kick me out of ketosis, because it was immediately used as fuel.

Low carbing is not recommended for runners. Carbs are energy NOW

mkroyer Yeah it would definitely work with those gels, I just can't stomach them at all. That's why I added in the extra carbs (and the fact ketosis made me feel hyper and weird, bad reaction to it)

I don't post on this thread very much but I'm preparing for a 5k race (22nd May) and a sprint tri (28th August) at the moment. As the 5k race is not too far away, I'm concentrating on that for the time being and doing 2 x interval training plus a longer run (10k + easy). I'm also doing interval training in the pool twice a week so I hope that might help my fitness a bit. I'm aiming for a 5k time as close to (or under) 25mins as I can get it. The fastest I've recorded in training is 26:36 and I've never run a 5k race before so we'll see!

ok ill keep the thread going
5 miles at lunch yesterday...... 37:30
wasnt going for any land speed records, but then i saw these two perfect tiny, short shorts/makup hair done up a ways ahead of me, and i have a policy about barbie dolls when i run.... no way in **** they willbeat me (to what? where? it was a lunchtime run, not a race-- but thats not important.

its still too cold here most mornings to start "officially" training for anything, and i havent found anything to TRAIN FOR either...
should i train for another marathon (working to Boston Qualify?-- would have to run it in 3:40~ 8:20min/mie, for 26.2 miles)
should i trian to complete an ULTRA marathon (going further than ive ever ran beore?)
or should i train to improve my time on/be more competitve local 10K runner? I already am... but god i just wanna break 42 minutes on my 10K. That is a HUGE goal AND A HUGE HARD committment to training. Training to run faster and increasing Thresholds and VO2Max is SO MUCH more difficult than training to complete a longer distance... anyway, i dont know!

what do you guys think? (all 3 are running goals, and all three are completely different with different ways to train)

Well, personally, as I'm fairly certain I won't be doing another marathon (although I may aim for a half once a year) I will be working on bettering my times over shorter distances once my foot heals.

It all depends on what you want.

I'd be tempted by the 10k goal but it is bound to be hard work! I am well impressed by your current 10k time, amazing! How long did it take you to manage that?!

Totally get this!

Uuuuhh...does it have to be one of the above options? If not, might I suggest, just training for health, good looks and an overall KILLER BOD! Sorry...but today I turned 44 yrs old and still have the same bod (actually) and youthful glow I had when I was 20...well...almost...perhaps a little dimming in the eyes due to the things I've seen...but HECK..I digress...

Seriously...your goals make me want to take a nap! But in any event...whatever floats ya boat...you are much younger than I...so far be it from to steal a dream..in the alternative, I'd go for the Boston marathon...my ex-bro-in-law runs it every year...I hear it's fun!

Claire-- the 10K PR happend when i wasnt even training for a 10K... i was training for a marathon actually, and i was peaking in my training and just decided to go out and do this smaller local race....... the marathon training REALLY played a huge roll in increasing my threshold and VO2Max, and with the feeling of running "uncomfortably fast" lol (aka PUKINGLY fast!) i think i aeraged 7:12 min/mi on that race, and i really REALLLY want to get un under 7:00/mile avg for a 10K.......god its hard though. I was running approx 1.5 years when i PRd that 10K

joyful-- im afraid i really have to have a GOAL that i am training for..... ive tried just running/working out without one (whether it be weight related, or performance related) and i really lose focus and feel.....lost......especially with my road running.
Trail running, on the other hand, i do for pure enjoyment, however with my work schedule, this time of year it is limited ONLY to when we have really nice weekends........ im really itching to get up in the mountains and start again though!
i do like the idea of training for Boston... would love to qualify in my hometown/1st Marathon experience at the Denver Marathon.....

you know what i need to do first though....?
quit smoking'

todays lunchtime run
5 miles~ 36:09-- approx 7:12 avg/mi i like that time ALOT

started to get wind at the end Boo.... i cant STAND the wind!! it doesnt matter which way i was running, it was always in my face!

First- YES, quit smoking!! In ancient history I was a heavy smoker. Blech! I can't imagine it now. I remember how free I felt when I finally kicked the habit (after quite a few false starts).

Second- LOVE your times! Awesome. Since you seem motivated by speed, my vote is for aiming your laser-like focus on a fast 10k. (Of course, only you know best what will motivate you...but you asked for opinions and I have been known to toss mine about willy-nilly.)

I relate to the goal driven training. My most fit times were when I had to perform for sports. It's also the times I enjoyed training most, although I do like exercising just for the way it makes me feel too.

My training is chugging along, 7.5 miles in 70 min yesterday, off today, 50 min run tomorrow, with my long run on Sunday.

My God, it has been windy here today - gusts of 60mph and sustained winds of 30-40mph. And I went for a very slow jog with my mum - but it was so good to get my legs moving as I haven't run since Monday (been fighting a cold). Tomorrow I'm hoping the wind will drop enough so my planned 4 miles doesn't feel like ****.

So I don't remember if I mentioned it here, but I entered the Nike Women's Half Marathon lottery a couple of weeks ago - someone I work with had a group entering and if you enter under a group ID, if one of the group gets in, everyone in the group gets in. So - we got in. I am half appalled that I even thought of trying a half marathon mid October and half thrilled as I've heard the Nike race is very cool - plus the finisher's medals are Tiffany necklaces! I'm signed up for the Las Vegas half on December 4 so this shifts my training up by six weeks - but hopefully that doesn't mean I can't make it. The summer is nearly here so I can get out every morning at 5am and run, which means I can at least get plenty of mileage in. But man - I'm freaked out! And excited. And freaked out.

I also relate to goal orientated training! I get bored too easily just running without a goal, and then I find excuses not to go. I need to see results, either being able to run longer or faster, and I need a race to prepare for at all times. We have the Dean Karnazes book Ultramarathon Man, great read! It inspired me but not to the extent I would actually do one!

Jules - Tiffany necklaces, cool! You can do it!

I think I am going to have to move my 5k training to the pool for a week or so, I have tightness / pain in my quad. I did 10k this morning, really slowly, and had to stop after 2k to stretch it out. Now it hurts a bit. My bf has given me some yoga exercises to do to stretch it out but swimming will be much less brutal on it and I don't want to make it worse so I can't even do the 5k. I think I'll have to accept I won't run under 25mins and I'll have to sign up for another one in July. Grr. I hate injuries!

You smoke and you run that far and that fast? Just think of what you could achieve if you quit! I can barely breathe while running and I have never smoked a cigarette in my life LOL

Qualifying for the Boston marathon would be an amazing achievement, but it sounds like what you want most is to run that 10K with speed, so I'd go for that!