Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running
- Thread starter platypus
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Soldato
Haha my advantage is that i'm slow so used to never being near the top of any age/weight based segments anyway 
@neoboy Seems you're actually running fairly fast which might explain struggling to maintain it, if you can i'd try and slow down to around 10 minute it might help bring improvements.
Agree on shoes, when i was around 120kg when i first started i was on Mizuno Wave Inspire which i found were great, although it's subjective i suppose.
I've just been out for my first run since last Thursday. Probably the longest rest period i've had for a few months. Absolutely whacked my head last Thursday and think i gave myself mild concussion so i've been avoiding anything strenuous!
@neoboy Seems you're actually running fairly fast which might explain struggling to maintain it, if you can i'd try and slow down to around 10 minute it might help bring improvements.
Agree on shoes, when i was around 120kg when i first started i was on Mizuno Wave Inspire which i found were great, although it's subjective i suppose.
I've just been out for my first run since last Thursday. Probably the longest rest period i've had for a few months. Absolutely whacked my head last Thursday and think i gave myself mild concussion so i've been avoiding anything strenuous!
Caporegime
How the flip are you running that fast with just starting in January? 12'22" is my fastest in six months.
Yeah my issue with pacing is that I never really ran at a steady speed before, I was very fit in my teens as I played all the sports in school and continued to play Sunday league football and rugby after college before landing that big knee injury and having the two surgeries.
So while I ran as part of those sports, it was always in fast bursts normally so I imagine there is some cardivascular base there, but it's somewhat untamed so need to learn to control the pace without having to constantly stare at the phone. There is also the tendency to accelerate a bit more when passing hot women
With my weight and twice operated on knee (which is 100% fine now) this is the reason I run on trails only at the moment, softer surface not to mention I far prefer the scenery and fresh air of the local woods which are a very short drive away.
Trainers wise, my pair of Merrel Agility Synthesis Flex seem ok for the £50 odd I paid for them and have a brand new pair of Asics Noosa FF lying around if we have another dry summer and the trails completely dry up again.
EDIT: Oh wow ok, I definitely have a problem with maintaining pace, first time I looked at the data past initial snapshot and it's a mess
So while I ran as part of those sports, it was always in fast bursts normally so I imagine there is some cardivascular base there, but it's somewhat untamed so need to learn to control the pace without having to constantly stare at the phone. There is also the tendency to accelerate a bit more when passing hot women
With my weight and twice operated on knee (which is 100% fine now) this is the reason I run on trails only at the moment, softer surface not to mention I far prefer the scenery and fresh air of the local woods which are a very short drive away.
Trainers wise, my pair of Merrel Agility Synthesis Flex seem ok for the £50 odd I paid for them and have a brand new pair of Asics Noosa FF lying around if we have another dry summer and the trails completely dry up again.
EDIT: Oh wow ok, I definitely have a problem with maintaining pace, first time I looked at the data past initial snapshot and it's a mess
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Soldato
I think @BIGWEB's advice about switching the KM is probably decent actually. You'll get more regular feedback on pace and distances are shorter so less chance of things evening out over the longer distance.
I'd probably really try and work on that. If you do 2-3 runs really concentrating on holding your pace back and going steady it'll likely become more natural.
I'd probably really try and work on that. If you do 2-3 runs really concentrating on holding your pace back and going steady it'll likely become more natural.
I'm getting better at maintaining pace now on flat at least. It totally goes to pot on an incline.
I'm currently trying to work on my 10k time. running 5.00/km pace seems like something I can do and keep really accurately without keeping looking at my Garmin but when I up the desired pace to 4.30/km I'm all over the place.
I end up running sub 4.00/km and then 4.45/km its just a bit of a mess and I have to look at my watch all the time
I'm currently trying to work on my 10k time. running 5.00/km pace seems like something I can do and keep really accurately without keeping looking at my Garmin but when I up the desired pace to 4.30/km I'm all over the place.
I end up running sub 4.00/km and then 4.45/km its just a bit of a mess and I have to look at my watch all the time
I'm clearly a giant potato, decided to watch my pace a lot more and suppose helped that today was by far the warmest day this year but just shaved off 51 seconds per mile today 
Best time I posted on exactly same route has been 10:55 per mile this year. Only issue is that I tweaked my calf on Sunday, been taking low doses of Ibuprofen and doing cold compression but felt it even more today.
Keep an eye on it until the next run on Thursday, but will skip that if it doesn't feel right.
