Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

I'm just getting back into it again, I've not been a very consistent runner due to work and being lazy/excuses. Started off with a 7k and then a few shorter ones with a mate then managed an 11.5k and another 7k over the last 5 weeks. First day back at the gym today on the treadmill and did my usual routine of 1mile at 7.7mph followed by 1mile at 6mph starting off on a 2.3% incline and raising it every 0.1 of a mile and then finished off with 1.2miles with 2mins walking at 3.3mph and 1min at 12mph.

Pretty happy with it but I just need to keep it up

I'll add I'm 44 and 13st 6lbs
 
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Well managed my first 3k full running today. A bit ahead of my schedule but really pushed myself to get there. The last 250m was tough but felt good doing it. Managed an average 5:30 split per km. So really pleased with my progress. Hoping to keep this sort of time/distance my standard for the next couple of runs and then slowly push up to 4km. Still really amazed with myself that I have managed this sort of progress over the past 10 weeks.
 
A week of birthdays has put a halt to running until today. Planned a nice enough 5km before I pick the kids up in an hour and did a 22:39 5km, which is a PB by over 2 minutes!
 
I ****ing did it :cool:

Had a few weeks of only running here and there but realised I wasn't too far off 5k as the max I'd ran is about 2.4 miles so on the last run which was supposed to be 2 miles I just kept going until I did a little over 5k :D:D officially the furthest I have ever ran!! 33:30 was the time, which isn't anything amazing but going to work on getting it below 30 mins.

Felt quite a bit of an energy (sugar level?) drop towards the end, I hadn't eaten massive amounts of carbs so wonder if I should have eaten more during the day, will keep a closer eye on the diet from now on.


:D:D:D
 
well done sigma :)

I've come to conclusion that my legs and body can't take more than 3 or so runs a week - I just end up with injuries/aches and pains

so I'm now sticking to my club runs plus 1 other and doing more cross training

so far this week

Monday - swimming, and 2 hours of ice skating (yes figure ... but I also like going flat out)
Tuesday - running club -hill efforts
Wednesday- swimming

tomorrow running club - threshold session, friday - skating and swimming and sat running club - track session

hoping to loose some weight, as I'm 12kg off my race weight !! it went on in about 2--3 months and is proving very very difficult to loose

I was nudging under 60kg- I'm now 72

the swimming I do at lunch otherwise wife would be more annoyed than she is already is

I got "the look" when I mentioned I fancied taking up Ice Hockey ...
 
I think I'm at the point where improvements are going to be tough unless I start an actual training plan. I'm at about 20:30 for a 5k and 44:40 for 10k but just can't quite hit it consistently and have not improved in about 2 months. I think a lot of the issue is I rarely get out for longer than 6-7k at a time during the week and weekends 10-12k is about the max time I have. I'd like to also blame the heat but that's a stretch.

Planning on just saying "to hell with it" and forfeiting my next cycle to work day and turn it into a 1/2 marathon run to work. I "think" I could do it in under 2 hrs by backing my pace up to about 5-5:30 per km, certainly when I go for slower 10-12k runs I feel like I've plenty left in the tank.
 
Just got home after doing the Leeds 10k. Only my second 'official' 10k race.

Last year Nov'14 'Abbey Dash in Leeds did 10k in 58Mins.

Today did the Leeds 10k in 49min 02seconds!! So massive improvement overall and very pleased with the end result. Next step is Abbey Dash in November where I'll be aiming for sub 45minutes!
 
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PermaBanned said:
I'm of the school of thought that for the most part your body will sort out technique on its own as a result of the stresses of distance running. It's not like you have to spend £100 on a gait analysis right off the bat. Anyway, as far as i'm aware there is limited scientific evidence on the differences between midfoot and forefoot striking.
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Gait analysis is free in most dedicated stores, the only time I've paid for any kind of analysis was a full bio mechanical analysis which was interesting and informative
 
Silent UK said:
Just got home after doing the Leeds 10k. Only my second 'official' 10k race.

Last year Nov'14 'Abbey Dash in Leeds did 10k in 58Mins.

Today did the Leeds 10k in 49min 02seconds!! So massive improvement overall and very pleased with the end result. Next step is Abbey Dash in November where I'll be aiming for sub 45minutes!
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Cracking effort and an amazing PB, well done. :)

Raced the We Love Manchester 10K myself today, a little off the pace unfortunately and no PB for me. Bit of an eye opener though really and can tell I'm not in good form at the moment and need to train more and get my longs runs back in again.
 
IndigoGorilla said:
Cracking effort and an amazing PB, well done. :)

Raced the We Love Manchester 10K myself today, a little off the pace unfortunately and no PB for me. Bit of an eye opener though really and can tell I'm not in good form at the moment and need to train more and get my longs runs back in again.
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Thanks! Goes to show what increasing your fitness does when you stick at it for 6months!

Got Tough Mudder on the 2nd August so that's the next big thing I'm doing :)
 
Well done guys, I'm finding it a struggle when we get really humid days. I made my longest run on Sunday but the humidity as I hit about half way was nasty.

However, it meant I could test out the first segment of my planned 1/2 distance, once I hit the top of that hill it's pretty much all down hill to work.
 
Yeah humidity really is a killer. I've found that getting up early and getting out as early as possible the best way to combat it. Few guys at club have been getting up at like 5am and smashing in the long runs before work O_o. Would love to try it to be honest, bet it's so peaceful at that time, I just enjoy bed too much. :D

I put a blog post up on as a bit of a race report of Leeds 10k, feel free to read - also not sure what the rules are on linking blogs in here so feel free to moderate.
 
Fuggan said:
Leeds done in 41.38 yesterday! Massive new PB on a VERY warm day! Buzzing!
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Cracking effort, what was your PB before this then? Always good to see an improvement and glad you had a good race. :)

I did mine in 41.26 so you're not far behind on current form!!

I've followed you on Strava by the way. (David). Hopefully seeing others on there recording decent mileage I'll see it as motivation and get my legs in gear again!!

Any more races planned yet? I have a few lined up and might do the Abbey Dash in November.
 
Thanks man, yeah just seen your follow. Sent you a follow request back. :)

My previous PB was 44:55 from the dash in 2011! Decent wedge knocked off it. I trained pretty hard for this to be honest. A lot of track work and steady mileage.

Think I'll do the dash again this year but have for the vale of York half first which is the week after the GNR I think. Already looking forward to it!
 
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