Which increase should I target?

Recently started back running (was doing some in December but my back laid me out for 6 weeks) Sunday last week and have been out each day since.

Started at 4 km and yesterday did 7km over a mix of soft cross country and road.
I am looking to lose (a lot of) weight through this and would like to keep at it nightly.

It took me 50 minutes yesterday to do the 7km.
I'm currently somewhere between 120 and 125 kg (not weighed myself since before Xmas) and 185cm so am carrying serious weight (but also TBF to myself a good but of muscle too)

So in terms of this for weight loss should I be looking to focus on doing it faster or increasing the distance (am enjoying the run more once I get past the 3.5 km mark and seem to fully loosen out, while also liking setting a new marker everyday to reach distance wise so my heart would be distance but the weight loss is more important at the moment)

Krusty_Clown

You shouldn't be aiming to beat training times or distances. Rather than set a goal around training pace, or training distance, you'd probably be better off setting a goal around a specific race to participate in. For example, if you were still based in Cork, you might set a goal like 'complete the Fota Cheetah Wildlife run (4 miles) in May' as quickly as possible, and then you would line up a training plan that would accommodate that goal. The problem with your current strategy is that the risk of injury is greater than following a progressive structured plan. Having an end-goal will help with the motivation, and the consistency of a training plan will help with the weight management.

Honestly I have made a promise to myself to run a marathon next year (raising funds for The National Spinal Unit in the Mater which I was a patient of and also for the National Rehabilitation Hospital)

I was looking to the 2016 Cork City Marathon (although people have been saying that Dublin this year should be my goal).
I have no history in race running, it was always just something that I did when younger for fun and as part of a much wider training routine.

RayCun

I think you should increase distance more, for a while at least, before thinking of specific speedwork. But your speed will increase gradually with the distances you run.
But that doesn't mean every run should be longer. A good rule of thumb is to increase by no more then 10% each week, and every fourth week step back and do a shorter week. In practice, maybe spend three weeks making one run longer (and going slower on that run), then after your stepback week spend three weeks adding to one of your other runs.

for example
6k, 6k, 6k this week
6k, 6k, 7k,
6k, 6k, 8k
6k, 6k, 9k
6k, 6k, 6k stepback
7k, 6k, 9k
7k, 7k, 9k
8k, 6k, 9k

then do a couple of races and join a club

RayCun

RayCun wrote: »

I think you should increase distance more, for a while at least, before thinking of specific speedwork. But your speed will increase gradually with the distances you run.
But that doesn't mean every run should be longer. A good rule of thumb is to increase by no more then 10% each week, and every fourth week step back and do a shorter week. In practice, maybe spend three weeks making one run longer (and going slower on that run), then after your stepback week spend three weeks adding to one of your other runs.

for example
6k, 6k, 6k this week
6k, 6k, 7k,
6k, 6k, 8k
6k, 6k, 9k
6k, 6k, 6k stepback
7k, 6k, 9k
7k, 7k, 9k
8k, 6k, 9k

then do a couple of races and join a club

So do three nights a week rather than going out every day?

RayCun

Deleted User wrote: »

So do three nights a week rather than going out every day?

three or four times, yeah
going out every day is going to burn you out
go for a walk or a swim or a cycle on the other days

RuMan

If you're training for a marathon i'd forget about speed training altogether. Speed training may be of some benefit to those with high mileage and at a high level , however most people doing a marathon will benefit far more from running longer and also running more days. Increase your mileage and the amount of days very slowly. Speed training and big increases in volume/distance will usually just lead to injury.

demfad

Deleted User wrote: »

Recently started back running (was doing some in December but my back laid me out for 6 weeks) Sunday last week and have been out each day since.

Started at 4 km and yesterday did 7km over a mix of soft cross country and road.
I am looking to lose (a lot of) weight through this and would like to keep at it nightly.

It took me 50 minutes yesterday to do the 7km.
I'm currently somewhere between 120 and 125 kg (not weighed myself since before Xmas) and 185cm so am carrying serious weight (but also TBF to myself a good but of muscle too)

So in terms of this for weight loss should I be looking to focus on doing it faster or increasing the distance (am enjoying the run more once I get past the 3.5 km mark and seem to fully loosen out, while also liking setting a new marker everyday to reach distance wise so my heart would be distance but the weight loss is more important at the moment)

I would run very easy and slowly extend distance/frequency of running. This will target fat burning. You can throw in a few (4-6) fast 10 second bursts at the end of the odd easy run to help with speed.

