ChrisB

Any serious runners about?

My gym is doing various New Year Resolutions, one of which is a program to train you to get through a half marathon.

I'm very tempted to give it a shot, although I've never run that far in my life. Walked it many a time but not run.

I've been going to the gym for just over two years now. So whilst I'm pretty fit - I reckon the fitest I've been since school (!) - I've not trained for endurance. My average CV work out is around 1 hour, although I sometimes push this out to 1hr 45 to 2 hrs. I generally train three to four times a week which is a mix of CV and weights. One of those sessions is usually spinning which I find pushes your CV very hard.

You get a choice of events, the first being in June 2003, the last the Greath North Run in September (IIRC) 2003. It's £35 to cover the entry fee and other bits eg the gym reckon they'll get people in to talk about trainers etc. I'd look to do it for charity

Anyone done this sort of distance before? I'm interested to hear any info you might have picked up if you trained for this. Is six months feasible to be ready for 13 miles (given that I'm not a complete lard **** now )

TIA,

Chris.

TelBoy

Chris, no, but i did a quarter of a Twix once...

Ahem, sorry. Please continue....

Attu

Ive done a few but they were when i was in the army so i was fit anyway ohh and about 10 years ago
Just about anyone should be able to get fit in 6 months as long as they havnt got any medical problems, cant your Gym sort out a training program for you ?

Andy

scrappydoo

Got to level 14 on the bleep test if that counts. Felt like hell on earth and i thought i was going to die. Funny though cos i felt like a right moron on my own with everyone watching.

[Edited by scrappydoo - 12/28/2002 1:56:01 AM]

NAF

**** off Chris will ya
Who you kidding ????
Only reason you'll runv 13 miles is if theres a maccy D's at the end !!




Only kidding mate
Go for it!!!

ChrisB

Andy,

Part of the 'deal' is the gym will run you a programme to get you ready for it, so structuring the training isn't a issue

midget1500

last year i ran as part of a relay team in the belfast marathon. did the first leg, around 5.5 miles - it killed me. took around 45mins. i'm 22 and haven't done anything that remotely resembles exercise in 10 years so prior to the marathon i went to the gym 2-3 times a week for about 3 months until i could manage 6 miles on a treadmill. well, running on the road (as everyone told me) is twice as hard.

good luck, you'll need 6 months i'd reckon, but i'm a lazy bugger.

scoob_babe

go for it Chris - if its a proper program, you'll be fine!!

ozzy

Hi Chris,

I've done loads of running over the past few since (well, since joing the Marines back in 2000).

If you're reasonably fit, then you'll have a good foundation for running. Set yourself small (achievable) goals using the gyms structure. Whatever you do, don't go mad and increase your training distances as this will just lead to overuse injuries.

I can speak from experience and have the scars to prove that overtraining is not good for you.

Get proper running shoes. Don't worry how they look (I specifically mean all the fancy Nike ones) or what brand they are, just concentrate on fit and get help from a specialist running shop. I have some of those fancy Nike trainers, but I'd never use them for actual running I've tried Nike, Adidas, Brooks, Saucony and have found Asics happen to work for me. A proper running shop will check what your feet and gait to see which runners are best suited to you. You may not need it, but it might be worth asking a Podiatrist to quickly check your feet and gait to see if you're likely to need specific types of runners or even an insole. Usually people use this when they have problems, but spending £20 up front might save you money in the long run.

If your body's not used to running and you start in any old pair of trainers, you'll end up with shin, knee, hip or lower back problems. It's OK when your 17, but not 10 or 15 yrs later.

I'd also recommend not running on hard surfaces like concrete, tarmac or even a treadmill. The last one is just personal experience - I think they're the work of the Devil; they're just not natural.

Find a nice big park or if you live in the country even better; get out a do some cross country, but either way stick to grass.

I've known some people who just pull on any scruffy old trainers and go out and run 20-miles with no problems - but they are the lucky few - barstewards

It would be handy if you could let me know just what schedule the gym come up with.

