advice on training

[poppinspal]

I'm new to the events section of WISH but thought I'd put my question here in hopes you could all help. I've signed up with my cousin to run the Tower of Terror 13k, this will be my first race. (Well of this sort, I did run track in hs.) I hadn't been running much since college till this year and only recently have I really been doing any lengths over a couple of miles. But I've hit a wall because I'm finding that I hit a point on my run where I can't run any more because my calf muscles just seem to die on me. Breathing isn't a huge problem but my muscles is the big issue.

In my head I've come up with a few possible explinations... my diet(I know foods affect you in different ways), the fact that my whole run is hills, I need new sneakers(which I know I do but I"m not sure if that's my problem here) or maybe my calf muscles just aren't as strong as they should be. Anyone have advice on how to push past this?

I know that I can walk the race and finish but I WANT to run so I need to keep going with training. Any advice on this problem or just advice on training at all?

 

[wtpclc]

Well, it could be any of those things.

Do you stretch?

How big of increases do you do? Most of us folow the pholosophy that you shoudl not increase time or distance by more than 10% poper week.

Are you going too fast? Sadly, if you hthink you are going slow compatred to hs, that may still be too fast for your body.

HIlls don't help, but typically they effect my quads more than my claves.

When new aches & pains start, change of shoes is typically one of the first things to try.

Could you add a walk interval for a longer distance and then after your body is used to working longer, ygo back to all run?

How often do you run? Are you giving your legs proper recovery time. Typically, most of us only run 3 to 4 times a week. Then cross train a couple imes per week. Your body needs at least 1 if not 2 total rest days, though. Are you getting that?

Sorry you asked yet?

Congrats on gettign started again!!!! Let us know how if you have more questions or what happenes if you make some chhanges!

 

[poppinspal]

Not sorry at all that I asked. I was an athlete in hs but that's a totally different thing then being a runner, so I'm figuring out. So I need advice.

I have been stretching but nothing at all serious. (I used to stretch for 15 or so minutes before soccer and hockey games!) So I will focus more on stretching well before my run, it will be time well spent if it helps.

I don't believe it's how much I'm increasing but I'm doing it in small amounts, I have enough time that I"m not going to push myself to increase too fast. I'm also not sure it's my pace because I'm running just at a run, any slower and snails would be passing me by. As I said I'm pushing myself to get out there but trying not to push myself too much.

I might try adding more of a walking portion to my runs, that might be what I need. When I first started back out I did do a run/walk which got me going maybe I need a little more of it.

I'm definitely going to try to get out and buy new sneakers in the next day or two. In my head I tell myself these ones are perfectly fine as in they're in one piece so why spend the money but I know by running standards they aren't giving me what I need. I also think I need to get better at giving myself recovery time. I right now tend to run 5 days a week which probably is too much. I guess I need to figure out what to do in those down days to make myself still feel like I"m getting the exercise my body needs.

Eventually I'll probably post in the actually Tower of Terror thread, I could use the motivation especially on days when a few of my aunts are less the encouraging.

 

[Maherae]

Welcome, pop!!

See? I knew if I waited, someone with more knowledge would jump in here to answer your question!

You said you recently started running distances over a couple of miles..and there is your clue. Endurance is a whole other game from sprints. You've got to build up to it. As Carrie pointed out, adding 10% a week to your distance will get you there injury free. ToT is in October..tons of time to get to running the whole 8.1 miles! Hills are great to train on; they make you faster on the flat courses!!

 

[wtpclc]

You really shoudl post on teh weekly training threads. There's more encouragement there than you will ever belive! (More experts too)

I highly recommend a specialty running store for your shoes, ast least for the first pair. They wil be able to get you in teh kind you need. "Still in one piece" is not good enough for running shoes. They shoudl eb changed about every 6 months or 300 miles. If they were not made for running to begin with, that time is cut down greatly.

So sorry that you have family members that are less than supportive. I can relate. Really. (I've scmpleted 2 marathons and MIL told me to pack it in due to a mior injury this weekend. Good thing for me that motivates me to do more. )

Have you read any running books? I was a long distance runner in hs, but things are different now. Most of us count on Marathoning for Mortals by John Bingham. His, the COurage to Start, is supposed to be good too.

 

[wtpclc]

Almost forgot: I can run as slow at 13 minute miles. I'm sure others can go slower. I'm guessing your "snail's pace" is still faster than that. FOrgive me if I'm wrong. Being a "former athelete" tends to make you push more than you realize sometimes. Been there too. My typoical runs these days are btwn a 10 adn 11 mpm pace. In HS, it was btwn 7 and 7:30 mpm fo a 5K. 10 mpm would have sounded slower than a snail to me then.

 

[poppinspal]

Maherae- Thanks! I keep telling myself exactly what you said, ToT is in October so that's plenty of time. But I'm sure I'm not the only one who says, is it really? I'm building back up to that distance running feeling but it's slow going. The hills I have no choice if I want to run in my area but I figure it will work out well for me in the long run.

wtpclc- I've lurked but it's probably time to actually get the courage to post in the threads. Experts and encouragement are what I need!

