Tips for a newbie runner?

Samerah12

I did my first 5K last weekend and I am sold!! I have tried to run for years and it had never worked out. I was just too big and weak. Now I am finally able to do it but I frankly don't know what I'm doing as far as training for longer distances.

I have good shoes, I also have a pair of vibram 5 fingers which I love but am still working up to using regularly (only had them about 2 weeks). I have a polar HRM but I don't know how to use it in terms of training so tips on that would be great. I have one knee that hyper extends and can be an issue, know any good knee support exercises? Favorite 5 and 10k training routines? Hydration? What to eat before races?

I'd love some advice! Even if you think its something obvious, let me know!

jjhenry5

First of all congrats on the 5K!

I also run in VFFs, but make sure you work up the distance in them slowly. Your feet and legs need the time to build the strength.

As far as heart rate monitoring, it depends on which kind of training you are doing. Long slow runs build endurance and you want your heart rate below your anaerobic threshold. This will build a good aerobic base so you are efficiently using oxygen to burn fat for fuel instead of using up your glycogen stores. Interval training will help you build that endurance at a higher pace, and you want your heart rate just in the anaerobic zone.

Hydration is a must. It is important to drink enough fluids on the day before runs so you don't start out dehyrdated, and then you need to replace what you lose during a run. Generally I won't carry water with me on runs less than an hour, but for longer than that I'll bring water and electrolytes, either a liquid or gel blocks.

As far as eating before races, that varies from person to person, but I like to have a Clif bar about an hour before. Some of my friends will do oatmeal or a half of a bagel. It kind of depends on what your stomach will tolerate. You don't want anything coming back up. I always make sure to have a cup of coffee prior to a race to um, make sure my bowels empty before hand. Also, never try something race day that you haven't already tried on a training day and know how your body reacts.

Good luck!

Samerah12

Long slow runs build endurance and you want your heart rate below your anaerobic threshold. This will build a good aerobic base so you are efficiently using oxygen to burn fat for fuel instead of using up your glycogen stores.

Thanks!! How do I find out where my anaerobic threshold is? I have been mostly doing "long" (for me) "slow" (for anyone) runs.

scottb81

Thanks!! How do I find out where my anaerobic threshold is? I have been mostly doing "long" (for me) "slow" (for anyone) runs.

The easiest way to get an estimate is with your HRM. Go out and after warming up start running hard intervals of a couple of minutes with a slower couple of minutes in between. Try for about five or six or more of these intervals. When you get to the point that your legs begin burning and your breathing is very labored you are around your anaerobic threshold. Check your heartrate during each interval when you reach this point and the heartrate reading should be about the same.

There are more accurate ways of doing this, but they require blood samples, equipment, expense, and expertise not available to most of us.

Samerah12

Go out and after warming up start running hard intervals of a couple of minutes with a slower couple of minutes in between.

Haha, my dog is going to love that!! He's learning with me. I think I'm usually too slow for him. Thanks!

JessicaFB

Welcome to the running world!!

therealangd

www.runnersworld.com has a lot of great resources for running and training.

JessicaFB

I did my first 5K last weekend and I am sold!! I have tried to run for years and it had never worked out. I was just too big and weak. Now I am finally able to do it but I frankly don't know what I'm doing as far as training for longer distances.

I have good shoes, I also have a pair of vibram 5 fingers which I love but am still working up to using regularly (only had them about 2 weeks). I have a polar HRM but I don't know how to use it in terms of training so tips on that would be great. I have one knee that hyper extends and can be an issue, know any good knee support exercises? Favorite 5 and 10k training routines? Hydration? What to eat before races?

I'd love some advice! Even if you think its something obvious, let me know!

Having balanced quads/hammies is must to support your knees. Lunges, squats, wall squats, deadlifts are all things I do weekly to help.
eat something easily digestible that agrees with you before training runs and races. Definitely practice with training runs. My go-to site is runners world online or the mag.

misssuperstitious

www.active.com is GREAT for tips. I'm training for my first marathon, so I'm sucking things up like a sponge too! I have the same knee issue as you, so I'd love to hear what others say. Feel free to friend me to compare notes :flowerforyou:

An hour before my runs I usually eat oatmeal and a banana, along with my GNC vitamin pack.
If the run is longer than 1.5 hours, I bring enough Powerbar gels (some have caffeine, some don't) to take one with water every hour. I wear a Camelbak pack for these runs.
After a run I make myself a recovery protein shake (super easy, just powder and water) with 1.5 scoops of AMP from GNC, and drink it within 30 minutes.

