Absolute Beginners running.

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Second ever half marathon today, wasn't planned but found myself able to keep going past what I expected. Was also wearing compression leggings, which could be relevant but I didn't think they made much difference? Also got kidney pain at around the 15k mark :(

Edit: oh, and a toe is bleeding! Beat all my PBs from 10k up though so worth it :xd:
 
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rudie111

Well-Known Forumite
Second ever half marathon today, wasn't planned but found myself able to keep going past what I expected. Was also wearing compression leggings, which could be relevant but I didn't think they made much difference? Also got kidney pain at around the 15k mark :(

Edit: oh, and a toe is bleeding! Beat all my PBs from 10k up though so worth it :xd:

I managed to do a half marathon once while training for the Stafford half marathon. Developed a knew injury so had to pull out about 2 weeks before the actual race. My aim was to get under 2 hours. (the one i managed to complete in training clocked in at 2hr 4 minutes but there was some snow on the ground!)

Haven't ran since but keep meaning to start. Not sure whether my knee would be ok but i suppose if I don't try I will never know!
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I managed to do a half marathon once while training for the Stafford half marathon. Developed a knew injury so had to pull out about 2 weeks before the actual race. My aim was to get under 2 hours. (the one i managed to complete in training clocked in at 2hr 4 minutes but there was some snow on the ground!)

Haven't ran since but keep meaning to start. Not sure whether my knee would be ok but i suppose if I don't try I will never know!
I had a long-running (hah!) knee problem. Then I injured it quite severely.

I embarked on a cycling programme, in an effort to 'run it in' again - and also because I couldn't drive the car or really walk very far..

This was so successful that I have been almost 100% pain-free for two decades now.

@Colossal has recently reported similar progress using a cycling programme.

Knees are a very poor design, when used in an organism that has been modified as far away from the original scheme as we are.
 

rudie111

Well-Known Forumite
I had a long-running (hah!) knee problem. Then I injured it quite severely.

I embarked on a cycling programme, in an effort to 'run it in' again - and also because I couldn't drive the car or really walk very far..

This was so successful that I have been almost 100% pain-free for two decades now.

@Colossal has recently reported similar progress using a cycling programme.

Knees are a very poor design, when used in an organism that has been modified as far away from the original scheme as we are.

Weather permitting I try to cycle to work but it is only 4.5 miles each way. I did wonder about trying to strengthen the muscles around the knee.

On a side note my absolute favourite running route was over Cannock Chase. The blue route was either 7.5 miles or 12 miles I believe. It starts @ Birches Valley so you have the parking costs to consider but goes past Marquis Drive so I used to pick it up from there
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I managed to do a half marathon once while training for the Stafford half marathon. Developed a knew injury so had to pull out about 2 weeks before the actual race. My aim was to get under 2 hours. (the one i managed to complete in training clocked in at 2hr 4 minutes but there was some snow on the ground!)

Haven't ran since but keep meaning to start. Not sure whether my knee would be ok but i suppose if I don't try I will never know!

My OH had a knee injury, and started running in March. Slowly at first, she did the couch to 5k programme, but the strength built up over a few months til the knee no longer hurt. Also now lots better when hiking, which is an added bonus.

Shame about the race, I had a place in this years half but also pulled out through injury. I started running again at the end of March and have built up slowly, I set a few target times for different paces and wouldn't move up til I could hit the current one regularly. It's taken me 6 months to hit the half marathon distance, and I was only meant to be doing a 15k but I smashed my records to that point so it seemed silly to not carry on. Plus I'd run to Gnosall, I had to get back somehow and no point walking!

My second attempt was about 15 minutes quicker than my first, I actually surpassed my stretch goal on my first try!
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Now I'm back at work it's going to be a problem, I ran in the dark on Tuesday and nearly went down when I missed my footing :(
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
I did my first ever virtual race. Surprisingly motivational tbh as I'm very lazy! Have updated my strava route details so now eagerly await my race t shirt. If you haven't tried a virtual race they now come recommended by me :)
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I did my first ever virtual race. Surprisingly motivational tbh as I'm very lazy! Have updated my strava route details so now eagerly await my race t shirt. If you haven't tried a virtual race they now come recommended by me :)
How does that work then, they give you a distance to run and you pick where to do it?
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
How does that work then, they give you a distance to run and you pick where to do it?

Enter the virtual race of your choice and they will provide dates to do your run between. Run any route of your choice that meets the distance criteria for the said race. Provide evidence of route completion. Most people will upload a link to the activity they've uploaded on Strava, that's what I did, surprisingly straightforward. Wait for medal or t shirt to arrive!

I found having the race target to complete really helped me get out running and kept me going. I shall soon receive this lovely covid lockdown memory!

Screenshot_20210112_090300.jpg
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Enter the virtual race of your choice and they will provide dates to do your run between. Run any route of your choice that meets the distance criteria for the said race. Provide evidence of route completion. Most people will upload a link to the activity they've uploaded on Strava, that's what I did, surprisingly straightforward. Wait for medal or t shirt to arrive!

