Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Blackvault

Blackvault

Blackvault

Soldato
Joined
5 May 2004
Posts
4,148
Location
Northern Ireland
Marvt74 said:
Have decided to set myself 2 new goals for running

Sub 2hr Half Marathon
Sub 25min 5k

I think since i've done duration and length i'd like to work on speed a little more rather than just running at comfortable pace. If i can do that, then i can start doing longer runs which will increase the variety of routes i can take.

I think the biggest driver for this however is going to be weight. Whenever i've tried speed work before it really causes issues with my knees/ankles. Here's hoping!
Click to expand...

Nice goals! :) What are your current times for those two distances?
 

Martynt74

Martynt74

Martynt74

Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
21,339
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
My best "official" half time was 2:14 which i got on Sunday for the first part of the marathon. In recent training i think i've done around 2:08 as part of long runs so i think that should be more do-able. A few years ago when i was a bit isolated and had access to a small looped track i got a rough time of around 1:53, but that was with a cheap casio watch and manually counting laps. it was claimed to be 7 laps/mile so i had to do 92. I'm sure there was some error in calculating them! I was also about 15kg lighter.

5k i'm around 29mins on Strava. As above, using some calculation on the above track i used to average 8:30/mile but who knows how accurate that ever was. I think if i can get close to that again with work and in race conditions with other people i can do it.
 

The Darkness

The Darkness

The Darkness

Associate
Joined
5 Nov 2004
Posts
789
Location
Herts
Marvt74 said:
Have decided to set myself 2 new goals for running

Sub 2hr Half Marathon
Sub 25min 5k

I think since i've done duration and length i'd like to work on speed a little more rather than just running at comfortable pace. If i can do that, then i can start doing longer runs which will increase the variety of routes i can take.

I think the biggest driver for this however is going to be weight. Whenever i've tried speed work before it really causes issues with my knees/ankles. Here's hoping!
Click to expand...

Great to set yourself some new targets. Another way of increasing your speed is simply to run more, not worry about speed workouts, and as you know you'll get quicker. Then when your weight has dropped and you are running faster anyway, slowly introduce one speed session per week. It's worked well for me!
 

daveski

daveski

daveski

Soldato
Joined
15 Apr 2004
Posts
2,672
Location
Nottingham
Been in the Alps since Saturday on a family skiing holiday. I've managed to get a couple of runs in but have to be out and backs on the road as even in April the paths around the bottom of the mountains have snow on them!

It's an incredibly beautiful setting and the views are amazing but I will never moan about a supposed 'hilly' run back home again!
 

#Chri5#

#Chri5#

#Chri5#

Soldato
Joined
27 Feb 2003
Posts
7,173
Location
Shropshire
daveski said:
Been in the Alps since Saturday on a family skiing holiday. I've managed to get a couple of runs in but have to be out and backs on the road as even in April the paths around the bottom of the mountains have snow on them!

It's an incredibly beautiful setting and the views are amazing but I will never moan about a supposed 'hilly' run back home again!
Click to expand...

Can't beat a holiday run for some leg burn. I did this whilst in Italy a few years ago - 5k down hill to the village, 5k straight back up the hill!

ymqTURUl.png.jpg
 

manic111

manic111

manic111

Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2007
Posts
20,620
Location
Various
D.P. said:
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
Click to expand...

These are literally the most comfortable shoes I've worn in my life. Transitioning from absolutely minimal Inov8s (about 11mm stack height) to these makes me feel like I'm running on a big bouncy cushion. It's lovely! Tried them for the first time last night, and I can't remember the last time my ankles felt this OK after a run.
 

D.P.

D.P.

D.P.

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
32,618
manic111 said:
These are literally the most comfortable shoes I've worn in my life. Transitioning from absolutely minimal Inov8s (about 11mm stack height) to these makes me feel like I'm running on a big bouncy cushion. It's lovely! Tried them for the first time last night, and I can't remember the last time my ankles felt this OK after a run.
Click to expand...


Yeah, they feel great but are still a minimalist shoe. They weigh almost nothing and fit like a glove.

They have a special foam that is only used on a few shoes. I think the Saucony ISO shoes have the same but in the Altra models it feels even better. Like you are running on giant springs. Bouncy but very responsive and stable.
 

The Darkness

The Darkness

The Darkness

Associate
Joined
5 Nov 2004
Posts
789
Location
Herts
Just did last run before Sunday's boston (uk) marathon. May well do a 1-2 mile leg stretch on Saturday but that's it. Seem to keep imagining niggles etc but overall body feels good. Just got to put DP's race plan into action now! wish me luck...
 

iMacMart

iMacMart

iMacMart

Soldato
Joined
8 Jun 2006
Posts
12,643
Location
Hertfordshire
The Darkness said:
Just did last run before Sunday's boston (uk) marathon. May well do a 1-2 mile leg stretch on Saturday but that's it. Seem to keep imagining niggles etc but overall body feels good. Just got to put DP's race plan into action now! wish me luck...
Click to expand...


Good luck! ;)

I’m looking forward to the Brighton Marathon this Sunday, somewhere different to run and Brighton is an amazing place!

Will post some pics Sunday night when I get back and let you know how it went?
 

ShiWarrior

ShiWarrior

ShiWarrior

Underboss
Joined
20 Oct 2002
Posts
32,330
Location
Oxfordshire / Bucks
im still a beginner, but not done 12 months yet, trying to get 3 runs a week in, but ive been doing 2, sometimes only the 1

anyway, I have a huge grin on my face right now
full day at work, didnt feel like running today, but i decided to put my run clothes on and try and go for a little jog, ended up doing my first ever run of under 10 min/mile, which was not expecting !!

I wasn't going to do a hard run today, but i did, so HR is quite high

result :
https://www.strava.com/activities/2286992825
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom