5k Training

Hi all!

Thought I would start my own training thread to try and help motivate myself and hopefully get some help and encouragement along the way.

I'm 27 year old male (soon to be 28). I used to be super fit until I was 17/18 before giving up every sport I did and ate/drank beer far too much. After my first son was born, I ballooned from 11.5stone to around 18stone.

4 years ago I decided to do something about it albeit on and off over the 4 years. Mostly cycled with a bit of running thrown in now and then. Last September, my 2nd son was born 1 week before I started a full-time degree  at Uni. Newborn, Uni and 2hrs commute a day pretty much killed any enthusiasm I had for exercise.

2 months ago I managed to get out again and have caught the running bug badly. I'm running 3 times a week, one session with a running club. Still need to lose a couple of stone ideally image

So that's me not that anybody will probably care! My aim is to focus on 5k; especially as I can do the ParkRun for free (great perk being a student and all lol).

I've Done 3 Parkruns the last few weeks and my times have been 27:14, 26:40 and 26:08 respectively.

 Short Term Aim: Sub 25mins
Mid Term Aim: Sub 23mins
Long Term Aim (not that i'll get there, but I can dream): Sub 20mins

Hope you haven't fallen asleep while reading my post, but feel free to join in if your goals are similar, you wanna give some pointers or generally wanna poke some fun at a overweight, hairy tattooed bloke image

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Comments

  • Hi Deadbox

    I've just started dipping my toe into running, and also want to get to sub 25 for my Parkrun (28:27 is my current best).  I'm not doing any running specific training as yet, I'm concentrating on getting down to my target weight (11-7) before putting too many miles through my dodgy ankles and knees!

    What is your training schedule? 

    Good luck

  • Curly45Curly45 ✭✭✭

    Deadbox dont stop dreaming! My progress to date has taken me from 29:30 to 20:47 image

    Lots of easy miles for the first year or two, just keep chipping away at each target and taking it sensibly and you'll get there. Which parkrun are you doing?

  • JLB - Feel free to join in on this thread and we can work on hitting sub 25min together.

    Currently, i'm doing an easy session on a Monday with a friend who has just started out, which is usually around 4 miles (although this monday I did 6mi easy as he wasn't with me)
    On a Weds I do a Club run which is usually 6mi ir so then do a ParkRun on a sat morning with a 1mi warm up and cool down.

    Gonna keep to this for the time being and see how it goes when I start back at uni at the end of Sept

    Curly- good to know it's possible, will just keep chugging away
    I'm doing the Worcester Parkrun at the moment

  • At the moment I'm still concentrating on my level of general fitness so my week looks something like this:

    Sunday - HIIT style excercise (6x burpees with press-up, 1 x sprint up stairs, 1 minute rest) x 6

    Monday - HIIT (as above)

    Tuesday - Squash (45 mins)

    Wednesday - HIIT (as above)

    Thursday - Squash (45 mins)

    Friday - Rest

    Saturday - 5k (Parkrun)

    As the weight comes off and when my Parkrun times plateau I'll start swapping in more runs.

  • You will probably be surprised with the amount of running you do while playing squash...45mins would kill me.

    I try and do either Callanetics or oilseed 2 days a week too, but sometimes I'm lazy lol I do try and do 150 crunches or so a day if I don't manage either.

    If my time starts to plateau I'll start to throw in some intervals etc
  • I picked up a twinge in my calf last night, so I am going to rest up for a few days, I have my first ever 10k on Sunday and want to be in tip-top condition (relatively speaking).
  • Here are a few other things to think of to keep your running a challenge.

    Early morning runs. Nights are drawing in and running in the dark can sap your will. So get to bed early get up really early get the run in with the dawn chorus. By early I mean 5-6 oclock.

    Increase your pace over distance.  Take in hills. Fartleks( look it up) Tempo runs, tempo intervals. Geting  a good watch with a foot pod will help you know what your doing. yYou need endurance, stamina and speed to be good at 5k

    The Complete Runners Handbook. Buy it.

    Increase the time of your warm up and cool down. I do 20 minutes minimum. The body needs time to go from be, desk, car  sofa to running. A minute is just not enough.

