ugh...so exhausted today. Not sure if I did a little too much this week, PMS or if maybe I'm getting sick. Everyone has the plague around here.

Spin and ST kicked my butt yesterday and my 5 miler this morning was no joke.

I'm all planned and ready to prep for Sunday's 16 miler (my longest run EVER!, I'll be saying that a lot LOL). Gonna do half a bagel w/ half a banana and 1TB of PB w/ 1c of coffee 90 mins before and immediatly after with 2 GUs and 1 GU Brew and water during.

I have noticed that I need less fuel, but on my shorter runs I have yet to eliminate it, I think I need to, because I'm no longer seeing any benifits. Thinks it's just habit at this point to take a GU before any runs longer than 5 miles and take GUs during on any runs longer that 12 miles. Think next week I'll elminate that pre-run GU. Save myself a few cals, which means more snacks! Just kidding.

Have a great day everyone! I'll try to pop back in later.

I love to run...short distances. I've never really considered myself a runner though I used to do 5k's all the time. I could do sub-20 minute 5ks. Now I run every other day about 3 miles. I do it in about 30 minutes and only to get my cardio in. I like it the first couple of miles but after that it just doesn't seem like much fun. But this year, my plan is to run every other day or so. I want to get to 500 miles this year. I'd like to get to around 5k every time I run and do that in about 30-40 minutes. I'm really slow since I'm out of shape but I assume I will improve over time. I can't really run outside on hard surfaces any more due to some really bad shin splints. I don't seem to have those issues on a treadmill so I mostly do that. I tried to run outside a few weeks ago and while I was doing it it wasn't bad. But about an hour after I got done I couldn't hardly walk my shins hurt so bad. Maybe if I lose 60+ pounds it won't be so bad...

Hi there
Im a runner, have been for so many years its hard to count, but ive gotten off track and trying to get back into it. I am able to run a little bit but not much yet. Today I walked/jogged for 20 min in intervals and then walked another 10 min on an incline. Im hanging in and getting back into it. Its hard to start again but the motivation is good so i just thought i would post a little
thx :)

My goals are a 5K in January and February, a 10K in March and a half marathon in April/May. It'll be my first half so the date is still iffy. Depends on when I'm ready! :) Any tips for training for my first half?

Do you guys do interval runs? I have been doing interval runs once per week, and to be honest I HATE them! But I keep reading how important interval training is to increase you running stamina and for fat burn. Thoughts?

This thread is awesome!!
My goals this year are first of all to beat my best 1/2 marathon time of 2:15.35. I ran that last April. I also completed three other half marathons and 1 very tough (toughest race I have ever done) 10k trail run with a killer climb.
I also want to lose about 25 lbs over the course of the next year.

A big goal for me is to run consistently, and not just the month before a race. I don't want to have periods of not running at all. Which usually I have a few that last a moonth and more that last a few weeks.

By next year I want to be ready to train for a whole marathon.

Originally Posted by CherryPie99:
Do you guys do interval runs? I have been doing interval runs once per week, and to be honest I HATE them! But I keep reading how important interval training is to increase you running stamina and for fat burn. Thoughts?

Once a week is about right. Short intervals are for speed, long intervals are for stamina.

What type of intervals you do really depends on your goals. Fat burn is shorter and faster intervals. The longer the race you are training for the longer your intervals should be and then correspondingly slower.

I tend to do 2 speed sessions a week but I run 6-7 days a week. If you are running 4 days or less stick to 1 speed session. I do 1 interval session and 1 tempo session (tempo is a sustained run somewhere between 10K pace and HM pace if you have RACED either of those or if you dont something probably about 60-90 seconds per mile faster than you usually go but significantly slower than intervals.) Occasionally instead of one of those I do hill repeaters instead when I really feel like torturing myself.

The more speedwork you do, the more important it is that your non speed days are appropriately slow.

Musical: I am using Hal Higdon's "Novice" plan to run my 1st 1/2 Mary April 28. I started the training Dec 30 (my bday). I ran the first 4-miler today. It was awesome. Actually, this whole week has been awesome. I recommend it highly if you are already running.