My last sneakers are definitely about to become my kicking around sneakers since I'd only used them for running till this point. My first sneakers I went to a sporting goods store and they gave me what I needed at the time. I'll have to find a good running store in my area and prepare myself for the price.

I think my family is trying to keep me in touch with reality but they aren't doing it well. My aunt keeps reminding me that I'm way behind my cousin(who trained and ran the last WDW full.) Her husband then reminded me I have a pretty good start though so I should be fine for the race. I'm stubborn so that's a huge motivator for me too.

I did take a look at Marathoning for Mortals but wasn't sure if I should bite the bullet and buy it. But if it's going to help and people find it good I might have to check it out. It would be good to read a little about the world of running.

 

[poppinspal]

My mile time is about an average of 11 minutes which is slow to me although my dad reminded me this is a good pace even for the ToT race. Each day seems to have a different show of times per mile so that's another thing I'm looking at. Maybe I am just trying to push too hard and not pacing myself well.

 

[wtpclc]

DOn't you love it when people are just trying to help? You're not trainign fo a full, yet.

If you have a decent base, and it sounds like you do, MfM can take you from 2 miles to a half in 16 weeks. You have more time than that. Mind you, that's to finish, not to win. But, at the very least for your first race, finishing should really be your main goal. WIth alot of committment from yourself, which it sounds like you have, and some help from your new WISH friends, you will get there. One step at a time!

DH and I went from ZERO (hadn't run in 17 years) to running a full marathon in less than 10 months. While I don't recommend our plan adn it took intense dedication, it can be done. We didn't even do a full run until July (traning for the January marathon). I know you can do it.

Rigth now, we are following MfM for a half in August. It calls fo a 4-miler for our long run of the week. You should be good fro 8 miles in October.

 

[wtpclc]

Looks like we're crossing posts.

11 mpm is very good for a new runner! Especially on hills!!! Next long run, I challenge you to try to run a 12 mpm pace (or even an 11:30) and see if you can go further. See if you can keep consitent too. I bet you can.

It's hard to slow yourself down. My dh uses me to keep him from burining out. I make a very good anchor. See what it gets you, though.

 

[hoosmi]

Silly thought, but is it always the same place where you fall apart? I do most of my running on the TM and trying to get from 1.5 to 2 miles makes me crazy. I keep looking at that stupid red dot going around the track picture... If I can convince myself to keep going (sometimes I visualize myself running at Disney- I am such a dork), then I can go to 7 or 8 miles. Sometimes I just completely psyche myself out. I'm still working on it!

Just keep at it (and I will too). You'll be great at ToT.

Jen in GA

 

[poppinspal]

wtpclc-Oh helpful people are always the best, I think I'd be lost without them. Yet is right...my cousin is already talking about me running the Disney full at some future date.

I think a trip to the bookstore is in order soon. It sounds like it's just what I need to achieve my goal. I figure it's my first race and I'm just getting back into things so my goal is to not walk any of it and finish, I don't think that's too high a goal. I'm definitely committed to doing whatever I can to do this and to do it right. Plus I know the WISH crew is really great.

I couldn't even consider doing what you do for the full but I'll be honest it's stories like this that make me believe I can do this. Plus my uncle who is in his 50s and was never a runner, ever, ran the full so he's a bit of a motivation to me as well.

Sounds like I'm not in terrible shape for the 8 miles. I'm going to take your long run challenge and see how I do. I think that this post was extremely helpful. You don't know how much you've helped. I'm also going to make my way over to the training threads too.

hoosmi-I definitely think part of it might be mental as well or well I should say my whole run is a mental challenge. God bless you for running on a TM. I split the cost of the TM with my parents because I thought I looked funny running without a soccer ball in front of me. (Weird I know!) But I think it reality I think it was what burnt me out last year when I tried to get back into this, I felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. I'd rather look goofy running on the streets because at least then I feel like I'm getting some place. Let's just see if I feel this way in the dead of winter. But I do tend to psych myself out on some of my runs which I"m also working on.

 

[wtpclc]

OMG! Traning on a TM is the worst!!! That would have made me give up altogether! Glad we coudl help you out a bit. I'm really looking forward tohearing more of your progress.

Remember that most of us had to start or start over to achieve our goals. We love helping others achieve theirs! ALso, you may have seen this if you've been lurking, but I'll repeat it just in case.

None of us can re-live our firt race/half/marathon. Helping others adn living it through their eyes is the closest we will ever get. So, please don't ever feel like you are too slow, don't run far enough, or asking a dumb question. We have all been there. Most of us relied on WISH to get us through. too.

 

[westcliffemom]

I would definetly get MFM. I bought all the "Penguin's" books (used), but this is the one I really needed. It gave me proper perspective on what I needed to accomplish. It also helped me not overtrain, as I used one of the plans as a template (since I was training for a 15K). It also gave me an idea of what each walk/run should be doing for me. (tempo, speed, etc) I hope it works for you too.

hoosmi- I don't think your a dork for picturing yourself running @ Disney, I often to that to distract myself. Anything to help me mentally push through!