    Does your college have a track? If so use it for speed work.  Yes you will be the slowest bugger on it but tough. A sub 20 minute 5k does not come easy.

    Good luck

    I did my first sub 20min 5k aged 42 .

    You got timeimage

  • some sound advice above cant add much more to it im afraid except to say that ive been running just less than a year and done 3 parkruns (edinburgh) 23.47,22.49 and 22.37 all on the back of increasing easy mileage without doing any specific interval sessions.

    more mileage to start off with should allow you to shave some time off your 5 ks mate,then as said above inroduce some intervals to your training and take it from there.all the best with your training

    YC

  • Curly45Curly45 ✭✭✭

    YC talks some serious sense!

    I've not made it to Worcester yet...*adds it to the list* 

  • JLB - hope the calf feels better and good luck for the 10k on Sunday

    Cheers for the advice Stephen, i'll definitely be doing more mornings as when i'm back at Uni as I have a spare hour before starting as I like to miss all the motorway traffic. I imagine the Uni will have track (dunno where it is tho haha) but doubt i'll be able to use it as I do full days 4 days of the week and half day on the weds.

    Cheers YC, will keep on top of the miles for now, my endurance needs some work.

    Curly - it's only been going 11 weeks but is a nice course but mostly around a woodland; the slight incline towards the end of the 2nd lap is a bit of a killer image lol Might give a few others ago once i've done a few more. Apparently there is a new one coming that will be closer for me.

    Did 6.2mi tonight, with a couple of biggish hills but mostly flat, nice and steady

  • Took another 30secs off this morning, got it down to 25:38. I'm gonna do the next few weeks of parkrun as an easy run as my son wants to have ago. If I do them easy I might add another easy run into week too, but not sure if that would be too much

    JLB - how's that calf? Has it eased off? Good luck for tomorrow!
  • Deadbox - inspiringly frank thread, thank you. You're obviously making great progress and are psyched for the long game. You'll get there. Keep us all posted - I'm aiming for sub 23 by the end of the year.

    Cheers
  • Not had a chance to get online over the weekend! 

    I started feeling lazy not doing any excercise due to the calf, so did 4x (15 x press-up and 30 x sit-up) for time on Thurs, and 100 x press-up for time on Friday.  On Saturday I decided to test out my leg so jogged to the pool and swam about 1.5k and jogged home with no ill effects; relief. 

    My goal for the 10K on Sunday was just to get to the finish line, I'd never been beyond 5k in my life, and it was only in late July that I managed to run 5k without taking a walk-break.  The race itself was great, I ran a very slow pace and got around no problem.  I had loads in the tank at the end and felt I could have just kept going forever.  My time was 1:05:38, and I was 640th out of 686 finishers, pretty pedestrian, but next time I'll be running for time rather than just to complete the course.

    Great result on your Parkrun Deadbox, I feel inspired to have a serious crack at my time next Saturday.

  • Questforspeed - thank you, I certainly am psyched for the long term! How far are you off the 23 minute mark? Keep us updated on how you get on too.

    Well done on the 10k JLB! It doesn't matter if it felt pedestrian, the react you made it around is a big acheivement; it's further than I have raced. Glad your calf eased up for the race too. Plus it was a PB for you.
    Cheers, I was more than chuffed that I took another 30 secs off, that 25mins is getting close.

    I've tweaked something in my bum, not running but when sitting down haha. Gonna do a steady couple of miles and a good stretching session tonight just to see if I can loosen up a few aches and tightness.
  • Good work deadbox!!!! Well done!!!! 

    Just want to share my thoughts and maybe see comments from other experienced runners.

    I started running in the gym mid May/11 and then have done 6 parkruns + some outdoor running at the weekends. Lost around 7kilos (1stone). My weight is 71kilos (11 stones) - height 178cm(5'10). I feel I need to lose another 3 kilos, and i am working on it through exercise as my apetite has increased soooo much since started running.

    My parkrun PB is 27.29, and again I am 39 and have never run before and actually hated even the idea of running.

    When you guys discussed running time, do you mean to achieve a certain time and finish without a breath/feeling sick or to achieve the time and still smile when you finish??? I think I may be able to run a bit faster than 27.29 but I think I will feel sick at the end.