...I promise I don't work for GNC :laugh:

Athena413

Thanks for posting this thread! I'm fairly new to running, too, and look forward to the tips!

guidnca

A few mental points.

1.) If you want to get faster...you have to run faster.
2.) To run faster hurts
3.) Passing people at the end of a race...makes up for the pain.
4.) it is your exercise, your workout, your run...run it however you want and if people complain how you do your workout...there is a middle finger. But if you are more delicate, you can say this "Thanks for sharing, this is my workout and I am old enough to know what I want and need."

As for the Vibrams...I see them as snake oil. Seen lots of stuff over the years come down the pipe and I think it is a great scam. Sell shoes that have less support, they break down quicker and they sell more shoes. Nike Free's last a 1/2 the time of a regular shoe. But, that being said...wear the shoe that is comfortable and helps you most. You can say at this point. "Thanks for sharing, but these are my feet and I know how they feel.":laugh:

Heartrate monitor. Do what works.

hydration-drink as you need. Alot of that depends where you live. People in FLA need more water than a person in Seattle. Hydrate along the longer runs of over an hour. During the 5K try not to drink any water...will save you time.

Eat before a race-I eat a clif bar and a banana before my long runs. It is rice and digests easier. However, this is your stomach do what you need. I sometimes eat oranges before running to get potassium for cramps and they hydrate one well.

Run well in this 5K. I ran a 5K once...two years later I was at the start of a marathon. You are doing a very dangerous thing, you might get hooked!!!!

Samerah12

You are doing a very dangerous thing, you might get hooked!!!!

Oh yeah, its all over... I picked up fliers for 3 more 5Ks after doing the first one. There is no going back now.

I'm skeptical of the 5 fingers as well. My dad was pushing them but he's often the first in line for snake oil. Sooo many people seem to love them though, I'm determined to give them a shot.

msarro

You are doing a very dangerous thing, you might get hooked!!!!

Oh yeah, its all over... I picked up fliers for 3 more 5Ks after doing the first one. There is no going back now.

I'm skeptical of the 5 fingers as well. My dad was pushing them but he's often the first in line for snake oil. Sooo many people seem to love them though, I'm determined to give them a shot.

The biggest benefit of the vibrams is they force you to run with proper form, just like running barefoot on a treadmill would. You can run with the exact same form using pretty much any pair of running shoes. And IMO it cuts down on cost of frequently replacing shoes since you aren't really relying on them for padding anymore, just something to keep the occasional stone or glass from cutting your foot. So you don't have to replace them nearly as often.

scottb81

I've been running with Vibrams for several months now and like them a lot. For me, they have eliminated all knee pain during the runs. It did take a while to recondition my legs though and went through a peiod of calf pain and some foot pain. Right now though, nothing hurts.

SInce they are nothing more than a sheet of thin rubber covering the bottom of the feet they really don't need to be replaced until they wear a hole through the bottom. There is no structure that can break down. I have read of people getting well over 1000 miles on them.

msarro

I've been running with Vibrams for several months now and like them a lot. For me, they have eliminated all knee pain during the runs. It did take a while to recondition my legs though and went through a peiod of calf pain and some foot pain. Right now though, nothing hurts.

SInce they are nothing more than a sheet of thin rubber covering the bottom of the feet they really don't need to be replaced until they wear a hole through the bottom. There is no structure that can break down. I have read of people getting well over 1000 miles on them.

I just reread what I wrote and I hope I didn't come across saying that Vibrams were junk, because they're not They're great shoes simply because they underscore the fact that you don't need to have more than a thin layer protecting your foot if you're running with correct form. Anything that forces you to run correctly is all good

Just curious, how far have you run in a single stretch with them? A few friends of mine love theirs, but one wore his on a 26 mile trail run and could barely walk afterwards because the lack of padding left the balls of his feet black and blue from the repetitive striking over the course of the run.

scottb81

I've been running with Vibrams for several months now and like them a lot. For me, they have eliminated all knee pain during the runs. It did take a while to recondition my legs though and went through a peiod of calf pain and some foot pain. Right now though, nothing hurts.

