Easing into running

[annie]

I've been taking it slow, trying not to add too much running too soon....... or I know what will happen. I'll hurt and I'll quit. I'm up to 4 1/2 miles. Started with 2. I run twice a week, tho' as I bike less, I'll up the running days. I've been doing one day on the trails and one day on the sidewalks. I try and keep an even pace, but am starting to feel like I'd like to pick up the pace a bit. Any recommendations as to how I do that? Should I do some sprints one day of the week? I run alone, as I don't feel comfortable/fast enough to run with anyone. Maybe I should push myself more? I just don't know. I've never enjoyed running in the past, but I am now. I'm afraid if I push too much, I won't enjoy it again. I'm open to suggestions and advice. I feel like a real newbie at this running stuff.

Annie

[jeannierides]

Annie, I'm just getting back into running myself after my accident. My doc suggested that I walk a bit, then add 1/2 mile, but i need a more structured plan. I used Cool Running's Couch to 5k a few years ago, when I first started running, and I think I'll use it again. You are probably much more advanced than that, but it's worth checking out

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

jeannie

[kelownagirl]

I'm newbie too, one who is recovering from running/riding induced injuries. My suggestion - follow the rule of thumb of not increasing your mileage or your time by more than 10% per week not matter how good you feel while you are running. And stretch, fully, after you run. And make sure you have decent form and decent shoes - get checked out buy a pro if you can. These are all things I wish I had done when I started so I wasn't suffering now.

PS I second the plug for coolrunning. I had an account there too although I have now switched to beginnertriathlete.com because it is more geared towards multiple sports.

[tattiefritter]

If I've had some time off from running due to illness or self inflicted injury and I'm building up again (too much too soon really can hurt, your doing the right thing taking your time), I have a couple of weeks at an easy pace then do some fartleks to get my legs moving quicker again. I start with something like the distance between two lamposts or a short sprint to the post box etc. Its not formal at all, just a bit of fun to get my legs used to working quicker - I vary the actual pace and length of the speed bursts and take as long as I like to recover. Its not as formal as intervals but they are good fun - as running should be. Its quite interesting to find out the speed at which my form and coordination completely goes, I've gotten faster before it happens but anything lower than a 7 minute mile (very briefly, I'm not fast at all) and my arms and legs seem to do their own things independently - probably look a total idiot, you should see me running downhill off road, arms flailing everywhere

4.5 miles would be perfect for me to do fartleks, I would do a 1.5 to 2 miles easy warmup then 1 to 1.5 miles of fartleks then cool down easy jog home. As I do as I feel they don't wipe me out the way a set of intervals can. I don't include intervals now unless I'm running comfortably (and not sore the next day or anything like that) for about 6/7 miles on the road as I need that distance to do a good warmup/cooldown and intervals in the middle, its amazing how much distance you can cover on the interval section. Running magazines/websites will give you a better description of fartleks than mine.

I have a hilly trail race this weekend so I have been concentrating on hills but once that's out the way I'll begin training for a road 10K in November so the intervals will make an appearance again - but it'll be fartleks next week for a bit of fun.

[annie]

Thank you all for the good advice! I am taking it all in. I'm going to check out the Cool Running website and maybe that can help me get a routine started.

Annie

[roadie gal]

Another good forum is www.kickrunners.com

This site is good for some free 5k or 10k programs that build up pretty slowly: http://www.halhigdon.com/target/Target.htm