I want to be a runner too!

My gym is hosting a 5k run in February. I can't even run 1 mile! But it's
something I'd love to be able to do. In fact, in August we have a relay run
called Hood to Coast, which is a run from Mt Hood to the Oregon coast. Each
member of a team of 12 must run three 6 mile legs. I don't know if I could
be ready for a run like that by August this year, but it is something I'd
like to do.

Today I decided to start running. We have a 2 mile woodchip surface fairly
level trail around the perimeter of a golf course. I wore my hrm to track
my heart rate and time. It took me 30 minutes, and my heart rate at times
reached 185! I actually had to do quite a bit of walking in between, but I
did my best. I figure I'll do this a couple times a week, in addition to my
normal gym stuff. Eventually I want to be able to jog without stopping and
go around twice.

I have a couple questions for you runners out there -

Today it was around freezing when we ran. I don't really have any "running"
clothes. What do you wear when it's cold outside? What do you wear when
it's raining?

How critical are "running" shoes? Should I just get some basic Nike running
shoes, or spend the money to get fitted at a running store?

What would be considered a good time for a mile? And, if I want to be able
to run 18 miles in the Hood to Coast, how many miles at a time should I be
able to run before hand, considering that I would only run 6 miles at a
time, but would end up running 18 miles in a 24 hr period?

How many times a week and miles per week should I aim to run to prepare for
an event like this?

I had a terrible side ache the entire run today. I started out really slow,
and ran on an empty stomach, but wasn't at all hungry. I drank only about 8
ounces of water beforehand. What causes side aches, and how can I prevent
them?

determined wrote:
> My gym is hosting a 5k run in February. I can't even run 1 mile! But it's
> something I'd love to be able to do. In fact, in August we have a relay run
> called Hood to Coast, which is a run from Mt Hood to the Oregon coast. Each
> member of a team of 12 must run three 6 mile legs. I don't know if I could
> be ready for a run like that by August this year, but it is something I'd
> like to do.
>
> Today I decided to start running. We have a 2 mile woodchip surface fairly
> level trail around the perimeter of a golf course. I wore my hrm to track
> my heart rate and time. It took me 30 minutes, and my heart rate at times
> reached 185! I actually had to do quite a bit of walking in between, but I
> did my best. I figure I'll do this a couple times a week, in addition to my
> normal gym stuff. Eventually I want to be able to jog without stopping and
> go around twice.
>
> I have a couple questions for you runners out there -
>
> Today it was around freezing when we ran. I don't really have any "running"
> clothes. What do you wear when it's cold outside? What do you wear when
> it's raining?
>
> How critical are "running" shoes? Should I just get some basic Nike running
> shoes, or spend the money to get fitted at a running store?
>
> What would be considered a good time for a mile? And, if I want to be able
> to run 18 miles in the Hood to Coast, how many miles at a time should I be
> able to run before hand, considering that I would only run 6 miles at a
> time, but would end up running 18 miles in a 24 hr period?
>
> How many times a week and miles per week should I aim to run to prepare for
> an event like this?
>
> I had a terrible side ache the entire run today. I started out really slow,
> and ran on an empty stomach, but wasn't at all hungry. I drank only about 8
> ounces of water beforehand. What causes side aches, and how can I prevent
> them?


The first thing...go to:

www.runnersworld.com

Go to the Beginners section and that'll get you started.

Now, you may be surprised, but carbs are a runner's friend! Get more
carbs in your diet.

Start only by walk/running 3 to 4 days a week. Warm up with walking for
10 minutes. Then run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeate 10 times.
Increase your running by a minute each time and you'll soon be running
a full mile.

The trick is NOT to hurry this!!!

Go to a real running shoe store and get your feet tested. You will have
to have real running shoes. Cross trainers suck for running. And, you
may injure your feet. Don't go to a mall sporting goods or shoe store.
Go to a true running store.

