Couch to NY marathon

ellie_sun

Dory Dory wrote: »

Best of luck here! I just finished my first ever marathon 10 days ago, so I totally understand your excitement and all the work you have ahead of you. Make sure you enjoy the whole journey (and it is a journey, believe me!) and don't forget to keep it all in proper perspective. I'm also considering signing up for NY, so I will definitely be keeping tabs on you, and I might see you there!!

Was just reading your log Dory Dory, I reckon I would only see the back of your shoes as you zoomed past me haha!! Your time was amazing, well done! Also loved your first race report, sounds similar to Tough Mudder which I'm doing in July.

Brianderunner

ellie_sun wrote: »

Thanks guys!

Brian are you waiting for the lottery results for NY?

Nope got in with my sub 1'23 time in the Waterford Half

ellie_sun

Tried out my new runners last night, really feel it in my calves today.

Distance: 1.76 mi
Time: 17:40
Avg Pace: 10:04 min/mi
Avg HR: 155 bpm
Max HR: 179 bpm

ellie_sun

Brianderunner wrote: »

Nope got in with my sub 1'23 time in the Waterford Half

Nice! Hope London works out for you.

ellie_sun

Tried the 4 mile loop of the park that i did last week. I was rubbish, stopped 4 or 5 times My right leg was sore after about one mile, and its still quite sore now. I don't really know which bit hurts, maybe my calf or my ankle. Its hard to tell.

My watch is being funny, it measured the route as 3.91 tonight but the loop is 4.25 miles. I switched my foot pod to my new runners so maybe it needs to be reset.

Distance: 3.91 mi
Time: 46:13
Avg Pace: 11:48 min/mi
Avg HR: 169 bpm
Max HR: 181 bpm

pointer28

Did you get a gait analysis done before you bought the runners?

Maybe they're wrong for you and causing your pains.

ellie_sun

pointer28 wrote: »

Did you get a gait analysis done before you bought the runners?

Maybe they're wrong for you and causing your pains.

Yep, they said I didn't overpronate and that I didn't need stability runners (I think these were the terms, it was a few weeks ago!) I did switch to a low toe to heel drop so I could try and strike with the middle of my foot more - think trying to get off my heal is hurting my calves.

London marathon today was making me nervous!

Dory Dory

Hey! I went ahead and threw my name in the NY City marathon lottery, so fingers crossed for the both of us (and a few others too)....but odds are tough. I guess we'll find out Wednesday?? I know that's when they do the drawing.

ellie_sun

Dory Dory wrote: »

Hey! I went ahead and threw my name in the NY City marathon lottery, so fingers crossed for the both of us (and a few others too)....but odds are tough. I guess we'll find out Wednesday?? I know that's when they do the drawing.

Good luck Dory, Wednesday is the draw, its exciting! Would you qualify for next year with your marathon time from a few weeks ago?

I'm doing mine for charity so I've got my spot! I wanted to do something for the charity for a while and then they had some spots so I signed up. Before I had time to think about what I would have to do to run a marathon!! Probably better that I was blissfully unaware!

hot to trot

ellie_sun wrote: »

Tried out my new runners last night, really feel it in my calves today.

D

Congratulations you are doing really well.
Anytime I buy new runners I usually walk around the house and town a bit to loosen them up and break up some of the stiffness in them. It maybe just that you are breaking them in . If they continue to hurt when running , perhaps you could walk around in them a bit more and alternate them with your old runners fr a while so your body hasnt to make too much of a change.
Love your log. Keep going .:D

Dory Dory

ellie_sun wrote: »

Good luck Dory, Wednesday is the draw, its exciting! Would you qualify for next year with your marathon time from a few weeks ago?

I'm doing mine for charity so I've got my spot! I wanted to do something for the charity for a while and then they had some spots so I signed up. Before I had time to think about what I would have to do to run a marathon!! Probably better that I was blissfully unaware!

No, my time from 2 weeks ago would still be too slow for NY (I did not consider elevations in my marathon choice first time around :eek:), so I will be looking for a runner-friendly marathon course to do this fall if I don't get into NY this year. "Flat, fast, and PB friendly" are the words I'm looking for in the description of the course.

