Training to train help please.

[Hockeychic]

I have been on and off working on this for the last month and need to get more discplined.

I have never done any kind of running before and need to lose weight so what do you suggest for a beginner. Shorter distance but speed or longer distance?????? I am thinking I should be working on my stamina first and worry about speed first....what do you think????

Thank you for your help.

Kim

 

[wtpclc]

I would work on stamina first. Get the steps in and the pace will come. You'll really need to watch what you eat, though, because your appetitie will increase. A lesson I learned VERY well last year.

 

[Maherae]

Hi, Kim! I'm right there with you trying to lose weight and get the steps in. I, too, have never done any distance running, so I am a walker. This is the first time I have ever attempted anything like this! I am in such awe of all of those on the weekly thread that run!! Carrie has the experience..she knows! Getting the steps in to build endurance is what I am working on now (Carrie told me that in Jan! ) and it is working for me. I'm doing the MFM training for walk the half simply because I didn't know what else to follow. (I have to have some kind of plan!! ) When I do my LW's I don't concentrate so much on time, as just covering the distance. Little by little, though, I've seen improvements from when I started in January. I was able to do a 17+ mile then and now I'm down to 15:30! Just don't push for the speed and end up injuring yourself!! That's why just getting out there and putting in the steps now is so important..IMO. You have to get your body used to doing this! Keep reading the posts on the weekly thread because every now and then someone will write about what it was like for them last year when they started training. It is just awesome to read how far the "pros" have come!!!

Keep working on it..keep posting and letting us know how it's going!! See you in January!!! Anne

 

[wtpclc]

:Carrie has the experience..she knows! Anne

Do you mind if I have that framed???
I have to laugh, because I was right where you two are at this time last year. I know, because others repeated it to us fairly often. Lily and LisaLovesPooh are the main ones tthat come to mind.

As for finding a program, you've got a good plan Anne. Chimera doubled every week at a certain point to make herself a little more confident and stretch teh plan out.

We strung a buch of walk/run run/walk plans to gether to build ourselves up. If you need help making a plan, let me know. I'm sure we could start with the first weeks of MfM and strech things out during this time.

Kim - Anne's right! Keep posting your progress adn your questions and we'll get you there!

 

[Hockeychic]

Great, thank you all for the advice and the support.

I am really determind to do this, but I want to make sure I do it right, I don't want any injuries to hold me up.

Thanks again.
Kim

 

[goofyguy1958]

Hockeychic, welcome to the wonderful world of exercise. Having started my running/walking program 17 years ago while being 50 pounds heavier I have done a lot right and even more wrong. The best piece of advice I can give you follows right along with what wptclc has advised, build the endurance first and then start to concentrate on the speed. Also, while building the endurance be careful not to add too much from week to week. A rule of thumb given by most running coaches is to not add more than 10% each week. For example, if this week your workouts equal 10 miles of walking/running, next week add 1 mile to your total mileage to bring you up to 11 miles.

 

[NHmomof2boys]

I too have been saying that I want to get started on a training program, but I just haven't done it yet. I have come up with every excuse out there, I don't have time - the kids need me, it's too cold/rainy, I'm too tired, blah, blah, blah. I have also said that I want to walk the 1/2 in January, so I know that I need to stop talking and start walking, I just can't seem to get the motivation. I have been reading MFM, and that is another one of my excuses - I have to read it before I can start it, and it sounds great, again, I just need to get off my butt and start moving. HELP!! I need somebody to push me off the couch and get me out the door walking. DH is no help, he just nods and says "that's nice dear, what ever you want to do".

 

[Maherae]

NH, ok!! There ya go! You have DH's support! Now...tomorrow morning walk out your door and walk for 15 minutes, then turn around and go home. That's a cartoon show your kids will be watching...you won't be missed...your husband will be there.. Just DO it!! Don't worry about going to some special place (a track, the gym..), or speed, or distance!! (Hope it's not raining!!)

There, was that good enough??? I just started this adventure in January. I am not a runner. I am a walker!! Never have done anything remotely similar to this. Now, I'm off to do the 10K Crescent City Classic next weekend, the Minnie in May, and the DL in September!! I'm not looking to win any age group awards. Just the reward of good health!! However, the jewelry is an incentive! Last place still gets a finisher's medal!!

I want to meet you at WDW in January!!

