Looking to get back into running after a LONG break

rexsavage

Hey, I was looking to get back into running again after about a 7 year break due initially to injury and then laziness. I was a pretty decent short distance runner (200m and 400m) when I was younger and generally always qualified for Mosney in the community games and twice for the nationals with my secondary school but injury meant I only got to go once. That being said the last time I ran competitively was when I was 17 and obviously it will take me a while to get back to form.

So I was wondering if anyone could suggest a club for me to join, preferably in the Dublin 6 area that could help me get back into it. Me being me I would very much be willing to put my all into this. I already train 4/5 days a week in the gym and with a goal to achieve I would certainly be willing to change my eating habits/lifestyle to get to where I need to be.

Sorry for giving a bit too much information, but any suggestions on clubs would be great. Thanks in advance.

RayCun

Do you want to go back to sprinting, or more distance running?

There aren't any clubs I can think of in Dublin 6, but there are loads in the surrounding districts. Here's a short list

Bros Pearse
Crusaders
Donore Harriers
Dundrum South Dublin
Liffey Valley
Rathfarnham WSAF
Sportsworld
Tallaght

It's worth taking a look at those sites, seeing which are easiest for you to get to for training, and what kind of training they do. Most clubs will happily let you try out a couple of sessions before you join so you can see what the standard and atmosphere is like.

rexsavage

Sweet cheers. Ideally I'd like to go back to the short distance stuff, but obviously if I don't have the pace for it I'd be happy enough doing some middle distance work. I do a good bit of weight work so I don't really want to do anything that will be counter productive to that i.e. long distance running. I'm not too far from Rathfarnham so I might take a trip down to their clubhouse some evening. Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

menoscemo

rexsavage wrote: »

Sweet cheers. Ideally I'd like to go back to the short distance stuff, but obviously if I don't have the pace for it I'd be happy enough doing some middle distance work. I do a good bit of weight work so I don't really want to do anything that will be counter productive to that i.e. long distance running. I'm not too far from Rathfarnham so I might take a trip down to their clubhouse some evening. Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

Sportswold (terenure) are probably closest to you but I am not sure they have a lot of sprinters (opent o correction on this).
Dundrum, Tallaght and Crusaders would probably be the best bets in terms of large sprint groups and access to 400m tracks for training.

BobMac104

just as an aside, if a person was to come into sprinting from an "unfit" state like "the couch" would it be advisable to get a bit of an aerobic base first before hand or just go straight to sprint training as the systems are so different that it doesnt matter.

is there say a "couch to 100m" plan?

rexsavage

Yeah I've been in bushy park a few times when Sports World have been training and they seem to be geared more towards longer distance running. My only issue is I have no means of travel other than Dublin Bus so travel to and from the location is a bit of a problem. I reckon I'd need a good 8 months of training and diet to get myself into a shape where I could possibly compete at a decent level.

BobMac104 wrote: »

just as an aside, if a person was to come into sprinting from an "unfit" state like "the couch" would it be advisable to get a bit of an aerobic base first before hand or just go straight to sprint training as the systems are so different that it doesnt matter.

is there say a "couch to 100m" plan?

Personally I'd get out and do a few training sessions beforehand, but that's just my insecurity of looking foolish. I'd advise you start out with some low intensity work for 3/4 days a week for a couple of weeks and then go into some high intensity interval training. Maybe invest in a decent heart rate monitor so you know you're pushing yourself enough in the HIIT training. But I'm sure you could rock up to a club and see what the story is and the coaches could tell you what needs to be done etc.

ecoli

BobMac104 wrote: »

just as an aside, if a person was to come into sprinting from an "unfit" state like "the couch" would it be advisable to get a bit of an aerobic base first before hand or just go straight to sprint training as the systems are so different that it doesnt matter.

is there say a "couch to 100m" plan?

Given the time of the year I would say it wouldnt matter as many sprinters are winding down there seasons now so would be going into aerobic winter training soon enough anyway

RayCun

rexsavage wrote: »

Yeah I've been in bushy park a few times when Sports World have been training and they seem to be geared more towards longer distance running.