Also, if you're serious about running, the only thing that makes your
running better is running. Cut back on your weight training. It may
surprise you, but many elite runners don't do weight work at all. They
just run. Look at runners. Only in sprinters does having a lot of bulk
work well. It pretty much slows distance runners down. If you insist on
doing weight training, limit it to twice a week only and do smaller
weights. Heavier weights only hurt distance running.

Don't even try running distaces now. To run a long race such as 18
miles, you will need to run for AT LEAST A YEAR. Don't ever try a
marathon without a years' worth of running under your belt.

Once you get into running more, you can run for 5 to 6 times a week.

Listen to veteran runners, take their advice, it works.

Cheers, runners rule!!!

Martha
Running takes a long time and true dedication to running.

PS: Don't worry about your time, just get those miles under your belt.
In fact, don't even think about getting faster at running until you
have at least 2-3 months running completed.

And, I cannot stress this enough...follow the advice of experienced
distance runners over the advice of the gym trainers. They're great at
many things, but unless they have the years' experience at distance
running (most do not), they will not give you the best advice.

"determined" <determined@comcast.nest> wrote in message
news:4s-dna59RYXulj3YnZ2dnUVZ_v-tnZ2d@comcast.com...
> My gym is hosting a 5k run in February. I can't even run 1 mile! But
> it's something I'd love to be able to do. In fact, in August we have a
> relay run called Hood to Coast, which is a run from Mt Hood to the Oregon
> coast. Each member of a team of 12 must run three 6 mile legs. I don't
> know if I could be ready for a run like that by August this year, but it
> is something I'd like to do.
>
> Today I decided to start running. We have a 2 mile woodchip surface
> fairly level trail around the perimeter of a golf course. I wore my hrm
> to track my heart rate and time. It took me 30 minutes, and my heart rate
> at times reached 185! I actually had to do quite a bit of walking in
> between, but I did my best. I figure I'll do this a couple times a week,
> in addition to my normal gym stuff. Eventually I want to be able to jog
> without stopping and go around twice.
>
> I have a couple questions for you runners out there -
>
> Today it was around freezing when we ran. I don't really have any
> "running" clothes. What do you wear when it's cold outside? What do you
> wear when it's raining?
>
> How critical are "running" shoes? Should I just get some basic Nike
> running shoes, or spend the money to get fitted at a running store?
>
> What would be considered a good time for a mile? And, if I want to be
> able to run 18 miles in the Hood to Coast, how many miles at a time should
> I be able to run before hand, considering that I would only run 6 miles at
> a time, but would end up running 18 miles in a 24 hr period?
>
> How many times a week and miles per week should I aim to run to prepare
> for an event like this?
>
> I had a terrible side ache the entire run today. I started out really
> slow, and ran on an empty stomach, but wasn't at all hungry. I drank only
> about 8 ounces of water beforehand. What causes side aches, and how can I
> prevent them?
>

Well done on starting running - I am a born again runner having restarted
last summer after a a long lay off. I find it really helps my sense of well
being and is a valuable tool in my weight loss journey. You do need to take
it slow at the start as SFrunner says because it is easy to overdo it and
end up injured. It's hard to generalise how quickly you can expect to be
able to run a specific distance but when I first started running I went from
zero to a five mile race in 47 minutes in five months. I lost 50lbs in the
sme time.

I do weight train as well as running concentrating on relatively low weights
and high reps to work on muscular endurance. I run 3 times a week and cross
train in the gym 3 times a week. I use the elliptical cross trainer in the
gym which I find complements my running but without the impact.

Proper running shoes are vital and so is proper clothing. In winter I wear
proper technical gear which wicks the sweat away from the skin so I don't
get chilled. If you are going to run in all weathers then a waterproof
breathable jacket is invaluable as is a hat. I tend to wear layers so I can
remove or add clothing as necessary. Some jackets fold into what we Brits
call bum bags but I think you would call fanny packs.

Do keep up your carb intake and make sure you drink plenty. Side aches or
stitches can be down to indigestion but I find they can be random as well
and tend to improve as you get fitter.

