New with concerns!

Morning All (well, it's Morning now, as I write this!)

 I've been running for maybe 4-5 months now, got a 5k and a 10k under my belt and feel good about that, however I feel like a kid in a sweet shop with all the other runs available!

Now I have no idea about general ages of other runners etc as Im 28 but feel that my fitter years are behind me (even though this is the first major bit of exercise I've started doing).

Do I keep up with the 5-10k runs or do I push on to the 10mile/half marathons? Im ok going at 6-7k in one burst and my average speed is just under 6min a km (which I also want to improve!)

So general advise is being requested here..... do I work on longer distance or faster time? Do I keep to the know or push for those longer, more challenging runs?

Finally, I've just added footie training to my regime and the front of my legs (top) are killing today, 2 days later........ seriously, stairs are killing me........ any ideas to relieve the pain!? 

Any advice helpful, thanks in advance, and HELLO to all you other runners!

Comments

  • I'd just find the distance that you enjoy. Always seem to be a wide variety of ages at all races. If faster times drive you on, then aim for that. Likewise you might want to go all out and try marathon/ultra running.
  • Paul, Don't understand............ "my fitter years are behind me"????????? Yet this is the first time in your 28 years you've started exercising!!  Your fittest years are in front of you then surely?! image

    Simple answer - you do as you feel.  No one else can tell you which distances will become your most competively succesful.  I assume that is what you are driving at?  Which distance will you be best at at your age?  You seem to imply that at 28 you are an 'older' runner but you are certainly not.  The age group for M is up to 40, you won't be a V until then!

    I think everyone is different.  For myself (44) I've always been rubbish at 10k's.  Even in my twenties I could never achieve that elusive sub 40 mins (it still bothers me!) yet my half marathon and marathon times are pretty good.  I just prefer longer distances and now am considering entering the mad mad world of the Ultra.  You will do yourself no harm by doing longer distances and in fact it should improve your 10k times because you will build extra endurance for shorter distances.  Ie: you will be able to run shorter distances faster - well, thats the theory, don't follow my 10k example though - I'm pretty sure it became a phsycological issue with me!

    As for football - your quads are probably sore because it involves lots of short sharp sprinting.  Your fast twitch muscles get a pounding!  Its just lactic build up and will recover over a couple of days.  A gentle jog today will help to flush it out.  If you don't jog today I can promice you it will probably be worse tomorrow!!  Be aware that footballers are more prone to injuries because of the nature of the game - make sure you warm up properly before launching into a game.

    Above all - have fun.  There is no ideal distance - it's what you enjoy the most that counts. 

  • well said tigerlily

    28 is no age at all

    (im 43 and still improving)

    I like marathons

    image

  • It's up to you I guess.

    I think as we get older, I was 33 when I started running, we get slower, but we can run further as we get older (is that right?), so with this in mind, I have accepted that I am unlikely to get "fast", so to me, the challenge of running longer distances is what my aim is, and hopefully by doing this, I'll get faster over the shorter distances, and that seems to be working.

    I'll echo what is said above, 28 is no age at all image


  • Well you don't sound to far from where I am in terms of age/fitness/experience. I know i can run 5k without to much warning, I can run 10k and it's knackering, and I can just about drag myself around a half-marathon if I've prepared.

    So the way i approch picking races is lots of 5k (at least one a month) with a few other distances thrown in for a bit more of a challenge.

    The 5ks are a good marker for me to keep track of my fitness, and trying to beat my last 5k time is a worthy challenge IMO. I don't worry to much about who else will be there racing because at the end of the day i'm only racing myself and my beergut. Whats the worst than can happen, someone has to come last (more on that latter).

    But on top of the 5ks i've done a number of 10ks, a couple of halfs and even tried my hand at fell running. The 10ks i've gotten to a point where I know i can do it, which is a improvment. The halfs still a bitch. The fell run, well you know i said someone has to come last, guess what my real surname is...

    So I say just go for it, if you don't like it try another one.

  • Thanks all for your replies, I guess that because Im only just getting into running that I feel that Im a late starter and that all of you on here took off from the cross country runs at school and just never stopped!

    Also, what's the score with running clubs? Where's the best place to find out about them (local press is useless), are they recommended and appart from the (hopefully) extra encouragement, do they carry much more benifits to running alone?

  • Paul, just google "running clubs - your town/county"
  • And yes - great benefits in terms of coaching, social, camaraderie etc. etc.
  • Fitter years?  I only started running this year.  I'm 27, and my best years are coming up now - PMA, Paul, PMA!!

    I don't run with an organised running club, but I am a bit like Forrest Gump, and lots of my friends join me, which is encouraging too!  Good luck

  • I think we all come from different backgrounds in running, mine was, hated being forced to do it at school, ballooned to 24 stone, realised a change was needed, started running, lost 10 stone. I think you'll find lots of people have the same, or a very similar story to mine, of course, there are others that have done it from the year dot, but thats the beauty of running, the diversity of people that it brings together.
  • So what you're saying is that at 28 you feel that your best years are behind you???