Their regular training sessions are in the park all right, but I think they and DSD, Rathfarnham... basically most clubs that aren't based at a track - will also have regular sessions at Tallaght, Irishtown, Santry etc
For example, the sprinters in my own club, Bros Pearse, train out in Santry every Saturday so they can use the indoor track when necessary, and for field events we'll have a weekly session up in Tallaght through the winter.

BobMac104

ecoli wrote: »

Given the time of the year I would say it wouldnt matter as many sprinters are winding down there seasons now so would be going into aerobic winter training soon enough anyway

I am only really asking from a theoretical/physiological point of view. like would you need to get up an aerobic base if you were a sprinter like you do in distance running before you start speed/strength work etc?

rexsavage

Ah cool, I get you. I suppose it would be pretty hard to train throughout the winter if you didn't have a proper indoor arena for it. I've never been a member of any club, I really wish I had joined one in hindsight (of course hindsight is foresight to a gob****e). But I'll never join one any younger and seen as I'm now 24 if I don't join soon I'll be beyond an age where I'll be able to run competitively. Thanks again for the information.

riveratom

BobMac104 wrote: »

just as an aside, if a person was to come into sprinting from an "unfit" state like "the couch" would it be advisable to get a bit of an aerobic base first before hand or just go straight to sprint training as the systems are so different that it doesnt matter.

is there say a "couch to 100m" plan?

I would say that sprinting is way more about your technique and doing speed work, whereas 'regular' running is more about building an aerobic base, and getting your miles building gradually.

I would say it depends on how unfit and used to the couch you are. You're more liable to pull something if you just start sprinting without working on a reasonable level of aerobic fitness first to start with. Best approach is to to build up your fitness, get your legs used to it all, and then look to focus on speed work, technique, weights etc.

Yarisa

Does anyone know of any good athletics clubs in the rathmines area where they offer proper sprint training (including plyometrics, sprint exercises, strength training etc)? I've been out of athletics for over 5 years and want to give it one more shot esp as I'm a 25 y/o female and haven't got much time left. My areas of interest would mainly be the 100m, 4x100m and 200m.
Any help will be much appreciated.

Cheers

RayCun

Aren't any clubs in Rathmines, above is a list of your nearest clubs. Contact them to see if and when they do sprint training...

thirtyfoot

To OP, start back just getting fit. Fartlek, one long run a week built up to 40mins and some intervals. Low intensity and short recoveries. Get into some gym, do class exercises like circuits, spinning say 2 times a week. Build that over the next 6 weeks then comeback here.

rexsavage

Cheers for that advice pal. I was running 20/40 intervals 3 nights a week for 25mins up to about 3 weeks ago when I got a bad chest infection and then tonsillitis so I'm only starting back running again now so I'd imagine some of my fitness has gone. I also do weights 4 days a week with 1 day of HIIT kettlebell training as well. I just really need a specific goal to focus my mind otherwise I end up going off the rails after a while which happened while I was sick. So I think I'm going to go down to one of the clubs next week and talk to someone, see what the craic is. Then if they say to take a month and get my fitness level back up I'll do that or if they tell me that joining and training straight away is a better way of getting the fitness I'll do that.

riveratom

rexsavage wrote: »

Then if they say to take a month and get my fitness level back up I'll do that or if they tell me that joining and training straight away is a better way of getting the fitness I'll do that.

You can start at any level with a club I would imagine man. Every club is going to have complete beginners right up to elite level, so you can build your fitness up with the club from any level. Sure I only went up to one myself the other night, it was great! Did a one mile time trial and will probably be in the beginners group...but not for long!

rexsavage

riveratom wrote: »

You can start at any level with a club I would imagine man. Every club is going to have complete beginners right up to elite level, so you can build your fitness up with the club from any level. Sure I only went up to one myself the other night, it was great! Did a one mile time trial and will probably be in the beginners group...but not for long!

Fair play, where did you go? Good to see you already have the ambition in you!