Running Advice

Whitehawk

hey all, i have just start running - use to be very fit but UNI left did not help in that area :P So i started running... started doing just small amount 1.5 Miles and now up to 2.3 Mile.
Thing is im not sure if im going about it best way and I don’t know anyone else that runs! So was hoping that i could get some overall Advice of things to do and things ppl do wrong etc. read a lot of stuff online but at times it all a bit to much :P

At the mo i run for as long as i can then walk for short time then run etc and i complete my run in around 25mins! Thing is I don’t know if I should keep just doing this run and will the walking brakes shorten or is it best to keep running longer distances as I go long!
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joconnell

I was thinking the same a while back so it turns out there's a lot of ways to train. Each different way will improve you in different fashions.

If you've got a way of measuring the distance you run (http://www.mapmyrun.com/ is handy - free and you can plot routes - it'll tell you how long each is) and keep running gradually longer distances each time it'll build up endurance and you'll be less and less hassled about distances. If you try to run the same route each time and try to push the speed, your top speed will go up. If you run gradually more hilly routes you'll get stronger.

Whatever method you use though you're constantly improving. If you've no goal in particular something like the couch to 5k plan is good - pretty much starting from scratch and building up to either 5k or 30 minutes of running over the course of 9 weeks. It's all gradual increments each week so you'll get gradually better each time. Personally I use intervals of running then walking in a 2:1 ratio so for example I'd run for 2 minutes then walk 1 minute. Then the next time out I'd add another minute and run for 3 minutes, walk for 1.30 and so on. I'm building up distance personally but my speed is improving a little bit each time as my health gets better. I've started looking at a half marathon plan and it gets you to do each different type of training - doing a short run where you mix between normal jogging pace and then faster paces over 200ms to gradually increase your top speed, then another is up hills so you build up some strength, the last one each week is just distance gradually building up.

Ideally what would you like to achieve with the running? Might help folks give you slightly better advice!

Krusty_Clown

Best thing to do: Follow a plan. Have a look at one of the coach to 5k plans, and if you think you're beyond that stage, maybe it's time to set a goal, and aim for a mass participation 10k race, and start a 10k program. HalHigdon has a 10k novice plan that might suit. Best thing to do is to set a goal, and pick a plan that takes you along in a structured fashion towards that goal. you might find that there are running groups in your area, such as the fit4life groups.

Whitehawk

thanks for all the gr8 info giving me lot of stuff to think about - will post back if anymore qustions pop up

InTheTrees

Well you've found the right place here.

I've been following a Couch-to-10k plan which has been working really well, i'm in my 40's so I double the time I spend on each level, but it really helps. You'll be able to track your progress and feel the improvement.