Distance or Speed first?

[TsPoet]

I'm overweight and always hated running. I went to Vibrams (see MDHillSlug's thread) and can't help myself, I've started running and I feel great! I run off-road so I can walk my dogs at the same time.
I've also been asked to be a mentor for this organization
http://www.girlsontherun.org/
which coaches young girls that they can do whatever they set their minds to and attempts to empower them in general. The culmination of a 12 week training period for these girls is a 5K run.
I can run a mile, then I fast walk my dogs another 1-2 miles. So, if I can run the whole walk, I can do the 5K with the girls.
Oh, I also jog slow (17.5 min miles!). So, what do I do first - speed or distance? I ran a 15 min mile last night and it felt great. But, is it better to slow back down and go for 1.5 miles? I don't care if I average 17.5 min miles for the 5K (mixed units, I know), but the faster jog last night felt good, so maybe I can try for 15 min miles for the 5 k.
My mentoring part for these girls is not in the physical fitness arena, so this is extra, but I like the goal for myself. Any advice on how to build up to a 5K (in 10 weeks now), would be appreciated.
Thanks,

[OakLeaf]

Yay on your VFFs and your joy in running!

I do best when I work on both speed and distance, and if you've looked at any free online training plans, all of them include both. One day a week is your long run where you push the distance at an easy pace, and at least one day a week is intervals or tempo, where you push the pace for a shorter distance and build your anaerobic fitness. Between those days, cross-train; do short, easy recovery runs; and incorporate at least one rest day per week, more if you find that you're not getting stronger - particularly as we get older, recovery is slower and many of us need two rest days a week.

[KnottedYet]

I run until I'm tired.
Then I walk.

I run again when I feel like it.

I'm no help at all....

[TsPoet]

Yay on your VFFs and your joy in running!

I do best when I work on both speed and distance, and if you've looked at any free online training plans, all of them include both.

Thanks! that's exactly what I wanted to know. i'm such a web geek, I can't believe I didn't think of Googling an on-line training outline. Will do so as well.

I run until I'm tired.
Then I walk.

I run again when I feel like it.

I'm no help at all....

LOL - that's actually my plan right now. But, you run farther and faster than me, so it's all good.

[KnottedYet]

LOL - that's actually my plan right now. But, you run farther and faster than me, so it's all good.

Betcha I don't! I'm *walking* the half marathon this weekend. I've been in such a fight with my boo-boo hip that I haven't run in months. (though I did run about a block this weekend)

I was asking my co-workers (who are serious runners, whereas I am a comedic runner) your question about training distance/speed. The marathoner in the office said she would recommend Oakleaf's set up. The former Olympic middle-distance runner said he'd do the run-walk routine and try to increase the length of the run portion as you go. Pretty much pushing the distance and letting the speed take care of itself.

Hope that helps! At least it's better than my training non-plan!

[Deborajen]

When I first started running, it was all about building up distance, starting with a 10-minute easy run. I think speed intervals, with moderate running mixed with easy run rest breaks, started after about 4 weeks. But now I always do a speedwork or tempo run at a shorter distance, a short easy run, and a long easy run every week. There are lots of websites with training programs - Runners World, Hal Higdon, etc.

Not to change the subject but you mentioned walking your dogs at the same time as when you go for a run. How many dogs do you walk at once? I just started running with my dog a few weeks ago. We've only had her for a little over a month and she hadn't been on a leash much before we adopted her, so it can get a little crazy trying not to trip each other but it's a lot of fun for both of us. When you mentioned "dogs" I could only imagine how crazy that could get - but it all sounds like some great mutli-tasking.

[MommyBird]

Keep mindful of training injuries.
This is just a generic page on the subject:
http://www.drpribut.com/sports/topten_avoidinjury.html

I am not sure of your age but you did mention weight and either one of these increase your chance for injury.

I have a boo-boo foot that has side-lined me for more than two years. Plantar Fasciitis with massive scar tissue buildup. I produce an overabundance of scar tissue when I heal so surgery is not an option. Running can become a drug which makes it mentally and physically hard to rest an injury.

KnottedYet...It is nice to know that I am not the only grown woman who tags her injuries with "boo-boo". My husband is nursing a boo-boo hand right now from hitting a non-tennis ball with a racket for our relentless Jack Russell. The ortho says it may never be the same.

