Any runners here?

[TheGayTent]

Some time ago I stupidly decided that doing a half marathon was a good idea. So I entered one. That was about 6 weeks back. Last thursday I decided I'd better start training (the run is July 20th).

Bearing in mind my ahem shape ahem (am 14 1/2 stone...), running is not what I would describe as one of my natural abilities. So far I've done 3 runs (thursday, sunday, yesterday) and seem to be getting fitter - i'm managing to run further before I really start blowing. However, I'm not able to run any quicker and I still really struggle with hills - not so much getting up them, but catching my breath once I've got to the top.

I'm aware I currently am not running in the right trainers - have the blisters to prove that! I'm going to buy a proper pair when I get the chance, anyone have any recommendations? Some bloke told me I should get someone in a sports shop to watch me run on a treadmill???

Really am a complete novice, so any hints, training tips etc would be useful.

Or any stories about random things you've decided to do on a whim!

[Kowalski]

Definitely go to a proper running shop, they'll check you on a treadmill and ensure you get the correct trainers.

Half marathon is very tough if that's your first race. I'm a 10K runner who is considering moving up to half marathons.

How about joining a running club? They're really good for keeping you motivated and will welcome all ages, shapes, and abilities.

I bought a Nike+ sports band (you can get one which links to an Ipod Nano as well) and its brilliant for displaying your pace and distance while running, its helped me immensely for training and races.

To help prevent blisters, get special socks from a running shop. They have two layers which prevent blisters.

Map my run is good for working our training runs and checking the elevation of race routes. Its a free website.

Runners World magazine is great for hints and tips, and their web section has training runs and advice. You only get access to the best articles on the site if you subscribe to the magazine.

[razz1e]

Some bloke told me I should get someone in a sports shop to watch me run on a treadmill???

I think specialist running shops have a machine, not a treadmill, which finds you the right footwear for the way you run. The only one I know off hand though that I think has this service is the London Marathon shop in London, Covent Garden.

[Katster]

Or any stories about random things you've decided to do on a whim!

I used to be a really good and fairly successful cross country runner. I was top of my school and I once did a run for the north west and came 14th place.

Then the fun bags appeared and I also developed mild asthma. I haven't been any good at running since

Good luck with your training

[TheGayTent]

Definitely go to a proper running shop, they'll check you on a treadmill and ensure you get the correct trainers.

Half marathon is very tough if that's your first race. I'm a 10K runner who is considering moving up to half marathons.

How about joining a running club? They're really good for keeping you motivated and will welcome all ages, shapes, and abilities.

I bought a Nike+ sports band (you can get one which links to an Ipod Nano as well) and its brilliant for displaying your pace and distance while running, its helped me immensely for training and races.

To help prevent blisters, get special socks from a running shop. They have two layers which prevent blisters.

Map my run is good for working our training runs and checking the elevation of race routes. Its a free website.

Runners World magazine is great for hints and tips, and their web section has training runs and advice. You only get access to the best articles on the site if you subscribe to the magazine.

Thanks very much, the runners world website is very good. I've only been on there for a short while and think I've figured out my foot/shoe problem is due to over pronating and I need to get a pair of supported running trainers. Also the mapmyrun site has some handy tools, definitely use that.

[TheGayTent]

I think specialist running shops have a machine, not a treadmill, which finds you the right footwear for the way you run. The only one I know off hand though that I think has this service is the London Marathon shop in London, Covent Garden.

A friend's just told me of a gym close to where I live that has a shop within it where I could get it sorted, ta

[TheGayTent]

I used to be a really good and fairly successful cross country runner. I was top of my school and I once did a run for the north west and came 14th place.

Then the fun bags appeared and I also developed mild asthma. I haven't been any good at running since

Good luck with your training

But presumably you have had lots of fun since?

[brighteyes]

Then the fun bags appeared and I also developed mild asthma.

Same here... (asthma). It only affects me at certain times of the year, but when it does I have a really poor lung capacity or whatever, I have to take massive deep breaths just to keep going, and you just can't do that when you're running. Then I faint.

Having said that, just went for a run (only about 1.5 miles) and felt great, no problems breathing at all.

As for running shoes, mine are really cheap ones that I originally bought for football training. Everyone says get expensive ones, but these cheap ones do the job for me. I guess I got lucky with them.