Kim, how's it going??? Anne

 

[goofyguy1958]

Maherae, great post!!!!! Most of us "runners" know that we will never be an official winner at any of the races we enter - I have run over 125 races and never won anything - but we will be winners each and every time we enter, train and then finish the event, no matter what place we come in.

NHmomof2boys, you are not alone, you suffer from, what I believe is the biggest problem in America today, excuseitis. What you need to do to cure this is simply stop thinking of all the reasons you can't (meaning won't) do something and find one reason to do something. Oh, and what better reason for getting started than to feel better about yourself by accomplishing something - even if that something ios simply to walk around the block. Remember the journey of a thousand miles always starts with a single step. So get out that door and take that single step. Go do it right now! Don't wait! Don't post another time! Just get up and walk! Then come back and tell us about how good you feel!

 

[Hockeychic]

Hey there......thanks for the advise and the support.

I am still here but for a change spending more time doing and less time talking about doing it.

I feel great and losing a few pounds in the process. Feeling good. Actually did some upper body weights last night am feeling it already this morning.....ouch...

Well off to work.

Good luck all and have a great day.

Kim

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

To lose weight--you need to work in the lower heart rate ranges---and not doing endurance. In your lower ranges, you use fat for energy--at the higher ranges--you use glycogen. This is why you carb load for distance running--b/c to sustain that activity for that amount of time--you need glycogen and that is obtained from carbs. This is why some people who get into endurance running, don't necessarily lose weight. Their weight may shift around as they become toned and get stronger, but they don't necessarily lose weight.

Start off with 3x per week (Every other day) at 20-30 minutes of exercise.

The rule of thumb is to increase by no more than 10% per week. so if you do 90 minutes the first week--you do 99 minutes the following week. The second rule of thumb is no more than 10% per workout. So you would divide that 9 minutes across workouts....doing a 33, 33, 33. The week after you can add 10 additional minutes for 109 minutes total.....and do 36, 36, 37.

the increase can be time as I have shown OR it can be distance.


Work up to a max workout of 1 hour--and do not do more than that unless you are engaged in a training schedule. There really is no need for the body to do more. This is the equivilant of no more than 3-5 miles for a novice.

When you begin training--you may notice in the first few weeks that you are doing less than what you were doing as the runs are very very easy. The reason is that there are phases in training and at the beginning--you are getting your body prepared for the stress it is about to endure. Getting the blood flowing well and all that jazz. You'll be excited and pumped and ready to just run off into the sunset. But then you will notice by the long run day--OH CRAP. I have to run THAT far.

Then when you get to the end of the season---when taper time happens--when you start cutting the mileage as the final preps for your body---you'll feel antsy and jittery and then you'll get to your long run day and notice--OH CRAP--I can run the marathon today--I could I could I could please let me please let me please let me. And you must resist at all costs.


So be aware of the mental aspects as well and preparing yourself in that way as well.

Oh and my excuses that I did not let get in my way---

2005 race (2004 training season)--I had a 4yo and a 2yo

2006 (2005 training season)--I had a 5yo and a 3yo, a husband out of town on a field assignment (aka I was a single mom) had a babysitter on Saturdays for long runs, did the TM during the week for short runs, had knee surgery and still manage to skate out with a good finish time (Based on my records) for the half. WE can make all the excuses in the world. But as Nike says--JUST DO IT.

 

[Hockeychic]

Thank you Lisa that was very informative. I think I am starting to get the hang of things. I do not think I will be ready to actually "run" the 1/2 in January but I will jog/walk. I might surprise myself

I have just signed up for a 5K with the rest of my family and am working quite hard towards that goal. It is June 3rd so I have about 7 weeks to get prepared.

Congrats to you on all your success it does inspire newbies like me.

Thank you again.

Kim

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thank you Lisa that was very informative. I think I am starting to get the hang of things. I do not think I will be ready to actually "run" the 1/2 in January but I will jog/walk. I might surprise myself

I have just signed up for a 5K with the rest of my family and am working quite hard towards that goal. It is June 3rd so I have about 7 weeks to get prepared.

Congrats to you on all your success it does inspire newbies like me.

Thank you again.

Kim

I run/walk as well--but my running is other peoples "jogging".

My username on Runners world is Running Tortoise. That about sums up my "running" .