  • Spitfire51, good question at the end of your post. The fastest runners I've observed are definitely in very good shape at the end of the parkruns I've taken part in (just 3, mind,) and recover virtually immediately to the extent that they can easily hold a conversation. I know from volunteering at Parkruns, handing out tags and scanning.
    It tends to be the slower runners who have obvious signs of discomfort or extreme physical distress at the finish line.
  • Well done on the weight loss! 11stone is just a distance dream for me, I'm still tipping 14 stone. I don't think i's manage to get lower than 12 tho as even tho I'm only 5ft9 I'm quite broad image
    Have you got a goal time? Or are you just doing it and seeing where it goes?

    As for times, personally I run them at the same perceived exertion each week. I would say it's uncomfortable, I have felt sick the one week; I kinda enjoy that feeling though lol. I always smile at the end once I've got my breathe back, especially if I've run a PB. Within a minute or so I'm usually chatting to others afterwards.
  • DeadBox wrote (see)

    Well done on the weight loss! 11stone is just a distance dream for me, I'm still tipping 14 stone. I don't think i's manage to get lower than 12 tho as even tho I'm only 5ft9 I'm quite broad image Have you got a goal time? Or are you just doing it and seeing where it goes? As for times, personally I run them at the same perceived exertion each week. I would say it's uncomfortable, I have felt sick the one week; I kinda enjoy that feeling though lol. I always smile at the end once I've got my breathe back, especially if I've run a PB. Within a minute or so I'm usually chatting to others afterwards.

    I have not got a goal time TBH. I want to run/finish a marathon in 2012 when I become 40. Therefore time is not an issue to me.

    I will run outdoors today after work wearing for the first time a Garmin 305, which i believe will help me keep within my pace level and don't get distracted with faster runners on parkrun/races.

    As for weight loss keep doing your exercises and eat healthly. Cut the junk, soft/sugary drinks, alcohol, etc. I could not believe how easy it is to lose weight....

    Keep up you good work and soon you will be 11st image

  • Well completing a marathon is a good enough goal if you ask me. I've got no ambition to even contemplate doing a marathon. I'll stick to the 5k's for the time being.

    I wish I could afford a garmin! I imagine it would help you loads. I used to struggle with pacing, but I've been using a HR monitor and it's made a world of difference.

    If I'm honest the weight loss thing has taken a bit of a back-burner. However it has been dropping slowly since I've been training more regularly, but i have cut out a lot of the junk stuff too.
  • Hey Deadbox, if you can save up for a garmin, it's really worthwhile. The 305 without heart rate monitor has good deals going on places like Amazon. It's got all the bells and whistles you need. I've found it very useful to have a precise record of how long I ran and at what pace, and that's easily uploaded onto sites like Fetcheveryone.

  • Has anyone used the MiCoach iPhone app?  Just got myself a Spibelt and new earphones so I can take my iPhone on my next run.  I need to plan an inspiring music selection too.

    Food is my downfall as well, can't stay away from chicken jalfrezi or Guiness!

  • Deadbox
    Sweatshop have the Garmin 205 at £99 at the mo.
  • Unfortunately, the very little amount of money I do bring in goes on bills, kids, commuting expenses and text books for uni etc no spare cash to save at all, so even if I could get £100 quid together I couldn't justify it when it could pay for more important stuff. Maybe I can get someone to buy me one for my birthday next month haha The people who I run with most of the time have got such devices so I always know how far and times etc

    JLB - yeah Guinness is a downfall, although I very rarely drink nowadays , pizza is my biggest Achilles heel! A couple of my mates use IPhone apps, I'll find out which ones they use
  • DeadBox wrote (see)
    Unfortunately, the very little amount of money I do bring in goes on bills, kids, commuting expenses and text books for uni etc no spare cash to save at all, so even if I could get £100 quid together I couldn't justify it when it could pay for more important stuff. Maybe I can get someone to buy me one for my birthday next month haha The people who I run with most of the time have got such devices so I always know how far and times etc JLB - yeah Guinness is a downfall, although I very rarely drink nowadays , pizza is my biggest Achilles heel! A couple of my mates use IPhone apps, I'll find out which ones they use

    I must applaud your attitude towards finance. I know people who max'ed out credit cards and overdrafts and din't repay back.

