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

[DebiTheScot]

We've run out of room on the other thread so I hope you don't mind me starting the new one.
This thread is for runners to share running stories and chat about life in general too. Anyone with running shoes welcome!

Our latest race list is below. Feel free to add or remove races from it.

06/07/11- Yately 10k: DebiTheScot
10/07/11 - RFL 5K, Kingston & Kempton Park: Wheelybug
10/07/11 - Felsted 10K: bonkers20
16/07/11 - Phoenix park 5 miler - drivingmisscrazy
17/07/11 - RFL St Albans - Pawsnclaws
17/07/11 - Dundee Half marathon - TheChewyToffeeMum
17/07/11- Chichester (Sprint) Triathlon: DebiTheScot
24/07/11 - Harrogate town centre 10k - DrNortherner
20/08/11 - Frank Duffy 10 mile, Dublin - drivingmisscrazy
03/09/11 - Dingle Half-Marathon - drivingmisscrazy
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon - thetasigmamum
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon- N4nny
18/09/11 - GNR: Hamster, Run for fun, popsycal, LaLa
23/09/11 - Notting Half Marathon: cestlavie
25/09/11 - Edinburgh Urbanathlon: backwardpossom
25/09/11 - Windsor Half Marathon: Doyouthinktheysaurus
25/09/11 - London Half Marathon Run to the beat: June2009
25/09/11 - New Forest Half Marathon: MoshiMoshi
02/10/11 - Standalone 10K: Futurity
02/10/11 - Bradford Half Marathon - MrsWednesday
02/10/11 - Baxter's River Ness 10k - backwardpossom
02/10/11 - The Run, Northampton - YeahThatsTheBadger
09/10/11 - Great Eastern Run, Peterborough - Futurity
16/10/11 - Abingdon Marathon: MoshiMoshi
30/10/11 - Great South Run: Wheely, squix
20/11/11 - Leeds Abbey Dash (10k) - DrNortherner
19/02/12 - Brighton Half marathon - Wheely
27/05/12 - London Bupa 10K - Futurity

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.

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!

put your towel over the display!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

finally I have caught up! It took so long I didn't have time to go for a run! Actually I had thought about going for one at 5ish but it was just too hot and then my mil bought us a takeaway which we got once the boys were in bed so I couldn't go this eve.

I was away at the weekend on a hen weekend and apart from a bit of swimming in the sea and a 400m ish sprint on the beach I haven't done much exercise for a week.
Will try and get out tomorrow then hopefully once or twice on holiday next week.

Welcome to newbies

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.

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?

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.

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.

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!

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 unless there's a particular reason you want to run that particular half I'd agree with the others and suggest a 10k at about the same time (you could prob even do a wee bit sooner) and then a half in the spring.

I went out this morning after feeling guilty about not going yest and I thought I should take advantage of mil still being here as she goes home this aft. It was horrid though. I cannot run without food first! It was only 20C but felt v hot & I got a bit lightheaded in the middle. Just did 3.5 miles. Took ages to stop sweating when I got back & am still sat in my bra now!

When you set the Garmin to autolap does it save that setting? I'm sure I put it on autolap when I was playing with it the other day but it didn't tell me my mile splits today.

hi everyone! It's real armpit weather up here - all heat and no sunshine... I did an "easy" 4.5 this morning and was sweating like a pig!

mordechai (superb name, btw!) sounds like you have got a good plan there. If you find the 5k easy and manageable, no reason why you shouldn't rack up to 10k reasonably quickly, as debi says. There are loads of plans out there - if you're worried you might be tempted to push yourself too hard too quickly, I'd recommend one that is based on time rather than distance. For me, a lot of the "difficulty" of running initially was just getting used to being out running for long periods of time. Now I get all itchy and impossible to live with if I haven't been out for a day or two!

definitely second the time on your feet approach - I use this if I am short of time - so run x minutes out and then return and retrace your steps (it doesn't really work except on out and back routes or on a treadmill) - with time you will find that 'back' is faster than 'out' and you can aim for this (it's called a negative split if you want to be all fancy about it)

mordechai if you can do 20 minutes without stopping then you can probably skip about the first 4 weeks of C25K, or move into a beginners 5k programme

gas man looking at boiler (hard to imagine that we will ever need it), DP and DD walking to tesco, I am left here allegedly working. ha ha ha ha

mordechai - Sounds like a good plan and one that will hopefully get you happily addicted to pounding the pavements.

