Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

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I've finally got some new shoes. I've been waiting months for some Brooks Ghost 11's really looking forward to getting out in them.

I had a buy one get one free voucher for the shop too, so got a pair of Nike Zoom FlyKnitts aswell, they are like racing slippers!

Just replaced my old brookes ghosts with some new glycerin, nice neutral running shoe that extremely comfortable
 
Soldato
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Great work

As above the best thing would be to try them out. I have the ASICS GT2000 which are decent.

I went to Decathlon and after an hour of trying everything on got some Kiprun Long trainers for £60 and some support ankle socks!

They had the GT2000 in there but not in my size :( and I wanted to walk out there and then with some so.....

See how I get on with these, currently wearing them at work to bed them in so to speak!
 
Soldato
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I wish running trainers weren't so ******* ugly.

I'm off to Copenhagen in a few weeks and i thought i'd try and pick up a pair of trainers that i could run in, but that also wouldn't look awful with jeans for generally walking around in the day.

It really limits choice to have to pick something plain rather than what's best fitting wise.
 
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I wish running trainers weren't so ******* ugly.

I'm off to Copenhagen in a few weeks and i thought i'd try and pick up a pair of trainers that i could run in, but that also wouldn't look awful with jeans for generally walking around in the day.

It really limits choice to have to pick something plain rather than what's best fitting wise.

Adidas Ultra Boost in black?
 
Caporegime
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I wish running trainers weren't so ******* ugly.

I'm off to Copenhagen in a few weeks and i thought i'd try and pick up a pair of trainers that i could run in, but that also wouldn't look awful with jeans for generally walking around in the day.

It really limits choice to have to pick something plain rather than what's best fitting wise.


Altra Escalante.

I use them on business trips and running before meeting investors and clients in the same shoes. They are also really great running shoes but I sometimes have issues with the tongue
 
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Got the below book today, looks very interesting and hopefully will give me some good advice going into the Brighton Marathon this April!

80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster by Training Slower by Matt Fitzgerald
 
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Went to do park run today after having a couple of weeks off running from an injury and found it tough to do the distance. I was 30 mins today about 90 seconds off my pb.

I took the couple of weeks off as I think I may of increased my distance to much a few weeks back and ended up with some discomfort in my lower shins and calves.

I got a 10k race my first race in 4 weeks time and the furthest I’ve ever gone is 12k and may of been when I got the injury.

Any tips to make sure I can get back into shape enough to make the race distance, worried I may overdo it.
 
Caporegime
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Got the below book today, looks very interesting and hopefully will give me some good advice going into the Brighton Marathon this April!

80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster by Training Slower by Matt Fitzgerald


It is a great book. I structure most of my training around The premises of the book. Only thing is since I'm not an elite I tend to do more like a 90-10 to further reduce injury risk.

It is also important to make sure that 80-90% of easy running really is easy. Use jack Daniels VDOT calculator or similar to get a more realistic easy pace range. 2-3 minutes slower than race pace (3mins slower than 5k, 2mins slower than marathon).
 
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It is a great book. I structure most of my training around The premises of the book. Only thing is since I'm not an elite I tend to do more like a 90-10 to further reduce injury risk.

It is also important to make sure that 80-90% of easy running really is easy. Use jack Daniels VDOT calculator or similar to get a more realistic easy pace range. 2-3 minutes slower than race pace (3mins slower than 5k, 2mins slower than marathon).
I’m 44 this year and have suffered 2 injuries already in 2019 one of which has stopped me running for 2+ weeks so I’m hoping this will get me back running at a reduced injury rate :)
 
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I’m 44 this year and have suffered 2 injuries already in 2019 one of which has stopped me running for 2+ weeks so I’m hoping this will get me back running at a reduced injury rate :)


If you are prone to injuries then I would simply drop all workouts and just concentrate on building volume of easy miles. I have a friend that never does any kind of workout because he hates them but knocks out 2:45 marathons based on easy running and lots of long runs.

I limit workouts to a specific training window before key races. Maybe 6-7 weeks with 1 or 2 workouts a weeks and 2-3 recovery weeks inbetween. I'm training for a marathon end of April, first workout was last week, will do another 1 or 2 next week, then a 1 week break. Will repeat that cycle another 2 times before taper.

The thing with workouts is they have very high injury risk, quickly lead to small improvements buy very quickly you get diminishing returns. A vast majority of performance comes simply from aerobic volume (and weight, and genetics). So a small amount of quality runs goes a long way and more just gets you injured. And however much quality you do you will never see the potential of consistent high volume. You also loose the benefits of workouts quite quickly, while high aerobic load leads to long term adaptations.


If you are a low volume running that tries to do several workouts a week but gets injured then droppi almost all workouts and increasing volume will improve performance and reduce injuries.

