Advice for a relative noob please.

Savage Tyrant

I recently took up running/jogging to get fit. I'd done no coinsiderable exercise for years bar the odd month or 2 blast in the gym that never really stuck.
I was up around 13.75stone (31year old and 5ft8 height) and was feeling pretty embarrassed about it. Combined with wanting to play (very badly) a bit of soccer this season and having been linked to the Couch25k thread late one night I decided to do something about it.
Cutting ahead a few months.... today i managed to run non stop for 10k in an hour and 9 mins. Fitter than I've been since I was a teenager. My weight is down to around 12st2 or 3 and I feel much better in myself.

but I do have a few questions that I was hoping I could get some advice one.

Firstly, even now I find it takes me to be running a good 6-10 mins before my breathing settles down. Meaning the first couple of K can be really hard to the point of me actually considering stopping. The second halk of my run is ALWAYS the more enjoyable.
Is this normal? and is there any advice someone could give me on regulating my breathing a bit better?

Secondly, Rather than doing 3 runs a week I'm now down to 2 with an hour of soccer training on a wed night taking the place of one. It usually involves a few laps, drills and then a 2-touch game.
Is that enough to maintain/improve my fitness or should I be looking at squeezing another run in somewhere?

Thirdly, How often would I need to run a full 10K to maintain the ability to do so?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

RayCun

Savage Tyrant wrote: »

Firstly, even now I find it takes me to be running a good 6-10 mins before my breathing settles down. Meaning the first couple of K can be really hard to the point of me actually considering stopping. The second halk of my run is ALWAYS the more enjoyable.
Is this normal? and is there any advice someone could give me on regulating my breathing a bit better?

You're probably starting off fast and slowing down when the first burst of energy wears off and it gets hard to breathe. Better to start slow until you've warmed up.

Savage Tyrant wrote: »

Secondly, Rather than doing 3 runs a week I'm now down to 2 with an hour of soccer training on a wed night taking the place of one. It usually involves a few laps, drills and then a 2-touch game.
Is that enough to maintain/improve my fitness or should I be looking at squeezing another run in somewhere?

Maintaining your fitness? It depends on how hard you're working on that soccer training night, and what kind of a run it is replacing.
If you want to improve then the answer is nearly always "run more"
Add another day of running. Make it a very easy day to start with.

Savage Tyrant wrote: »

Thirdly, How often would I need to run a full 10K to maintain the ability to do so?

It really depends, on how long the shorter runs are, how fast you run them, and what do you mean by 'maintaining the ability'? And compared to what level of training? Even if you're only running 5/6/7k twice a week, you should always be able to run 10k just by slowing down a little. But if that's all you're doing your 10k time is not going to get better, and will probably get worse.

Oregano_State

Savage Tyrant wrote: »

Firstly, even now I find it takes me to be running a good 6-10 mins before my breathing settles down. Meaning the first couple of K can be really hard to the point of me actually considering stopping. The second halk of my run is ALWAYS the more enjoyable.

Is this normal? and is there any advice someone could give me on regulating my breathing a bit better?

Secondly, Rather than doing 3 runs a week I'm now down to 2 with an hour of soccer training on a wed night taking the place of one. It usually involves a few laps, drills and then a 2-touch game.
Is that enough to maintain/improve my fitness or should I be looking at squeezing another run in somewhere?

I agree with Raycun, you need to warm up. Run for about 10 minutes at just slightly over walking pace. You should get to the point where you've started sweating before doing a few streches on the calves, hips and hamstrings at the very least.

Then begin your run proper.

Also try to stretch for 5-10 mins after your run.

Playing soccer is a good way to keep fit, but you have to put the effort in.

It isn't very compatible with middle/long distance running though, as soccer is mainly composed of short bursts of pace, with jogging/walking in between.

If you could fit another run in it would be very beneficial for your running fitness, but might not help with your fitness in soccer too much.

You need to decide what type of fitness you're looking for.

You might be as well of taking up yoga or pilates once a week to help your mobility and core strength, which would benefit both soccer type and running fitness.

Mobility/flexibility is a LOT more important than many people, including some athletes, think imo.

Hope that helps!

Savage Tyrant

Thanks guys.
You've given me a bit to think about. I'll need to think and decide which direction I want to go with my training and what kind of fitness I'll get most benefit from.
Thanks for taking the time to answer. I appreciate it.

monthehoops

Regarding the early heavy breathing; this is entirely normal. Anyone who plays any kind of competitive sport will tell you that the first 5-10 minute they'll find themselves breathing out their arse but after that time they get into the game. it'll be the same with your running.

5 a side soccer is fantatic for fitness, if you put the effort in. Don't just stand in the one spot and spray passes about a it's useless. Follow the ball as much as you can.

Oregano_State

monthehoops wrote: »

5 a side soccer is fantatic for fitness, if you put the effort in. Don't just stand in the one spot and spray passes about a it's useless. Follow the ball as much as you can.

From a footballing point of view, there might indeed be a danger that the OP turned into Xavi or Xabi Alonso if he did this. :pac:

monthehoops

Oregano_State wrote: »

From a footballing point of view, there might indeed be a danger that the OP turned into Xavi or Xabi Alonso if he did this. :pac:

Those boys are surely training mre than once a week:D