To get your body used to burning fat you must make sure your diet is not too sugary. If it is any food taken while your blood is high in insulin will go straight to reserves (put on weight). This is because the body will first use the insulin.

Its difficult to do, but try the following to start if sugar is an issue:

Nothing with sugar in the few hours before the run. Do the run. Eat after but nothing sugary for an hour at least. That's a 4 hour block without sugar where your body can learn to burn fat as fuel on the run. Try and add more periods without sugar around food eating.

The less time with insulin (from processed sugars) in the blood, the better at burning fat youll be, the more effective youre running will be for weight loss.

Simple sugars are not the issue (luckily), quantity is/was

Itziger

From one C exile to another, Most of the advice above is spot on. Slow increases, forget speed for a good bit yet. And if I add one ingredient to the mix it would be this....... Don't rush the marathon. Of the two options mentioned I'd beg any friend of mine to go for 2016 rather than 2015.

Sure you could 'do' Dublin 15 but how do you feel when you finish. In bits? Give up running? Injured?

Unless there's a massive emotional reason for doing October 2015, hold off. Get the fitness up, enter a few races, get better and more comfortable at running. With all of this, the weight should come off obviously. Then you'll be in a better place to target a marathon.

Itziger

Itziger wrote: »

From one C exile to another, Most of the advice above is spot on. Slow increases, forget speed for a good bit yet. And if I add one ingredient to the mix it would be this....... Don't rush the marathon. Of the two options mentioned I'd beg any friend of mine to go for 2016 rather than 2015.

Sure you could 'do' Dublin 15 but how do you feel when you finish. In bits? Give up running? Injured?

Unless there's a massive emotional reason for doing October 2015, hold off. Get the fitness up, enter a few races, get better and more comfortable at running. With all of this, the weight should come off obviously. Then you'll be in a better place to target a marathon.

To be honest that is exactly where I am. People are trying to be supportive I guess and saying 2015 but realistically I am looking for the home one in 2016.

And I was really hoping that people would say that the distance is the more important factor.
Once I am in, relative, good shape I will join a club. Is the running club around Naas any good?

demfad

Deleted User wrote: »

Simple sugars are not the issue (luckily), quantity is/was

Good. People always tend to eat the same weight in food apparently so changing the content a little may help also. Ie more fruit and veg.

I would actually increase the frequency of running before increasing the duration.
The body adapts well to consistency even if it means running shorter and easier initially.
3 times a week is sporadic as far as adaptions are concerned.

I'd try and get up to 5 days a week consistantly with your runs. Half an hour each with one longer run (50-60 mins) once a week. Go for a swim or bike if tired as suggested.

When you're comfortable with that (after a month) look at slowly extending the duration.
Keep one run long and the rest shorter.

Sustainability is key for you. What will make you keep it up? Weight loss? An increase in average running speed? Enjoyablity? Sociability?

Plan your running accordingly.
If average pace is a feedback that will stimulate you to keep going then You can potentially make huge gains in all speeds of running.

That means targetting shorter races intitially (<5k) which require you to train at different paces. Find a schedule for such a race (8 week schedule). Complete it pick another, same again.

If a social element will help you then try and get into the running scene. Join a group or club, go to the after-race tea and biscuits.

Ways to enjoy running:

Pick one run a week. An anything goes run. Run fast, slow, uphills down hills. Offf-road, on beach. Sprint between lamp posts, jog, run moderate, whatever is enjoyable.

Another run. Start at a walk, then slowly jog, slowly slowly up the pace, hold each new pace for a little longer until its comfortable, then slowly up again. Keep doing this until youre close to not being able to keep it up. Jog for a while to cool down.

Use youre running as site seeing: pick areas/roads/parks in your locality where you havent been for a while/ever. Plan to see all these.

Run on forest trails. Run/walk Up a hill/jog down.

Once you can keep running sustainable your plan for weight loss should work.
You know better than yourself what feedback will keep you lacing the runners up. Tailor your running to maximise that feedback.