Setting an ambitous run goal

ITS DONE

I pushed through it and although I think the distance was a little too much for my current level of fitness, I now know what I can accomplish if I put my mind to it.

I will take everyones lack of response to my questioning as additional motivation that I should believe in myself next time.

max run before today = 10km
max run now= 19.4km

Nice job!

Not sure what you are trying to accomplish other than maybe prove something to yourself? Any idiot can go out there and beat the snot out of themselves, and many do.....Training is about gradually growing the load, allowing the body to recover and strengthen itself while doing it. Some folks finish marathons with almost no prep. Their goal is only to finish, not to build up serious running form, endurance and general ability. Hell, they are so sore, they will never do it again. That is not what tri is about for most folks here.

Edited by us50090 2005-09-03 10:41 AM

I understand what you are saying, us5, but there's something to be said for setting very ambitious goals, too. If you've been running 4-5 miles a day, 3-4 days a week, you are in decent shape, and can do much more than 5 miles at once. Trying for a personal best like that can be tremendously rewarding for your confidence to push farther, and the knowledge that you've done it helps each time after that. While the long-term is still the focus, having short-term goals like that can really help give focus, and show that the work is worthwhile.

(edit: not that I needed to tell you that, us5, just that I felt your tone was a little rough on him. For some of us beginners, me especially, getting the positive feedback is more important than the harsh words right now.)

Congrats, sauna, on doing something that was outside your comfort zone!

Edited by goodzen 2005-09-03 4:36 PM

Point taken. One of the values of this forum is that it afford a variety of view points to be heard. I often try to give another viewpoint rather than just echoing the predominant BT ra-ra viewpoint of 'just go for it'. You can do with it what you want. If it makes you think, wonder, perhaps, it should....when you post in hopes of hearing what you want to hear, you may get something to think about instead....

Thanks for the responses.

I would have to say that after doing it, I feel you are both right. Mentally I feel I have a better confidence in myself. I broke through a barrier. On the other hand. I knew, the same night that I might have did a little too much. I have often read how runs should be progressively increased by about 10% / week. The stupid thing is that I knew that, and still wanted to see what I could do. So I went ahead and pushed through it. The 3 last miles were hard on my legs.

I now see that this could have lead to injury. I realized this in the last miles. At that point, I really reduced my speed to a slow trot. I didnt care about time, I just wanted to finish it..that was the goal.

Anyways, I am rambling. I thank you for the help on this. Next time, I will be more cautious in my training in the future.


(Mor montrealers out there, I loved runing the Jacques-Cartier bridge. Great slight up-and- down inclines. Great view too.)

Please do! That was quite a jump in distance and I'm glad that you are doing okay.

Then keep on training and join in next June for the Fat Ass Ultra which starts in Beaconsfield through Pointe Claire, Dorval, Lachine, NDG, Montreal, Cite de Havre, Concorde Bridge across Ile Ste Helene to the Jacques Cartier back across the bridge through the park and up Rachel to the summit of Mount Royal. It is a great run. But you should start training for it now

I say congrats on your push through. I tend to be cautious but sometimes you do have to challenge yourself to see what you are made of. The great thing about running is that you can stop anytime you want and walk the rest of the way. Running is the best part of the Tri!

Thanks Wookie,

You know what? I think I might leave the Ultra aspirations behind for now. I am aiming at my 1st Oly next year. That's all I can promise right now. Maybe I'll follow you guys in my car and then jump out a mile or two before the finish line. lol

I wonder how many people here feel the same way...I only ran before getting into tri and I really enjoy getting off the bike and look forward the whole race to leaving everything I have on the (run) course. My guess (and that's all it is) is that most triathletes are first and foremost cyclists especially the long distance types....

How did you feel the next day? Good job btw.

Congratulations! Keep up the good work.

My joints were pretty sore for the next 36 hours. For some reason my right ankle was the most sore part of my body. On that same night I had difficulties sleeping. Could this be because I over did it? Or it might be the fact that I had caffeine before my run (which started 4 hours before going to bed) .

Anyways, I am glad I did it, I think I will still slow down the pace a little until I feel stronger in my runs. Thanks for all the comments.

Seriously now, how much training is required and for what duration to do an Ultra? It's silly, but I've started to consider almost anything possible now, and I have virtually no basis for this opinion.

i totally understand. i was doing up to 6 miles at a time...then one rainy day, i ran 9. i just felt good and kept going. i was sore the next day, but not too bad. i broke the 10% rule in a huge way, but i also gave my body extra time to recover. that fall i did my first half-marathon, and had to break the 10% a few more times to build up to the distance i needed. i only trained to a bit over 10 miles, but was still able to finish the 1/2 feeling good. it is good to push and test your limits every once in a while, but you should do so with an attentiveness to your body. sounds like you were doing that. rest, recover, and do some yoga...then get back out there!

Allow at least 36 hours before ANY hard exercise (especially lower body - legs) and then see

Actually, I'm not sure that you did. The rule is 10% PER WEEK, not on any given day. While a longer run will obviously take more out of you, the extra days off are factored into the week. So if you were running 6 miles/day, 5 days/week (30 miles, we'll assume), then you might have run 6miles/day for 4 days, and 9 miles the other...leading to 33 miles, or a 10% increase! Sorry, but you stayed within the rules, you wanna be rebel!

The other part is that, as you are starting out, you can probably increase a little more than 10% at a time, since the distances are very short. It is after you have been training for a long time that you want to avoid to large a change in distance. Also, even if you do break the rule, if you aren't supposed to do it two weeks in a row.