Good for you for doing it for charity! Bravo. You've got loads of time to prepare for this race, so blissfully unaware will be irrelevant!

ellie_sun

thanks hottotrot, am going to start wearing them in the apartment see how it goes.

Dory, good luck in the draw, fingers crossed you get a spot. I heard Paris was a good marathon for being flat, might be a bit of a trek for you though!

In good news tomorrow is the end of my craziness and now I should have the time to become a fully fledged marathonzilla!!

ellie_sun

Back to it today. New shoes are feeling much better, did 3 miles and right leg felt pretty good. Bit of a slow run, I was trying to concentrate on my technique and making sure my right foot was striking properly.

Distance: 3.00 mi
Time: 35:57
Avg Pace: 11:58 min/mi
Avg HR: 169 bpm
Max HR: 180 bpm

Got a nice surprise in the post today - one of my friends from home sent me a running book. Its the running world - run less, run faster. I would probably be better with run more, run faster but I'm looking forward to reading it!

Am off to sunnier climes for the weekend. Gym gear is packed (well ok, in the pile to be washed and then packed, the intent is there!).

ellie_sun

Went for a 3 mile route today but walked at least 2 miles of it would like to blame the 30 degree heat but I just think that some days my head does not want to corporate with my legs. Went to the gym after and did circuit training so now I can add tired thighs from squats to my tired calves from yesterdays run.

Came across some monkey bars in a park on the way back from the run and decided to get in some practice for Tough Mudder (two of the obstacles are monkey bars and the rings like they used to have in Gladiators). For some reason I assumed I would fly across the monkey bars like i did when I was 11 but that would be a no! I only made it one bar...

Dory Dory

I followed the FIRST marathon plan (I believe that is the training plan highlighted in your new book) for the marathon I just did and I really loved it. I think each of the weekly key runs adds a dimension to your ultimate improvement, and I like how cross training is encouraged to assist in recovery. I did not read the book, but maybe I should. I will more than likely follow this plan again for my next marathon in October. I'm not looking forward to those awful intervals, but they really are a necessary evil for completeness. Keep us posted on how you like the book!

ellie_sun

Had a few disaster runs (a mile here and there, head just hasn't been in it and alternate legs giving trouble on different days...).

2 miles today
Distance: 2.00 mi
Time: 22:20
Avg Pace: 11:10 min/mi

Spent another 1.5 hours in the gym this morning - a tiny bit of cardio and the rest was reps.

Went shopping yesterday for some running gear (there are only so many washes I can do in a week!). Have a strange attraction to neon coloured running gear, no one is going to miss me coming down the street anyway. But sure whatever makes me happy!

ellie_sun

2 miles before work and an hour in the gym:

Distance: 2.00 mi
Time: 21:16
Avg Pace: 10:32 min/mi
Avg HR: 174 bpm

ellie_sun

Forgot to log my last run so will start with that:

Thursday May 10
Distance: 1.55 mi
Time: 15:55
Avg Pace: 10:33 min/mi
Avg HR: 167 bpm

Have been traveling a fair bit (3 long haul flights, am in Asia at the minute) so today is the first day I made a run. Don't have the exact stats as I don't have my little Garmin key with me but going by the watch:

Distance: 3.33 mi
Time: 40:00
Avg Pace: about 12 min/mi
Avg HR: pretty high, it was between 180 - 185 after the first mile.

Felt good just couldn't get my heart rate under control. Really wanted to keep running but I was worried that it was so high for over 30 minutes.

ellie_sun

Forgot to do my 4 week summary:

Distance: 26.5miles
Longest run: 4.28 miles in 46.22 minutes

Not a great month for progress, the 4.28 miles was a once off. I am aiming to get up to 5 miles consistently this month.

Have signed up for 2 races - a 10k on July 1 and a 10 mile on September 9. Haven't signed up for any half marathons but will hopefully find one for late September/early October.

ellie_sun

No garmin again so based on the watch:

Distance: 3.50 mi
Time: 41:18
Avg Pace: about 11.5 min/mi
Avg HR: bit better than sunday, was below 180 for second mile, went to 185 towards the end

Calves are sore!

zooming

Hi Ellie,
You are doing so well!!!!
Im doing the mini in Dublin in a fortnight, are you?

ellie_sun

Hi Zooming, I'm living abroad at the minute so can't do the mini marathon. Not sure I'd be able for 10k yet though, still pushing to get 4 or 5 miles out! Good luck with the run.

ellie_sun

Short run before work..