Stefan

Scumbag

Stefan is pretty much spot-on above. There is no reason why you shouldnt be able to do it as long as you build up to it gradually (hence taking advice from the guys/gals at the gym).

Definitely get trainers from a running shop - NOT high street outlet (it's like comparing someone who knows what they're talking about in a specialist hi-fi shop to the morons they employ on a Saturday morning in Dixons).

I would mix up the training - Personally I like treadmills (as long as they are used in moderation). They cushion the footfall quite well, but the major benefit is that you can accurately measure times and improvements (down side is they are boring unless there are transient bits of totty wandering through the gym ) You MUST mix any treadmill work with other surfaces (preferably grass/ dirt roads), but I'd make sure you do a min of 20% of your work on road/pavement. Also the thing that they'll forget to tell you in the gym is to make sure you do some hills - for people who have only run on the flat, and can quite happily go for miles and miles, they hit a bit of a slope and are in pieces within a few hundred yards.

Oh - and I've run 3h 16m 25s for the full marathon (which I was dead dis-chuffed with - but not bad for a sub-49sec 400m runner !!). The 1/2 marathon distance should be short enough not to hit the wall - especially if you take dietary advice as well as training advice. Go on - you'll enjoy it (maybe!!)

super_si

Im a pure weights person, 1000m row and 5min warm down.

Cv over

ozzy

Si,

And that's why you'll die of a heart-attack at 39

Your heart is a muscle too, so don't forget it when trying to become the next Arnie.

Stefan

barge

I thought they were called snickers now

looks like the best advice has already been given.

How far do you have to run to work off a pizza ??

super_si

1000m warm up then 5min ride.

I do 100miles a week bike riding so i think ill be safe

ozzy

Well, according to my Polar HRM a 45min hard run burnt 512kcal with an average heart rate of 155 (maxed out around 190). That's obviously based on my age, height, weight, etc..

IIRC a Big Mac is 700kcal, so I guess for a Pizza it's just as much.

I usually take my HRM up onto the hills. After 9hrs and 3 mountains later, I was 3551kcal the lighter. Average heart rate was 135, but it was as high as 186 on the steep bits.

So, if you like your fatty foods get onto the hills.

Stefan

ozzy

I'm sure you do Si, but I could cycle for from Lands End to John O'Groats and not get me heart rate over 120.

As long as your 100 miles is raising your heart to a good level, then you'll be safe.

And body builders diets aren't the healthiest things on the planet. My cousin was a serious body builder for years, but his health was terrible. High colesterol and he couldn't after 10mins couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag.

Stefan

ChrisB

Ozzy & Scumbag - many thanks, just what I was looking for. 3hrs 15 for a full marathon! Wow - I'd love to do 13 in that time

Footwear looks to be as important as being physically fit then. I have Bourne Sports on my door step who I think are a step above JJB/JD Sports etc. Greens (the gym) certainly seem to be aware of this.

I do do some running on the treadmill in the gym, although I find it un-natural. I can't watch the TVs whilst running - I have to concentrate and focus downwards (compared to be able to look round whilst running outdoors). I usually do around 2km as warm up. My preference over the treadmill at my gym is the Rotex. Very low impact and I can easily do a mixed hill profile on around level 7 or 8 (out of 12) for an hour.

I've dropped 3 1/2 stone in weight over the two years I've been going to the gym (damn expensive all these new clothes ). My recovery seems pretty good to me after an hour of CV work. I might look like a sweaty mess whilst on the bike or Rotex but by the time I leave the gym after a shower, I feel great. Need to add endurance to it now.

My estate is right next to a canal tow path, so options for running there. Couple of options near by for country parks too.

You a hill walker too Ozzy?

Thanks guys

Chris.

PS.

I have no idea what you're on about

ozzy

Hi Chris,

Sounds like you've got everything covered. Yes, I'm a hillwalker. I've loads of pics on my website of all the ones I've done since August this year.

