Commitment to running plan.

TomM · July 06, 2008, 04:05:22 PM

I need/want to get into "shape" and am in the process of doing so... I am a few pounds "overweight". OK... I weigh 210 and my health risk assessment (HRA) says I really should lose 30/THIRTY pounds... That was hard to admit on here. That would put me at 180. Lowest I have been in years is 195 three years ago before a half marathon. 17 years ago I got down to 180 running daily. I've run a couple half marathons (not marathons) in the past to be in shape and to have a goal to work toward in the process... Haven't run much in almost two years ...long story, but I was out running in the fall and got dehydrated and my electrolytes had a fit and I ended up really sick and had my first ambulance ride! D'OH... I walk the dog about 2 miles each day.
Bought new comfortable running shoes last week.
This week I started running again. Haven't stepped on the scale or timed a run yet, but I ran/jogged 2 miles Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri and 3 on Saturday. So my first week is in the books... My goal is the Fox Cities Half Marathon Sunday, September 21. I have run that one twice. I am on a 12 week plan I have set up. Basically, I will run four days per week.
Here is the plan:
Mondays Run 3-4 miles. (my mile times are slow, so you may get a chuckle out of them, but I will post them when I start timing myself.)
Tuesdays: Rest/cross train (tennis? or bike? or inline skate? yoga? pilates?)
Wednesdays: Run 3-4 miles.
Thursdays: Rest/cross train...
Fridays: Run 2 miles.
Saturdays: "Long Run"... basically each Saturday I will add one mile to my longest previous run, so next Saturday would be 4 miles.
Each running day I will stretch out well first and post run I will do push ups and crunches (right now it is 27 of each.. but I will get that up to 62 each soon.
In the fall I intend to ride my bicycle to school every day. Maybe all year... a buddy of mine did it last school year all but two days... Yikes...
I am placing this on here as an additional motivation to force me to "keep at it". If I tell someone my goal it is hard to give in.
I will write out what my workouts should be and place what I have done on here... like a training log.
I need to improve my diet (more fruits and vegetable)... My diet sucks. Big time. How is it that a wrestling coach (ex-wrestling coach) who considered himself pretty well versed on nutrition can eat SO CRAPPY? Jeez....
After the Fox Cities Half Marathon I may do another in Lake Mills in November. I may also toss in some 5K etc races...
Anyways guys... I know I can do this and I am putting it on here to keep myself honest to my goal(s).
I want to keep this up and keep my weight donw.... I really need to make sure "the part of me that wants to go, overcomes the part of me that doesn't want to go."
Tomorrow is a 3 mile day.

bigoil · July 06, 2008, 04:15:44 PM

I like to state goals to force myself to do it as well.

One comment, when I trained for my Marathon, I initially dieted quite a bit as I was ~30 #'s over my ideal weight. I lost 20 of them and proceeded to put them back on as running that much made me really hungry.

I would add to add a half mile to your Wednesdays, and I preferred following the plans by the experts which was
Rest Monday, run Tuesday, run Wednesday (mildly long), run Thursday, rest Friday, Long run Saturday, short run Sunday.

I wish you would have posted this a month ago, I would have thought about joining you, of course I don't think my calf muscle is ready for that, and I haven't run more than 4 miles since I finished the marathon 4 years ago.

TomM · July 06, 2008, 04:28:11 PM

I appreciate your training suggestion... I will look at that more closely.
The only reason I have my plan set up as it is (run M/W/F/Sat.) is, because that is what I did training for my first two half marathons. I am not "built like a runner" and I really need those rest days between Mon-Wed, Wed-Fri and Sat-Mon. Many of my Mon-Wed runs end up being just 3 miles.
I won't be going for speed.. (ha...as if that were possible.)
After running my first half marathon in 2004 and realizing I could do it I pushed myself in the second one a year later. In the first one I was SO cautious and slow they timed me with a sundial. In 2005 I took 21 minutes off my time and felt great until mile 11 when my IT band started to complain... I stretch that a lot in both legs now before every run. If my training times are good I am going to shoot for finishing under 2 hours.