Only other advice is to not do too much too fast, build up greater distances/speed slowly each time you go running. But always do at least the same distance that you did the last time, even if it really hurts. Otherwise you feel like a failure!

[Katster]

Same here... (asthma). It only affects me at certain times of the year, but when it does I have a really poor lung capacity or whatever, I have to take massive deep breaths just to keep going, and you just can't do that when you're running. Then I faint.

For me it's all to do with changes in temperature, so I'm bad in spring and autumn and I'm bad when entering or leaving a warm room on a cold night. I get it every now and then if the weather changes suddenly (like it so often does in this country) and I also have that coupled with athletic asthma which means as soon as I do any kind of aerobic activity, my asthma is triggered. I manage it with a ventolin slbutamol inhaler and have only once had to get a stronger inhaler when I got the flu.

My uncle died from an asthma attack so I always try to make sure I have an inhaler on me somewhere (in the car, in my handbag etc). The few times I have been caught out it's got quite scary. The trouble is if I had it all the time I wouldn't forget, but when you go for months without needing an inhaler you kind of forget there's anything wrong with you.

I also shouldn't smoke but sometimes I like it.

[Kowalski]

Thanks very much, the runners world website is very good. I've only been on there for a short while and think I've figured out my foot/shoe problem is due to over pronating and I need to get a pair of supported running trainers. Also the mapmyrun site has some handy tools, definitely use that.

Which half marathon are you doing, just out of interest?

[TheGayTent]

Which half marathon are you doing, just out of interest?

Dartford. Apparently Steve Ovett won the first ever Dartford Half.

I'm aiming to do 10 min miles (slightly slower than Ovett!)

[Kowalski]

Dartford. Apparently Steve Ovett won the first ever Dartford Half.

I'm aiming to do 10 min miles (slightly slower than Ovett!)

Sounds like a sensible pace.

[brighteyes]

For me it's all to do with changes in temperature, so I'm bad in spring and autumn and I'm bad when entering or leaving a warm room on a cold night. I get it every now and then if the weather changes suddenly (like it so often does in this country) and I also have that coupled with athletic asthma which means as soon as I do any kind of aerobic activity, my asthma is triggered. I manage it with a ventolin slbutamol inhaler and have only once had to get a stronger inhaler when I got the flu.

My uncle died from an asthma attack so I always try to make sure I have an inhaler on me somewhere (in the car, in my handbag etc). The few times I have been caught out it's got quite scary. The trouble is if I had it all the time I wouldn't forget, but when you go for months without needing an inhaler you kind of forget there's anything wrong with you.

I also shouldn't smoke but sometimes I like it.

I remember my doctor calling it 'Summer Asthma', but I wouldn't say it affects me greater at summer than other times of year. Yeah temperature changes trigger mine too I think, like when I have football training on a cold night after being sat in my warm home. Also I never dust my bedroom, because if I do then I can't sleep at night through lack of being able to breathe easily. I have ventolin salbutamol disks too, and they normally do the job.

Don't think mine is as serious as yours though, I never have 'attacks' as such, just varying extents of wheeziness. Annoying more than anything else.

[TheGayTent]

Sounds like a sensible pace.

My 1st and only aim is to complete the course. If I manage that (furthest I have run so far is 8 miles) then I'll think about maybe doing another and going a bit quicker.

[Goblinz]

I tried running once, I'm not sure if I liked it and didn't get very far.

[brighteyes]

My 1st and only aim is to complete the course. If I manage that (furthest I have run so far is 8 miles) then I'll think about maybe doing another and going a bit quicker.

How long did 8 miles take you?

I might get my football team to do a 10km run this summer, in preparation for the new season. I think the furthest i've ever run in one go at the same pace is 4 miles. Need to improve.

[TheGayTent]

How long did 8 miles take you?

1 hr 15. By God it was knackering! Will power alone got me through the last mile.

I've no doubt that distance running is at least 50% in the head. I'm hoping come the day, being surrounded by others will spur me on rather than running alone or with only one other.

[xgemmax]

running scares me! i used to do the county athletics at school. i cant run for shit now, i take about 6 steps and i literally feel as if i've sprained both ankles, hows that for unfit?