SInce they are nothing more than a sheet of thin rubber covering the bottom of the feet they really don't need to be replaced until they wear a hole through the bottom. There is no structure that can break down. I have read of people getting well over 1000 miles on them.

I just reread what I wrote and I hope I didn't come across saying that Vibrams were junk, because they're not They're great shoes simply because they underscore the fact that you don't need to have more than a thin layer protecting your foot if you're running with correct form. Anything that forces you to run correctly is all good

Just curious, how far have you run in a single stretch with them? A few friends of mine love theirs, but one wore his on a 26 mile trail run and could barely walk afterwards because the lack of padding left the balls of his feet black and blue from the repetitive striking over the course of the run.

I understood your post. Personally, I think minimalist shoes are the way to go. Ever since I moved to Nike Free and now these, running is a much more pleasant experience. Like it said in the book "Born to Run", you can get to the point where you nearly feel like you are floating down the road just barely touching the ground.

I have only run up to around nine miles in them on blacktop road. One of my feet was a little sore during the run but the pain stopped when I stopped. I will be running longer soon so I'll have to see how they hold up at longer distances. Maybe it is just a matter of foot conditioning over time.

On the other hand, I used to run up to 22 miles and my feet were sore on the bottom then no matter what kind of shoes I wore.

HolleeERL

Something to add...if you do longer runs, 100% cotton socks will cause blisters. They tend to stretch out and bunch up causing blisters. I changed to the polyester and haven't gotten blisters since.

Congratulations on your 5K! I did my first half marathon last July and have adopted the running lifestyle. Nothing makes me feel better than running - even though I curse that decision at mile 9 every time. I have never regretted going for a run after the run. Happy Trails!!! )

dd1224

Okay this might sound weird, but my advice is to slow down and just enjoy your runs. Build your "foundation" so to speak. Go for jogs/runs because it makes you feel good and to decrease stress, this is what works for me. Your speed and distance will naturally increase as you continue doing what you love. I've loved running my whole life but went for about 2 decades when I gave it up. I've been back at it for some time and getting injured and sick on and off for years. When I finally let the competitiveness go and just ran for fun is when it all started to come together (at least for me). Best of luck to you!

anzura

As for the Vibrams...I see them as snake oil. Seen lots of stuff over the years come down the pipe and I think it is a great scam. Sell shoes that have less support, they break down quicker and they sell more shoes. Nike Free's last a 1/2 the time of a regular shoe. But, that being said...wear the shoe that is comfortable and helps you most. You can say at this point. "Thanks for sharing, but these are my feet and I know how they feel.":laugh:

That's just absolute silly talk right there!!! If anything...SHOES are the snake oil! It's only been since the 1980's that people have been wearing overly padded arched cushioned stability shoes and look at the increase in injuries since then. Look at older pictures of the Boston Marathon and they were all in FLATS! The only thing "unique" about the vibrams are the toes.

Vff's last a long time. I've got 317 on my Bikilas and they are still good as new. My dh has up to 800 on his KSO's and they are showing some wear. Can't say that about your pillows.

I've ran in *barefoot" shoes with toes and without toes. I prefer the toes for better feel on the road.

Time to get my boy from school or I would go on and on and on and on!! Love my vff's!!!

Samerah12

Thanks you guys!

For anyone checking back on this post, follow up question: whats the best thing to do for crosstraining? I've been really focused on weight loss and strength training since I joined my gym (month and a half ago). I love all my classes but I know I'll have to cut back if I want to start running more when the weather gets better.

Here's what I'm doing now:

Pilates
Yoga
Core strength
General strength (weights, lunges, etc)
Zumba
Step Aerobics
Spinning (tried it once, didn't really like it, gonna give it one more shot though)

What would you keep? If I'm never sore after zumba can I keep doing it on off days? (its just fun!) Am I cool to go hiking with the dog on off days?

Samerah12

Oh and if any of you runners would like to add me, please do!