How do all you runners do it?!

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  • cecrossley
    cecrossley Posts: 46
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    I just thought of something else... I've been doing some research (runner's world, active.com, and that kinda thing...) on the best ways to increase speed and endurance. Here are a few tidbits I've picked up.

    When running for ENDURANCE, and to increase your DISTANCE, your speed doesn't matter really in the slightest. It is just as beneficial to run at 5mph (12 min mile) as it is to run at 6mph (10 min mile).

    To increase speed, you want to actually PLAN to WALK.... pic a shorter run on your schedule and run intervals! Pic a timing that works for you...2 run/1 walk, 5 run/30sec walk, and then run decently hard during that time. (by this, not running for your life hard, but seriously huffing and puffing, arms pumping hard) Then, take your walk break- be sure to walk like you would for exercise, but you will still catch your breath (mostly). Then repeat. Even with the breaks, your average will likely be faster than a normal run, but the point is you WILL increase your speed over time as well.
  • Chika_2015
    Chika_2015 Posts: 359 Member
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    Ok, I'll try to help. I do Tri's and more biking than running, but have completed a few marathons, and several dozen 10k+ races. First advice...get off the treadmill and get outside. Stale air, and a rubber tread under your feet is no way to get enthused about running.

    You say you did half of workout three. Why "couldn't" you finish? My guess is that you could, but you made an excuse and stopped. You need to re-thing this, you "chose" to quit. Your body could have continued.

    Answers to your questions are:

    Do you drink water while your running?
    In your case, don't worry about the water. Just hydrate well before and after. Only worry about hydrating during your run if it's very warm outside, and/or you increase your run times to an excess of 35 minutes or so. In a short run, you have all the fluid you need...longer runs, not so much.

    What do you do to keep time from going faster? ( I get so bored, and there is only so much music I can listen to)
    I hate to tell you, but time doesn't go faster- no matter how bad you want it to. You need to challenge yourself and remember why you're doing this. What's your motivation? Keep that picture in your mind. Working out isn't supposed to be fun...that's a shortsighted mentality. Think of the future you, slim and fit, or you crossing the finish line...THAT is what motivates you. The reward for the work...but you don't get it right away (the marketing / media don't tell you that part, do they?).

    When did you start running further and farther in your running process?
    Personally, I ran a few 5k's then moved to 10k's very quickly after. If you're on a 5k plan, don't worry about distance yet. Follow the plan. From what I gather, you quit in the middle of a short workout...so master this training plan, then PM me and I'll help you get a longer distance plan together.

    How do you go from running 2 miles non-stop to 8 miles non-stop?
    See previous. Worry about 8, after you you get your 3.1 out of the way, and can complete all the training runs!

    What do you eat before and after? & how much time before and after your run?
    You'll find this is a pretty personal matter. Some people (myself included) like to eat complex carbs (oatmeal) with some simple carbs (banana) just a bit before my runs, others don't like it at all, and get an upset stomach. Post workout recovery is key for runners. Be sure to get some quality protein (fast-digesting), as well as a balance of carbs (simple and complex) very quickly after running. Your body takes a pounding, and though you are doing a considerable amount of cardio work, your muscles need the nourishment as much as after a hard weight session.

    Do you weight train before or after?
    This depends on what you're going after. If you want to become a great runner, you'll run more, and do less weight training (and probably a different split / load). If you MUST do them back to back, I'd recommend whichever you want the best results regarding, do first. i.e. is lean mass is key, focus on weight training first (nourish) then run. Or if running performance is key, switch it. Again, this isn't the best process...as the two forms of exercise are focused on difference goals.

    Let me know if you need more...
    Okay, so I'm doing couch to the 5k and I'm on week 5, workout 3 (20 mins non-stop). I just did half of workout 3 and couldn't finish. I want to know how all you runners do it!! I hate running, I'm trying to get myself to like it and C25k has help. I think I just get bored easily and I can't imagine running for 8 miles. I mean it could be because I was on the treadmill. Did you feel this way once you started running? Here are some of my questions, some may be dumb.

    Do you drink water while your running?
    What do you do to keep time from going faster? ( I get so bored, and there is only so much music I can listen to)
    When did you start running further and farther in your running process?
    How do you go from running 2 miles non-stop to 8 miles non-stop?
    What do you eat before and after? & how much time before and after your run?
    Do you weight train before or after?


