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Novice runner 240lbs
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Hi there I'm wondering if there is anyone that can help or if there is anyone is a similar situation to myself. I started jogging 4 months ago at 290lbs 5'11 just 12:00 minute miles as long as I could and building from there really. This has helped me, along with a revamped diet, get down to 240lbs currently. My main concern is that people keep telling me I am too heavy to put the miles in, I'm up to 16.5 weekly increasing by 0.5 miles a week and my weekly running plan looks like this Monday - treadmill 2% inc minimum 6 mile - 65 minute - 11 minute miles Tuesday Rest Wednesday - road 3 mile - 27 minute - 9 minute miles 15 x 50m sprints Thursday - treadmill 3 mile - 30 minute - 10 minute miles on various incline settings throughout Friday Rest Saturday 3 mile - speed work 6mph 60 sec 7.5mph 60 sec Sunday Timed 1.5 mile - currently 12:45 minutes I'm very happy running I enjoy it and it stops my training becoming stale, but I do worry about my joints progressing past my current level as 240lbs is a lot to be running with. I own a good pair of NB 1080v4 which I find very comfortable and I do not suffer from any shin or knee pain... Yet. Just wondering what everyone's opinion is, appreciate any feedback. I'm still losing around 2lbs a week and my goal weight is 185lbs, I would like to run my 1.5 Mile in 9 minutes within 12 months which is my ultimate training goal at the moment.
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Comments
If you don't suffer any pain, carry on doing exactly what you are doing, as you are doing bloody brilliant
i know it sounds daft, but people really do get to the stage where they say ok you've done well up to now, now slow down, it's as if they are worried you will explode or shrink into nothingness
the weight is still going down so keep on running, at some point most runners pick up an injury, and you can guarantee when it happens everyone will say it's because of the weight, but it just happens, we all get the odd niggle here n there.
you've done great up to now, just keep on doing the same
we can all look at another persons plan and think ohh could tweak it here and there, but it's working for you, so at the moment I'd just stick with what you are doing.
Stephen, Booktrunk has taken on lots of challenges and I have huge respect for her
.
But having injured myself many times
I have become hyper aware of the pitfalls. I made a few notes on your schedule with my tuppence worth.
Monday - treadmill 2% inc minimum 6 mile - 65 minute - 11 minute miles. Slow this down a little and if you have time start increasing the distance gradually. Is Monday always going to be your day for a longer run?
Tuesday Rest
Wednesday - road 3 mile - 27 minute - 9 minute miles 15 x 50m sprints. Sustain the 3 @ 9 mins but stop the sprints; keep speed work to once a week at the moment. Speed work is where most damage / injury is likely to occur.
Thursday - treadmill 3 mile - 30 minute - 10 minute miles on various incline settings throughout - good one.
Friday Rest
Saturday 3 mile - speed work 6mph 60 sec 7.5mph 60 sec. Ideally, warm up thoroughly with a gentle 1st mile, then do the speed work for a couple of miles, then a gently mile again at the end. You can vary the speed work by changing the distances / duration of the intervals.
Sunday Timed 1.5 mile - currently 12:45. Again, pushing hard two / three times a week is not that helpful, especially two days consecutively. Rather do a gentler slower recovery run. What would be useful is to do one (today's maybe?), record the time, and then do again after 6-8 weeks, which is the period your body needs to implement any physiological change.
You don't mention your age? With three days of consecutive running and only two rest days a week - no problem if you are at the younger end of the spectrum (20 - mid forties?) but more than that you might need to build in some periodic gaps where you take a couple of days break to recover, or consider swapping one of the easier runs for a cross-training session - bike or ergo for example, to give the joints a change of scene.
Hope that helps
I forgot to mention I'm 24 and ~25% body fat, I do 3 days strength training also along side my running to maintain muscle mass while losing weight.
I think from what you have said I will drop my timed 1.5 mile and swap it for a slower, longer recovery run.
Steven, the strength training is a great idea, best of luck with the journey.
SM -- When you start running it's quite easy to develop your aerobic system but tendons and stuff take longer to strengthen... You may seem ok now, and you may well be, but you could be doing damage that will not manifest itself in the form of an injury until some way down the road... I would say that when starting out don't run on consecutive days, build base fitness rather than worry about speed, and recovery time is just as important as putting in the miles.