Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Just ran my second 5k today in my local park. I got 20 minutes right before the finish point but had to stop running because I didn't pace myself properly. I walked the rest of the way to finish in 21 minutes.

Is this is a good time? How long would it take to get to 16 minutes which the top people are finishing in.#

Also I'm about to register for the park run, think they'd mind if I didn't use my real name?
 
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Getting down from 21 minutes to 16 would be mighty impressive. It'd take a good base of at least a long run, tempo run and a track session each week to even get close to be honest. Not saying it can't be done but you'd be better off aiming for the next minute and see how you get on each time. Will feel a lot more manageable then as well.

I managed another PB again yesterday as well.

City of Salford 10K - 40.43

Which was previously 42.37 at the We Love Manchester 10K in July which itself was down from 46.07 previously. :D

Next aim now is Sub 40.00 and then I'll see how training goes over winter and make plans for next year.
 
Nate Silvers said:
Just ran my second 5k today in my local park. I got 20 minutes right before the finish point but had to stop running because I didn't pace myself properly. I walked the rest of the way to finish in 21 minutes.

Is this is a good time? How long would it take to get to 16 minutes which the top people are finishing in.#

Also I'm about to register for the park run, think they'd mind if I didn't use my real name?
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16mins is achievable in a year if you get a full, proper, injury free year with solid and structured training.

Unless you are a complete natural and run 18mins 5k with no running in your previous history, then you won't be running 16 mins unless you put in 50+ miles per week including 2 proper sessions, tempo work and a decent long run. If you had to stop and walk it in for a 21 then you aren't a natural elite waiting to happen but 21 mins over 5k if you have no running history is OK and there's no reason you can't get to running under 17. But you will have to work very hard for it.

Park Run won't care but I wouldn't run the risk to be honest. In 2 years you might be serious about running and have a bit of a dilemna on your hands. Why don't you just use your real name?
 
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Trying to decide whether or not to enter the Maraton de Lyon. I kinda feel like I should because it's my new home city marathon, but it's also €41. Hum.
 
Do it! I just signed up for the Abbey Dash in Nov, hoping to beat my 10k PB of 44:55 so got an 8 week training plan starting a week on Sunday which will take me in. Boom!
 
platypus said:
Trying to decide whether or not to enter the Maraton de Lyon. I kinda feel like I should because it's my new home city marathon, but it's also €41. Hum.
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Go for it. In the grand scheme of things if it's now your home city then it will probably end up costing less than something many more miles away.

When I ran London last year although it was under £30 to enter the travel down there and accommodation made the whole weekend quite expensive (well worth it though). Compare that to the Manchester Marathon being around £50 but then on my doorstep so no travel or accommodation needed.
 
I signed up for the 2015 Paris Marathon today which for now, concludes all the signups for me.

Stevenage Half Marathon - 2nd Nov
Brighton Half Marathon - 22nd Feb
Paris Marathon - 12th April

Feeling a little under pressure for the Stevenage one because it's not that far away and my current longest distance is 12k
 
xdcx said:
16mins is achievable in a year if you get a full, proper, injury free year with solid and structured training.

Unless you are a complete natural and run 18mins 5k with no running in your previous history, then you won't be running 16 mins unless you put in 50+ miles per week including 2 proper sessions, tempo work and a decent long run. If you had to stop and walk it in for a 21 then you aren't a natural elite waiting to happen but 21 mins over 5k if you have no running history is OK and there's no reason you can't get to running under 17. But you will have to work very hard for it.

Park Run won't care but I wouldn't run the risk to be honest. In 2 years you might be serious about running and have a bit of a dilemna on your hands. Why don't you just use your real name?
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Thanks for the advice. Just finished my 3rd 5k run in 20:35. This is the first time I've finished the full course without getting lost or walking. I went easy in the first lap and sprinted at the end when the stopwatch hit 19+ minutes. Took it out of me and had to lay on the grass afterwards.

Do runners sprint at the end of races? Would it be rude to do it in a park race if nobody else sprints near the finish?