TomM · July 06, 2008, 04:29:24 PM

If I plan to be in any 5K/10K etc. events I will post it on here and maybe some guys will show up to run with me. I need to do this thing...

woody53 · July 06, 2008, 05:22:24 PM

Tom,
What you are doing is not too far from what I do, here in the off season. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are 3 mile runs. Tuesday, Thursday, are for weight training, cross training (lifting, etc.). I usually leave one day on the weekend to do a long run or compete in a running race, a car road race, or to wrestle. If it is a free weekend, I usually do a long (six to seven mile) run or to bike. Let me know what race you might do and I will join you. We have the Depot to Depot Run from Black Earth to Mazomanie, the second weekend in August. It is always a fun time and a good race to see where you are at.
Rich C.

TomM · July 06, 2008, 10:56:34 PM

Thanks Rich... I appreciate the input from you guys.

Live2Pin · July 07, 2008, 05:00:06 PM

I plan on running my first Marathon this year at the age of 45. Even three years ago I wouldn't have thought about running a half. It's strictly a conditioning thing for me too. I think a 4 hour Marathon is probably out of reach. I think a lot of us that spent so much of our lives training with a purpose have a hard time getting motivated to workout without something circled on the calender.

You might try going on Runnersworld.com You can type in a bunch of information ( race distance, target time, date of race etc..) and they will print out a training plan for you. My current Marathon plan calls for 3 days of running per week but every run has a purpose. One run is a Tempo run (6 miles @ 9:45), one speed run where you run quick intervals followed by slower jogging, and a long run on the weekend. It fits well with a busy schedule and a lot of serious runners have gone to a similar plan and noticed an improvement in their times by running less total miles but all the runs have a purpose. The other days I try to lift and/or bike etc. The runs are a lot more fun than " just doing 3 miles again".

I used to run 2 miles 3 times a week to stay in shape. Now I'm doing 14 mile runs on the weekend and getting longer each week. I'm built like a wrestler not a runner and always hated running so anyone can do it. Just need to take it slow.

bigoil · July 07, 2008, 10:31:26 PM

Trust me, anyone can do it but not many will. I literally had about 8 miles run in 2004 up to Memorial day, I then methodically caught up to the plan, had a half marathon training run in 1:50. I ran the 15 mile long run and stopped traing for the next 3 weeks (major pain in my groin /hip). I helped my bro in law train for his 20 mile long run and ended up running about 5 miles on/off that day thru the pain. I then gutted it out the last couple of weeks to get my miles up (maxed out at 12). I ran it anyway and am proud to say I finished. It is 1 2 mile run followed by 24 1 mile runs

Live2Pin · July 08, 2008, 09:48:40 AM

Howavi, when I started doing longer runs I would run 5 minutes, walk one minute etc...

My running mentor is a 47 year old, 230# portly Irish fellow. Oh by the way he has run 12 Marathons ! Jeff Galloway is a world class Marathon runner and has a couple good books out for beginners to serious runners. His plan calls for run/walk intervals. On our long runs now we run 1mile and walk 1 minute through the entire run. Our run times are actually better than when we don't take the walk breaks. It's amazing how much you can recuperate in 1 minute of walking. He recommends this strategy for running a Marathon in all but the most serious runners.

It has a psychological advantage too. The first time my running partner asked if I wanted to run 6 miles I thought he was on drugs ! I don't run 6 miles ! But I found I could keep talking myself into running 5 minutes if I knew I had a break coming. I've talked friends into running who swore they couldn't do it by starting out with a 1 minute run and 4 minutes of walking and a couple of them are up to 4-6 mile runs ( they've been at it 2 years now).

woody53 · July 08, 2008, 03:07:25 PM

After reading the suggestions offered here, I thing it is time for me to change up my running. I have always done it to stay in shape and for cardio work. Sometimes to get ready for a fun run like the Crazylegs or Depot to Depot. Knees are always killing me after a five miler. I like the idea of run a mile and walk a minute to start. I like Live2pin's suggestion that the mind will react to the fact that you know a rest is coming.

