Random Running Questions

ariana`

The Davestator wrote: »

Looking for some advice please.

Heading into my 8th marathon plan and will probably need to approach it a bit differently in terms of mileage due to babies!

I will struggle to get some 6/7 milers in midweek so was hoping to do 5 miles at lunch midweek and add the missing miles onto a rest day (sunday) or other days.

Is it the total weekly mileage that matters of the length of the individual runs during the week?

What age are the babies? Would you consider training for shorter distances for this year. It's amazing how quickly they become less dependent. Every home/family situation is different of course so i can't comment on yours but from my own experience as a mother once the youngest in the household was a year+ i never minded so much being left to cope with them all for longer stretches in the evening time. But maybe you have multiples in which case i wouldn't have a clue :eek:

gucci

The Davestator wrote: »

Looking for some advice please.

Heading into my 8th marathon plan and will probably need to approach it a bit differently in terms of mileage due to babies!

I will struggle to get some 6/7 milers in midweek so was hoping to do 5 miles at lunch midweek and add the missing miles onto a rest day (sunday) or other days.

Is it the total weekly mileage that matters of the length of the individual runs during the week?

I am going into my 5th marathon and have the same challenge as you (little man is just 3 months old)
So for me it will be a balance of early morning runs pre work (530am get up!) and heading out 1 to 2 nights per week. One of the evening runs will definetly be a quality MLR or speed session, morning runs will be general maintenance miles with some strides or a few marathon pace miles here and there.

I don't think too many of my morning runs will be over an hour, so will remain to be seen how it goes on the day if its the right approach or if I will be found out.
At the weekend my morning run will be the long run.

All going well that should leave me with plenty of good quality miles in the tank and lots of evening and weekend time to share with the family.

Again, as you have run 8 marathons you don't need me to tell you, but for me getting the right quality long runs done on schedule is the most important part of the training. I find everything else is really just adding to those and conditioning your body for the day. This this what I have found having prepared for my other marathons in many varying degrees of commitment.

The Davestator

gucci wrote: »

I am going into my 5th marathon and have the same challenge as you (little man is just 3 months old)
So for me it will be a balance of early morning runs pre work (530am get up!) and heading out 1 to 2 nights per week. One of the evening runs will definetly be a quality MLR or speed session, morning runs will be general maintenance miles with some strides or a few marathon pace miles here and there.

I don't think too many of my morning runs will be over an hour, so will remain to be seen how it goes on the day if its the right approach or if I will be found out.
At the weekend my morning run will be the long run.

All going well that should leave me with plenty of good quality miles in the tank and lots of evening and weekend time to share with the family.

Again, as you have run 8 marathons you don't need me to tell you, but for me getting the right quality long runs done on schedule is the most important part of the training. I find everything else is really just adding to those and conditioning your body for the day. This this what I have found having prepared for my other marathons in many varying degrees of commitment.

Thanks - I think that is pretty much going to be my approach. The weekends shouldn't be a problem as I can out when kids are napping etc.

Monday AM
Wed Lunchtime
Thurs Night
Sat AM
Sun AM if needed to make up miles

I also cycle 2 x 40 mins per day to work so getting good cross training in at least!

yogihughes

Hi All,

I have been running for a couple of years now and have followed a few plans for most distances (5k, 10k, half and full marathon). I have been considering joining a running club and I was wondering how that works if you want to follow a specific plan? If I were in the middle of a plan when I join, would I just continue with that plan? Also, if I were in a club and I decided to follow a plan for a half, for example, how would that fit in with club training sessions?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

gucci

The Davestator wrote: »

Thanks - I think that is pretty much going to be my approach. The weekends shouldn't be a problem as I can out when kids are napping etc.

Monday AM
Wed Lunchtime
Thurs Night
Sat AM
Sun AM if needed to make up miles

I also cycle 2 x 40 mins per day to work so getting good cross training in at least!

Ah your laughing so, the cycle will be good to keep the old legs moving after early or late sessions.

My loosely based plan will be:

Mon PM- Tempo Run (with club)
Tues AM - 50mins easy
Wed AM - 1 hour with strides or a few miles @ MP.
Thurs PM - Interval Session (with club) Or longer run on my own.

Sat or Sun AM - Long Run (possibly including a parkrun to finish if doing it on Saturdays)

What marathon are you doing? I am doing London.

RayCun

yogihughes wrote: »

I have been running for a couple of years now and have followed a few plans for most distances (5k, 10k, half and full marathon). I have been considering joining a running club and I was wondering how that works if you want to follow a specific plan? If I were in the middle of a plan when I join, would I just continue with that plan? Also, if I were in a club and I decided to follow a plan for a half, for example, how would that fit in with club training sessions?

Most running clubs* have members who are training for a mix of distances from 5k to marathon. As such, most sessions are generally useful, for any distance. Some sessions will be 5k or faster pace, some will be at tempo pace, some will include a mix of paces or be somewhere in between.

