Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

platypus said:
Sounds like the hash house harriers: a drinking club with a running problem ;).
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My first foray into running was through them as my dad used to join up with them wherever in the world he was working. Was brilliant as a 16yr old who was a fat kid at school and never ran to potter along on the shorter routes and then get ******

I remember one day in Rio when i was 18, where my dad and i had forgot it was our "turn" to plan the route. I'd gone out the night before, turned up back at the apartment around 7am, then we had to jump on bikes to go and mark out the route, dead ends and beer stops, then get back. Change into other clothes and meet up with everyone to run it.


*For anyone not familiar, the course is generally marked with chalk on pavements with arrows and some lead to dead ends. This is so that the faster runners get more running in. They can then potentially go off down the wrong path, hit a dead end and go back to the form and rub out the false arrow so that slower runners then follow the correct route.
It's a great system and means people mostly finish at a similar time.

You then got the initiations for being new people. Usually involving wearing some stupid hat and having to down beers.

EDIT - Googled it. This pretty much sums up my memories
Vm2RxkE.png
 
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Yeah I used to hash every week. Drunk many a pint out of my trainers :p.

It's actually a fantastic way to train - the front runners get a lot of miles in and good speed work, and the pack stays together so the slow runners never get left behind. Am sure the drinking is just carbo loading :D.
 
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Been ramping up my running recently as I have a half at the end of May (not focused on time) and then again in October (would like to get a big PB here) - what weekly mileage are the half marathoners getting up too generally?
 
I'd be aiming around 20 miles a week if you can, ideally more if possible. Especially if you want to try and do the best you can.

When going for the October one, i'd also be looking to try and get some long runs up to 20 miles at an easy pace. You can then scale it back to work on speed, but you'll know the distance itself is easily do-able.
 
Tried the Garmin workout last night. Was going for an easy run and was a bit earlier than planned and a bit close to having stuffed my face at tea!

Then as i selected the run activity it suggested a 55 minute workout with 3x3x15 second sprints. Figured that could be enjoyable. Short enough intensity to not make me feel sick but give me a bit of structure. Ended the session with a 33% compliance! Mainly caused by not running slow enough in the recovery phase (average speed was bang on, but i tended to run a bit fast and then walk to average the right pace. I find it too hard to run at 7min/km). Then my sprints were too slow at around 3:40min/km rather than 3:15.

So nice to be out, after a run on Sunday too. Just have to manage the foot pain by not getting carried away!
 
I don't know what to expect in response, but I will have to run a 15-miler on Saturday for my marathon training. This will be the longest distance I've ever run by about 2 miles. I'm feeling the dread already. :(
 
How did you feel running 13 miles? I think it's easy to see base numbers increase quite quickly and let dread kick in, but really once you're doing over 10 miles then anything up to around 20 is fairly achievable as long as you're sensible.
 
Martynt74 said:
How did you feel running 13 miles? I think it's easy to see base numbers increase quite quickly and let dread kick in, but really once you're doing over 10 miles then anything up to around 20 is fairly achievable as long as you're sensible.
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Immediately following it, I was tight in the calves but otherwise good. Although, I had to wait around 20 miles for my partner to turn up with some warm clothes. Over the next few days, my legs felt good, whereas years ago, I would have been in pieces following a 13-mile run. Last week was a lighter training load, with 3,4,7,10 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat) and other than the early start (05:30) on Friday for the 7 miles, I was happy with the week's plan.

I think the dread of completing the 15-mile run this weekend is due to my running mates running a 10-mile race in Londonderry. I elected not to do the race, as I'd have had to find another 5 miles to run, plus I'd have raced it rather than my average training pace. My partner is away at a dressage event all day, therefore I'll have no one around for company before, during or post-run. She hates running but at least be there afterwards for a coffee.

Below are details of the training plan (Hal Hidgon's Novice 1 Marathon) for the next eight weeks. Those numbers on Saturday are scary. :eek:

WeekMondayWednesdayFridaySaturdayMileage
103471529
114481632
124581229
135491836
145591433
1551052040
164581229
17
4		36821
18234 (Race the next day)9 + 26.2
 
That bodes well then. You know where the weakness was last time, so now you can just focus on getting warmth and massage/stretches to your calves to ease the recovery.

Can you not work a route that finishes at home to avoid any delays for food/warm clothes?

Week 13 looks the worse as it's the 9-18 that will be a challenge, although seems a good setup and hopefully you fly through it. Nice to see a run the day before race day too. I used to find that hugely beneficial to get out the day before and most plans i've seen avoid that.
 
Martynt74 said:
That bodes well then. You know where the weakness was last time, so now you can just focus on getting warmth and massage/stretches to your calves to ease the recovery.

Can you not work a route that finishes at home to avoid any delays for food/warm clothes?

Week 13 looks the worse as it's the 9-18 that will be a challenge, although seems a good setup and hopefully you fly through it. Nice to see a run the day before race day too. I used to find that hugely beneficial to get out the day before and most plans i've seen avoid that.
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Normally I would run a route that takes me back to the car/coffee shop, however, for the 13 miles, I decided to run into Belfast (A - B) and for my partner to get the train in and we went for lunch after... A Ruben with a maltster bun and a coffee.

tZufRMQ.jpeg


This week's run will be the following route, which allows me to loop back on myself and change into something warmer.
W8ov6w5.png


You're right, 13 looks to be the worst for back-to-back runs. At least the week of the 20 miles, it is only 5 the day before.
I might swap the run the day before the race for a rest day, as I've to queue to collect my race pack on Friday. Although, I'll decide that closer to the time.
 
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Looks a good route, lumpy without being hilly and downhill from the halfway point. Although i can see why you'd have wanted that food again!

I'd definitely try and do something the day before. Even if just a mile. I find it really helps keep you loose.
 
I could have gone flatter, the other route I'd chosen was from Carrick to Holywood, along the M2, skirt, around Titanic Belfast and the Airport, but only 61 meters of elevation. As a comparison, the actual Marathon route is 258 meters over the full course. In my opinion, there is no point running a flatter route if there are a few hills in the actual event.

Zm8xm5e.png
 
100%

That's fairly hilly for a road marathon, so definitely worth training on similar terrain. The little hill at mile 17 will be a killer!
 
Martynt74 said:
100%

That's fairly hilly for a road marathon, so definitely worth training on similar terrain. The little hill at mile 17 will be a killer!
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I'm not looking forward to the hill at mile 17. My running mates said it was brutal that far into the course. For the 18-mile long run, I plan to get the train into Belfast (the station is that bump above the end marker) and run past the 10,15,20,25 markers section of the course to get a feel for it.
 
Martynt74 said:
I'd be aiming around 20 miles a week if you can, ideally more if possible. Especially if you want to try and do the best you can.

When going for the October one, i'd also be looking to try and get some long runs up to 20 miles at an easy pace. You can then scale it back to work on speed, but you'll know the distance itself is easily do-able.
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I'm running a slightly extended PFitz Base Plan into the first HM, followed by a slight deload then ramp up again to do the PFitz 12/47 plan into the second (priority) plan.

My base builds to 52KM/32Miles per week at it's peak with a 18KM long turn 3 weeks out from the race which I feel good about.
 
Starting to get more into running and looking to get my first Garmin smartwatch but theres so many models out there. Im looking for something basic but functional so something like a Forerunner 55/255 perhaps. Does anyone know if these can be linked to your phone to provide turn by turn navigation on the smartwatch via googlemaps on the phone? From what I can see its only the higher end Garmins that have maps built in for turn by turn navigation?
 
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