Runners united: I run, I do running, I am a runner

Thanks for all your advise and the links.

I've decided to aim for a 5k in about 8 weeks time.

Ive downloaded the C25k podcast and I'll use this to train for it. I may start a couple of weeks in as I can run for about 20 mins already. I'm going to give one of the park runs near me a go.

You've made me recognise that I was in danger in following my well worn pattern of great enthusiasm for big exciting plans that I then never complete as the challenge is too large initially. (I do this in all areas of life, huge enthusiasm followed by giving up.)

If I can actually train and do a 5k then I'll know I have more chance of sticking with it.

(dh says I'm a glory merchant and only want to do the big glitzy races! He may be right but I'm resisting this time.)

If I can become a runner I can always do a half marathon next year, no need to do this one NOW, is there?

So, it's a rest day today, and I'll be out tomorrow on my 5k training.(feels exciting to be 'training' for something.

Really, thanks for your advise, it's been so useful.

mordechai you sound very keen and enthusiastic - brilliant! I agree with others who say with training you could probably do it, but as you yourself have suggested, I think a shorter distance may be a better short-term goal for you. My inclination would be to go for a 5k, and in your training concentrate on trying to do this distance without stopping. Maybe you need to slow down a little, to give yourself the stamina to cover the whole distance. Next, aim for 5 miles, then 10k, then 10 miles, then half marathon as long-term goal.

Have you any parkruns near you? These are free to enter 5k runs at 9am on a Saturday morning - several of us on this thread do these. See here for further details and venues. Do you have a friend or friends who you could run with? I have found when that this helps with training, as you are less likely to opt out!

This is certainly how I got "into" running, starting with a manageable 5k Race for Life, with loads of other runners.

Good Luck!

yes, I find that anything beyond a single drink fairly early in the evening really messes up my running if it's planned for the morning; so I now drink very modestly indeed (a far cry from my bibulous youth and post-youth ).

Mordechai good points about base fitness - I think if I were you I'd aim for a slightly shorter race - a 10k perhaps, but about the same time. I'd worry that the half might be a challenge too far and you'll end up either injured or demotivated or both - the half marathon distance is fairly challenging, but do-able with a decent base behind you. That's what you need to build. You should decide whether your goal is the race itself, or whether it is to become a regular runner. Goals are only motivators if they are challenging and achievable (running teaches you this!). So there is absolutely no point in someone like me trying to aim for a sub 4 hour marathon in the short term. I can't do it. But I can set goals appropriate to my current fitness and ability - so a 10 miler, then a half, but focussing on my key goals of running a given distance over the course of this year without injury...

sorry for essay, I think you can do it, but not sure it will help achieve your goal of being a 'runner'! A runner is someone who goes out and runs even without the lure of a race - whether it's 3 miles 3 x a week or 50 miles a week.

rhet - sounds like a good plan

MordechaiVanunu - agree with the others - it is probably do able, a lot will also depend on how much time you have to train and increasing your mileage steadily rather than going out too far too fast. It will also depend on your base level of fitness too. So whilst you are a non runner do you do other simmilar exercise that gives you a good starting point? I also think understanding why you want to do it and reminding yourself of that is a great motivator. One thing is for sure, if you do decide to go for it and post on this thread then you'll get a ton of support, advice and encouragement.

Talking of advice - bananas have been added to my shopping list for this week. Thanks for the tip.

I also had a valuable lesson last night - a glass of wine with dinner is not a good idea if planning a 6am run - in fact my 6am run remained a plan and did not materialise this morning. Oh well - just have to do it tomorrow.

Thanks for all your advise.

The comments about not enjoying it and putting me off running are making me think again. I want to become a 'runner' and get to a point where I can run a distance and enjoy it. I've tried before but lost interest so thought entering this half marathon would inspire me.

Maybe I need to try another plan and enter a race further away and/or a shorter distance. Any advise?

debi ha ha, that's right, blame us because you didn't run (nothing to do with your takeaway, oh no, all the fault of those pesky women on the internet)

hope your holliers are lovely - alas ours are all over, but august is v.v.v. quiet and I am hoping to do nothing other than write, run and hang out with DD and DP.

Mordechai - I read your post on your phone and came on here to basically say what everyone else has said. Yes, I would have thought possible - although hard and i think you'd have to happy with getting round and possibly walk/run. I was also going to say exactly what Rhet has said that it might put you off running long term but if you want to do it - then go for it and stick here and we'll cheer you on all the way !

Ilana - I agree regarding seeing the distances build up. My survival strategy for the treadmill is to do it in little chunks - either build up 0.5 KM at a time so you are changing speed every 0.5 Km (and then down again) or speed intervals - this is the way I get longer distances in - so you do 1KM fast, then 500m slow etc. Then I only think about the 0.5K or 1K I am doing rather than the big picture.

MordechaiVanunu like Emma I think it's possible too; it probably won't be either fun or fast, but you can definitely do it, and that will spur you on. Hal Higdon's beginners plan focusses on finishing, and he is quite sensible, it's here. I'd echo the advice about rest days, also run slowly and take walk breaks if you need to - but keep them to a minute, max. You can also plan to walk/run the half - perhaps aim for 6-7 mins running, 1 minute walking. You'll probably get round in about 2h30 which is perfectly respectable.

