Calling all Princesses! (2014 Princess half marathon board)

[Figment1990]

A quick question for all you well trained veteran princesses... I just started running not too long ago and im in week 3 of consistently training for the 1/2... right now the longest ive gone is 3 miles with a avg of 14 min/mile

Ideally I would love to see myself get to a 10 min/mile come race time but is that a realistic goal? With 7 months of training what is a realistic goal I should set my sights on? Obviously the key is going to be endurance...that being said I know my endurance will likely improve but will my overall speed only improve slightly or is it realistic to see both time and endurance to significantly improve?

I hope that makes sense...

Oh, one more thing. Endurance actually can improve more quickly than our physical bodies, so keep that in mind if you start to feel really great, don't push yourself so fast and so long that your ankles, knees, feet, etc can't keep up. slow and consistent progress is the key to running!

And I second the magic mile test! It's scary how accurate it is!

 

[PrincessV]

Congrats on your weight loss. I too think maintenance is hard. My tip on that is listen to your body.

I want to echo that - especially as we train for these long runs, our calorie and nutrition needs can change daily; your body will let you know when it needs more! I was trudging along with far too few calories for quite a while, hoping to lose 5 pounds. I wasn't losing anything and was exhausted all the time. I finally gave up and decided energy was more important to my running goal and added a few hundred more calories a day, on average... don't ya know I feel better, my performance is better - and I've lost several pounds.

A quick question for all you well trained veteran princesses... I just started running not too long ago and im in week 3 of consistently training for the 1/2... right now the longest ive gone is 3 miles with a avg of 14 min/mile

Ideally I would love to see myself get to a 10 min/mile come race time but is that a realistic goal? With 7 months of training what is a realistic goal I should set my sights on?

I'm a big fan of Galloway's advice: don't go into your first distance race with any time goal - just aim to finish. It's easy to get caught up in the numbers and lose sight of the bigger picture... pace has as much to do with weather/health/age/previous injuries/etc. as it does with training. Get too attached to a certain number in the beginning and you could set yourself up for monumental disappointment.

I trained for most of last year's TOT with a time goal in mind. I trained harder than I should have for my age and health status and wound up injured. I went from around a 12:00-12:30mm training pace to a 16:xx average pace in the race. It was hugely disappointing; I knew that that slow pace wasn't reflective of my capability and that it had everything to do with a knee that screamed every time I took a running step... but I was so attached to that time goal, it really did a number on my psyche. I changed strategy for the 2013 PHM; by the time it came, I had only two goals: to finish and to, hopefully, finish without pain. I accomplished both and even surprised myself with negative splits through the second half of the race. My final time still wasn't fast since I was coming back from injury, but I felt so much happier and better about myself afterward.

I guess my point is this: a time or pace goal is a great motivator, but I wouldn't make it too important for your first distance race. Nowadays, I push myself in training only so far as I know I can without inducing injury and don't set race goals until a few days prior to race day - when I know what my capabilities are, what the weather will be like, how I'm feeling, etc. I find it makes for a much happier, less stressful race experience.

 

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

Thanks ladies These boards I can already tell will be a great support for me going forward. Its so nice to have a place where so many different skill level/abilities can come together and share ideas/tips etc... I dont have very many friends my age that are into sports/running...most of my mid-20's friends are still hungover from the night before when im up going for a run hence all my questions....

You ladies are wonderful! Thanks for the advice

 

[11point5]

I dont have very many friends my age that are into sports/running...most of my mid-20's friends are still hungover from the night before when im up going for a run hence all my questions....

SAME HERE!! Whenever my friends and I go shopping I always get all excited about new running outfits and stuff while they're picking out new 5 inch heels for the bars I like to go out too, don't get me wrong, but I definitely feel your pain of not having a close circle of athletic-minded people! Thank goodness for the DIS

 

[kappyfamily]

Yet another thing to remember.... Dont get caught up in other peoples numbers. Every person is built different. So our numbers will be different. I have been smoked by 70 year olds as well as 8 year olds, with people way heavier then me, people wearing jeans and people barefoot and in loin cloths.

Focus on you... no one else. After all this is about you, right?

 

[SuperHappyFunTimes]

I do this, too . It's hard to throttle back and tell myself to take babysteps, it takes time and miles to build up. I don't actually have any good advice for you. Just wanted to let you know you are not alone fighting that want-to-be-better-NOW feeling.

I'm the same way. I struggled with (and still do!) this training for princess 2013. I got an injury and quickly changed my focus to distance and finishing. It is hard for me not to focus on speed so much that I get hurt or discouraged. Some little part of me still wants to actually win, LOL!!!

 

[eas423]

She can book any room for you- but for now she only has a block in POP, POR or CR. Those are discounted. Anything else is rack rate right now- discounts may come out later though.

Would you PM me her contact info too, please? Thanks!

 

[longhorns2]

Will do!

 

[sunshinecruise]

I have been smoked by 70 year olds as well as 8 year olds, with people way heavier then me, people wearing jeans and people barefoot and in loin cloths.

Focus on you... no one else. After all this is about you, right?

That is quite a list of people who have "smoked" you. You made me laugh, but that is very good advice. Don't worry about anyone else, just worry about running, having fun, being with like-minded people, and doing something that is good for you.

