Running Best Practice

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Hi there,
I am relatively new to running. I am looking at the best practices involved and I have a number of questions which hopefully maybe answered.

First of all I am 36 and I was wondering what HR I should be running 9 km in? I currently run at circa. 170 bpm and was wondering if this was ok?

Secondly what are the best types of running shoes. I am using Zoots and find them great.
Thirdly, I am 6 foot 2 and I am just under 16 stone. What would a good running weight range be?

Thanks

menoscemo

commercial wrote: »

Hi there,
I am relatively new to running. I am looking at the best practices involved and I have a number of questions which hopefully maybe answered.

First of all I am 36 and I was wondering what HR I should be running 9 km in? I currently run at circa. 170 bpm and was wondering if this was ok?

Sounds very high but it depends on your max HR which varies from person to person

Secondly what are the best types of running shoes. I am using Zoots and find them great.
There are no best shoes. Different shoes suit different people. But I'd say if it ain't broke why try to fix it

Thirdly, I am 6 foot 2 and I am just under 16 stone. What would a good running weight range be?
How long is a piece of string? Depends more on your body fat than weight.]

Thanks

Replies in red. this may be more suitable to the Athletics/Running Triathlon Forum TBH.

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commercial wrote: »

Hi there,
I am relatively new to running. I am looking at the best practices involved and I have a number of questions which hopefully maybe answered.

First of all I am 36 and I was wondering what HR I should be running 9 km in? I currently run at circa. 170 bpm and was wondering if this was ok?

Secondly what are the best types of running shoes. I am using Zoots and find them great.
Thirdly, I am 6 foot 2 and I am just under 16 stone. What would a good running weight range be?

Thanks

Run at what ever you feel comfortable running at. Your HR is going to be different if you're running easy or running hard. I don't know why people are so worried about what the HR monitor says, how did people ever manage with out them

There's no such thing as the best running shoes, the best running shoe's for you are the ones you feel comfortable with. Some people feel more comfortable running in their bare feet.

Just do your running, it your find you're struggling then slow down.

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Thanks guys. Wasn't sure if there was a right way or wrong way. Wanted to make sure I was doing things ok.

Any tips you would give a relative newbie to running?

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commercial wrote: »

Thanks guys. Wasn't sure if there was a right way or wrong way. Wanted to make sure I was doing things ok.

Any tips you would give a relative newbie to running?

The only thing I use my heart rate monitor for is to check the progress of my cardiovascular fitness.

Go out and run your 9km at a nice comfortable pace/time and keep a record of your heart rate. Do the exact same run at the same pace/time and keep a record of your heart rate again. Over time its a great indicator of how you are progressing.

Enjoy your runs and change the scenery if you get bored running in the same place. Don't go out running fast all the time, you'll soon start to dread running

Try doing some weights as well. It will give you a better overall result than just running.

seamus

Only been running about six months myself, but you can't really go wrong by just getting out and pounding the pavement.

In terms of weight, for running generally the ideal weight is "as slim as you can be". Distance runners are almost universally very slim, though short and medium distance runners can afford to be larger. Sprinters (like Usain Bolt) can be quite large all over because sprinting involves more of the body than a marathon run does, for example.

For your average non-competing runner, just aiming to lower the amount of fat you're carrying is the best goal. It will mean you can run faster for longer and puts less pressure on your joints. Doing weights won't have any negative effect on your running so long as you're losing body fat.

HR-based training is the subject of much debate. The main problem is that in order to properly establish your HR zones, you need to get professionally assessed, and assessed every few months to keep your training on track.

If you're just starting out you're much better off aiming for the age-old goals of just going faster and going longer. I was initially just going out and running, doing a set circuit and seeing how long it took. Then after a few weeks, I'd come up with a new slightly longer circuit and check again. It works, I got faster, but running the same circuit all the time gets boring.

I've been using an iPhone app for the last two months. You set out a training goal (in my case to run 10k in 50 minutes) and the app gives you a training regime to help you acheive it, involving a mix of short & hard days (intervals), long & hard days, and long & easy days. Because the workouts change all the time it tends to remove any boredom and there's constant audio feedback ("speed up, slow down", etc) so it keeps you focussed.
It definitely works - when I started, the intervals involved 30 second bursts of sprinting. I was screwed by the end of that one, and it was only four intervals of 30 seconds. 9 weeks later one of my workouts involved 20 minutes of a moderate jog followed by a five minute sprint. No way I would have been able for that two months ago.

The app I'm using is called micoach, but there are similar ones about afaik.

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Thanks Seamus and everyone else. I use endomondo and find it a great app as well.

I will just try and drop the weight so and keep changing the runs. I am getting faster since January alright but the good tasting bad food is not helping!

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Thanks Seamus and everyone else. I use endomondo and find it a great app as well.

I will just try and drop the weight so and keep changing the runs. I am getting faster since January alright but the good tasting bad food is not helping!

I use Endomondo to track my runs as well. I find it is a lot better than Garmins site.