smitty71 · July 08, 2008, 05:00:02 PM

Quote from: "howavi"Trust me, anyone can do it but not many will. I literally had about 8 miles run in 2004 up to Memorial day, I then methodically caught up to the plan, had a half marathon training run in 1:50. I ran the 15 mile long run and stopped traing for the next 3 weeks (major pain in my groin /hip). I helped my bro in law train for his 20 mile long run and ended up running about 5 miles on/off that day thru the pain. I then gutted it out the last couple of weeks to get my miles up (maxed out at 12). I ran it anyway and am proud to say I finished. It is 1 2 mile run followed by 24 1 mile runs

My brother was training for a marathon and got the same pain! He ended up having to take that year off and then eventually completed it the following year. I think he was at the 12mile mark when he could not do it anymore. His motto now is stretch everything like mad before you start. He suggests doing the alphabet with your foot to stretch your shins and calves.

Live2Pin · July 08, 2008, 05:31:34 PM

Woody, I should add the disclaimer that my mind is a lot easier to fool these days too !

Prior to these new workouts my knees were hurting me all the time. I dreaded having to walk up a flight of stairs. I'm happy to say I really have NO pain in my knees at all. Lots of stretching is a must. I stretch several times a day every day, even on my off days. I pulled my calf last year and missed 4 or 5 months.

I've also changed my lifting routine to less weight/more reps ( 12-15 ). I'm also doing more stuff like dead lift and plyometric lifts with lots more core. I'm not as bulked up as I was, but I feel much healthier for a 45 yo.

TomM · July 08, 2008, 07:29:57 PM

UPDATE:
Sunday: Was a day of no running.. Walked dogs 30 minutes...
Monday: Almost 80 degrees and 100% humidty.. A buddy asked me to hold off my run and wait for him to get home from work and run around 6pm... He got sick during the day... Long story short... I walked the dogs again... no run... some respect for the heat and a big storm came up anyways... (wuss...)
Tuesday: Again 100% humidity and over 82 degrees hot. Adjusted and ran only 1.5 miles. (again... wuss! ha).
Tomorrow (Wednesday)... 3 miles run in AM.

TomM · July 08, 2008, 07:46:57 PM

Quote from: "Live2Pin"...Gallowy... His plan calls for run/walk intervals. On our long runs now we run 1mile and walk 1 minute through the entire run....

Live2Pin; That is a great plan. About 5 years ago I got back into running by doing a "walk three minutes/jog one minute" routine where I gradually reduced the "walk" time and increased the "jog" time. If it didn't feel good I'd back off the run time a bit and increase the walk time. I wrote out this whole plan in detail for some people and work and they got back into some jogging that way.

Quote from: "Live2Pin"...NO pain in my knees at all..... Lots of stretching is a must.

Stretching is HUGE for me. They tell me it is more important to stretch "after" the run... but I think that is well and good for "younger" runners/joggers... I stretch more before, but do enough after as well... including my calesthenics... I never skip calf stretches before and after and I personally really have to stretch my "IT band".

Quote from: "Live2Pin"also changed my lifting routine to less weight/more reps ( 12-15 ). I'm also doing more stuff like dead lift and plyometric lifts with lots more core. I'm not as bulked up as I was, but I feel much healthier for a 45 yo.

28 years ago at the first ever USA Wrestling Silver Level coaching certification program they taught the 12/15 rep routine and I have always thought that was excellent. "If you can't get to 12, reduce the weight. If you get past 15, increase the weight... in both instances attempt to keep your reps between 12 and 15." I have a set of 6 dumbells (three pair) of various weights 15lbs; 20lbs; 25lbs and found a great workout for "hikers" of all things that really helps me with upper body. I haven't done too much "leg work" outside of the running. Yoga and pilates are excellent for me..

woody53 · July 08, 2008, 08:58:14 PM

Tonight I did a routine of a mile and a half run, walk one minute, another mile and a half run, walk a minute, and another mile and a half. Got to say, for 4.5 miles, I wasn't as worn out as a straight three mile run and no real knee pain. Did it in just over 40 minutes, which is a little over two minutes longer than my last five mile, timed run. We may be on to something here. :wink: