Hey Runners

julieannegannon

I would like to have any information on running. I’m on a training program to run a 10K by October. Will welcome friend requests by runners. Please comment on this post information about runners diet, strength training and everything running. I’m so excited because I have always wanted to do this. By the way I’m 58 years old but it’s better late then never to start.

xrj22

I am 53 and started running again this year. I was routinely doing 10k and half-marathon in college, but no serious running since then, and no running at all for about 12 years. It is slower going than I expected, but after a year, I am doing a 6 mile run about once a week. I am finding that the long runs really wipe me out and make me want to sleep a lot for about 2 says. That never used to happen to me. Joining a running club has been really inspiring. We just recently started doing in person group runs.

DoubleG2

If you're a novice runner - I would encourage spending the next month focusing on building your fitness base, which means managing the number and intensity of runs. Realistically, it take months to build a solid base. Your pace should be conversational, i.e., you can carry on a conversation with a running partner without being out of breath. 3X weekly should be good for now and I also recommend running for time not distance - running for :20, :30, :45, etc. based on your level of fitness. Approx. 8 weeks from the 10K, begin a structured training plan - I like Hal Higdon's for novice runners. https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/10k-training/novice-10k/

For diet, I would eat at maintenance and make sure you eat back your exercise calories and ensure you are consuming adequate protein (.7 - 1.0 grams/lean body mass). You should be tracking your food and hopefully you're using a food scale. Hydration is very very important especially during the heat of the Summer. You should be drinking an adequate amount of water daily. As long as your urine is clear to light yellow you're good.

For strength training; a full body workout is fine on days you are not running. It's difficult to provide more guidance than that without knowing your current fitness level or lifting experience. Focus on core lifts if possible (bench press/pushups; squats; rows - barbell/dumbbell/bands; overhead press - light dumbbells/bands; and dead lifts) Three sets of 5 per workout will be fine - but no more than 3 days/week.

spiriteagle99

I also started running in my 50s. I started with C25k then moved on much too quickly to a half marathon plan. That got me injured. So, my first suggestion is to build up your mileage gradually. FWIW, I did eventually move on to running half and full marathons, but it took longer than it should have because I pushed my body too hard.

As DoubleG2 said, three days a week of running is a good place to start. On some of your non-running days, do other exercise for 30-60 minutes. I found walking a great way to loosen up tight muscles, but biking, swimming, yoga, pilates, weights, etc. are also good. At least one day a week, rest completely. Do it more often if you are sore or overly tired.

Again, I second DoubleG in saying that your runs should be slow, easy, and at a conversational pace. If you are puffing and panting, slow down. If you feel like you can barely finish, slow down. Ideally, you should finish most of your runs feeling like you could go for another 10 minutes or more. If you feel like you are going too slow, don't worry about it. With more time and more miles under your feet, your pace will pick up. When you reach the point where you can easily run 5 miles or more at a time, you can start to include some speed work, but before that it isn't a good idea because you need a good warm-up and cool-down when you do hard workouts, and that isn't really possible on a 3 mile run.

Just eat a basically healthy diet. Most runners eat a lot of carbs, but some do fine on low carb eating. Eat back most of your exercise calories. You will learn what foods your stomach tolerates around your runs and which don't sit well. I generally wait 1.5-2 hours after eating before I run, but I run late mornings or afternoons. For a short run you can make do with a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and then take off. (The coffee can help you go to the bathroom so you aren't urgently seeking one on your run.) I found that a lot of sugar and/or fat upset my stomach (so no ice cream or donuts) before runs, and I have to be careful with fiber and spice. YMMV I have a friend who runs marathons on donuts and Mountain Dew. For me, a banana or a bagel can be eaten closer to a run without upsetting the stomach. Bring water, if it's hot, for any run over half an hour.

MissAtomicBomb238

DoubleG2 wrote: »

If you're a novice runner - I would encourage spending the next month focusing on building your fitness base, which means managing the number and intensity of runs. Realistically, it take months to build a solid base. Your pace should be conversational, i.e., you can carry on a conversation with a running partner without being out of breath. 3X weekly should be good for now and I also recommend running for time not distance - running for :20, :30, :45, etc. based on your level of fitness. Approx. 8 weeks from the 10K, begin a structured training plan - I like Hal Higdon's for novice runners. https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/10k-training/novice-10k/

For diet, I would eat at maintenance and make sure you eat back your exercise calories and ensure you are consuming adequate protein (.7 - 1.0 grams/lean body mass). You should be tracking your food and hopefully you're using a food scale. Hydration is very very important especially during the heat of the Summer. You should be drinking an adequate amount of water daily. As long as your urine is clear to light yellow you're good.

For strength training; a full body workout is fine on days you are not running. It's difficult to provide more guidance than that without knowing your current fitness level or lifting experience. Focus on core lifts if possible (bench press/pushups; squats; rows - barbell/dumbbell/bands; overhead press - light dumbbells/bands; and dead lifts) Three sets of 5 per workout will be fine - but no more than 3 days/week.

Super great advice. Hal Higdon is great. Jeff Galloway also does a run walk method that’s popular.

In terms of hydration, yes stay hydrated but also keep in mind electrolytes in summer. Nuun is great to mix with water. Protein is important for recovery. And please don’t listen to anyone who tells you to run faster. It sets you up to fail.

Make sure you run slow. “They” say run slow to race fast.

Also remember- a runner is a runner is a runner. You will never regret going a run; you always regret skipping it. Good luck! Your first race is the best. So much fun and such a feeling of accomplishment