No running today (thankfully no time in this hot hot weather - not that I'm complaining !!). Well done to those who have ventured out. Gym tomorrow but both dds in holiday club all morning so probably aim for 10K with intervals.

Then off to my parents by the seaside for a few days. Will aim to get my mum to sign up for the 8K in September - she said yesterday she is building up to a 10K. The woman that said she'd do 5K and then that would be it. Am v. proud of her .

My running in Spetember is looking under threat - I have just had a letter today to say that dd2 doesn't start nursery until 26th September !!! So I have no planned childcare from 1st September - 26th September. Eeek. Esp as that will be post holiday and gearing up for the GSR. The creche at the gym requires block booking for a term but am hoping if I speak nicely to them they might squeeze her in even if it means the unpopular 130 slot. Typical - having sorted out the summer holidays very nicely ....

hello all, back from festival and general camping dh doing crazy hrs and I am feeling a little stuck, might just have to go early morning or late at night

will read through for everyone else's news, hope all is well
just wanted to add my race (at last) need the motivation

24/07/11 - Harrogate town centre 10k - Dr Northerner
20/08/11 - Frank Duffy 10 mile, Dublin - rhetorician
03/09/11 - Dingle Half-Marathon - rhetorician
04/09/11 - Great Scottish Run Half-Marathon: EmmaBemma
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon - thetasigmamum
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon- N4nny
11/09/11 - Addidas 5K: MoshiMoshi
18/09/11 - GNR: Hamster, Run for fun, popsycal, LaLa, SLF, Fannybanjo
23/09/11 - Notting Half Marathon: cestlavie
25/09/11 - Edinburgh Urbanathlon: backwardpossom
25/09/11 - Windsor Half Marathon: Doyouthinktheysaurus
25/09/11 - London Half Marathon Run to the beat: June2009
25/09/11 - New Forest Half Marathon: MoshiMoshi
02/10/11 - Standalone 10K: Futurity, Quenelle
02/10/11 - Bradford Half Marathon - MrsWednesday
02/10/11 - Baxter's River Ness 10k - backwardpossom
02/10/11 - The Run, Northampton - YeahThatsTheBadger
09/10/11 - Great Eastern Run, Peterborough - Futurity
09/10/11 - Herts 10k - WishIwasCherryMenlove
16/10/11 - Abingdon Marathon: MoshiMoshi
22/10/11 - HumanRace - Richmond Park 10K - SFX
30/10/11 - Great South Run: Wheely, squix
30/10/11 - Nairobi Standard Chartered Half Marathon - M&M
05/11/11 - Glendalough Trail Run - rhetorician
19/11/11 - Maasai Mara Half Marathon - M&M
20/11/11 - Leeds Abbey Dash (10k) - DrNortherner
27/11/11 - City of Norwich half marathon: ibbydibby
19/02/12 - Brighton Half marathon - Wheely
22/04/12 - VLM: MoshiMoshi, ibbydibby
27/05/12 - London Bupa 10K - Futurity

No running at all this week - dd2 been in hospital, and we've been running around like blue arsed flies. Back home, under nursing care through several dialiy visits to give more drugs/check up etc. I did manage to arrange a PT session at home for just me and dh last night after we got the girls to bed. Was really good after all the stress of the week - she had us doing loads of boxing with each other, pluss skipping, step ups etc, was amazed at how exhausted you could get just training in your own backyard.

Just marking my place. Not been out the past 2 days due to heavy rain then DH going out for bike ride. Did manage to do 2 x Davina DVD workouts though so muscles a bit sore today.

mordechai it sounds like you have a good plan now. You should be able to finish a 5K with a good time and plenty of enthusiasm for your next race. Don't discount the smaller local races - I have come to enjoy them more than the big ones.

Sorry the hear about your DD2 Sonic. I hope things settle down now she is home.

Sonic sounds like you've had a nightmarish week. I hope your DD is responding well to the treatment.

Was out this morning... it was meant to be a tempo run, but overall it was quite slow. I wanted to have a look at it now on the 'puter, but sodding thing is not co-operating. My lap top is very ancient, I suppose, in computer terms, but I don't like waste.

Still, another 5 miles clocked is a good thing :)