Unless your training goal is very different from the rest of the club - you are training for 5ks while everyone else is training for the marathon, or vice versa - you are better off doing the session that everyone else is doing, and getting the benefits of training in a group. Then tailor the rest of your week's training to your specific goal, whatever that is.


*speaking about the road running end, obviously. If there are track groups their training will be different

Zipppy

Running recovery following surgery continues..went gym thus eve as weather awful..did 5k on a treadmill..yuk..back in bits afterwards.. how do people do that instead of running outdoor?

P.V.N.S.

Bit silly questions but I hope someone can help. I'm interested in racing xc but it isn't something seniors race at my club, at junior level the club is very active. My question is how I go about registering for a race, do I go to our club Secretary or can you show up on the day? Do I need team mates or can I just run as a individual for my club? I know the xc season is nearly over I'm thinking about the Connacht cross country next October which is ages away... I dont think BHAA xc races would suit me because of the distance to travel.

adrian522

You'll have to get your club to enter you into the race I think. You don't need a full team though, they can enter just 1 person.

Seannew1

Anyone any tips for tempo runs?? I can't seem to ever settle into them. For races and parkruns, I seem to get in the "zone" but can't seem to push myself for tempos. For 10k training, would 5k to 8k tempos be about right?? Thanks in advance!

Itziger

Seannew1 wrote: »

Anyone any tips for tempo runs?? I can't seem to ever settle into them. For races and parkruns, I seem to get in the "zone" but can't seem to push myself for tempos. For 10k training, would 5k to 8k tempos be about right?? Thanks in advance!

What does Tempo mean to you? How does it compare to your 10k pace? Many people now do Tempo splits with some rec. time between which they say can be effective and less stressful than doing the whole thing in one go.

Coffee Fulled Runner

Seannew1 wrote: »

Anyone any tips for tempo runs?? I can't seem to ever settle into them. For races and parkruns, I seem to get in the "zone" but can't seem to push myself for tempos. For 10k training, would 5k to 8k tempos be about right?? Thanks in advance!

Try something like 8 minutes, 10 minutes, 12 minutes with 2 minutes off at tempo pace or 3x 2km tempo with 1km float and see how it goes rather in all out 5 or 8 k tempo. Maybe follow a plan if you're training for a race or join a club.

Seannew1

Coffee Fulled Runner wrote: »

Try something like 8 minutes, 10 minutes, 12 minutes with 2 minutes off at tempo pace or 3x 2km tempo with 1km float and see how it goes rather in all out 5 or 8 k tempo. Maybe follow a plan if you're training for a race or join a club.

I find that my weakness is definitely my strength over longer distances. At club training, my speed over shorter distances is generally good. My speed over short bursts is fine for where I want to be. It seems to be strength that is my downfall. I feel like I should be doing tempos at 90% effort and not stopping. I'm thinking of going from 6k to 8k and then training down before 10k and doing 5k tempo the week before?

Swashbuckler

Seannew1 wrote:

I find that my weakness is definitely my strength over longer distances. At club training, my speed over shorter distances is generally good. My speed over short bursts is fine for where I want to be. It seems to be strength that is my downfall. I feel like I should be doing tempos at 90% effort and not stopping. I'm thinking of going from 6k to 8k and then training down before 10k and doing 5k tempo the week before?

How much easy running are you doing in a week?

Your suggested approach at the end of your post isn't necessarily going to make you stronger.
Are you following any plan in particular?

Seannew1

Swashbuckler wrote: »

How much easy running are you doing in a week?

Your suggested approach at the end of your post isn't necessarily going to make you stronger.
Are you following any plan in particular?

I generally do 2 easy days and 2 hard days. Tuesday hard; Thursday easy; Saturday hard and Sunday easy

Swashbuckler

Any idea what kind of pace your easy is at and what your hard runs entail? By the sounds of it one hard is a tempo and the other is a track style session?

Total Weekly mileage? And breakdown of your four days in terms of mileage?

Seannew1

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Any idea what kind of pace your easy is at and what your hard runs entail? By the sounds of it one hard is a tempo and the other is a track style session?

Tuesday session is usually club session which tends to be anything from 200m -1k reps

Thursday session tends to be an easy 5k at HM pace

Saturday is a tempo run(usually a parkrun or something around that distance)

Sunday is a LSR, usually aroun 11-16k at very very slow pace.

My 5k PB is 22.05. 10K is 48.06. As you can see, very big difference! Hoping to get both times down this year.

Thanks for all your replies.

Swashbuckler

Seannew1 wrote:

Thanks for all your replies.

I know I'm kinda skirting around answering your original question but there's good reason. So you asked specifically about tempo runs but then followed up saying you felt strength/endurance was an issue for you.

There are any number of ways you could do a tempo run but out of context and not part of any plan or progression of a plan they are limited in what they'll do for you. In this case you think by making your tempo run longer it will help with your strength but that's not necessarily the case.

To give you context I had a similar dilemma to you in a way. My shorter speed stuff was very good but I found I was falling off a bit of a cliff in the longer races. Adding lots and lots of easy miles and more miles at what many would consider steady pace I found my strength has increased pretty dramatically.