Biggest problem with distance running is setting off too fast. Take things nice and steady, as you'll look fantastic as you flash past all those folk that have hit the wall near the end and will be able to put in a sprint finish

As Sumbag mentioned already, it's good to vary your running from long slow runs, to short fast ones and include some hills to help build some stamina into your legs. I also add some fartlek and interval running into my training. You body gets used to routines quickly, so you've got to shock it all the time.

Fartlek is basically running slow and fast whenever you feel like it. So say, you decide to go for a 4-mile run, you simply vary between a steady pace, to slow jogging, to short fast sprints. Whatever you feel like really.

Intervals are more structured. Luckily I've a few grass football picthes within 500m of my house, so I usually do 4-5 sprints round one of the pitches with a 1min rest in between. These are great for giving your heart and lungs a hard workout.

I wouldn't get too hung up on training techniques when you're starting off, but you get bored with the same old thing especially if you're running 5 times per week. It's good to know that you can shake things up every now and again.

Only other thing I'd recommend is spending plenty of time warming up and cooling down. And concentrate spending time stretching before, but especially after a run. If you don't spend time on stretching, you'll just be asking for an injury.

This site gives some good stretching exercises.

I've also added 2 sessions of just stretching into my routine and it's worked wonders. If you don't stretch at all, you'll just end up with short-fat muscles that'll tear or snap sooner or later.

Brian MacKenzie's site is also great for advice.

Stefan

ChrisB

Cheers again Ozzy

The first five minutes of my CV exercises are very low intensity to warm up the muscles and stretch out the arms. A slow (5 to 6km/h) walk on the treadmill or something similar.

I'm also religous in stretching when finishing off at the gym. Calfs, quads, hamstrings, then onto arms etc. In two years of gym going, I haven't hurt myself or pulled a muscle (touch wood!). It all got beaten into me at Loughborough Uni (who know a thing or two about sport) as I played American Football there. We had a full set of structured warm ups before every training session or match - warm ups prior to a match were a full hour, then an hour of drills and only then you finally got to kick ***

Great web site btw. I've never made it up to Scotland for walking. We used to hit Wales for day-hikes / weekends or the Lakes for weekends. Reading your comments on finding people half way up a peak in trainers brought back memories for me.

Chris.

carl

Blimey! I used to work with him (I checked the bio and photos and it's the same bloke).

S.B.

AllanB

I used to run twice daily and have done a few half marathons. Unfortunately most of my running was done on roads before decent running shoes were available so I've been lefts with two knackered knees !

With regards to training if you are reasonably fit 6 months will be more than enough.


AllanB

Benji Lad

I agree with all the points above.

I'll also add though one of the most important things is to simply get the miles down. Get ploddin'!!

I also found circuit and weight training helped. It felt like the strength was there as well as the endurance.

Good luck.

Avi

Did them with the RAF... Jesus, no chance i'd be able to manage to do it now .. possibly the most unfit i've been since i was a twinkle in my Dad's eye

Ran accross tesco car park at a scooby meet last month.., couldn't speak for a few minutes

ozzy

Then there's no better time to start

One of the lads @ work took up fell running in his early 30's. He's now in his mid-50's and can run the @rse off me.

He can run 5-6 minute miles up fecking mountains and last for 30-miles

He's ran up and back down Ben Nevis in 2hrs

The only thing that pi$$es him off is that another bloke in his 60's still beats him

Stefan

ChrisB

Fell runners - now there's a true bunch of nutters!

T.J

I would reccomend joining a Athletics club. They will always be someone else to run at your pace and the more experienced will help out with training. I joined a club and managed a 1.23 half marathon in 3 months and a 3.11 marathon after four months. There was always alot of encouragement from other runners which helped alot. I mixed road running/xcountry with 2 weekly track sessions and one night of cross training in a gym (bloody hard work). Now down to 1.16 half and 2.45 marathon so it does work!

Nike air max classics are brilliant if you are starting from above average weight as I did!

Also with all the kgs you lose you cars performance will increase

Good luck

Tony

[Edited by T.J - 12/29/2002 11:29:59 PM]