Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running
- Thread starter platypus
- Start date
Suppose the best thing you can do is enter a race. I know you're pulled out of the London Marathon, but something 10k/half marathon wise around July might be ideal.
There's the Chester half at the end of May. Gives you 3 months to train. Thats short enough it forces you to start thinking about it now but not too soon that it's a strain.
There's the Chester half at the end of May. Gives you 3 months to train. Thats short enough it forces you to start thinking about it now but not too soon that it's a strain.
This is very true 
I am supposed to be away in April (Assuming we aren't all sealed off from the rest of the world by then!), so I think I will look for something in between then and August. Chester half may well be a good one to try for
I am supposed to be away in April (Assuming we aren't all sealed off from the rest of the world by then!), so I think I will look for something in between then and August. Chester half may well be a good one to try for
My only issue with it is that it's £40
I know there's a lot of costs involved for the organisers but i begrudge paying that much for a race!
Also, whilst looking for you i found this. OCUK holiday? It looks amazing.
https://findarace.com/events/trail-run-majorca-crossing-the-tramuntana
I know there's a lot of costs involved for the organisers but i begrudge paying that much for a race!
Also, whilst looking for you i found this. OCUK holiday? It looks amazing.
https://findarace.com/events/trail-run-majorca-crossing-the-tramuntana
Also, what's annoying is i feel like i'm getting pain/strain in the ball of my foot after running, it's fine during the run and it's nothing too painful, more of mild discomfort.
Trying to work out if it's something that might develop or just an initial easing in due to a conscious effort to reduce my running stride and so landing more towards the front of my foot.
Also just bought a running belt for £35 (Salomon Agile 500), i'm sure this running lark was meant to be cheap. I'm sure i've spent about £350 on stuff so far this year!
Trying to work out if it's something that might develop or just an initial easing in due to a conscious effort to reduce my running stride and so landing more towards the front of my foot.
Also just bought a running belt for £35 (Salomon Agile 500), i'm sure this running lark was meant to be cheap. I'm sure i've spent about £350 on stuff so far this year!
At least it isn't Cycling or Diving or Pretty much anything else
It does still seem to be a fairly cheap activity in the long run (As long as you don't include the costs for travelling to and from events, hotels, food, etc. etc.)
It does still seem to be a fairly cheap activity in the long run (As long as you don't include the costs for travelling to and from events, hotels, food, etc. etc.)
I'm slightly confused by the above - still working through 80/20 book, so maybe might be clearer to me once I've read more.
But it looks like you're suggesting that in the 6-8 weeks before running a 50 mile race, you would be aiming to run around 40 miles per week (assume MPW=miles per week)? But that your long run could be around 20 miles. Does that mean that on the other 5 or 6 days of the week you might only be running 4 or 5 miles per day?
Just that 40MPW seems quite low for a weekly target, as I'm currently doing close to that (maybe 8-10 miles, 4-5 times per week), albeit at a very easy pace.
I'm sure I just need to do some more reading, but thought I'd ask anyway.
To be fair he does say 40miles/week is a minimum, so you'd probably only do 3 runs a week with a 25 miler and then maybe 2 others at 8ish.
Ideally i imagine you'd be looking at closer to 60MPW which would be more in line with 4-5 runs a week.
Ideally i imagine you'd be looking at closer to 60MPW which would be more in line with 4-5 runs a week.
yes, 20 miles I meant!I know you're obviously a very keen runner, but I assume/hope this is a typo?!
What Marvt74 said, 40miles per week would be on the low side to be able to run a 50mile race with confidence of not getting timed out. That is average, so some weeks could be 50 with a bigger long Run and the next week 30 to recover etc.
60miles per week is going to see much better results for both a marathon and a 50mi ultra.
Similarly, I think long runs of about 16-18miles are really plenty for an ultra, but if you run more you should do much better. And there is a big difference between the road and trails here. So if i was to do a LR on the road i would look at 25-30miles, but on the mountain trails 20 is plenty for me. When I trained for my 107mile ultra this summer my biggest long run was about 21 miles, but it had 10,000ft of climbing and took about 6.5 hours. That was sufficient to get me within the top 12% of starters in 45 hours.
For ultra trainign on trail my total distance decreases form about 75-90MPW down to 60-70MPW but the time increase by about 30%.
Yeah fortunately my race and local area doesn't have that kind of terrain.
Think lovely English rolling hills, so it's a lot more "undulating" than sheer ascents. Although there are a couple in the Lake District around September time which are shorter at around 20 miles but with around 7000ft of ascent. They'd probably be quite good for training and getting used to more elevation.
My usual long run is on trails, but often involves crossing fields which end up being mud baths. It really sucks the energy out of your legs and i never find it overly pleasant, as your foot just sinks and slides and you end up wading rather than running. Next winter i plan on buying something like the Innov8 Mud Claw trainers which should offer a lot more grip.