    Pizza isn't too much of an issue. Try to make it instead of buying those already made frozen rubbish. It will be fun to make the pizza dough with the kids. Then try to add less cheese to it. You may find good low fat cheese in the supermarkets, bit more expensive. Or light mozzarela which is best for me. Secret is: keep burning more cals than your intake until you reach your optimum weight.

    Cheers

  • Hi DeadBox,

    I found myself in a very simillar position to you at the beginning of this year.  Like you I used to be quite fit in my teens and early 20's, did a lot of racing  and had a half marathon p.b. of 1'23'48.  Then lost touch with running and triathlon (which I also did), due to job commitment, getting married, having a child etc.  Ended up gradually putting on about 4.5 stone over 7 years and went from a 34" waist to a 42/44 image

     Last Christmas I decided to restart running, initially struggling to even complete 4k without walking.  I kept at it and 8 months down the line have lost 4.5stone am now back to my initial weight of 12 and a bit stone (I'm 6ft) and recently run a 5k in 18'51.

     The things that worked for me:

    -Setting mini goals (such as your sub 25min 5k) and not getting too hung up about the weight.

    -Accepting small weight losses as good progress (I never lost more than 3lb in a week!)

    -Identified achilies heel foods and focused on cutting them out (mine was sugary drinks).

    -Doing some excercise in glycogen depleted state (e.g. early morning run or evening run before dinner but after cycling from work).  Some interesting articles about this and how it helps burn more fat.

    -Learn to Run slow - (recovery runs the day after a hard interval session should be a nice easy pace but will still kick that metabolism into gear and burn calories even after you finish)

    -Most importantly though:  Create a lifestyle that's sustainable and enjoyable!  Dont diet to the extent that it depresses you (or it WILL backfire!).  Vary your runs - take in changes of scenery and enjoy them.  Meet up with running partners.  

    Finally dont deny yourself the occassional treat - the odd Pizza is not going to harm you even if it's a frozen one (granted that a home made one is better).  What WILL harm your progress is to let guilt negatively affect you.  If anything use it positively and just run an extra couple of miles the next day.

     Hope this is useful - DeadBox - Really excited for you in getting closer to that 25min milestone, I'm sure you will get there very soon...

  • Goodluck with your Parkrun this weekend deadbox, I'm going to go all out for an improvement this week!  You're already getting close to that 25min, I've got minutes to make up! 
  • Spitfire- we do make our own the eldest loves get messy when making them, problem is Dominos taste much better haha saying that, I haven't had one of those for ages.

    Alexander, that's a good weight loss and time. I'll have to have ago at they training in glycogen depleted state.

    Jlb- hope you didn't do what I did this morning and go out to fast. Hope you had a good run

    I just got back, it didn't feel good this morning. My lungs were burning, I felt tired and it was really close and muggy. Not hopeful of a good time, I also forgot to stop my watch, doh! Will have to wait and see what my time is
  • I've had a bit of a 'mare, ran myself into the ground today, literally had to vomit at the end.  Checked the results and the girl scanning the chips must have messed up, the chip number listed isn't mine and I've been given a time of 29:14.  My chip numbers time was 27:50 which is a big new PB for me, but someone else has been given that time image.  

    Sorry to hear you were not feeling well this morning, you can't give it your all every week, I'm only going to go for a PB once in every 3 or 4 runs.  Don't want to get injured.

    lol - I ran the first lap of 3 in 8:40, then just had to hold on for dear life! 

  • Oh no, how have they managed to cock that up. Are you gonna mail them to find out if they can sort it out? Or are happy in knowing that you managed to run 30 secs quicker. Well done on knocking the time off anyway, that's a good chunk of time off!

    I think my excuses were a bit premature, I knocked another 16 secs off, 25:22! I feel like I could of done better but I'm more than happy that I took more time off. Not sure what I was doing today though as I forgot to check my split times and forgot to stop the clock when I finished lol

    Which parkrun are you doing JLB? Is yours 3 equal laps then?
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