Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

It seems we are all doing the round of bad runs. I tried getting out yesterday to do around 5k. My side was hurting a bit while running though, so I cut it short and walked home after running 2.3 mile. Checked what Strava recorded and it was way out for what I actually did run, much worse than anything I've seen it do before. So going forward I'm just going to manual upload my runs to Strava until I can improve them.
 
It seems we are all doing the round of bad runs. I tried getting out yesterday to do around 5k. My side was hurting a bit while running though, so I cut it short and walked home after running 2.3 mile. Checked what Strava recorded and it was way out for what I actually did run, much worse than anything I've seen it do before. So going forward I'm just going to manual upload my runs to Strava until I can improve them.


Why do you care about what appears on strava?
 
Why do you care about what appears on strava?

I use Strava mainly as a means of keeping track of how much I've run since starting. Sure it isn't as important as actually getting out there but I do like to keep track of certain things or see how I compared on my last run or see little improvements here and there.
 
Did my first half marathon yesterday. Before hand I'd never run over 11 miles and hadn't run for nearly 2 weeks as I was away in Wales last weekend (hiked Snowdon and Cadair Idris instead).

My aim was to get under 2 hours and I managed it just by the skin on my teeth. I was running with a friend and we kept the same pace for a good 10.5 miles with a view to be at least 5-10 mins under 2 hours. I however couldn't keep the pace and had to back it off a little bit and my friend ended up finishing 4 mins ahead of me. By the time I hit the last 1.5 miles the 2 hour pacer was passing me. I knew I had a good ten seconds in hand compared to when we started so all I had to do was keep him somewhat in view. That last mile was murder. My lungs could have done the run twice over at that pace but my legs for the first time weren't happy. Somehow I still managed to stay at a late 8/early 9 min pace and got home in 1:59:13.

Very chuffed with myself and with being a Fylde Coast run the event is really well run with a decent medal and goodies at the end. Worry going forward is that it was a very flat run compared to how I train (which is never flat) so any elevation in a half might be a struggle. So my aim for the next month is to get some distance in with more elevation which isn't hard where I live. I'm doing the Burnley half marathon in March and that features a rather tough hill at the start (but will be downhill at the end!) so I want to be prepared.
 
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So last stretch of C25K and I think disaster is about to strike. I've continually got stitches (not enough to hurt or stop) since I started the longer running and have conciously tried to slow down. Today I ran the slowest I could without walking and still got stitches. Also today I got a sharp pain in my knee towards the end of the run that has stopped after I've ran. This also occured on on fridays run. I suspect the answer is going to be stop and start again in a couple of weeks.
 
I did it! :eek::D

I managed to complete 5km outside yesterday without any stopping or walking. Plus I was able to hold a reasonable consistent pace.

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I did struggle on a few of the hills, particularly the one before the bridge to cross the River Lagan, but I feel that I've been able to accomplish the 5km. Yes the heart rate is too high but I'm planning on trying to do the 5km runs for as long as I can before even thinking of speeding up or increasing the distance.
 
So last stretch of C25K and I think disaster is about to strike. I've continually got stitches (not enough to hurt or stop) since I started the longer running and have conciously tried to slow down. Today I ran the slowest I could without walking and still got stitches. Also today I got a sharp pain in my knee towards the end of the run that has stopped after I've ran. This also occured on on fridays run. I suspect the answer is going to be stop and start again in a couple of weeks.

Not saying that this will cure your stitches but it helped me to the point where I never get one now. The answer for me was all about belly breathing, learning to breath from the belly rather than the chest especially when pace is slower, slower deeper breathing is also helping me with my cadence and therefor my overall speed. Can't help with the knee but good luck.
 
Not saying that this will cure your stitches but it helped me to the point where I never get one now. The answer for me was all about belly breathing, learning to breath from the belly rather than the chest especially when pace is slower, slower deeper breathing is also helping me with my cadence and therefor my overall speed. Can't help with the knee but good luck.

