I'm struggling mentally to get out again, always happens after I've not run in like 5 or more days. I don't know what keeps stopping me, lack of confidence, the hills, feeling I won't perform... I'm going to try get out tomorrow as I'd prefer a Sunday run.
Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running
- Thread starter platypus
- Start date
@D.P. - critique my training please.
So back in Feb I started tracking my weekly volume and this has roughly been my 4 week cycle since then:
17 Feb - 15 Mar : Running 4x per week, 60km up to 70km all mostly slow but roughly equal distances, eg 15km+ per day for first 3 weeks. Dropped to 10km in 4th week, only running one day due to adjusting work schedule for Corona.
16 Mar - 12 Apr : Running 4x per week, 50km to 60km. Had intention of adding 5th and 6th day during this cycle but didn't happen.
13 Apr - Now : Running 5x first week, 6x second week and now on for 7x this week, 70km up to expected 90km.
Weekly schedule now looks like:
Monday : 7km easy, flat recovery
Tuesday : 10-12km easy, mostly flat with one hill
Wednesday : 10-12km easy, mostly flat with one hill
Thursday : 10-12km, easy, flat, with 2km fast
Friday : 12-15km, easy with 15-20 mins of hard but slow hill ascent
Saturday : 7km easy, flat recovery
Sunday : 25-30km long run
I'm aware of two main things just now. Firstly my current weekly volume is now increasing quickly in short space of time, but this has been mainly due to the additional days running. Currently on 13 days consecutive and feel it's sustainable. Secondly, I currently have very little high intensity. Plan is to make sure I can consistently maintain the above and then maybe adjust Tue to include something like 4x 800m sprints.
Thoughts?
So back in Feb I started tracking my weekly volume and this has roughly been my 4 week cycle since then:
17 Feb - 15 Mar : Running 4x per week, 60km up to 70km all mostly slow but roughly equal distances, eg 15km+ per day for first 3 weeks. Dropped to 10km in 4th week, only running one day due to adjusting work schedule for Corona.
16 Mar - 12 Apr : Running 4x per week, 50km to 60km. Had intention of adding 5th and 6th day during this cycle but didn't happen.
13 Apr - Now : Running 5x first week, 6x second week and now on for 7x this week, 70km up to expected 90km.
Weekly schedule now looks like:
Monday : 7km easy, flat recovery
Tuesday : 10-12km easy, mostly flat with one hill
Wednesday : 10-12km easy, mostly flat with one hill
Thursday : 10-12km, easy, flat, with 2km fast
Friday : 12-15km, easy with 15-20 mins of hard but slow hill ascent
Saturday : 7km easy, flat recovery
Sunday : 25-30km long run
I'm aware of two main things just now. Firstly my current weekly volume is now increasing quickly in short space of time, but this has been mainly due to the additional days running. Currently on 13 days consecutive and feel it's sustainable. Secondly, I currently have very little high intensity. Plan is to make sure I can consistently maintain the above and then maybe adjust Tue to include something like 4x 800m sprints.
Thoughts?
Last edited:
looks reasonable, but as you say a bigger increase recently so i think you should take a recovery week and then jump back, sustaining this level for a fir weeks.
without intensity or a LR i find i can pretty much not take a rest day. I took my 1st rest day in 6 weeks last week, mostly as it was pouring with rain all day. This is quite different to my marathon training where i frequently need a rest day.
When you add some intervals i i wou drop the volume, with either a rest day or easy day after the LR or interval day (i find day after LR is best).
Every 4tz week i drop the intervals (or do half the number) and reduce the long run. Doesn't need to ve exactly 4weeks, i look st the calendar snd see if there is a work trip, vacation, work deadline snd adjust.
Terrible workout Today. Had a 10x800m at around 4.10/km pace to do.
Did the first one at 3.56/km pace and just fell apart.
Knew it was going to be a grind just to finish. Got through them but after the 3rd one my times just fell off a cliff.
I also got my HRM-RUN chest strap for my garmin this week as I have been sceptical about me not being to get my HR above about 175 using the optical.
My max HR was still 174 with the chest strap even though there were times where I thought the world was going to end
To top it all off my garmin told me that it was an unproductive workout and my VO2 max had decreased.
Gonna have a couple of gin and tonics this evening I think.
Did the first one at 3.56/km pace and just fell apart.
Knew it was going to be a grind just to finish. Got through them but after the 3rd one my times just fell off a cliff.
