Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Without really knowing your current fitness and exercise history, it's not easy to be sure - but my gut feel from what you're saying is that you're overloading.

5k in 25mins is a very decent pace, even for someone who's fit. You also ran the day before, hen you've thrown football in immediately afterwards and you're doing a couple of HIIT sessions during the week too.

I run 4-5 times a week and I'd rarely train at sub 25 minute 5k pace, unless it was a dedicated session to work on faster pacing. Normally, I'd be running 30mins+ for 5k (which for me is quite an easy pace, see conversation suggestions above) so that my weekly load is manageable. If I was throwing football plus HIIT sessions into my plan, my running pace would have to drop even more to account for the total load. If you're not used to running (and getting other high intensity efforts elsewhere), it's even more important to do vast majority of your running at a slow pace.
 
Thanks for all the input.

Makes sense. If you're starting running completely from nothing, then your fitness will be restricting your pace and intensity. And as your fitness gradually grows it would ordinarily give your body time to adjust to the demands of running. Yep, sport on, just turned 35. Started cycling at 20.

Yeah the 25 min 5k was probably 95% effort. It was a 15 min warmup, 15 min at 7:25 ish, then 15 min cooldown.

Right, I'll dial it down a bit and see how it goes for a few weeks.

Monday run.
I'll have a rest from running on Football Tuesdays. Starting today.
Cut down the HIIT to maybe 1 or 0 (Weds/Thurs).
Maybe one of those days where I'd go for a run, swap it for a cycle.
Friday run/cycle.
Then weekend is fitting stuff around what I've got on. But usually a bigger cycle on Sunday with the club. And a longer 6/7mi walk.
There will be a day off in there somewhere.

But also be aware about listening to be body, and chop and change where needed.
 
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HIIT itself can be very dangerous, and shouldn't be considered separate from running. Simply following a beginners running plan might help.

Intervals are useful, but are advanced and will require you to build ligament strength over many months. Even then, the pace is not red lining, normally more around 10k-half marathon pace held for 3-6 minutes at a time.
 
A big difference between cycling and running is the impact of running at intensity. While in both sports at least 80% of the time should be easy effort, in cycling there is not a big consequence of going too hard too often (but it is not optimal). For running, very quickly the fatigue and muscle damage have a big impact
 
Was on the way home today from the gym and tried to jog a bit. Unsure if it's the fact i've not ran for months or because of lots of cycling, but the whole motion felt really unnatural. Felt really conscious of form even though it was only around 5 minutes. Just felt really weird!

In possibly positive news. I've had results from another scan of my foot which now says there's no neuroma but it's a calcium deposit in the joints/bursa. Seems it's unusual for it to be such a long term issue but i'm being referred to someone who will hopefully be able to fix it and i can start running again!
 
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i always find i struggle for 'get up and go' generally when i'm not able to run so happy i'm alright at the moment. I did just over 14 miles yesterday morning, first time i've ever really struggled with the cold :( it kept trying to snow and the wind was icey. Time to get some running leggins and a hat i think
 
JustBen said:
i always find i struggle for 'get up and go' generally when i'm not able to run so happy i'm alright at the moment. I did just over 14 miles yesterday morning, first time i've ever really struggled with the cold :( it kept trying to snow and the wind was icey. Time to get some running leggins and a hat i think
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14 miles first thing is a great effort. Getting up early is horrific for me too, especially in the dark. Made even worse here as my wife struggles sleeping and so loves the window shutters you get here to make the bedroom really dark even when it's sunny outside. It's something i'd love to be better at just to get exercise out of the way.

Weirdly i'm absolutely fine waking up and jumping straight out of bed if there's a reason. Like when i used to get up at 4am to head up to the Lake District for a run starting at 6am but without that formal reason i'm useless.
 
I always disliked running in the mornings for some reason. Even though I was tired in the evening from work, it always seemed to fit better in my brain.

Now I'm nor running due to my knee, I find that I don't mind getting up early for the gym, so maybe it was just the being cold that I didn't like?
 
Well I've had a headache most of the week but feeling not to bad so went out today. Just under 7 miles legs were heavy for the first few miles then they were ok.
Not often I'll go running in the afternoon but did find I had to have my music on quite loud due to the bypass I run down. Normally pretty silent. Also went through a farm where there was a sheep nodding its head at me, that had horns so walked a wide birth then legged it. Will head out tomorrow for a few miles, was hoping to get 25 miles a week for a few weeks. Least then it's only 3 runs if I have a long run or 4 x 7 miles which is fine.
 
