Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Calling All Runners!

I just registered for my third race. The first was a local 5K, the second was the mini-triathlon I did at our Y and this one is a 5K with an additional 2 mile dog run/walk! It is also affiliated with our Y so it will be very convenient for me. I'm excited and working on increasing my time and hopefully my distance since I'd love to run the 2 mile part as well as the 5K part. If I have to walk that, it will be OK, it's kind of hard to run with Ziggy since he just goes faster and faster and I can't keep up. We'll have to do a little training over the next month to get us both ready.

Race huh? Did someone say Run? Race? Food? Treats? Take me! Take me!


So, here's my problem. I am having trouble getting much past the 3.1 miles I do on the treadmill. Yes, I run on the treadmill instead of outside. I like it for so many reasons but mainly because it's air conditioned and also because I can take The Son to Kids' Corner for child care. It's just easier than scheduling my running around The Husband who works so much. I have a plan for today's run to try and get past that 3.1, I know I can do it and would like to keep working up to running the full 5.1 miles. (and you should know, I'm pretty slow but I finished my first 5K in just under 36 minutes so if I can beat that I'll be thrilled)

For today...
* Warm up stretches. I've been having a lot of hip pain and just looked up stretches to help me out.
* Mile 1- run at easy slightly challenging pace 5.3 to 5.5 on treadmill
* Mile 2- work on speed... 2 minutes 4.0+ pace 2 minutes 6.0+
* Miles 3 and 4 run at fairly easy pace of 5.0 to 5.1

It will be a definite challenge but I really do think I can do it. I have about a month to work up to the full 5.1 miles and I'm pretty sure that on race day, there will be a break between the 5K and the 2 miler so with my training I can do it!

Last but not least, if you are a runner and have any suggestions for good work outs to build both speed and distance, please, post them in my comments. I am definitely a beginner runner so I love to hear advice from those who've been running longer than I have. I also realize there's lots of info out there that I can "google" and I've done that but I'd love even more personal advice so hit me with it if you have it!

Have a great Tuesday, we're off to the Y for some running and pool time and then to karate for The Son it's a beautiful day in sunny PA!

3 comments:

Andrea said...

I'm doing a YMCA 5 miler next Sunday, and I'm signing up for it on a whim, so I really don't have a lot of time to train. But I think I'm going to add .25 mile to each run until the race. If I have to walk some of it, so be it. I have problems with my hips too, but I run a lot better if I stretch by sitting Indian-style (I know, not politically correct) and bending as far over as I can and stretching my arms out on the floor as far as they can go. Then I just breathe deeply and try to stretch my arms out even further on each breath. Opens up the hips a lot!

Good luck!!

Nina said...

for me (when I was running or plodding heavily)I did 5 workouts a week on the treadmill and one outside which I got faster and faster on. I didn't do the same thing everyday. it worked if I switched things up, so one day I did a hill workout. one a sprinting workout. one slow and steady. one fast runs, slow climbs, etc. everyday was different

there's a couch potato to 5K program lots of people swear by though you are beyond that clearly but many find doing a 2 min run 1 min walk helps.


my exercise group had a ton of runners and they did similar things. they'd also do something like push a child in the stroller (clearly outside) so when they ran alone it was easier and faster. of carry a backpack. or run further than they intended (so if they were doing a half marathon they'd run 15 miles) then the actual miles they ran seemed like cake.

Naomi said...

a friend told me to run for time and not for distance and thats how i increased my distance.
hth; typing 1 handed, sorry sp short.
nom