I'll give that a go. As silly as it sounds I don't know if I'm bracing myself and kind of holding my breath slightly.

I've decided to take a break for this week and pick up again on Monday.
 
well done blackvault.

Don't be afraid to increase the distance though. What tend to work well is keeping the distance the same for 2-3 (so 5K,5K,5K), then push the distance up a little each week or 2 or 3 weeks (so 5.5, 6.0, 6.5km) , have a cutback/easy week (runs no longer than 4.5-5KM), and go back to the 6-6.5KM for 2-3week, progress again (70.0,7.5,8.0).

The pattern is to increase distance progressively, recover, then hold steady at the new high value so your body adapts, then start progressing again. This applies to the distance of your longest runs, but also the volume of running in a week should follow similarly. You can look at work/vacation schedule to see when an easy week makes sense.

Some coaches talking about not increasing volume/long run distance by more than 10% a week. there is no science behind that and it misses some important aspects that reduce injury risk. you can easily increase volume or distance by more than 10%. However, increases of 10% continuously will simply lead to injury. You have to have easier/cutback/recovery weeks, and you need to leave time for your body to adapt to higher levels.
 
well done blackvault.

Don't be afraid to increase the distance though. What tend to work well is keeping the distance the same for 2-3 (so 5K,5K,5K), then push the distance up a little each week or 2 or 3 weeks (so 5.5, 6.0, 6.5km) , have a cutback/easy week (runs no longer than 4.5-5KM), and go back to the 6-6.5KM for 2-3week, progress again (70.0,7.5,8.0).

The pattern is to increase distance progressively, recover, then hold steady at the new high value so your body adapts, then start progressing again. This applies to the distance of your longest runs, but also the volume of running in a week should follow similarly. You can look at work/vacation schedule to see when an easy week makes sense.

Some coaches talking about not increasing volume/long run distance by more than 10% a week. there is no science behind that and it misses some important aspects that reduce injury risk. you can easily increase volume or distance by more than 10%. However, increases of 10% continuously will simply lead to injury. You have to have easier/cutback/recovery weeks, and you need to leave time for your body to adapt to higher levels.

Cheers for the advice. I went out for a 4km run with a colleague (at lunch) and managed an average pace of 06:13min/km, which was quicker than yesterday. I didn't feel too bad, and my HR while again high I wasn't dying. Although my left heel was hurting as we had to run on bit of cobbling and now I can't put any weight on my left heel or walk. :( I guess that's no more running this weekend.
 
Well finally got my 10 miler done. Got home and had tea of salmon and mash around 7 and then went out about 9ish so pretty much the ideal prep (compared to McDonald’s 30 mins before!)

Was a lot slower than I’d have liked but I took it quite easy and felt good. Hit a point around 6 miles where I could’ve looped home and done about 6.5m but pushed myself to carry on and glad I did.

Felt sick when I first got home about 20 mins ago but now I’m starving!
 
Cheers for the advice. I went out for a 4km run with a colleague (at lunch) and managed an average pace of 06:13min/km, which was quicker than yesterday. I didn't feel too bad, and my HR while again high I wasn't dying. Although my left heel was hurting as we had to run on bit of cobbling and now I can't put any weight on my left heel or walk. :( I guess that's no more running this weekend.

That is a warning sign to back away for a bit. Normally these things pass in a few days of rest, but be very careful when running again. Keep the first few runs extra short, even if you feel good.
 
I recovered form my cold quite a lot the last day so decided to go ahead with my long run but see how far I would get. Managed to get 20.3 miles at a decent pace despite the very strong head wind and the elevation gain. Didn't really tire much, even when doing the big climb from mile 17-19 (750ft). A world of difference to last Friday where although i felt fine my legs just didn't move and I had no energy,. My immune system must have been owkring hard even if I had no symptoms.

Will try to get a decent run in tomorrow because it then turn even colder, and today as cold enough o make ice crystals in my sports drink!
 
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