Another friend was doing 40mpw and 2 workouts consistently, but always ended up injured or blowing up in a marathon. He stopped all workouts and increased volume to 70-80mpw , has gone 2 years without injury and got his PB from 3:50 something down to 3:18 and achieved his dream of qualifying for Boston.
 
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If you are prone to injuries then I would simply drop all workouts and just concentrate on building volume of easy miles. I have a friend that never does any kind of workout because he hates them but knocks out 2:45 marathons based on easy running and lots of long runs.

I limit workouts to a specific training window before key races. Maybe 6-7 weeks with 1 or 2 workouts a weeks and 2-3 recovery weeks inbetween. I'm training for a marathon end of April, first workout was last week, will do another 1 or 2 next week, then a 1 week break. Will repeat that cycle another 2 times before taper.

The thing with workouts is they have very high injury risk, quickly lead to small improvements buy very quickly you get diminishing returns. A vast majority of performance comes simply from aerobic volume (and weight, and genetics). So a small amount of quality runs goes a long way and more just gets you injured. And however much quality you do you will never see the potential of consistent high volume. You also loose the benefits of workouts quite quickly, while high aerobic load leads to long term adaptations.


If you are a low volume running that tries to do several workouts a week but gets injured then droppi almost all workouts and increasing volume will improve performance and reduce injuries.

Another friend was doing 40mpw and 2 workouts consistently, but always ended up injured or blowing up in a marathon. He stopped all workouts and increased volume to 70-80mpw , has gone 2 years without injury and got his PB from 3:50 something down to 3:18 and achieved his dream of qualifying for Boston.
Thanks for the detailed response, so I do 2 x 5miles in the week and do long runs at the weekend (early morning whilst the family sleep) all at an average of 9min miles, are you referring to workouts as runs? What’s does the recovery comment mean, is that post long runs? Although I’ve run for 6-7 years I’ve never got focused into the language but as I’ve said I’m no spring chicken anymore and want to keep running with no injuries if at all possible :D

Got the Baldock Beast next Sunday which is a half marathon so hoping to be fit (as I can be) for that as I run with my twin brother who is also doing the Brighton Marathon with me, I’ve raised just under 5k for the Brain Tumour charity as I had a low grade tumour removed in 2016 (3 months off work) and I think the running helped me bounce back!
 
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A workout will refer to semi structured higher intensity training, like intervals, hills, speed work.

I've read the 80/20 book and also like the approach, especially for older runners like myself. I train using heart rate to define easy pace and for me it equates to about 1.5 to 2 minutes slower than 5k pace.

Good luck in the baldock beast. It's a hilly half (if you've not run it before).
 
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A workout will refer to semi structured higher intensity training, like intervals, hills, speed work.

I've read the 80/20 book and also like the approach, especially for older runners like myself. I train using heart rate to define easy pace and for me it equates to about 1.5 to 2 minutes slower than 5k pace.

Good luck in the baldock beast. It's a hilly half (if you've not run it before).
Yes ran it the year before last! It’s good fun though.... I see your in Hertfordshire, where about? I’m out by Standalone Farm back end of Letchworth
 
Caporegime
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I've been running like a beast the last weeks, 300 miles in February over 20 days of running, 95 miles in the last 6 days. Also with some good workouts. Monday I did 10x0.5mles at around 2:50 per interval. Wednesday I did a 6 mile tempo at just over 6min/mile pace, around a 38minute 10K within a training run. Today was 21.4 long slow miles. Rest week coming up on a ski vacation. Then March should be more of the same.
 

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You're a machine D.P. Would love to be at your standard! There's a guy in my team at work who runs like you. He did the Brathay 10in10 last year and did consistent 3:30 marathons back to back.He's in his 40s so there's home for me to get to that standard at 33.

I'm getting myself to marathon condition (Manchester 7th April). Never done more than a half and with a newborn baby I'm limited to using my commute for running. Run 2.7 miles each way every week day and recover weekends and try do a longer run on a Friday morning. Did a half this morning in 2:10 with a nice steady pace. Next week going to add another lap in to push this to close to 20 miles or thereabouts (4am get up for that one!) and will likely not do any longer runs further before the marathon.

My Nike Free Run, first pair of running trainers that I bought donkeys years ago for the gym, are now destined for the bin after a year of hard use outdoors. Got some new ones on the way. Realised after all this time they're not quite what you would use if you're not used to them, especially for long runs, however I prefer freer footwear so sticking with what my feet know especially for a daily used shoe. I have some Brooks Hyperion for actual races which are close but a little more supported (so should see me through a marathon better).
 
Caporegime
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I like the consistency. Too many rest days and I just never get In the swing. I'm actually dreading next week. I need the recovery time but hate the effect it has.
 
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