[brighteyes]

1 hr 15. By God it was knackering! Will power alone got me through the last mile.

I've no doubt that distance running is at least 50% in the head. I'm hoping come the day, being surrounded by others will spur me on rather than running alone or with only one other.

That's a good pace. My dad swears he used to be able to run 5 miles in half an hour, and he's the same build as me! Dunno how he managed it. Yeah it's definitely all in the head. If you spend the whole run thinking about how tired you are, you seem to get even more tired. I tend to run at a stupidly fast pace because I want to get it over and done with, but it doesn't work and I slow down and die.

The trouble is that I want to be fit for playing football, and distance running is almost useless for that.

Edited June 11, 2008 by brighteyes

[TheGayTent]

The trouble is that I want to be fit for playing football, and distance running is almost useless for that.

Yeah football is all about running in short sharp bursts, and being able to change direction quickly etc so distance running isn't great. Though combined with other forms of exercise it has it's place I would have thought?

Though maybe more useful as a pre-season tool to regain base fitness lost over the summer?

I've literally told everyone I know what I'm doing in the hope that fear of embarrasement if I fail will spur me on!

[DrDoolittle]

Not an easy start doing a half marathon right away, you'd have been better doing a 10K and working up to it. If you've already done 8 miles then you've another month to train for the extra 5 at the end.

If you struggle with hills, its like anything, practise. I know the feeling as I hate uphills but try and go out and just run hills one night, you just get more used to it.

Im not really a runner, its just handy for burning cals but I did find buying a decent pair of trainers really helped my joints. Look up the 'wet test' for runners on google and you can see yourself what type of trainers you need.

Best of luck.

[brighteyes]

Yeah football is all about running in short sharp bursts, and being able to change direction quickly etc so distance running isn't great. Though combined with other forms of exercise it has it's place I would have thought?

Though maybe more useful as a pre-season tool to regain base fitness lost over the summer?

I've literally told everyone I know what I'm doing in the hope that fear of embarrasement if I fail will spur me on!

Yeah it gives you a base level of fitness. But it also gives you a false confidence that you will be fine in a football match because you can run 5 miles or whatever. Then you have to sprint a couple of times in a match and you're knackered!

Yeah we do other exercises. Normally just things like running round the pitch for 10 minutes, with the coach shouting "Sprint!!!" every 30 seconds or so, or we have to stop and do 10 press-ups etc. Horribly tiring.

I used to enjoy the sense of achievement you get from distance running though. I want to get good at it over the summer, then maybe do the 10km fun run in September.

I'm sure you'll be fine, avoiding embarrassment is a big motivator.

[TheGayTent]

Not an easy start doing a half marathon right away,

Tell me about it!

you'd have been better doing a 10K and working up to it.

I needed something that would challenge me sufficiently that I needed to train, and at the same time be achievable. I realise that starting with a 10k would have been a better idea, but frankly it wouldn't have motivated me to get out and train properly. 10k is such a short distance I don't think it would have motivated me to get out of the pub and onto the road.

If you struggle with hills, its like anything, practise. I know the feeling as I hate uphills but try and go out and just run hills one night, you just get more used to it.

I think I'm going to go along to a local running club and do some hill runs with them.

Im not really a runner, its just handy for burning cals but I did find buying a decent pair of trainers really helped my joints. Look up the 'wet test' for runners on google and you can see yourself what type of trainers you need.

Best of luck.

Thanks a lot will have a look at this 'wet test' now

[TheGayTent]

Yeah it gives you a base level of fitness. But it also gives you a false confidence that you will be fine in a football match because you can run 5 miles or whatever. Then you have to sprint a couple of times in a match and you're knackered!

Yeah we do other exercises. Normally just things like running round the pitch for 10 minutes, with the coach shouting "Sprint!!!" every 30 seconds or so, or we have to stop and do 10 press-ups etc. Horribly tiring.

I used to enjoy the sense of achievement you get from distance running though. I want to get good at it over the summer, then maybe do the 10km fun run in September.

I'm sure you'll be fine, avoiding embarrassment is a big motivator.

Sounds like hell!

[Sooperstar]

I've just started pre-season training so I'm now a runner!

I can be found running round Arthur's seat on Sundays and Thursdays.