Starting out running with Half marathon run as target....

smileyme1984

Hi all! Looking for a bit of advice, the following is my current situation:

25 year old male, slightly overweight at 14.5 stone, returning to sports/activities after slight knee injury. I have decided to take up running and I have set myself a target to run a half marathon ((Galwaybay half marathon - 2010 as final target (part of a bet too that makes me wonder if I’m crazy), but I hope to do many other runs once i get going beforehand 5 & 10km’s etc)) to help lose weight, regain fitness and improve on previous fitness levels, and to take up a hobby that I can participate in, at any time, anywhere.

Usually I play 5-aside football once/twice a week and walk to and from work 5days a week (3 to 3.5 miles each way) and consider myself a relatively active person.

From reading other threads I have read up on the various Hal Higdon training programmes. I have run 3 to 4miles on a few occassions before and found it fairly achievable, but I am determined to do this on a more regular basis and now with a final target as motivation, fully intend to follow one of the programmes.

Taking the above into consideration I would greatly appreciate any advice/opinions on what programme would suit best to start off on, ie. 5km, 8km, 10km, 15km, or just go straight in at the deepend with the half marathon programme, I was considering starting with the 8km or 10km as I don’t want to overdo it straight away especially considering I havn’t been doing much apart from walking over past few weeks. Also, as I have nearly a full year to meet the current end goal, is it relatively achievable for someone like me taking up running to do this???

RoyMcC

I'd say the 10k is a good place to start for someone like yourself who has a reasonably active background. It is well within your capabilities and you'll have no concerns about not finishing. Target a race (e.g. Athenry on 26 Dec would be a great one to start with), get with a Higdon programme and get some nutritional advice.

Well done on your resolve and keep us up to date with your progress. Maybe start a training log on the sub-forum to do this and to keep you motivated.

Krusty_Clown

+1. Top notch advice.
Best of luck, stick with it, and let us know how you're getting on.

ecoli

I would advise doin alot of your running on softer surfaces (grass or trails) for the first while as 1) you coming back from a knee injury 2) you consider yourself slightly overweight.
Other than this agree with the lads and best of luck with it

smileyme1984

Thanks for the advice! Higdon 10k programme it looks like it will be then.

Bit concerned about the whole road running and coming back from the knee injury, as I can’t see myself getting to run on trails or much grass until the weekends mainly. Might just ease myself into things over the next 2 weeks and see what happens and then give the 10k programme a go for Athenry over the following 8 weeks if everythings ok. Worst comes to the worst I would possibly have the Westport 5k (read somewhere that it was on in late Dec but can't find source now) around then as a fall back if anything happens in the mean time. Determined to do one, preferably the 10k and especially on a whole motivational basis before the year end.

I’ll start the training log then in the coming fortnight or so as long as everything goes to plan.

Excited by the challenge the more I think of it!!!!! Thanks for the help