But like I said these things work best as part of a plan of some sort. It's the same with interval sessions. People like to pick and choose the ones they like the look of but unless they are part of some sort of progressing plan they will provide limited benefit. Same with tempo. You could do tempo intervals for example but it would be best to have some sort of progression week on week rather than just "do a tempo run" if that makes sense?

Reg'stoy

Not so much of a question more of a 'learn from this' moment.

Went out for a run last night and set up runtastic for a training run (1hr30mins) and switched on the phone radio to listen to the football. Started runtastic but heard no countdown, paused it and reckoned it was the radio masking the sound so resumed (or so I thought) runtastic only to find out I had paused it for 1hr26mins. :rolleyes:

I thought the odd silence was runtastic giving me (silent) feedback. So folks if you use an App to log your runs; make sure you have it switched on

Zipppy

So surgery on Oct knocked me off running for 12 weeks..then more surgery a few weeks ago has me fecked again..so 8 weeks till I can try run again..recommendations for some light exercise in the meantime to keep some level of fitness..walking yes but what else? yoga? swimming?
Also I notice I've all stiffened up in the hips n legs from lack of movement so need to get moving...

Zipppy

So surgery on Oct knocked me off running for 12 weeks..then more surgery a few weeks ago has me fecked again..so 8 weeks till I can try run again..recommendations for some light exercise in the meantime to keep some level of fitness..walking yes but what else? yoga? swimming?
Also I notice I've all stiffened up in the hips n legs from lack of movement so need to get moving...

Ted_YNWA

Exercise bike might help get the legs moving too, not spinning level speeds, just some easy stuff.

runnerholic

Zipppy wrote: »

So surgery on Oct knocked me off running for 12 weeks..then more surgery a few weeks ago has me fecked again..so 8 weeks till I can try run again..recommendations for some light exercise in the meantime to keep some level of fitness..walking yes but what else? yoga? swimming?
Also I notice I've all stiffened up in the hips n legs from lack of movement so need to get moving...

I'm in a similar position. I can't do any impact exercise, even fast walking is out. So I joined a gym to use their aerobic machines. I vary the exercises between the stationery bike, rower, and elliptical trainer. Definitely helps to maintain fitness.

Kellygirl

Zipppy wrote: »

So surgery on Oct knocked me off running for 12 weeks..then more surgery a few weeks ago has me fecked again..so 8 weeks till I can try run again..recommendations for some light exercise in the meantime to keep some level of fitness..walking yes but what else? yoga? swimming?
Also I notice I've all stiffened up in the hips n legs from lack of movement so need to get moving...

What about pool walking or running?

HelenAnne

Zipppy wrote: »

So surgery on Oct knocked me off running for 12 weeks..then more surgery a few weeks ago has me fecked again..so 8 weeks till I can try run again..recommendations for some light exercise in the meantime to keep some level of fitness..walking yes but what else? yoga? swimming?
Also I notice I've all stiffened up in the hips n legs from lack of movement so need to get moving...

You should probably check with your surgeon - different operations will have different post surgery restrictions!

Zipppy

HelenAnne wrote:

You should probably check with your surgeon - different operations will have different post surgery restrictions!

Don't see him till May..sure I'll be long back running by then

Kellygirl

Zipppy wrote: »

Don't see him till May..sure I'll be long back running by then

Would it be worth a phone call? When I was recovering after getting my ACL replaced the one thing I wasn’t allowed do was swimming especially breast stroke.

eyrie

I'm heading to Fota for a trip and wondering about getting some running in while I'm down there. The route along the waterfront down to Cobh (the R624 google tells me) looks nice but I'm wondering if anyone knows if it's safe to run on? It looks fairly narrow but I've no idea how busy it is traffic wise. Anyone run in the area?

hot buttered scones

eyrie wrote: »

I'm heading to Fota for a trip and wondering about getting some running in while I'm down there. The route along the waterfront down to Cobh (the R624 google tells me) looks nice but I'm wondering if anyone knows if it's safe to run on? It looks fairly narrow but I've no idea how busy it is traffic wise. Anyone run in the area?

That's the main road in and out of Cobh and it's fairly busy, narrow and without footpaths for most of it. There's a nice running trail in Fota Island Resort, if that's where your staying by all accounts. The roads around the other side of Great island might be better, but it's quite hilly as far as I know. If you have time, you can get the ferry into Passage West, run back towards Passage (good footpaths) and onto the old railway line as far as the City from Rochestown.

rxchxy

I'm training for Ironman 70.3 and I'm struggling with the run aspect of it. It's a half marathon and the route is nearly completely flat. The 21km route that I currently do for training is from Sandyford up to Ticknock to 3 Rock over to Tibradden and back. I figured if I could do this route within the allowed time the actual race route should be a walk in the park. It's significantly tougher than the route for the IM70.3 but despite this, the time I can do it in is pretty similar to the time I run 21km on the flat in. I'm putting it down to boredom when running on the flat as I do find it difficult to up my pace when just running quite monotonously. Any suggestions as to how to get quicker on the flat?