The longest I can run without wanting to die is a 5k (about 3.2 miles). That's about 25-30 minutes of running and even saying the term running is a bit misleading. I jog.
The Mr has criticized my running/jogging numerous times because I am not an efficient jogger. I have long legs (I'm 5'8") but I take really short strides. What can I say? I was never a runner growing up. Short strides are comfortable. To take a long stride feels awkward. The Mr claims that there are running drills that can break me of my bad stride but ugh… who wants to do that?
At the beach I read a recent copy of Runner's World (that was mailed to The Mr free of charge… and neither of us knows why). They featured an article about training for a half marathon and tracked the progress of 3 individuals: a stay-at-home mom who has never run a half marathon before, an overweight ex-runner and a runner who was trying to improve her finish time.
I related to the stay-at-home mom (and not because I'm breaking some news to you guys about being preggers so just get that thought out of your heads right now). However, I read her training guide (they all were given a 10-week training regimen) and found it completely unbelievable.
The woman had just successfully completed two 5k races. That's it! So she and are are pretty similar in that 5ks are about as much as we can do. While the training consisted of mostly light runs with a day of walking and a day of rest, one of the days had her running 8.5 miles (lightly). Um… I don't give a crap if I'm jogging at a rate of 12 miles/minute - if I can only run for 30 minutes without crapping out, how the hell could I be expected to run 8.5 miles?
If you actually take a minute to read the article you will note that I'm slightly exaggerating because for the first few weeks, she was asked to run 8.5 miles but was given 2 minute walking breaks every 12 minutes. Still… I'm not a person that can stop running, start walking and then start running again. Once I've started walking - it's game over for me.
I guess I have a hard time understanding how she goes from this:
WEEK 1
Mon: 2 miles easy
Tue: 3 x 10 min. medium, with 2-min. breaks
Wed: 30-min. walk
Thu: 5-min. walk; 20 min. hard; 5-min. walk
Fri: Rest
Sat: 8.5 miles easy, with 2-min. breaks every 12 min.
Sun: 1- to 2-hour hike
To being able to complete a ½ marathon in just 10 weeks.
The moral of this story is that the lady was able to complete the regimen and successfully run a very slow half marathon. This leads me to believe that I can run a half marathon but before I get overambitious, I'm going to try my hand at running a 10k. That's 6 miles. The mere thought of that kind of makes me queasy…
Another article in the magazine featured a story on running skirts. Apparently they're all the rage.
Cute, right?
I'm all for wearing something that lets the breeze blow through you and cool off your lady parts but I think a running skirt is just asking for trouble. What if a breeze hits you just right and you end up mooning a little league game? On top of that - they're crazy expensive… and you're wearing less fabric! Someone explain that to me…
… and then when you're done, you can explain how I've managed to turn into my mother.
Has anyone ever trained for a 10k race before (as a beginner)? Any tips? And are there any training regimens you can share that would work with a full-time work and part-time school schedule? Seriously - why do I always feel like I have to be on the go go go?
Are there any other wannabe runners out there in blogland? How did you get started? Any goals you're working towards?
Could I possibly ask any more questions?
11 comments:
Eh. I can believe it. Both for her and for you...
Why? Because I did it. I trained for and completed a half last fall, with less than 10 weeks prep. And before deciding to do it, my longest run was maybe (maybe) 1 mile. And my prep? Um, not so much. I did one (ONE!) 10-mile run before the race; most of the time I just ran about 3-4 miles every other day. For maybe a month. And then I ran a half... And didn't die :) (Actually, I did it in just over 2 hours, which was almost exactly in the middle of all the runners)
So? If I can do it, you can. And I'm not a runner, either (obviously, given my messed up lack of a training regime...)
I am not exactly a runner but I tried the Couch to 5k Program (C25k.com). You don't run as far as in the regime that poor lady had to do. It starts out slow, lots of walking and jogging intervals. More walking in the beginning and then towards the end of 6 weeks your running a 5k, not necessarily winning one but definetly running one. Now that I can dl some podcasts for the C25K I want to get back into it. My only problem is finding the time.
It's funny, I blogged about exercise today too!
We should start training together.
A) I'm sick of being so slothful, gainign 30 lbs after my wedding...not cool
B) I heard about this father/son team that runs triathalons and the son is disabled so his father does a lot fo the work b/c it makes his son happy and gives him the feeling that he's able to walk/run. And, well when there are people like that in the world, it disgraces me that I'm so slothful.
So I'll make a deal with you...lets start off slow (I can probably only do 3-4 days a week, we're talking going from sedentary to very active) and I'll go along with you :)
http://www.halhigdon.com/10ktraining/10kintro.htm
I've used a couple of his half marathon programs and finished both (the second being 16 minutes faster than the first).
And running skirts are awesome. They usually have built in compression shorts underneath, so no need to fear a gust of wind.
Well, I am probably the slowest runner EVER. Three summers ago I signed up with Team in Training to run a marathon - A FULL ONE! I was incredibly nervous because at the time I could not run a straight mile - not ONE! - without dying. The group was amazing and made it so fun, I trained my little ass off. My longest run was 18 miles STRAIGHT! All you neeed to do for a marathon is a 20 mile run (you log so much during the week) and you are set to go. Unfortunately, after all that hard work, I hadn't cross trained and ran right through shin splints (which I didn't realize was the pain I felt) and wound up with a fracture in my leg (remember the boot!?).
Most devastating moment in my sad short-lived running career. I can't run now without getting shin splints :(
So make sure you don't just pound on the pavement, but cross train too!
Wait! Is no one going to comment on the skirt? Seriously? Do these have built in panties or do they have shorts underneath? What about the chaffing? There has to be chaffing running in a skirt.
Is it a boy or a girl?
Ian is currently training for the 1/2 marathon in October. He had started training a few weeks before the wedding and was planning on doing a full marathon - but missing 4 weeks of training for the wedding and honeymoon kind of ruined that plan. So now he's doing the half marathon instead. I wish I knew how to do it - but I don't. I could def walk 1/2 marathon - but running is out of the question for me!
His schedule is:
Monday - rest
Tuesday - run 3-5 miles
Wednesday - run 3-5 miles
Thursday - run 3-5 miles
Friday - rest
Saturday - long run (6-10 miles)
Sunday - some other type of activity for one hour
I wish I could be a runner - damn asthma!
Thank the lord for Girl from Pennsylvania! I thought in all this running talk NO ONE was going to bring up the chaffing that's bound to happen when running in a skirt...I refuse to walk far distances in a skirt on a hot day!
I think I fall into the fat ass ex runner category. I used to run cross country and I sucked! LOL I had to do it to train for outdoor track and I was a sprinter.
Believe it or not 8.5 miles isn't as long as it seems. We used to have to do that once a week. I dreaded it, but I survived.
Perhaps you should try to do the AIDS walk in Philly. That's about 9 miles. It's cool because it's scenic and there are a million and one pit stops along to way. People pratically run after you with water so at least you won't get thirsty.
As for the skirt...
You know I'm a hot ass so I would definitely rock it! LOL I think a skort would be much safer though.
Good Luck!
Running and me do not mix. I am more of a sprinter (even though I can barely do that anymore either) cause my legs are crazy long too (I'm 5'9"). Good luck! It looks like there are some good suggestions here!
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