[Zen]

i was asking my co-workers (who are serious runners, whereas i am a comedic runner)p

[zoom-zoom]

4 years and 3 marathons later this is how I got my start: Couch-to-5k plan. There are now podcasts for the plan, too, which is cool. That didn't exist 4 years ago. 10 weeks is perfect, since the plan is 9 weeks, IIRC.

[TsPoet]

Betcha I don't!
I was asking my co-workers (who are serious runners, whereas I am a comedic runner) your question about training distance/speed. Pretty much pushing the distance and letting the speed take care of itself.

Hope that helps! At least it's better than my training non-plan!

Thanks, and I describe my jogging style as a lumbering shuffle, so I like your description.

Not to change the subject but you mentioned walking your dogs at the same time as when you go for a run. How many dogs do you walk at once? I just started running with my dog a few weeks ago. We've only had her for a little over a month and she hadn't been on a leash much before we adopted her, so it can get a little crazy trying not to trip each other but it's a lot of fun for both of us. When you mentioned "dogs" I could only imagine how crazy that could get - but it all sounds like some great mutli-tasking.

I cheat. I drive my 2 20 lb dogs out to BLM land and run along the trails out there with them off leash. We've had several adventures (thorns in eyes, porcupine quills, snakes...) that would make a sane person stop this, but the dogs and I love it and I'd rather live than be safe (I can justify anything to myself). I've been babysitting a friends Italian Greyhounds. One is a couch potato (couch potato IG is an oxymoron), the other is jogging quite well on-leash. I use a carabiner to attach a flexileash to my belt and just verbally remind her to stay on trail whenever she veers off - she's learned very quickly. So, your pup can learn and probably loves it.

Keep mindful of training injuries.
This is just a generic page on the subject:
http://www.drpribut.com/sports/topten_avoidinjury.html

I am not sure of your age but you did mention weight and either one of these increase your chance for injury.

This is one reason I've always hated running - a run of 10ft and my (back, leg, hip, foot...) would hurt for weeks. I started off very slow. thanks for the article.

4 years and 3 marathons later this is how I got my start: Couch-to-5k plan. There are now podcasts for the plan, too, which is cool. That didn't exist 4 years ago. 10 weeks is perfect, since the plan is 9 weeks, IIRC.

thanks to all!
Took last night off to lift weights (legs), my true love that I've been doing since my mom traded art instruction for the Olympic weightlifting coaches son for weight lifting instruction for me when I was 12. (My doctor thinks I should quit, thinks some of my weight problems are my insistence on lifting weights, so I've changed to light weights and more of them rather than the old heavy weight to failure concept, another change in my routine this last few months).

[OakLeaf]

(My doctor thinks I should quit, thinks some of my weight problems are my insistence on lifting weights...).

What?????

[TsPoet]

What?????

That was my first thought - but in the short term he's not wrong. In the longterm he is wrong - muscle burns calories more than fat.
But, there is an important piece of info you don't know - I'm a type 1 diabetic, so insulin/exercise/sugar/muscle breakdown... are not "normal" for me. There is evidence that heavy weightlifting in a diabetic can lead to problems losing weight - because of insulin balance issues. When you do heavy exercise, esp weight lifting (vs aerobic), your liver produces glycogen to help support your muscles. But, if you don't have the right balance of insulin to go along with that, the glycogen is not used by the muscles properly and can cause weight gain in a very negative way.
I'm on a "new" hormone that is also secreted by the pancreatic B cells called amlyn, and it's changing everything for me (mostly in an awesome way).

[OakLeaf]

Ah. Sorry. Good luck with the new med!

[bikermaze]

Try a balance of walk/run covering varying distances of increasing increments throughout the program. Walk to start off then run and back to walk so you can build up the tempo amongsts the girls. Though it has to be taught to them that you're not supposed to run right away as it's going to cause unnecessary pain and tiring out easily.

Distance should be your measure of getting by first then speed next. Especially when you're starting out. Speed being a major factor above distance should be the concern of those who want to take things more seriously, as far as I'm concerned. However if it's for leisure and simply allowing them to enjoy exercise as it is, distance would be a good measure to consider first off.

Running with the dogs sounds fantastic! Your story is quite inspiring.