Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

200km+ of training and BOOM. Finished my first Half Marathon today. Took place in Maidenhead - tore my calf muscle the day before - took 1000mg of ibuprofen and yea...

Finished in 1:39:51 - Also beat my best 10km coming in at 47:16!

Please find lap times below:

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Gustov said:
200km+ of training and BOOM. Finished my first Half Marathon today. Took place in Maidenhead - tore my calf muscle the day before - took 1000mg of ibuprofen and yea...

Finished in 1:39:51 - Also beat my best 10km coming in at 47:16!

....
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Excellent effort, decent steady pace throughout. Expect better next time :p
 
Great thread, read the whole thing today!

My running story...

Back in 2001 when i lived in London i thought to myself "why don't I do the marathon while I'm here..."

Not knowing how amazingly difficult it is to get a place, I got one 1st time!
I did a bit of half arsed training, got sore legs and gave up my place. I've kicked myself ever since and have tried through the years to get a place but always missing out.

Roll on to 2011. I'm a member of a Mountain Rescue team and Prince William sorted out a load of free places for us (2 per year for the next 5 years). I expressed my interest and was chosen in the mini ballot from all those that wanted to enter. :)

So this January just gone I start running. I've ran bits off and on but nothing serious. I started going out during my dinner break at work. I started with 3.5, went up to 5.5, then up to 7. By this point I thought I should get some proper fitted running shoes as I was in a cheap Factory seconds pair of North Face Trail shoes.

I got my gait checked at Decathlon and ended up with some Asics shoes for over pronation. I went out the next day in them and stormed round my hilly 5.5 route in the fastest time. Great I thought......until the next week where my running went to pot and I hobbled along like a granny. My inner shins were destroyed!

I took 2 weeks off and then tried a 3 miler, nope. Legs still sore...

If I ran as slow as almost walking i would be ok, but that's hardly training for a marathon!

I had another week off and then had the bright idea of trying the old shoes. i set out, legs hurt but it gradually went away! :)
Slowly over the weeks i built up to the point of doing my 5.5 miles on Tues and 3.75 on Thurs.

Then a 1/2 Marathon entry popped up for the 7th Oct. (Tissington Trail). For the past month everything has been pretty much back to normal. I'm now doing the 2 runs in the week plus a LSR on sundays. I did a 10 then a 9.5, 14 (!?) then 11 last Sunday.

Looking good for the 1/2 marathon in 3 weeks :)

My only problem now is severe inner upper thigh chafing and sore nipps. I've ordered some bodyGlide and 3m tape (after reading about them on this thread).

I'm hoping for under 2 hours on the 1/2 marathon....

I'm going to see about new trainers after the 1/2 marathon but I'll just get some that are the same height/cushioning as my old North Facers, rather than "what I should wear"

Thanks (hope this wasn't too boring a read)
 
Hi guys,

I've started running again over the last few weeks and have got my 5k time down to 21:12, which I'm pretty pleased with. I'm hoping to get it down to sub 20minutes in the next few months which I think will be doable if I keep getting out there.

However, I'm also hoping to progress to 10k as it feels like good longer term goal to have. Can you give me any advice on how to progress to this distance? I've never run anything like it before so really have no idea how to build up to it. 5k seemed short enough I could just do it and not have to worry too much, 10k seems a long way!
 
thats a very good 5k time - so you are obviously fit and strong - so just keep upping the distance slightly - weekly - and you'll be at 10k in no time at all. there should be lots of plans to get to 10k online

its my first 1/2 marathon tomorrow - half looking forward to it - half nervous

its organised by my club though so will be lots of friends there which will make it more fun but I want to see if I can do 1'40 or less -we'll see though

least it doesn't look hot tomorrow !
 
Buckster said:
its my first 1/2 marathon tomorrow - half looking forward to it - half nervous
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Good luck and be sure to use your head - most people in a half marathon will sprint off the line. Resist every temptation to do so. You will pass most of them by the end...more likely well before the end (and they will all look like death) :)
 
thanks Captainrave - will try -although sometimes difficult :)

hoping for sub 1'50 - but maybe 1'40 :) my best 10 mile time is 1'13

last month I've been running 54km a week or so - including a 16-18k every Sunday, speed work on Tuesdays, and then 3 other runs in the week. Taken it easier this week - just 2 sub-10k runs - so feeling reasonably ready for it (hopefuly)
 
completed my first half marathon - blimey it was hard work (last 4-5 miles)

managed 1 hr 37 something - which I'm pretty pleased with for my 1st half :)

going to tough to beat on my next one
 
Nice one ^^^^ :) good time.

I've got my 1st half in just under 2 weeks. I did 12 miles in an hour and 3/4's. Was pretty happy with the time. There was hills so I can probably go quicker on a flat course.
 
Beerguzzler said:
I failed to get a place again :(
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Sorry to hear that, how many times you tried?

It was a case of third time lucky for me. Applied the last two years as well but failed so I did the Windermere marathon in 2011 (first one) and Lancaster this year for my second. Both were not ideal for a first marathon in a perfect world and not as much support as there will be at London but I'm happy and proud that I did them. Just really looking forward to London now!!! :D
 
I know it's not much of an achievement in the grand scheme of things, but I ran 10k for the first time today. I tried not to get carried away and so managed to keep a pretty steady pace. It took me 1hr 4min, which is glacial compared to a lot of you guys, but considering I only started running 8 weeks ago and it's twice as far as my previous furthest, I think it's okay.

Actually, that's a lie. I think it's terrible, though it gives me an incentive to keep training, and motivation is the most important thing after all, right? :)
 
10K is a good distance.

Don't get too hung up on the time as that will come down as you get used to running. Also, times are only important when comparing between your own runs as a lot of things can influence them with terrain e.g. hills being one of the more relevant. You wouldn't expect someone running 5 miles in the hills of Scotland to have the same time as someone running 5 miles in Holland which is flat.
 
Saundie said:
I know it's not much of an achievement in the grand scheme of things, but I ran 10k for the first time today. I tried not to get carried away and so managed to keep a pretty steady pace. It took me 1hr 4min, which is glacial compared to a lot of you guys, but considering I only started running 8 weeks ago and it's twice as far as my previous furthest, I think it's okay.

Actually, that's a lie. I think it's terrible, though it gives me an incentive to keep training, and motivation is the most important thing after all, right? :)
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It's all about putting it into context to be honest and the only person you have to race is yourself.

Good time for a first 10k having not been running for long, as Richie said too there are many things which can influence the time so I wouldn't worry about it.

Crack on with it and you'll get better. Well Done. :)
 
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