Best time I posted on exactly same route has been 10:55 per mile this year. Only issue is that I tweaked my calf on Sunday, been taking low doses of Ibuprofen and doing cold compression but felt it even more today.
Keep an eye on it until the next run on Thursday, but will skip that if it doesn't feel right.
Caporegime
LOL, I still can't believe you're like 20kg heavier than me but can run a mile 2.5 minutes quicker. You need to get a Garmin watch or something so we can all see your heartrate. You must be pretty fit! My HR is almost at max by the end of my run even with a cadence of just 140.
Soldato
I might sound like a huge douche here and I really don't mean to, I'm more curious I guess (mainly because I think I'm quite slow) but surely 10:55 for a mile isn't that quick? I'm not that much lighter at around 97kg and definitely don't consider myself a quick runner, but when I started running (last October) I was aiming at a pace of 10 mins per mile. One 5k in Jan I have managed under 9 min a mile. Having said all that, I have been cycling for a year so my fitness is pretty good. Most things I've read seem to think I'm of average pace.
Again, I don't mean to sound a d*ck as actually pace isn't really that important... well, unless you're competing I guess. I wouldn't want to put anyone down that is getting out there and running because I give runners huge respect (I'm going back to cycling now the suns out, it's much easier
) as I say, it's more about genuine curiosity about pace.
Caporegime
I don’t think I’m actually running. It’s a very slow jog in order to complete the NHS Couch 2 5K programme without killing myself. It would be demoralising to go too fast and fail and have to repeat the session again, so I purposefully take it slow. But I must be so unfit because my heart rate is 180-odd after the 25 minutes.
I should finish it next month and then I can work on getting faster. Not interested in running more than 5K - yet - I just want to do 5K in less than 30 minutes. At the moment, it’s on-track for 45-50.
I should finish it next month and then I can work on getting faster. Not interested in running more than 5K - yet - I just want to do 5K in less than 30 minutes. At the moment, it’s on-track for 45-50.
Soldato
I think thats a good attitude, last thing you want is to be demoralised.
I've had the second bad night with waking up in the night with headaches and general foggyness. Spoke to a phone GP who confirmed it sounds like concussion and that it might've been made worse by running yesterday. Think i'm going to just leave it for the rest of the week.
Bit gutted as was looking forward to a couple nice long runs over the bank holiday
I've had the second bad night with waking up in the night with headaches and general foggyness. Spoke to a phone GP who confirmed it sounds like concussion and that it might've been made worse by running yesterday. Think i'm going to just leave it for the rest of the week.
Bit gutted as was looking forward to a couple nice long runs over the bank holiday
Soldato
Almost ran a PB half the other weekend (part of the Ironman Virtual Race series) of 1:31. Not bad after a 90km TT and 5km run before that (to replace the swim)
Now I have a sort of shin splint pain in the inside of the right tibia (I think). Never had that before but it's a real pita as there's another race this weekend.
I guess just resting is the best cure
Now I have a sort of shin splint pain in the inside of the right tibia (I think). Never had that before but it's a real pita as there's another race this weekend.
I guess just resting is the best cure
Soldato
That does seem almost dangerously high? What are you using to track your heart rate? I find some aren't very accurate. I think the most accurate is a chest strap myself, and well worth the £30 or so you can get them for.
I used to get shin splints when I was younger and calve supports really helped, if that's any help to you.
Soldato
@AndyCr15 I think it's just from doing too much. I felt a niggle after doing a 32 mile ultra run a few weeks ago.
I don't really have any running aspirations, I just can't stand any cardio machines in the gym and it's a way to get myself out in nature which I do enjoy.
Right now it's all just a part of weight loss process, especially with gyms currently closed and no access to weights, but being able to run a 5k at a reasonable pace is probably a good baseline to have for anyone as well.
Right now it's all just a part of weight loss process, especially with gyms currently closed and no access to weights, but being able to run a 5k at a reasonable pace is probably a good baseline to have for anyone as well.
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Caporegime
That's my Garmin watch. Chest straps are more accurate but I don't have one of those. I think the watch is pretty much right though, I do feel it when my HR is around 180.
Here's my data from this morning's session - run 5, walk 3, run 8, walk 3, run 5. At the end, HR was 185.
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Caporegime
After having spent a couple of hours this morning pouring over all kinds of stuff about heart rate, I've come to the conclusion that at this stage - being a new runner - it's all irrelevant. As long as I'm not collapsing, I should just proceed as I am. Instead, monitoring how I feel and how easy it is to breathe and slowing down even further if necessary.