Also I visited JD Sports and did a treadmill test and I have pretty bad pronation in my legs, specifically right leg. I land flat footed too instead of on the heel. He was trying to sell my these shoes but it felt like walking on clouds, really weird. I run in plimsolls and he said my legs/feet should be crumpled up by now, That true?

I'm willing to put the work in, I love running I just want to run all day if I could.

I just wanted to put Go Vegan in my last name. Looking at the scoreboard I can see others have put things in theirs. I'm not too old to get serious about running though? I'm 27, wish I started sooner. Also I'm 6'4" is that bad for running cause I weigh 175lb :/ (I could get this down to 155lb if I stopped weight lifting).
 
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Well done on not stopping this time and bringing your time down.

I always sprint finish at the end of a race. Don't care in the slightest if no one else is doing once I can see the finish line. Once I get towards the end of a race I make sure I've given my best and that there's nothing left in the tank. One of the best feelings I ever get from running is the one where I've made myself really uncomfortable at the end of a race.

Everyone runs for different reasons and in very different manners. Run for yourself and if you feel like sprinting then go for it. :D

And in terms of the trainers as well go to a proper running shop for a gait analysis. Not JD Sports for an idiot to sell you some fashionable running "trainers".
 
Cracked the 50min mark for 10km last night, was dead chuffed.

Was thinking about maybe signing up for my local half marathon which is in April (or there abouts). I reckon I could do it, but I'm not sure that I want to sign up for such a commitment!
 
Nate Silvers said:
Thanks for the advice. Just finished my 3rd 5k run in 20:35. This is the first time I've finished the full course without getting lost or walking. I went easy in the first lap and sprinted at the end when the stopwatch hit 19+ minutes. Took it out of me and had to lay on the grass afterwards.

Do runners sprint at the end of races? Would it be rude to do it in a park race if nobody else sprints near the finish?

Also I visited JD Sports and did a treadmill test and I have pretty bad pronation in my legs, specifically right leg. I land flat footed too instead of on the heel. He was trying to sell my these shoes but it felt like walking on clouds, really weird. I run in plimsolls and he said my legs/feet should be crumpled up by now, That true?

I'm willing to put the work in, I love running I just want to run all day if I could.

I just wanted to put Go Vegan in my last name. Looking at the scoreboard I can see others have put things in theirs. I'm not too old to get serious about running though? I'm 27, wish I started sooner. Also I'm 6'4" is that bad for running cause I weigh 175lb :/ (I could get this down to 155lb if I stopped weight lifting).
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If you've got enough left for a sprint then yeah, do it. No point finishing with lots left in the tank, you'll only regret it and wished you'd pushed harder etc. If you start racing more and getting quicker you'll soon experience the difference of going out hard, or going out conservative and building the pace, it's all part of experimenting with your racing. If you do get to a competitive level this is a lot more of a concern because you are racing the guys around you but for now just experiment and give it your best.

I wouldn't run in plimsoles. Go to a proper running shop and get them to do a gait analysis. They aren't ideal, but a very good starting point and indicator on what kind of shoes you could do well in. Compared plimsoles they are all going to feel like marshmallows to you, but a trainer with some cushioning and support is really what you need if you planning on running more and more miles and building it up.

I know guys in mid/late 30's who are still improving and getting slected at district level, so no, 27 is no way too old to start out.

Plenty of taller dudes running also. Don't worry about your weight, if you put the miles in and eat healthy and accordingly you will settle at a naturally decent weight. The amount of guys I have seen improve drastically when they stopped trying to hit weight targets and just focused on eating well and training is mad. Myself included in that statement!
 
Saundie said:
Yeah, I'll be there, and it'll be my first marathon. I am starting in the blue area, because I am slow. I'm guessing you mean you'll be starting in the pink area? I just had another look at the race details, and there is no red area!
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Sry for the late response, yes was yellow not red.
The race itself was awful, needed medics to bring me back on the feed.
But I finished and got this bloody medal ...