    You are on course for a slapping, young man.................. image

       

    My top-tip is to stop the fottball training.  If there's one thing that's going to destroy your knees (other than me smacking them with a baseball bat for being a cheeky young whippersnapper) is football.  I know loads of guys who would love to run but have knackered their knees playing football.

  • This is what I was hoping for, a lot of sound advice coming my way!

    I will look into a local club, get that extra motivation!

    I will get some more 5k's under my belt..... (doing the 6k Santa run in December as my next run).

    and I will realise that rather than this being a late time to start running, its only giving me more time to get good!

    Still in 2 minds about the footie tho M.ister - I know its not the best, but it is getting me fitter to do 2 hours of that than running? Oh the dilemas!!!!!!

  • Paul, if you enjoy playing football then carry on mate, i'f you're just playing footy to get fit then maybe ease back, but if you do it because you love playing then carry on! You're running will help improve your game. However, without wishing to state the obvious, you can't control the players tackling you! One bad tackle, could do your ankle in and you'll be unable to anything for about 6 weeks, maybe more...

    I found that both running and football help the other, but I have picked up injuries through running and through football, which obviously affected the other. 

    When out running, you could try  'fart legging' (running at high temp for a bit, jogging for a bit, brisk walk for a bit, and then repeat the process....), this will help your footballas as it kina replicates the changes in pace you experience on the football field.

    M

  • LOL....Mr I please....... Fartlek - Fart legging is something completely different and probably won't endear him to fellow runners (my OH is a champion fart legger - phew!) image image
  • Woops! knew what it was, just not how to spell it! lol

     Taxi!......

  • I think I'd much prefer the smell of Fartlek in all honesty, I'll have a look at that.....

    With regards to the footie, it's literally training with a few mates in their team so it's not the physical "hard tackle" side of the game....... it's just blooming knackering doing the sprints etc!

    And I found a club that train local in Erith but its a track, will that be much good compared to the road running Im used to?

  • Track reps are brilliant for increasing your speed Paul - just knackering! 

     I suspect although they are based at the track they will do all kinds of stuff..........the cross country season approaches.......

  • WOO! Up and down hills! lol -- all good training for the FLM one day eh!

     Oh, and how come all profile pics I try to upload are too big!? Any ideas of programs to minimise the size??

  • Personally I love the rush of a 5k.... but I mainly compete in 10k's. And this year I'll have done 2 x 10M and one half-marathon. Just try lots of stuff, find what you like, and kick your own arse to get better at it image
  • I took a pic from Facebook, shrunk it in paint, and it was so small I couldn't see anything, so I  tried it again, and shrunk the white background to fit round the image (in Paint) and now it works fine and dandy!
  • Im still profile pic-less! I got one small enough, just waiting for approval now! image

     Right, onto the serious stuff! Im getting slower! I've been running at about 5min 30 a km up till a few weeks ago, and now its creeping up to about 5,40-5,50......... its a pro's and con's thing tho because Im now running further without having a walk break (usually had to walk for a couple of mins at around the 4k mark) and this morning I did 6k without stopping which Im chuffed with, but seems Im sacrificing time for distance! image

    Is this me finding my pace? should I now keep to that distance and my speed will gradually increase again or do I push the distance on and stay slower? image

  • do both.

    increase you speed on fast 4 or 5ks alternated with longer slower runs for distance and you'll be sorted!

  • Hi Paul - glad to see you're still at it!  Hows the football?

    In your first post you mentioned that you'd completed a 10K at some point.  From your post above I suspect that you took a couple of walk breaks during your 10k.  That is good, nothing wrong with walk breaks.  I don't know what other people think, and I guess it depends upon what your goals are in your running but I think its best to get a really good level of base fitness before you start worrying about your speed.  For me, that means being able to run for at least 60 minutes without stopping regardless of how far you have run.  Once you can do that, the speedwork becomes second nature.  If you can do an hours running non-stop you should be able to increase your speed over shorter distances without too much of a problem............well, that's the theory anyway!

  • Thank ya both.........  I suppose it'll all come with time and patience, I hate that! lol

     Tigerlily - I knocked the footie on the head! Found a running club that meets on the same night so Im just building up the confidence to approach them........ I did a 10k yeah, managed that with 2 lots of 3k runs with a short walk in between, then the last 4 were kind of 1-1.5k, bit of a walk, then a bit more running...... and finished in 58 mins....

    I think once I join the club, along with the advice Im getting here, I should be fine...... just hate feeling such a noob and not having all the answers!

  • Paul, go to the club - you'll not regret it.  Clubs generally love welcoming new guys on board.  There will be all abilities there - I expect you are feeling what 99% of all people feel on joining a new club - "I'm not good enough, I'll slow people down, I'll be the slowest...etc. etc."  If you can do a 10K under an hour you will not be the slowest and your running will only improve.  I honestly think you're now at the stage where a club and running with other people will benefit you more than anything else. 

    Oh, BTW - I've been running 30 years and still don't have all the answers image - so don't be disappointed when in 30 years time you are still asking questions!! image

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