I found having the race target to complete really helped me get out running and kept me going. I shall soon receive this lovely covid lockdown memory!

View attachment 9790
I never did do a real event, I may have to do a virtual. I know what you mean about targets, I set 5/10/15/HM ones in lockdown 1 and having an aim really focused me. I got geeky and had a trello board tracking best attempts etc. Not been close to my records since I started back at work, best run by far was the day before in fact!
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
I never did do a real event, I may have to do a virtual. I know what you mean about targets, I set 5/10/15/HM ones in lockdown 1 and having an aim really focused me. I got geeky and had a trello board tracking best attempts etc. Not been close to my records since I started back at work, best run by far was the day before in fact!

Well, when you do avoid the Stafford ones is my advice. Ridiculously priced and a route you can run free any day. T shirts are crap too.

I'd do anything for nice t shirt but most virtual are medals usually. Some good ones about though! I'm not geeky in running. I just have a gps watch and strava to keep records and targets for myself. Only have the free version though!
 

Zylo

Well-Known Forumite
I'd say 30 quid (whole of jan 5 quid off) isn't really far off other events from what I know, might be wrong.

I enjoyed the 10k 4 years ago now mind
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
I'd say 30 quid (whole of jan 5 quid off) isn't really far off other events from what I know, might be wrong.

I enjoyed the 10k 4 years ago now mind

I didn't really give it a thought until I ran in Spain! 2 technical t shirts, usual goody bag, expo the day before, music along the course, free beer, massage and fruit afterwards. And for how much? 15 euro.

As with everything in this country its all about maximising profit above all else. After Spain I now feel totally ripped off with the Stafford races. T shirts are shit as well!
 

Zylo

Well-Known Forumite
Fair enough- I just don't see it being that different to other races in the UK at least!

I still signed up, more of a motivation thing if anything, I hate crowds but I have something to aim for and train for now (I suck at keeping motivated sadly) I did like the 10k too, didn't do much training for that but 5years ago I was a lot fitter in general can't wing a half-marathon not a chance.

Currently doing couch to 5k taking it a bit faster than the usual schedule running more than 3 times a week but it's going well, not far off hitting the 5k mark now.. then onto 5k-10k and then building up to the half marathon.

Forgot how much I enjoyed it, been looking at getting a garmin245 in the future, seems like it has the features of the new very expensive version apart from the "smartwatch" features which I don't want anyway, but if/when hopefully i get proper into it, it'll be nice to have something to look at on the go for pace etc and when doing intervals and the likes, getting phone out isn't very viable and slows me down, also I love data and seeing progress. (245 still bloody expensive but if i really get into it and constantly do it, it's worth the cost in my eyes)- at least it'll be used nearly daily

Fist time for me doing a half-marathon too so that's another reason and a personal challenge, normally stick to 10k
 
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Zylo

Well-Known Forumite
I love Garmin watches. The vivoactives do everything and aren't as pricey so is worth a look.

Thanks for that I'll have to have a look. just building the basic mileage first but once I hit 6 miles mark i'll look up a half marathon plan, to be honest all I want to do for this one is complete it, as i've only just got back into it again and starting from scratch- will probably look at getting one in 3-4 months at least it shouldn't be hard to beat my time in next years one ! haha (all being well, you never know what will happen before then..)
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Thanks for that I'll have to have a look. just building the basic mileage first but once I hit 6 miles mark i'll look up a half marathon plan, to be honest all I want to do for this one is complete it, as i've only just got back into it again and starting from scratch- will probably look at getting one in 3-4 months at least it shouldn't be hard to beat my time in next years one ! haha (all being well, you never know what will happen before then..)
I bought a 35 quid GPS watch to start with, used for 6 months and tbh the garmin isn't much more accurate!
 

Zylo

Well-Known Forumite
I bought a 35 quid GPS watch to start with, used for 6 months and tbh the garmin isn't much more accurate!

I like the sound of the garmin coach, also the other fancy stats Interval training built in

The vo2 max etc

But that's a idea, could be better than running blind and have a cheap watch to start with at least, I don't really need what i've just said for starting off just need to build the mileage etc first then get into all the fancy stuff, was a runner when i was 18-20 then left happened and I just stopped for some reason, 8 years later properely getitng back into it (apart from a little spell in 2016) and now i'm wondering why I stopped in the first place i'd of been much better off for it if i didn't ! mentally and physically

Atm just using the couch to 5k, but afterwards i'll use the nike run club app on my phone (didn't see the point of using it when walking a bit still plus it'll ruin my stats from years ago hahaha), that's ok for looking at afterwards but not during, and it's hard to set intervals / tempo runs for a distance without knowing how far you've run obviously, and pace unless you keep getting phone out...but i'm not worrying about that for now that's for the future. (app says when you've ran a mile or so and pace but it's not really good enough)
 
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tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I did couch to 5k on the cheap watch, through to 10k and beyond now I think about it. Been running for a bit under 2 years and had the garmin 14 months.

The garmin does loads more, but it seemed silly spending 200 quid til I knew I'd use it. The gf then used the cheap one to also do c25k.
 
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