I hope this helps

Kate wrote:
> "determined" <determined@comcast.nest> wrote in message
> news:4s-dna59RYXulj3YnZ2dnUVZ_v-tnZ2d@comcast.com...
> > My gym is hosting a 5k run in February. I can't even run 1 mile! But
> > it's something I'd love to be able to do. In fact, in August we have a
> > relay run called Hood to Coast, which is a run from Mt Hood to the Oregon
> > coast. Each member of a team of 12 must run three 6 mile legs. I don't
> > know if I could be ready for a run like that by August this year, but it
> > is something I'd like to do.
> >
> > Today I decided to start running. We have a 2 mile woodchip surface
> > fairly level trail around the perimeter of a golf course. I wore my hrm
> > to track my heart rate and time. It took me 30 minutes, and my heart rate
> > at times reached 185! I actually had to do quite a bit of walking in
> > between, but I did my best. I figure I'll do this a couple times a week,
> > in addition to my normal gym stuff. Eventually I want to be able to jog
> > without stopping and go around twice.
> >
> > I have a couple questions for you runners out there -
> >
> > Today it was around freezing when we ran. I don't really have any
> > "running" clothes. What do you wear when it's cold outside? What do you
> > wear when it's raining?
> >
> > How critical are "running" shoes? Should I just get some basic Nike
> > running shoes, or spend the money to get fitted at a running store?
> >
> > What would be considered a good time for a mile? And, if I want to be
> > able to run 18 miles in the Hood to Coast, how many miles at a time should
> > I be able to run before hand, considering that I would only run 6 miles at
> > a time, but would end up running 18 miles in a 24 hr period?
> >
> > How many times a week and miles per week should I aim to run to prepare
> > for an event like this?
> >
> > I had a terrible side ache the entire run today. I started out really
> > slow, and ran on an empty stomach, but wasn't at all hungry. I drank only
> > about 8 ounces of water beforehand. What causes side aches, and how can I
> > prevent them?
> >
>
> Well done on starting running - I am a born again runner having restarted
> last summer after a a long lay off. I find it really helps my sense of well
> being and is a valuable tool in my weight loss journey. You do need to take
> it slow at the start as SFrunner says because it is easy to overdo it and
> end up injured. It's hard to generalise how quickly you can expect to be
> able to run a specific distance but when I first started running I went from
> zero to a five mile race in 47 minutes in five months. I lost 50lbs in the
> sme time.
>
> I do weight train as well as running concentrating on relatively low weights
> and high reps to work on muscular endurance. I run 3 times a week and cross
> train in the gym 3 times a week. I use the elliptical cross trainer in the
> gym which I find complements my running but without the impact.
>
> Proper running shoes are vital and so is proper clothing. In winter I wear
> proper technical gear which wicks the sweat away from the skin so I don't
> get chilled. If you are going to run in all weathers then a waterproof
> breathable jacket is invaluable as is a hat. I tend to wear layers so I can
> remove or add clothing as necessary. Some jackets fold into what we Brits
> call bum bags but I think you would call fanny packs.
>
> Do keep up your carb intake and make sure you drink plenty. Side aches or
> stitches can be down to indigestion but I find they can be random as well
> and tend to improve as you get fitter.
>
> I hope this helps


Yeah, I love it so much, even those tough cold mornings....The
breathable jacket is a great idea, and try not to dress to warm, you'll
just be shedding layers as you go.

One experienced marathoner, a wonderful old gent in his 70s and still
running who I used see at races years ago told me that you can't fake
distance running. You either have done the training or you haven't.
"You don't respect the distance, it willl kick your ass." Those were
his exact words.

Marathons, etc. are now trendy. This is good, of course, but there's
also a negative. People somehow think they can go and run one with just
a few months' training. You might be able to, but more than not, you'll
wind up injured or spend mile after mile in pure agony. (This is not to
say that marathons are not agony to those in shape), but you get the
picture.