My only reservation would be that this might not be the best way to develop a love affair with running, but you are clearly determined, so the love can come later! Can you find a buddy to train with? that would also help, as would running for a cause dear to your heart. Good luck and do keep posting here!

Forgot to get a towel as it was my first time there! Plus, the display is part of the TV so I wouldn't have been able to watch. I am just going back to my merry outside running where my entertainment is avoiding dog poo and deciding to turn left or right at the end of the road!

oh, and make sure you have a decent pair of running shoes, again to avoid injuring yourself. Ones you've been fitted with in a running shop.

Hi MordechaiVanunu! I am not very knowledgeable but my gut feeling is - yes, it is possible in 11 weeks. 5km for your first trip out is pretty good going even if you did have to walk a couple of times. I'd be amazed if you weren't breathless!

I see you've found a training plan already, I think Runners World do one too if you want to compare. In your situation, with time being on the tight side, I think it would be best to stick to a plan because my main worry would be trying to do too much too soon and injuring yourself.

You should have regular rest days - maybe aim for 4 running sessions a week to start with? - to give your joints, ligaments and muscles a chance to recover between sessions, as it's possible your cardiovascular fitness will improve at a pace the rest of you can't keep up with, if you see what I mean.

Re: how far you've run - you can use gmaps pedometer (just type into google) to plot routes near you, which will tell you miles and calories, or there are things like GPS watches you can wear, or other cheaper things you can carry with you that measure distance (I think Nike do one that works with an iPhone?)

Good luck!

put your towel over the display!

Very intestesting responses about the treadmill! One of the things I found so awful about it was seeing the distance read out in front of me. There was jus no way of ignoring it. So it felt like an eternity for each kilometre. Outside, I can forget about how far I have gone until I want to look at the display n my gps phone. And I don't think about speed, I just run as fast as I can.....which I never thought of as being very fast until today!

Anyway, I will be back to running outside on Thursday so will be much happier!

Hello Runners, sorry to crash your thread, I have started my own thread but was advised to ask my questions here.

Can I, a non runner, train for a half marathon in 12 weeks??

I really want to do this but don't know if I'm just setting myself up to fail.

I went running this morning and did 5k, but had to walk a few times and was very breathless.

I think if I entered it would seriously motivate me and I'd train so hard and be so focused to acheive it.

Can it be done, or should I rethink?

Also, when yuo run how do you know how far you have run? < I suspect this is an idiotic question which everyone else knows the answer to.>

If anyone is able to give some helpful advise I'd really appreciate it.

I have alerady been linked to the Bupa beginners half marathon schedule whch does make it look like it might be possible... I need to sign up asap so any opinions/advise gratefully receieved.

I find that I run a bit faster on a treadmill - the gym I go to is very basic and full of ancient people pensioners, but it does have water available and a view over playing fields - plus big windows that they open so there's a breeze. The playing field is handy as I can visualise whatever distance I have left. But running faster on it I think is a function of my lack of confidence - on a TM you have a specific goal and it's also broken up a bit, so you think, another 400m, or another 2 minutes. I guess I should try transferring this to running outside which I infinitely prefer (as an all-round experience) :o

The polo is fun to watch although the people who play it are prats filthy rich...

Ilana - I cannot run as fast on a treadmill as I do outside and I have run 2 times a week on a treadmill for almost 2 years. I think it is partly psychological. I am beginning to get my times similarish on longer runs but I defnitely run faster outside. It is dull dull dull on a treadmill and it is only sheer bloodmindedness that I've kept to it as I wouldln't be able to run otherwise monday - friday.

On that note, 5 miles in the gym this morning. Although v. hot I realised it was probably easier than running outside because I could line up bottles of water for drinking and splashing myself. Went surprisingly well due to the fact I really wanted to do 5 miles and I only had a short timeframe so I had to run faster than normal to get it done in time. Perhaps I should try that again !!

Well done on being out in this heat rhet - hats off !! That park sounds fab. Love the sound of free polo - I'd love to see polo but never got round to it.

It's so hot today that I ran for the first time on a treadmill in the gym today. It did not go well! I thought I would run 5 km in around the same time i did it outside which was 34.5 min. I had no idea what speed to set it at. I just upped it until it felt normal. Anyway, I got to 30 minutes and hadn't even done 3.5 km! I stopped at that point as I needed to pick the kids up from the creche and didn't see much point continuing! So what went wrong? Is my gps device I use outside so far off the Mark? Or is it just so different on a treadmill? I found the running much easier on the treadmill but so so dull. I don't think I could do that again.

Wow rhet what a wonderful part of the world to live in

quenelle I don't like the heat much, at least not for running, so I am hoping that I'll suddenly find a turn of speed when it cools down - which will probably be next week!

It is a brilliant park - big enough that you can fairly easily do 10 miles without retracing your steps, great views of the Wicklow mountains, and only 5 minutes run from my house!

Well done for getting out in this weather rhet. Sounds like a great park.

I hope your DP is feeling better soon.

hello all - it is pretty warm out - I did a medium paced 5 miles with a couple of slightly quicker kms in there too. It was nice to be back in my beloved park - and during polo season there's always a tap with water which is great (the only place in Europe where you can watch polo for free, apparently - DD loves to see the ponies)

DP still suffering - I think she overdid it while I was away and has just run out of iron, so I am force feeding encouraging her to drink lots of Spatone. Just did a 30 minute writing 'sprint' - I have to do something to get some work done!