General Discussion Triathlon Talk » What to do next? Rss Feed  
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2017-02-25 2:26 AM


2

, England
Subject: What to do next?
OK so I started running at the start of the year along with restarting swimming etc. I have been mainly going to the gym and improving my cardio slowly as I am 50 and not trained seriously for a very long time. Hated the c25k but it did get me started and I tried that a couple of times last year.

Working on a treadmill I warm up 500m walking at 6km/h and then run for 2.5km at 8 km/h. Not fast but I reduced this from 8.5 to 8 to improve my distance hoping I was on the right lines. Its actually 500m walk 2500m run, 500m walk, 500m run 500m cool down.

I want to know what to do next?

Carry on improving my distance running at 8km/h, I think I can easily improve 250-500m per week so should be hitting my 5km goal in about 4 weeks even though it still really is a struggle. Or should i once a week try runnin 30 secs at 9km/h and 60secs at 8.5km/h walk for 1min repeat. Or similar to get my legs moving faster and used to running quicker.

Swimming is coming along slowly now reasonably comfortable at 500m crawl not timed but thats helped with the improved cardio but I have a slight shoulder strain that I want to avoid aggravating.

Cycling I do 7.5km in 15mins on a static bike.

I will start to get out on the road when the weather improves and I can run 5km on a treadmill, I know running on te road is different.

Goals 5km run in 30 mins. 1500m swim in 30 mins (I know a sprint is only 750m but swimming is my passion and didnt swim for a lon time) bike 20km 45mins.

My running is currently around 12 mins per mile and I really want to get that down to 8 mins/mile eventually but no idea if my running is on the right track.



2017-02-25 6:18 AM
in reply to: pingu

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Subject: RE: What to do next?
Running - I'd quit worrying about the metrics and just run. If I were in your shoes, I'd just go out and do ALL my running really easy. Just run at a pace where you think you can sustain for the longest time. Stop thinking about how fast or slow that is and just run. Frequency trumps volume (when you're starting out, IMO). 5 shorter runs are better than 3 runs of equal volume. At some point, you'll want to make at least one of those runs longer and longer, but right now......(you guessed it)....just run.

I'll be 53 this fall. I'm NOT a coach. I'm following my own advice, above.

Best running advice I ever got was (I think.....someone will set me straight) from a member here named Scout??? Runs lots....mostly easy...sometimes hard.

For people starting out, forget the "sometimes hard" part and just run.

The above was free. Weight it, accordingly
2017-02-27 12:04 PM
in reply to: 0


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Subject: RE: What to do next?
I coach beginner runners and am a certified running coach. The first question I get from people is "how fast should I run?" I always tell them not to worry about pace and just run a pace that feels comfortable and that you can maintain. I tell all beginners that every run should be at an easy pace until they become more experienced. A big mistake people make is running too much too soon and getting injured or frustrated because they are not improving. It amazes me how many people tell me they can't run more than a block because they feel winded. It's because they are running too fast for their ability. Your focus should be on time, as in time on your feet. Like the previous poster said, frequency is key. The more you run, the faster you're naturally going to get. However, it takes time, so be patient.

Going from a 12:00/mile to 8:00/mile will take some time and work. Gradually increasing your distance (10% increase per week seems to be standard) will get you faster but don't expect huge results immediately.

When increasing your running, I would focus more on time rather than distance. When I first got into running (this was before 5K programs became popular) I would add 3 minutes to my run time every week. Adding time helped me in that mentally if felt easier to add a few minutes rather than a set distance.

Edited by katgirl2013 2017-02-27 12:05 PM
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