JustBen said:
Time to get some running leggins and a hat i think
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dusk-running - for at least another couple of months it's full winter gear - hat/gloves 2 layers + shell top, very rarely (maybe 4 times a year) use legging,
would like some warm sock - london running socks last forever because of artificial fibres.
e: use merino wool for cycling but they suffer a lot less wear & tear
 
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I just can't get on with Leggings, they feel too tight on my (fairly large to be fair) calves and become an irritant during the run - i do want to try half tights to see if they reduce chaffing
 
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blairw said:
I just can't get on with Leggings, they feel too right on my (fairly large to be fair) calves and become an irritant during the run - i do want to try half tights to see if they reduce chaffing
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I've got on well with Skins and Under Armour baselayer style shorts. One thing i'd never go back to are the 2 in one shorts. I always found the base layer was never that great and then they were useless vs separate shorts.
 
If they are tight on your calves, then maybe you are using the wrong style? I have some which were't overly stretchy and were a bit like that, but then tried some Asics ones and they didn't have the same issue.
 
Ian_Eb said:
If they are tight on your calves, then maybe you are using the wrong style? I have some which were't overly stretchy and were a bit like that, but then tried some Asics ones and they didn't have the same issue.
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Possibly... I'm hoping its something i don't need to think about until later on in the year, and even then I usually focus on making sure core + hands are nice and warm over legs anyway
 
I tried running on gloves and my hands just got too hot.The problem for me was always my stomach. In the winter I regularly got back and couldn't feel anything! Legs, arms etc. were/are always fine.
 
Ian_Eb said:
I tried running on gloves and my hands just got too hot.The problem for me was always my stomach. In the winter I regularly got back and couldn't feel anything! Legs, arms etc. were/are always fine.
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I usually have gloves in the bag, only occasionally do they come on.
I've not worn leggings in years just found for the first time ever I actually had cold legs. Might see if there's merino wool leggings that are loose fitting.

I've just got back from 10mile run which I'm happy I took my head torch and jacket with me as by god it's gone cold quick so nice to put the jacket on. My stomach is illuminous red in patches where my vest wasn't touching.

Aiming for maybe 23 miles this week, did 21 last week
 
Went out on Wednesday aiming for 5 or 6 miles but just couldn't be arsed, legs just had nothing in them so just did 3. Went out today and did 8 so just 2 miles left to do over saturday or sunday and i'm up to the 23 target
 
12 Week HM Prep kicks off this week followed by 3 week recovery then 18 week marathon prep...
Base Build has went well and set a new 10k PB (46:22) during it so feeling confident of a big HM PB (current PB is 1:52:43) and a successful Marathon in October.

Last 10 weeks running (km): - 37, 54, 49, 41, 36, 23, 49, 47, 49

Marathon Plan is Pfitz 18/55 so peak milage of 55 Miles / 88 KM
 
blairw said:
12 Week HM Prep kicks off this week followed by 3 week recovery then 18 week marathon prep...
Base Build has went well and set a new 10k PB (46:22) during it so feeling confident of a big HM PB (current PB is 1:52:43) and a successful Marathon in October.

Last 10 weeks running (km): - 37, 54, 49, 41, 36, 23, 49, 47, 49

Marathon Plan is Pfitz 18/55 so peak milage of 55 Miles / 88 KM
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Wish i had it in my legs to get to those speeds. Best half marathon i got was years ago which was 2:15 i think, i was getting on 10 years younger and maybe 3 stone lighter.
I was aiming for 25 miles this week, ended up a bit over at just under 28 miles as my long run today went a bit further than i was planning. 1800ft of ascent with some hills which were tiring to walk. i've started to appreciate the odd walk on longer distances find its a good time to take on fuel/water.

I've got a bundle of gels from Xmiles and also a bunch of Maurten caf powder mixes. The maurten stuff is vile so happy i necked that pre run. Had a GU salted caramel gel, must say it was delish! not sure how i would feel having a lot of them but was certainly top taste. Huma Strawberry gel had a slight odd taste almost apple'y tasting so wasn't a fan. Running low on my tailwind watermellon so need some more of them. They're my staple but just want to try gels incase my stomach or bladder fall out with drinking so much liquid with tailwind.
I'll post back with verdicts on the others and the various energy bars i got in a mix too.
 
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