Distance: 2.18 mi
Time: 25:01
Avg Pace: about 11.29 min/mi
Avg HR: 175bpm

ellie_sun

Went to a bootcamp yesterday and I was so unfit. Was totally annoyed with myself so decided to use it as motivation to try and do a big (for me!) run today. And it worked, ran for 6 miles - my longest yet, yay!

Distance: 6.00 mi
Time: 1:12:00
Avg Pace: 12:00 min/mi
Avg HR: 174 bpm

Felt good the whole way through. I think I'm going to hurt tomorrow with a combination of the bootcamp and the run. My upper body already feels like its tightening up by the second. I probably shouldn't have gone so hard after the bootcamp but I just needed to prove to myself that I could do it especially with the 10k and the start of the marathon program fast approaching

ellie_sun

Am totally dedicated this week! Went for a run in the park and then the gym before work.

Distance: 2.32 mi Time: 25:41 Avg Pace: 11:06 min/miAvg HR: 165 bpm

There are two hills on this route OUCH! I really wanted to stop and walk up them but I shuffled on up, was so nice to get to the top and catch my breath.

Am doing a full loop of the park (think its around 10k) on Thursday with a group of work buddies. Am nervous cos I'm not confident of running 10k yet, I am a super slow runner and what if I only make it one or two miles and have to stop? Will give it my best shot anyway and fingers crossed I do ok!

ellie_sun

Distance: 3.67 mi
Time: 43:46
Avg Pace: 11:54 min/mi
Avg HR: 165bpm

zooming

ellie_sun wrote: »

Am totally dedicated this week! Went for a run in the park and then the gym before work.

Distance: 2.32 mi Time: 25:41 Avg Pace: 11:06 min/miAvg HR: 165 bpm

There are two hills on this route OUCH! I really wanted to stop and walk up them but I shuffled on up, was so nice to get to the top and catch my breath.

Am doing a full loop of the park (think its around 10k) on Thursday with a group of work buddies. Am nervous cos I'm not confident of running 10k yet, I am a super slow runner and what if I only make it one or two miles and have to stop? Will give it my best shot anyway and fingers crossed I do ok!

you go girl!!!!

ellie_sun

Have my first running injury

Had run on Thursday night and didn't really notice anything wrong at the time but on Friday night my ankle/foot felt really uncomfortable. My right ankle was swollen. It didn't hurt to walk on or anything, it just felt uncomfortable. Rested it on Saturday and then on Sunday I got all ready for my run, took two strides and had to stop :mad: gutted. I don't know whats wrong with it, it just hurts when I put it in a running position. I rested it all day yesterday and tried it out this morning and I still can't run.

Not sure what to do, was going to buy an ankle support in the chemist but I'm afraid of doing some damage. Its really hard when you want to run and can't, I'm itching to get out.

zooming

ellie_sun wrote: »

Have my first running injury

Had run on Thursday night and didn't really notice anything wrong at the time but on Friday night my ankle/foot felt really uncomfortable. My right ankle was swollen. It didn't hurt to walk on or anything, it just felt uncomfortable. Rested it on Saturday and then on Sunday I got all ready for my run, took two strides and had to stop :mad: gutted. I don't know whats wrong with it, it just hurts when I put it in a running position. I rested it all day yesterday and tried it out this morning and I still can't run.

Not sure what to do, was going to buy an ankle support in the chemist but I'm afraid of doing some damage. Its really hard when you want to run and can't, I'm itching to get out.

Ice baby ice!!! Always apply RICE techniques to an injury

ellie_sun

Zooming thanks for that, googled RICE and spent the week icing and elevating! It was my first injury so didn't really have a clue what to do.

Felt ready for a run tonight to test my ankle. Had a support on and it felt ok. Iced it for a while after I got back and it still feels fine. Thought I was best to stick to the small loop and see how it goes, fingers crossed...

Distance: 1.63 mi
Time: 17:25
Avg Pace: 10:43 min/mi
Avg HR: 164 bpm

Have a 10k in 2 weeks so need to do some proper training. Really hope my ankle hods up and I get some proper runs in next week.