Take Lance Armstrong. Yeah, he's the best bicyclist ever, no question.
But as a runner, he wasn't that good, not to the elite runners. He was
rather cocky about running the NYC Marathon beforehand. Even his
ex-wife an prior elite distance runner warned him about not respecting
the distance. He's not built for distance running first off, he has too
much upper body weight, not slim enough, too much muscle. (Compare him
the greatest distance runners ever, the Kenyans, they are small,
petite, no body fat, no big muscles.) And he found out just how
physically exhausting it is. He said it was the most difficult thing
he's ever done.

Yeah, it is. I ran the San Jose Mercury Marathon in 1986 and nearly
stumbled through the last 6 miles. I will run another one this year,
with all luck my way, but I do respect the distance. This time, I will
do it with a healthier state of mind, body and all around being.

Sorry for the long-winded response....

"determined" <determined@comcast.nest> wrote in message
news:4s-dna59RYXulj3YnZ2dnUVZ_v-tnZ2d@comcast.com...


> I have a couple questions for you runners out there -
>
> Today it was around freezing when we ran. I don't really have any
> "running" clothes. What do you wear when it's cold outside? What do you
> wear when it's raining?

Freezing as in winter (30's)? There is great gear out there for winter.
Stay away from cotton in freezing temps unless you want frostbite on your
boobs. Layers are great.

> How critical are "running" shoes? Should I just get some basic Nike
> running shoes, or spend the money to get fitted at a running store?

I second the opinion of getting fitted.

> I had a terrible side ache the entire run today. I started out really
> slow, and ran on an empty stomach, but wasn't at all hungry. I drank only
> about 8 ounces of water beforehand. What causes side aches, and how can I
> prevent them?

I've heard many reasons for the stitch in the side but I've also heard the
cause is basically unknown too.
--
the volleyballchick

"SFrunner" <bastmag666@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1168117959.139863.314880@v33g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
> Also, if you're serious about running, the only thing that makes your
> running better is running. Cut back on your weight training. It may
> surprise you, but many elite runners don't do weight work at all. They
> just run. Look at runners. Only in sprinters does having a lot of bulk
> work well. It pretty much slows distance runners down. If you insist on
> doing weight training, limit it to twice a week only and do smaller
> weights. Heavier weights only hurt distance running.

I agree with everything you said except this. There are quite a few big time
weightlifters in my gym that run an occasional marathon. Sure, they aren't
serious elite runners, but not many people are. It's quite possible to have
a satisfactory running performance and still keep up a heavy weightlifting
routine. Maybe if you're going to run multiple marathons in a year you
don't want to be a lifter, but otherwise there's no real harm and plenty of
people do both.
--
the volleyballchick

Nunya B. wrote:
> "SFrunner" <bastmag666@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1168117959.139863.314880@v33g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
> > Also, if you're serious about running, the only thing that makes your
> > running better is running. Cut back on your weight training. It may
> > surprise you, but many elite runners don't do weight work at all. They
> > just run. Look at runners. Only in sprinters does having a lot of bulk
> > work well. It pretty much slows distance runners down. If you insist on
> > doing weight training, limit it to twice a week only and do smaller
> > weights. Heavier weights only hurt distance running.
>
> I agree with everything you said except this. There are quite a few big time
> weightlifters in my gym that run an occasional marathon. Sure, they aren't
> serious elite runners, but not many people are. It's quite possible to have
> a satisfactory running performance and still keep up a heavy weightlifting
> routine. Maybe if you're going to run multiple marathons in a year you
> don't want to be a lifter, but otherwise there's no real harm and plenty of
> people do both.
> --

Fair enough, but stick to less weights and more reps, or so say the
experts.

http://www.runningtough.com/weight_lifting_runners.html

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/weights.html

I do my weight work twice a week and it does make my upper body feel
better. But, all the sites I looked at say, less weights, more reps and
a full body exercise works better than isolated ones.

As always, though, what works for me many not work for anyone else.