New to this...hello

Hello runners world.
So I've been wanting to run for about 4 years but never thought I could do it. This new year I made myself go and get some trainers and start and now I'm totally hooked.

Entered the 5k race for life and want to do the London marathon 2013.

Would be nice to hear any stories people want to share.

Over and out runners...image

Comments

  • I'm pretty new myself, about 5 and half weeks in so far.

    I got the inspiration from seeing a lot of old friends and aquaintences on facebook doing 10k runs, half marathons and even 1 doing a full marathon. All of these are the last kind of people I ever expected to run even the length of their street.

    I'm coming up to 36 and don't exercise, I've 2 little ones and a 3rd on the way so I felt inspired to do something to make the kids proud of me and to also influence them in years to come to keep fit and healthy. I'm not overweight and I'm in good health so it was a good base to start from.

    The first week I overdid it for a non-runner, 1 mile, then a 2 mile that nearly killed me.

     I stuck around 2 miles then broke the 3 mile/5k barrier at about 2 1/2 weeks. I was struggling though and realised I was pushing too much so I read up on the beginers training schedule and dropped back a little to sub 3 mile runs.

     Although I don't stick to that schedule still, I do use it as a rough guide and tend to do a little more than I should as I feel I can but I am concious of injuring myself so I feel I am careful enough.

     The last 2 weeks I've stuck to running 5 mins, walking 2 mins for half an hour, and then increased it slowly. This week I've started on 8 mins running, 2 mins walking and I was doing this 3 times, so 30 mins and getting around 3.6 miles or so. Today I did a 4th repeat and went just over 4 miles which is a record for me.

    I'm finding the first 1-2 miles pretty tough and I could easily give up and call it a day but if I push just a little by the time I start the 3rd mile I feel really good, my legs sort of calm down and get used to the impact and stress and my breathing settles into a good rythym. Any stitching usually subsides at that point and I really enjoy that last mile or two. In fact today I feel I could of done at least another mile but again I am really worried about pushing too hard and causing an injury that will leave me unable to run for a while.

    I have some targets set out, and they are probably ambitious for my level but I feel I can make these.

    Within a week or so of starting running I started thinking about how I could raise money for Help for Heroes by running. I already raise a fair bit for them on a weekly basis. It's my company's adopted charity (I'm a retail manager) and I'm selling wristbands outside of work and raising around £150 per week. So after talking to a fellow (and more experienced) runner in another branch I came up with the idea of running from store to store around Manchester collecting sponsorship and donations.

    The plan is to do this late August/Early September over 2 days. Day one will be approx 15 miles broken up into approx 3 x 5 mile runs back to back. Day 2 is around 11 miles broken into smaller 4 x 3-4 mile runs. It's ambitious I know but even if we walked the entire distance it's perfectly doable in that timeframe and we've already agreed it's not a race, it's a hard fun run and we are to put enjoyment over everything else. So far we've 9 of us doing this.

    So my goals are to run 10K by mid May, 10 Miles by Late July and then that leads nicely into 4-5 weeks to prepare for the bigger Charity event.

    I never thought I'd enjoy this so much and used to think people were absolutely crazy and sadistic to enjoy running but I'm hooked.

    Long term a marathon is on the cards but I'm talking 12-18 months at least, no rush.

  • What worked for me was the GNR. I spent two or three years with it as my only race. A half marathon is a serious distance. And after 3 or 4 years I finally decided to take a step up to the marathon.

    There's no bigger step up than going up to a marathon. But it can be done.

    Good luck.
  • Just so you're aware, if you're not already, if you have your heart set on London next year and are planning to try and enter via the ballot rather than a charity place, that it opens (and closes) tomorrow. Other marathons are available though image !
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