    Okay, I think that's it. LOL! Thank you!

    Your the kind of motivator i need, someone who will tell me how it is. I am so adding you to my friend list. I am also doing the c25k program and doing my first 5k in june. I never ran in my life I'm more of a sprinter (fast twitch fibers). So anyway, i was upset one day that i couldn't continue my program because of a bad knee, that i cried because i couldnt do my traning, imagine that. So the next day i said to myself i am going to run i don't care how much my knee hurts i just needed to do it. I went on a treadmil and walked at a brisk pace for about 8 mins and then i started running and I ran for 22 mins straight, (the isanity infomercial was on) but i couldnt believe that i had run for so long. Anyway, i think being a good runner is all a mind set. it's about setting goals for yourself and meeting them, if you really want to achieve something, you will! Mind of Body baby!!!
  • keiraev
    keiraev Posts: 695 Member
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    I haven't ran for a few weeks but I have done quite a bit of long distance in the las t few years (did a half marathon in March) - never made me lose any weight tho as I wasn't dieting! Running long distances actually makes me hungry and put ON weight so my advice is to stick to 5K/10K for fitness /weight loss

    Do you drink water while your running?
    Only if running over 5K or it's actually hot outside- I find it slows me down

    What do you do to keep time from going faster? ( I get so bored, and there is only so much music I can listen to)
    My Ipod !

    When did you start running further and farther in your running process?
    Took me about 12 weeks to run 10K when I first started

    How do you go from running 2 miles non-stop to 8 miles non-stop?
    Build up no more than a mile a week

    What do you eat before and after? & how much time before and after your run?
    Nothing if it's only 5K - light meal 2 hours before if longer (toast/banana etc)

    Do you weight train before or after?
    Never on same day

    Think I may go for a run this eve now- I have missed it! x
  • Sadie98072
    Sadie98072 Posts: 212 Member
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    Im a runner. I like to refer to the treadmill as the "dreadmill". They are SOOOOOOOOOOOO boring, but are an essential tool sometimes.


    Do you drink water while your running?
    I only drink if I am on the dreadmill - the airconditioning dries me out. I always make sure I have a big drink of water before I run outside and of course once I get home again.

    What do you do to keep time from going faster? ( I get so bored, and there is only so much music I can listen to)
    My brain goes off on wonderful tangents. Sometimes Im singing along to the ipod, sometimes Im trying to remember stuff or make lists, sometimes Im just day dreaming :)

    When did you start running further and farther in your running process?
    When I started running again after I had kids I did the C25k program and Im pretty sure most of my longer kms happened after I was able to run for 10min without stopping. Its all a mind game after the 10min point. You mostly can run for as long as you want, its just that your brain is telling you to stop. If you get to the point where you think you need to walk, keep going for just one more minute and see how you feel, then if you really have to - drop back to a shuffle jog not a walk. The shuffle jog tricks your brain and you are still able to actively recover and pick your pace up again. Dont forget that there is no such thing as running too slowly.

    How do you go from running 2 miles non-stop to 8 miles non-stop?
    Build up slowly. Is 10% increases the recommendation? I cant remember - sorry.

    What do you eat before and after? & how much time before and after your run?
    I try not to eat before a run because it gives me a bit of indigestion and sits heavy in my tummy. I do most of my running first thing in the morning (6am) and I have been hungry once in the last 5mths. After my run is breakfast when I get home or in the afternoon if I ran I just wait till the next meal time. I usually only run between 5-7km though. It would be different if I was running more kms than that.

    Do you weight train before or after?
    I dont usually weight train on the same day.

    If you are interested, there is a great website called running ahead (www.runningahead.com). They are free to join and there is SO much information on there geared specifically to running.
    Good luck with it
  • FryingPanda
    FryingPanda Posts: 99 Member
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    Actually, I think these are really great questions!

    1. Now, this is something that is different from person to person and depends on distance. Me personally (and this is probably bad) I don't drink water for anything less than 9 miles. I find that I drink too much when I run and cramp.

