Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

For anyone that wants to try energy gels etc.

Amazon do a Sample Sports nutrition box. It’s about £10 but if you buy it then you get a £10 voucher towards other stuff.

So for about £13 I’ve got 20 SIS energy gels and a sample box with various protein/energy bars and drinks.

Well worth it.
 
I did the Park run again today, came 26th which is good, but need to try increasing my 5k speeds, I don't think it helps that i run my 10k quite quick also, and never do any slower 80% training runs.
Having tomorrow off now, then back to the 10k's Monday :P
 
6.5km this evening. Took me just over 40 minutes. Hoping to build up to 10km this year, and ideally want to be able to do it in an hour. Guess I’ll just keep building it up a bit at a time.
 
I've decided to go to the GPs to investigate my high heart rates while running. In the few months I've been running it hasn't shifted any, so best get a quick checkup to make sure I've nothing underlying.
 
I did a nice 5mile race around the Broadlands estate in Romsey yesterday. I ran 32:30 which is a PB for 5miles but I didn't feel like I deserved it, I felt labored and sluggish after 5km, I got my pacing all wrong. I think I started too fast as according to Strava ran my 3rd fast ever mile (6:02) and my fastest ever two mile (12:30) I should have just tried to run a consistent 4min/km as the course was perfectly flat.
 
I've been roped into a 10km this weekend, only problem is I haven't done any running in at least a year. I'm predicting a world of pain on Sunday night!
 
Street said:
I've been roped into a 10km this weekend, only problem is I haven't done any running in at least a year. I'm predicting a world of pain on Sunday night!
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Just spend 30mins stretching after you'll be ok.

I just signed up for my first Marathon. New Forest on 9th Sep. There not much racing in August so I can tamper down a bit, and build up my mileage over the summer. Sub 4 hours will be my target.

Whenever I talk to non-runners about running the first thing they always ask is "Have you done a Marathon? when I say no they always seem disappointed.
 
Street said:
You're more optimistic than I am! Cardio wise I'll be fine as I row 50-60km a week, it's just going to be using a completely different muscle group to what I'm used to.
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It will take a day before muscle really get tight, but if you haven't run in a year I doubt you will have any problems as you just wont be able to run that fast.

Biggest issue is if you are actually highly trained, take time to taper and then push yourself to within an inch of your life.

Once you do get DOMs just walk around frequently. Stretching after the race wont make any difference because stiffness is a result of tears in the muscle fibres. Consuming some protein and lots of carbs (about 3 to 1 ratio carbs to protein) will be the best preventative, allowing the muscle fibers to repair quickly.
 
Daaaavvveee said:
I did the Park run again today, came 26th which is good, but need to try increasing my 5k speeds, I don't think it helps that i run my 10k quite quick also, and never do any slower 80% training runs.
Having tomorrow off now, then back to the 10k's Monday :p
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I went to fast again today......felt good though, ran up a big hill, then turned around and ran back down :D
 
I finally got out for a real run today (and a easy jog yesterday), after 2 weeks break. Last week I had the flu and the week before I was way too busy. Breaks form training always make my legs feel terrible but it probably did some good rebuilding some muscle and joint.

Booked flights and hotels for Boston. One heck of an expensive trip so far, $2300 to run a marathon LOL.

A local ultramarathon is re-running for the 2nd year. I was looking forward to doing this one as it is relatively fast and not mountainous being 110km but only 3500m of climb. But when I last contacted them they weren't sure if it would run this year or when, so I signed up for a TransAlp 90km with 6000m of climbing instead. They are only a few weeks apart so not possible to do both. Not sure if I will switch races. A longer flatter course would suit my current training and fitness, but a steeper mountainous course better matches future objectives such as the UTMB.
 
I'm really struggling to get motivated to get out running at the moment, it's not even the rubbish weather, I just can't get out of bed to get out for a run, it's really annoying me!! lol
 
valve90210 said:
I'm really struggling to get motivated to get out running at the moment, it's not even the rubbish weather, I just can't get out of bed to get out for a run, it's really annoying me!! lol
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I'm the same in the winter. I row every morning but I really lack motivation during the winter months and it's a massive struggle to actually get out of bed and do it. It really annoys me!
 
Street said:
I'm the same in the winter. I row every morning but I really lack motivation during the winter months and it's a massive struggle to actually get out of bed and do it. It really annoys me!
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I normally am the same also, but i started running with people at work, so now someone is always egging us on to get out running.
 
I will be running after work once a week with work friends again from Thursday which will be nice but it's my longer morning runs that I want to get back to doing. This morning would have been a good one but I couldn't drag myself out of my cosy snuggly bed.... lol
 
shayc said:
How do you motivate yourselves to start training? I find it hard to go if someone's not tagging along :p
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Most important of all is to enjoy running. If you don't like then you have to find ways to motivate yourself which is much harder than. I look forward to running in the same way way I look forward to drinking beers, going tot he cinema, eating a great meal.. It is not work, it is greatly rewarding and enjoyable. Some of this again comes back to pace and training. at least 80% of your runs should be at an easy and relaxed conservsational pace. If you are struggling to complete runs or dreading the thought of such hard work, you probably need to re-focus your training paces.

To push myself further and force my self to go out when the weather is disgusting, I use goals. E.g., i want to to run sub 2:54 at Boston, so i need to have consistent training, so i will run in the cold and dark and pouring rain Determinations gets you through the hard training days. Consistency and perseverance far beats out any other raining. You can't make up for a lousy winter runnign by trying harder at the track in the spring. The inverse is true, lot of nice volume through the winter will mean you enter the spring with loads of fitness.

It is also sometimes best simply not to think about it. Very easy to find excuses not to run. But the thing is , I have never regretted going for a run, but every time I skipped a run because I was weak or lazy I felt bad. The hardest thing is getting out of bed and out the door, once you are out moving things quickly improve. Don't let negative thoughts enter your mind, just do it.


It also helps to get the correct amount of sleep. I like to get up at 6am at the latest, and get 8.5hours of sleep form lights out. That means i normally get into bed about 9pm, read a little and then lights out. If you are not getting enough sleep then of course it is hard to get out of bed. If you go to bed too late the night before and your run will mean you are sacrificing quality sleep then you will never succeed. go to bed early enough and you will probably wake up before the alarm.
 
D.P. said:
The hardest thing is getting out of bed and out the door, once you are out moving things quickly improve. Don't let negative thoughts enter your mind, just do it.
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This is what I struggle with massively. I actually enjoy exercise when I'm doing it, but my morning sleep brain is a lazy git. I've ended up having to have lights come on automatically and the radio to come on to actually make me get out of bed. I don't have a problem in the summer months, but something switches in my head when it's winter.

I'm feeling better about my 10k on Sunday too. I went out for a quick run tonight and did 4miles in just under 40mins. It's not a great pace but it was fairly easy considering I haven't run in over a year. If I can do 4, 6 shouldn't be a problem.
 
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