Naz
 
So i think i need to work on my pacing. After doing pretty much nothing but 5k runs for about two years i think my body has just sort of got used to running at a certain pace. The other day when i was running along the beach someone in an ironman shirt went past me at pretty much twice the speed, usually a mistake but i upped my speed to try to follow. They were still a lot faster, but i got my quickest 5k time on Strava and i felt pretty good at the end of it.

Probably need to start varying the effort/distance i do, but not really sure where to start...
 
Do you do all your running at the same pace?

If so then you'd be best off with one tempo run, one speed session and a longer run at a slower pace.

Tempo is a pace where by you'd struggle to hold a conversation, a speed session depends on what distance you choose (should be varied) and a long slow run is exactly that.

If you want to run more than three times a week (this helps as well) you could add in hill reps potentially for more strength as well as a couple of recovery runs (short runs at an easy slow pace).
 
Anyone else running the Abbey Dash in Leeds mid November?

Proper training starts a week today for me (8 week plan). Up until now I've just being doing a mix of hill sessions, steady running and the odd tempo just to get a decent base. I ran it in 44:55 3 years ago and want to beat that this time!

Signed up? Check.
Training plan in place? Check.
New gear purchased to keep me motivated? In progress. :p
 
I'm a bit tired but happy this morning - new half marathon PB yesterday in Chesterfield - 01:43:24 :D Almost five minutes off my previous best in Liverpool (2012)

I'd like to recommend hill reps as well. I started doing them once a week in June at our local playing fields. I started with 6 up our "long" hill and 10 up a much shorter but steeper section. I usually finish with pyramid sprints round the footy pitch (jog 3 sides, sprint 1 ; jog 2 sides, sprint 2 ; jog 1 side, sprint 3 ; sprint 4) which hurt. I've gradually upped the numbers on the long hill and I'm currently at 20 reps (still with 10 short and sprints). It's going dark now though before I've finished :(

You end up with graphs like this

nq10kDE.png

End results is the up and downs of the Chesterfield route didn't faze me. I knew I would slow down going up (keeping reasonably good form) but I was then happy recovering that time (and more) on the downs.

Two more hard weeks of training then it's time to taper for the York Marathon in October.

{Edit}

Just found the results online - 79th out of 616 :cool:
 
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Fuggan said:
Anyone else running the Abbey Dash in Leeds mid November?

Proper training starts a week today for me (8 week plan). Up until now I've just being doing a mix of hill sessions, steady running and the odd tempo just to get a decent base. I ran it in 44:55 3 years ago and want to beat that this time!

Signed up? Check.
Training plan in place? Check.
New gear purchased to keep me motivated? In progress. :p
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I planned to travel all the way down for this as the quality is incredible, it's probably the top road 10k of the year in the UK alongside the Ribble Valley 10k. But alas, injury has ruined the rest of this year for me, missing absolutely everything I was really gearing towards. Total nightmare.
 
IndigoGorilla said:
Do you do all your running at the same pace?

If so then you'd be best off with one tempo run, one speed session and a longer run at a slower pace.

Tempo is a pace where by you'd struggle to hold a conversation, a speed session depends on what distance you choose (should be varied) and a long slow run is exactly that.

If you want to run more than three times a week (this helps as well) you could add in hill reps potentially for more strength as well as a couple of recovery runs (short runs at an easy slow pace).
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Interesting. I should try to work out a proper schedule at some point, when i've figured out my full uni timetable. But yes, all my running is at more or less the same pace. Generally between 4 and 5.5'/km. Are hill reps running up and down a hill or running up and walking down or something?

In the mean time, my 10k time is slowly creeping down :)

http://www.strava.com/activities/194936055
 
xdcx said:
I planned to travel all the way down for this as the quality is incredible, it's probably the top road 10k of the year in the UK alongside the Ribble Valley 10k. But alas, injury has ruined the rest of this year for me, missing absolutely everything I was really gearing towards. Total nightmare.
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Aw man, that's a real shame, what have you done? Yeah it's a really popular race just because of its flat nature I suppose. Enjoyed it last time I ran it that's for sure.
 
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