    2. Music lists that are varied and last my entire run with no repeats. If I know I am running 10k I know I need 50 minutes of music, I tend to make lists with songs with different tempos so that at certain time in my run I go slower, and others faster (kind of a built in HIIT). A friend of mine likes podcasts, but never done that meself. :D I find the most important thing that I do do on runs is not think about it. I also do some other sports and I evaluate what I am doing well and poorly in those sports and how I can improve. Keeps my mind busy and off fact I am exhausted and want to stop. :)

    3. As for increasing distance. I like competing against myself. Always nice to know I can win. So if I run a certain distance at a certain time I try to push myself to run a little bit faster and a little bit father the next time I am out. Also the last half mile of all my runs, whether I am HIIT training or not, I run as fast as I freaking can.

    4. As for Doing something like 2 miles to 8... well whatever your non-stop distance, push yourself to go as far as you can and when you feel like you want to stop, try and keep going for two more minutes. More often then not, people stop earlier then they should because they let their bodies fool them into thinking they need to. My body is a lazy S.O.B. and if I stopped every time it said we shouldn't be doing this anymore... well... I wouldn't be running. :)

    Having said that, it is important that you learn the difference between good pain and bad pain. Sometimes when your body tells you to stop it really means it.

    5. Food.. depends on the distance I tend not to run for a least an hour after eating. For me if I go sooner than that, it wants to come back out. If I am running 13 miles or more, then I have a table spoon of PB right before. Carbs are pointless because your body needs fats for long distances and having available glycogen stores results in more readily available energy.

    6. Again it is a distance thing. For runs under 10 miles, I tend to just do core work and push-ups and such. Not really weight training, but strengthening. Then I eat a greek yogurt some simple carbs and depending on the distance and after enough water I have a beer. That way I can be "Hey I just ran 10 miles. I deserve this." and then I want to do it again. I only tend to drink now if I do longer runs beforehand. Though important disclaimer! Make sure you rehydrate. Didn't do that well enough once... My wife wasn't happy.:D

    Hope that is helpful... If not, sorry it was so long. :D
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    1. Do you drink water while you're running?
    No. Too hard to carry it when I'm running, I drink before and after. The longest I've run so far is about 50 mins (slowly) so it hasn't been a big issue so far.

    2. What do you do to keep time from going faster? ( I get so bored, and there is only so much music I can listen to)
    Audio books. Love 'em! Check out Flanagan's run (a novel about a race across America in the 30's).

    3. When did you start running further and farther in your running process?
    I worked through C25K, and am now working through a runkeeper program which has me running 3 - 5ks every second day.

    5. How do you go from running 2 miles non-stop to 8 miles non-stop?
    No idea! Practice, I guess, though I don't have any particular distance goal in mind.

    6. What do you eat before and after? & how much time before and after your run?
    I don't eat before (I already wake up at 5.30, I'm certainly not going to get up an hour earlier to eat). I eat breakfast anywhere between 1 - 3 hours later. If I do a longer run I have a glass of skim milk with cocoa and cinnamon (my no-sugar-added version of chocolate milk) soon after I get home.

    7. Do you weight train before or after?
    Neither. On the inbetween days if I do it at all.

    As you can probably tell from my answers, I'm pretty new to running (just since January this year) and don't go very far or very fast, but I am VERY proud of myself for being able to run 45 mins nonstop!
  • LeanaJo
    LeanaJo Posts: 85
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    I'm an avid jogger/runner, since high school. But I have taken up fitness walking lately. So, these days, I have been doing a jog/walk combination. I prefer it now. I run for a while, then walk, run again, and walk again (vice-versa for 45-60 minutes, depending how far I want to go). It's easier for me these days and keeps me going longer.
  • danibee41989
    danibee41989 Posts: 222 Member
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    ahhh I did 20 mins non stop! sooo happy!!!! I read all your advice and was successful. I did that step on your left foot when you exhale (worked). Ran outside (so much better)! I slowed down if I was tired but still kept a slow jog! I'm soo happy thank you all!
  • Sadie98072
    Sadie98072 Posts: 212 Member
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    It feels good doesnt it? Good work!!
  • danibee41989
    danibee41989 Posts: 222 Member
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    It feels good doesnt it? Good work!!


    It felt amazing! Thanks for all your help!

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