My goal for the summer is to try and drive out to a few places to run some really nice trail routes on proper trails with great scenery.
Just look how much better this looks
Compared to my usual reality of this
Think lovely English rolling hills, so it's a lot more "undulating" than sheer ascents. Although there are a couple in the Lake District around September time which are shorter at around 20 miles but with around 7000ft of ascent. They'd probably be quite good for training and getting used to more elevation.
My usual long run is on trails, but often involves crossing fields which end up being mud baths. It really sucks the energy out of your legs and i never find it overly pleasant, as your foot just sinks and slides and you end up wading rather than running. Next winter i plan on buying something like the Innov8 Mud Claw trainers which should offer a lot more grip.
My goal for the summer is to try and drive out to a few places to run some really nice trail routes on proper trails with great scenery.
Just look how much better this looks
Compared to my usual reality of this
Last edited:
Looking forward to my rest now!
Did my double day yesterday, and even running downhill could feel my legs tire in the second run. In hindsight maybe i should started on 4+4 mile runs rather than 5+4.5. Not a big difference but noticeable.
Then ran again this morning. Was back on the reverse of last nights run so a constant incline for about 3 miles (about 130ft/mile). It's not steep but it takes it out of me.
Was happy though as there were a few times i thought about stopping and walking but just forced myself to slow down and carry on. I have a habit of giving in and walking when tired far too easily, even on short runs and that's something i really need to overcome.
Did my double day yesterday, and even running downhill could feel my legs tire in the second run. In hindsight maybe i should started on 4+4 mile runs rather than 5+4.5. Not a big difference but noticeable.
Then ran again this morning. Was back on the reverse of last nights run so a constant incline for about 3 miles (about 130ft/mile). It's not steep but it takes it out of me.
Was happy though as there were a few times i thought about stopping and walking but just forced myself to slow down and carry on. I have a habit of giving in and walking when tired far too easily, even on short runs and that's something i really need to overcome.
After a bit of advice.
I am coming to the end of C25K but, have just failed W8D1 due to arch pain. I have been running in shoes fitted by a specialist a couple of years ago (150 miles). Is it worth trying some insoles flat feet before I try new shoes?
I am coming to the end of C25K but, have just failed W8D1 due to arch pain. I have been running in shoes fitted by a specialist a couple of years ago (150 miles). Is it worth trying some insoles flat feet before I try new shoes?
Just look how much better this looks
I've run along that very trail, and climbed on the other side. Chamonix is one of my favourite places! There's no lack of motivation to get out and do something when the scenery looks like that.
My recent runs have been mostly wading through mud too so I feel your pain. I've had to sign up for a 10k trail run in a few weeks so I don't loose the will to go out. I've been tempted by the Mud Claws too as my Roclites really pack up with mud and struggle for grip when the weather is like it has been.
Ah lovely. I had no idea where it was, just found the picture and it looked incredible.
Weather has been perfect for running today, cold but lovely and sunny. Hopefully it holds out for the weekend.
It's weird you've not had any issues the previous 7 weeks. Presumably you do have flat feet?
For the sake of a tenner it's probably worth just picking some up to see if it helps.
Weather has been perfect for running today, cold but lovely and sunny. Hopefully it holds out for the weekend.
It's weird you've not had any issues the previous 7 weeks. Presumably you do have flat feet?
For the sake of a tenner it's probably worth just picking some up to see if it helps.
I have had issues but, I can usually run through it or it has gotten better at the program went on. Today was just too much and hasn't got any better. The pain stops after running almost immediately.
I doubt it is the shoes unless they are a stability shoe which should very rarely if ever be used.
I expect this is just a standard running issue fork the fact you are increasing volume and intensity but your muscular-skeletal system has not adapted sufficiently for the increased stresses. You gain fitness very quickly starting to run, and as you run more and faster you increase stress on joints. However, getting bones and ligaments to strengthen takes much longer than the cardio fitness gains so ti si common to basically be able to outrun what your body can handle. You need more recovery time and just be patient while your body adapts.
I would also check that your running form, foot-strike and cadence are at least close to desirable. Some people run with a very low cadence and strike their heals, this increase stresses a lot.
Similarly, you probably aren't running your easy runs slow enough. The faster you run the greater the impact stresses. Moreover, as a beginner any kind of speed-work or intervals has a very high risk, but most C25k programs seem to put a lot of emphasis on weekly workouts etc. If you can run with a phone in your hand and have a proper conversion with someone without struggling for breath or pausing to speak then you are running at the right pace. Most beginners run far too fast. I also woudln't do any kind of intervals, fartleks, threshold runs in weekly training until you have been running for 6 months. he odd faster run now and again is fine, but not tryign to put 2 hard works in each week.
Sound advice indeed. You need to get into the mind set that running is long term, took me 9 months from couch to half marathon and it was slow steady progress, 5k, 10k, 16k then the half. I did have a good base from swimming but my god running was hard to get started.