 

[keahgirl8]

I want to echo that - especially as we train for these long runs, our calorie and nutrition needs can change daily; your body will let you know when it needs more! I was trudging along with far too few calories for quite a while, hoping to lose 5 pounds. I wasn't losing anything and was exhausted all the time. I finally gave up and decided energy was more important to my running goal and added a few hundred more calories a day, on average... don't ya know I feel better, my performance is better - and I've lost several pounds.

I'm a big fan of Galloway's advice: don't go into your first distance race with any time goal - just aim to finish. It's easy to get caught up in the numbers and lose sight of the bigger picture... pace has as much to do with weather/health/age/previous injuries/etc. as it does with training. Get too attached to a certain number in the beginning and you could set yourself up for monumental disappointment.

I trained for most of last year's TOT with a time goal in mind. I trained harder than I should have for my age and health status and wound up injured. I went from around a 12:00-12:30mm training pace to a 16:xx average pace in the race. It was hugely disappointing; I knew that that slow pace wasn't reflective of my capability and that it had everything to do with a knee that screamed every time I took a running step... but I was so attached to that time goal, it really did a number on my psyche. I changed strategy for the 2013 PHM; by the time it came, I had only two goals: to finish and to, hopefully, finish without pain. I accomplished both and even surprised myself with negative splits through the second half of the race. My final time still wasn't fast since I was coming back from injury, but I felt so much happier and better about myself afterward.

I guess my point is this: a time or pace goal is a great motivator, but I wouldn't make it too important for your first distance race. Nowadays, I push myself in training only so far as I know I can without inducing injury and don't set race goals until a few days prior to race day - when I know what my capabilities are, what the weather will be like, how I'm feeling, etc. I find it makes for a much happier, less stressful race experience.

Thank you. I needed that. I am so scared of being swept, I am too worried about speed. I know I need to push myself, but I also need to relax. I will be running for hours! I need to have a pace I can maintain for that long.

 

[swimfly]

Thank you. I needed that. I am so scared of being swept, I am too worried about speed. I know I need to push myself, but I also need to relax. I will be running for hours! I need to have a pace I can maintain for that long.

A surefire way for me to derail my training is to focus on my speed. You will do it!

 

[keahgirl8]

A surefire way for me to derail my training is to focus on my speed. You will do it!

Most of the time I have that philosophy. I say "I just want to finish! Endurance is more important!" Then when I start running, I think "I wonder how fast I can go!"

 

[rebapple]

Anyone know if there is an app that you can set a distance and time goal and it will tell you if you are off pace. Ie I want to run a 10k in 1:14. What is the best way to know that you are staying on pace?

 

[kappyfamily]

That is quite a list of people who have "smoked" you. You made me laugh, but that is very good advice. Don't worry about anyone else, just worry about running, having fun, being with like-minded people, and doing something that is good for you.

Oh trust me, I cut the list way back. I've been smoked by many others! Although I did fight til the end to beat that damn 5 year year old holding a bubble wand at a local 5k. Just barely.......

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Oh trust me, I cut the list way back. I've been smoked by many others! Although I did fight til the end to beat that damn 5 year year old holding a bubble wand at a local 5k. Just barely.......

 

[swimfly]

Anyone know if there is an app that you can set a distance and time goal and it will tell you if you are off pace. Ie I want to run a 10k in 1:14. What is the best way to know that you are staying on pace?

The best would be to invest in a garmin. Phone apps can work but aren't reliable.

 

[Figment1990]

Anyone know if there is an app that you can set a distance and time goal and it will tell you if you are off pace. Ie I want to run a 10k in 1:14. What is the best way to know that you are staying on pace?

Mental Math.... Actually, sometimes this is one of the ways i get through a tough run! a 1:14 10k is an 11:55 min mile, roughly. Then you can use any watch/ipod/smart phone, whatever to keep track of whether you are ahead or behind.

Personally, my garmin has a "virtual racer" screen that does this for me. I don't usually use it, as I prefer to just check the actual lap time when it buzzes at me at the end of a mile, or I check the "lap pace" throughout the mile.

 

[DIS-OH]

Oh trust me, I cut the list way back. I've been smoked by many others! Although I did fight til the end to beat that damn 5 year year old holding a bubble wand at a local 5k. Just barely.......

A friend began doing 5Ks to get healthier several years ago. She said.in her first one, she didn't get down on herself when she was passed by old men and pregnant women. But, did begin to doubt herself when her neighbor blew past her...because she knew he had a pacemaker!

However, she did stick with it and has since completed 10Ks and a Half Marathon. She says she is slow, but she gets to the finish line.

 

[niclodn]

Oh trust me, I cut the list way back. I've been smoked by many others! Although I did fight til the end to beat that damn 5 year year old holding a bubble wand at a local 5k. Just barely.......

Eh, I've been smoked by a fetus on more than one occassion. Nothing makes you feel slower than getting beat by a pregnant woman who looks like she's gonna give birth right after the finish

 

[sunnygal041]

Eh, I've been smoked by a fetus on more than one occassion. Nothing makes you feel slower than getting beat by a pregnant woman who looks like she's gonna give birth right after the finish

Hahaha, Nic. Got ya beat. Back in 2009 I got smoked by a dude in a manual wheelchair smoking a cigarette. He even made it into my finish line pic.