I also got my HRM-RUN chest strap for my garmin this week as I have been sceptical about me not being to get my HR above about 175 using the optical.
My max HR was still 174 with the chest strap even though there were times where I thought the world was going to end
To top it all off my garmin told me that it was an unproductive workout and my VO2 max had decreased.
Gonna have a couple of gin and tonics this evening I think.
I think I'll try and finish this 4 week cycle. So one more week similar to this one, without much high intensity. Then I'll do a recovery week at lower volume before looking to continue. I like idea of 3 weeks steady progress then a reduced 4th week longer term though.
Assuming I keep LR on a Sunday, would you normally target Tue or Wed for some intervals? I'm thinking if I dropped a day for rest it would be the Monday, so maybe Wednesday would work best for intervals.
So something like:
Monday : Rest day or very easy & flat recovery
Tuesday : 10-12km easy, mostly flat with one hill
Wednesday : Intervals
Thursday : 10-12km, easy & flat
Friday : 12-15km, easy with 15-20 mins of hard but slow hill ascent
Saturday : 7km easy, flat recovery
Sunday : 25-30km long run
Sounds like a pretty hard session! I'd be totally done in with 10 reps of 800m at any sort of pace.
Enjoy the G&T's! I've still got my LR to fit in tonight.
Currently on my 8th day of activity (not all running) and yesterday was only a 4 mile walk so nice and easy.
Got a new paddle board on Friday so Friday/Saturday was spent doing that. It's hit that time of year when there are multiple activites i want to do and not enough time to do them all. It's a tricky balancing act. My new board is also a lot narrower than my old one and less stable so after an hour on Saturday it killed my quads/glutes.
Today i got up early and felt good, so did 8 miles. That's the longest i've ran for over a month now and i felt good all the way round. Hopefully can start building on that. Just need to find a way to get back to 30-40 miles/week and still find time for other hobbies. To be fair home working will help a lot as no commute/lunch runs are an option.
Got a new paddle board on Friday so Friday/Saturday was spent doing that. It's hit that time of year when there are multiple activites i want to do and not enough time to do them all. It's a tricky balancing act. My new board is also a lot narrower than my old one and less stable so after an hour on Saturday it killed my quads/glutes.
Today i got up early and felt good, so did 8 miles. That's the longest i've ran for over a month now and i felt good all the way round. Hopefully can start building on that. Just need to find a way to get back to 30-40 miles/week and still find time for other hobbies. To be fair home working will help a lot as no commute/lunch runs are an option.
So I have a problem with pacing. I go off miles too quick!
Wanted to put a fast 5k time in Today. Did a sub 4min first KM and went downhill from there. Was aiming for a 22.15 5km which didn't happen
You need to sort out your links
To be fair i'd say it was quite likely to get 1km/1mile PR's on a 5km run as when else do you ever set out to run at a fast pace?
My runs tend to always be around a 4 mile minimum, i'm not sure i could ever be bothered going out to just try and run a fast 1 mile.
My runs tend to always be around a 4 mile minimum, i'm not sure i could ever be bothered going out to just try and run a fast 1 mile.
I do lots of 800m interval runs where I go faster but obvs short of a KM.
I've got a magic mile in my programme Tomorrow though which is where I would normally go for my shorter distance records.
Will have to see where my legs are at but I reckon I have 6.20 mile in me
I've got a magic mile in my programme Tomorrow though which is where I would normally go for my shorter distance records.
Will have to see where my legs are at but I reckon I have 6.20 mile in me
"Bad" run today since I did the first 5k on 27th April, lockdown must be coming to an end as quite busy on the route, had quite a few stoppages to let people and bicycles through and while playing around with the app yesterday I switched to KM which threw my pace notes off. Weight loss has stalled unfortunately and shin splints still the biggest issue but I'm definitely feeling less like I want to die at the end each time.
Still, seems I'm getting pretty comfortable around 9 minutes a mile pace now and running the 5k non stop, so thinking 2 more weeks and I'll either look at increasing volume or look at a 10k programme. Any recommendations for the latter?
Still, seems I'm getting pretty comfortable around 9 minutes a mile pace now and running the 5k non stop, so thinking 2 more weeks and I'll either look at increasing volume or look at a 10k programme. Any recommendations for the latter?
I recommend extending your already familiar route, eases the boredom. Don't worry too much about being fast. Get towards your target distance then work up the speed later.
