#81

Oh, one other thing:

If you’re using Strava, I think it only takes MaxHR into account when calculating your training zones. I don’t think it allows you to enter your resting heart rate (this may not now be the case, especially for Premium members).

Training zones should take into account MaxHR and resting HR. There are online calculators that will do this, and will translate them into the types of run that you should be doing within them. Annoyingly, the one I used (Running For Fitness) doesn’t seem to exist now.

#82

Sounds like the diet of a deviant.

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#83

Yeah it’s got my resting in there. But again I probably didn’t take that at the right time so it might be a touch high

#84

I’m the exact opposite. Cannot bear running in the evening, my back always plays up. Yet I am fine first thing.

#85

Tightened it, licked it, maxed out at 176 today which makes 190 seem like a sensible max HR. got a 2nd overall on a segment too :+1:

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#86

Hi DiS runners - January cliche here. Just went for my first run ever (or at least since I was about 15).

Full disclaimer: I am disgustingly unfit. Play 5-a-side maybe 4 times a year and walk a lot, but that is my only exercise. Never joined a gym. Been drinking excessively for the last year and gave up smoking on 1st Jan. Vices aside, I have an OK diet, so not yet overweight (though starting to get a beer pouch). Starting running seemed sensible given cutting the fags.

Anyway, I did 4.1km at 7.27/km - 31mins total. I ran the first 1.3 km in about 6mins, then after that alternated walking and running for about 2 mins a piece. Mix of up-hill and downhill. I stopped at the shop for about a minute to get water and forgot to pause the Strava. [Question: I assume I leave my Strava on whilst walking too?] Think I need to pace myself better at the start as I was flagging towards the end. A couple of things I found:

  • My sides (diaphragm?) were absolutely fucked towards the end which I assume is normal given fitness levels Biggest issue was a headache from about half-way round. As soon as I started running again the blood would just rush to my head. Is this just a fitness thing or can I control it with temperature?

  • I found myself running on my toes a lot whenever I stopped focusing on my form, which was weird. I tried to keep my feet flat but kept drifting back to it. How do I change my running style - just constant diligence and practise?

  • I ate a fairly big lunch at 1pm, slice of sourdough around 4pm, went for the run about 20:30pm - should I eat something else in between for energy?

Any tips for a proper novice would be much appreciated. I’ll get on the Strava group at some point but feeling slightly self-conscious about how shit I am at the moment! Will try not to give up on you after a month.

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#87

Hey CTT - if you or someone else bumps this during the day shift tomorrow I’ll try and respond in full, but in short;

  • well done!
  • run/walk is very sensible to start with
  • pain is likely to be related to fitness yes - your heart/lungs will have been working harder than usual.
  • form is too complex to discuss in bullet points :slight_smile:
  • I usually aim for a banana or two about an hour before a run if my stomach is fairly empty. If you’re feeling fairly full already then don’t worry about it - you’re not going far or for long enough to run out of energy.
  • well done again!
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#88

Good work, I was in a similar situation myself a year or two ago, running really helped me kick the fags. Outside of joint pain, I wouldn’t worry too much about most of these it’s just your body adjusting (someone more knowledgable may correct me). Just focusing on getting out regularly, it gets easier every time. Keep it up.

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#89

Great work getting out there! As @anon76851889 says, walk/run is a great way to start. If you want a structured way of building this up, you could look at Couch to 5k programs which slowly reduce the amount of walking time until you’re running a full 5k https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k-plan.aspx. If you run with a phone, there are some good apps that you can use to notify you when you should be running and when you should be walking.

When I started running I found Parkrun to be a great way to stay motivated. They are free, weekly, timed 5k runs run by volunteers in local parks. You get people of all abilities taking part, and in my experience they are super friendly and supportive. Check out if there’s one close to you: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/.

Definitely join the Strava group when you feel ready to, we’ll give you kudos :grinning:

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#90

Does anyone have experience running ultras? I’m massively tempted to sign up to a 55k run in September. I feel like a marathon training plan is the absolute maximum amount of time I can put into running. Do you reckon you could get around on that?

#91

Actually just found this which looks doable http://running.competitor.com/files/2012/11/46_nat_r1.pdf

#92

jeez, running four days in a row and I feel so weak and feeble.

Need to get better at coping with hills. Is going to a big hill and running up it repeatedly a good tactic for this?

#93

Hill intervals are a good tactic for just getting better at running in general. They’ll make you stronger across the board which will of course make running uphill a bit easier.

As far as “coping” with hills… you want to try and keep your effort level consistent as you hit an incline, rather than your pace. If it feels like hard work, slow down a little and pace yourself. Shorten your strides and increase your cadence. Try not to “box” your way up with your arms as that’ll tire you out more.

Running uphill is always hard work regardless of your fitness level (unless you’re Kilian Jornet or something). I quite enjoy running uphill though, especially off-road. It’s really hard work but it’s more rewarding and a bit more involved.

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#94

This to an extent but depends on the length of the hill and what comes after. If it’s a long hill then yeah. If it’s short and you’ve got a downhill after it might be worth dipping into the red on the way up.

Basically just being fitter and lighter are the only ways to get better at them though :frowning:

#95

How often and how far were you running before you did these four days in a row?

#96

well I was doing 4 or 5 day streaks last year but they were more like 5km each time and I’ve increased the distance a bit to between 5 and 10. Also I ate a lot and didn’t do much exercise through November and December. Reckon if I keep going (and have some rest days/recovery runs) it should get better though.

#97

also thanks for the hill tips @TontonZolaMoukoko and @Aggpass

#98

Oh, okay. I was worried that you were starting from scratch!

I’d mix up your runs to improve performance, recovery and to keep it interesting.

Maybe a longer slow run, then a very slow, shorter recovery run, then an interval/hill session, then another recovery run, then a tempo run (then another recovery run if you wanted to increase it to six days of the week).

#99

I used to find hills were as much a mental battle as physical - i’d almost be tired approaching the hill just thinking about the change in effort. Got over this by beginning to imagine I was pacman and basically eating up the hill as i went up it. sounds bonkers but actually worked a treat.
it’s interesting how much the mind can affect performance, this is one of the hardest battles for me in marathons and one of the main deterrents to signing up for a longer distance.

#100

I have no choice but to do hill running around my way, There is literally no decent route I could run that doesn’t feature a hill. Whether it short and steep or long and, erm, not-so-steep. Hence not being too phased by them, but I certainly don’t enjoy running up them.

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