Cherry: I do interval runs a couple times a week with my Lab, River. We do hill intervals--usually 10-20, then I run the remaining 2 miles or so. I do this because I know the terrain will be hilly for my 1/2 & I do not want to become accustomed to running on flat surfaces. By hills, I mean lake levees!

So, today was totally awesome. The weather was perfect for my 4-miler & then I walked an extra mile to get back home. I planned it this way b/c I have a little challenge going on w/another fellow 3FC member. I only walked for 3min and 20sec, which is a record for me.
Since it has been so cold here, I have been doing 2 & 3 miles with 3 layers of clothing on. Today, the temp was high 60s. I was able to run in 1 thin layer, without the distraction of my k9s. Boy, did that make a big difference!

I did not become tired, but my breathing needs work. ATM, I am taking 3 breaths in through my nose and 1 forceful breath out of my mouth, but I still become short of breath it seems. I slow down to a 12:15 pace or so to recover. Any breathing tips would be highly appreciated!

K9 - is this breathing on your normal runs or on an interval? If it is your regular run then you need to just overall slow down. Easy and Long runs should be done at a pace where you could carry on a non stop gossip fest with a running partner. On an easy run your breathing should be smooth and unforced. As your long runs get longer this is going to become more important. When you are first learning to find that easy pace it sometimes feels like you couldnt possibly run that pace you will adjust to the slower pace, you just have to give it time. Easy on easy days. Hard on hard days.

Higdon's plans are a good place to start. I liked them and i still use elements of them.

I am somewhat new to running--3 months now of doing 2x 10-mile runs a week, and spinning/swimming/5k-runs the other days of the week. I am still fat, though. What you said about the body only absorbing 150-300 cal per run really surprised me. Every source I've checked has said my 10-milers at 5.5-6mph burn ~600cal. That's why my "cheat days" (2000-2400cal) are scheduled for the days I run 10 miles. If 150-300cal is all I'm really burning those days, it's probably my cheat days that are keeping me fat. But I can't give up my cheat days, or I'll just blow the diet altogether. I love food too much to be one of those people who can live off salads, grains and lean proteins for 100% of the time...

Originally Posted by NyxWriter:
I am somewhat new to running--3 months now of doing 2x 10-mile runs a week, and spinning/swimming/5k-runs the other days of the week. I am still fat, though. What you said about the body only absorbing 150-300 cal per run really surprised me. Every source I've checked has said my 10-milers at 5.5-6mph burn ~600cal. That's why my "cheat days" (2000-2400cal) are scheduled for the days I run 10 miles. If 150-300cal is all I'm really burning those days, it's probably my cheat days that are keeping me fat. But I can't give up my cheat days, or I'll just blow the diet altogether. I love food too much to be one of those people who can live off salads, grains and lean proteins for 100% of the time...

Whoa, where is this posted? No. You burn more than 150-300 calories on a 10 mile run. That is a fallacy

OK....I found it, NO, what she was saying is that WHILE running your body can only take in 150-300 calories per hour from energy gels and sports drinks. Beyond that you are not going to absorb. Although personally, ingesting that much of sportsgels/drinks would make me sick LONG before 150-300

Yes - ABSORBED, and agreed, I don't like that number either, that many cals during a run is a bit high for me as well.

600 cals burned on a 10 miler sounds low as well. In general, and I use the word general, on average people burn about 100 cals PER MILE. Of course, weight and speed can affect that, but it's a pretty average number and I find when I use my heart rater monitor that's pretty accurate. So you are likely burning around 1000 miles on those 10 milers.

Not much to add on the speed conversation. I do intervals once a week, and have grown to like them. Mixes things up and I've noticed awesome improvement in my speed. So I generally do 1 Easy run, 1 speed run or hill run and 1 Long Run.

Yes regardless of speed you burn roughly 100 calories per mile give or take.

The reason speedwork helps with weightloss is you get greater afterburn - your metabolism stays elevated for longer post run.

I ran another 1-miler today - shaved 30 seconds off my Wednesday time. As far as calories go, I got a bodybugg for Christmas and it showed that I burned about 120 calories in that mile. I am sure that count will go down as I get back into shape. An unfortunate consequence of fitness is effeciency in burning calories.

So I guess you guys are saying I should continue the interval runs? I'm not training for any race, but I know that it should help with after-burn of fat. Dang - I really, really hate sprinting.