Also of you're interested in building up to races (if we ever get to do raves ever again!) if you were to do anything over a half, you'd only really train 80% of that distance or thereabouts. For my marathon I did a couple 20 milers to get a feel for it knowing if need to add a 10k on the day and that helped not feeling like I had to do it twice.
I went from not being able to run a mile to running a sub hour 10k a month later to running a a sub 2 half marathon 3 months later without putting a whole lot into it when I started out. I was lean to begin with though, but don't be afraid to edge out your goals if you're getting bored with a route, just don't fuss too much about speed. 9 min miles are a good comfortable pace.
I'm finding it hard to be bothered as there's no immediate races to aim for. I was ill working from home the day lockdown started and missed a few weeks of running and now I'm on furlough. Finally recovered but been slow progress to motivate myself to get out. Especially if my Toddler doesn't nap as I go out when he's having his midday snooze as his mother's working from home and I'm in charge of him. 12 runs deep and it's coming back to me. I was supposed to be training for Lakeland 50 however I might start trying to work on a fast 10k while I'm off.
Also of you're interested in building up to races (if we ever get to do raves ever again!) if you were to do anything over a half, you'd only really train 80% of that distance or thereabouts. For my marathon I did a couple 20 milers to get a feel for it knowing if need to add a 10k on the day and that helped not feeling like I had to do it twice.
I went from not being able to run a mile to running a sub hour 10k a month later to running a a sub 2 half marathon 3 months later without putting a whole lot into it when I started out. I was lean to begin with though, but don't be afraid to edge out your goals if you're getting bored with a route, just don't fuss too much about speed. 9 min miles are a good comfortable pace.
I'm finding it hard to be bothered as there's no immediate races to aim for. I was ill working from home the day lockdown started and missed a few weeks of running and now I'm on furlough. Finally recovered but been slow progress to motivate myself to get out. Especially if my Toddler doesn't nap as I go out when he's having his midday snooze as his mother's working from home and I'm in charge of him. 12 runs deep and it's coming back to me. I was supposed to be training for Lakeland 50 however I might start trying to work on a fast 10k while I'm off.
Well, in my ever optimistic haste I have actually signed up to a running event which is ambitious to say the least for someone with my weight.
It's in September so who knows if it will actually go ahead but involves 10 miles over trail type of terrain with possible mud depending on conditions.
Leaves me with 4 months to train and shift as much weight as possible, although a bit of an awkward distance from training points of view as most running plans are either 10k (6.2 miles) or half marathon.
Imagine if I go for latter then definitely shouldn't have much issue with 10 miles on the day but thinking if it's just a little too ambitious right now so find a 10k plan instead.
It's in September so who knows if it will actually go ahead but involves 10 miles over trail type of terrain with possible mud depending on conditions.
Leaves me with 4 months to train and shift as much weight as possible, although a bit of an awkward distance from training points of view as most running plans are either 10k (6.2 miles) or half marathon.
Imagine if I go for latter then definitely shouldn't have much issue with 10 miles on the day but thinking if it's just a little too ambitious right now so find a 10k plan instead.
4 months to hit a HM from where you are at the moment should definitely be doable.
What is your weight? I don’t recall from the other thread but I did a full marathon at around 110kg and I’ve seen much bigger people run long distances too. The main thing is just building up gradually. But it’s only 2 extra miles each month
What is your weight? I don’t recall from the other thread but I did a full marathon at around 110kg and I’ve seen much bigger people run long distances too. The main thing is just building up gradually. But it’s only 2 extra miles each month
Currently out injured with left leg knee pain really feel it when running can't put to much pressure on my knee.
Frustrating times but doing a lot of walking and skipping instead the skipping surprisingly very good.
I noticed Saucony got there new shoes for marathoners coming out Endorphin Pro going to have to spend some cash I feel can't spend it on much else
Here it is
https://www.saucony.com/UK/en_GB/endorphin-pro/44571M.html?dwvar_44571M_color=S20598-10
Frustrating times but doing a lot of walking and skipping instead the skipping surprisingly very good.
I noticed Saucony got there new shoes for marathoners coming out Endorphin Pro going to have to spend some cash I feel can't spend it on much else
Here it is
https://www.saucony.com/UK/en_GB/endorphin-pro/44571M.html?dwvar_44571M_color=S20598-10
Last edited: