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6/10/12 12:21 P

Awesome. Thanks!

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6/9/12 10:02 P

Misslisa1973- howdydo! And congrats on blowing away your 5k goal...way to go :) as of this moment, you have 84 days until the gun goes off of your first half marathon. You have a lot of work ahead of you.

The first thing I would recommend is that you get a plan. You can go to any number of websites to obtain a half marathon training schedule. Google it.

I would focus totally and simply on adding mileage in the systematic manner that a plan recommends. There is a huge difference between 3.1 and 13.1 miles walking or not, it's a long way.

I would suggest training with run/ walk intervals. What I mean by that is NOT running until you are totally fatigued then walking when you have no other choice. Rather, you strategically run for a short time say 2 minutes then walk for 2 minutes and so on, letting how you feel be your guide. This will not only build your endurance but it will also allow you to recover after a short bout of running enough to recharge and feel refreshed enough to take it on again. You can actually turn in faster times that way than by running to fatigue, then walking then each successive run becomes slower and slower until all you can do is walk because that is all you have left.

The average finish time for walking a half marathon is anywhere from 3:15 if you are really a speed walker all the way up to 4 hrs or so ballpark figures of course. That is a LONG time to be on your feet and it takes time just to build up to be able to handle it comfortably.

I would totally forget about speed work for now, that will come later. I would just simply work on your endurance to accept the distance and finish with a BIG smile on your face.

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6/9/12 9:56 P

There are lots of training plans on-line. Just type in hal hidgon or galloway for half plans. But be sure you have a good base established so you can have no injuries. And be sure you take rest days and get plenty of water. Go you!

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6/9/12 9:13 P

I was working through the "You Can Run a Mile Without Stopping" program, but busted through it today by running to whole cotton-picking 5K! Now what? My half marathon is planned for Sept. 1. I had planned to walk most of it, but am always interested in running as much of it as I can. Do I do speed work? Add mileage? Now that I am so far ahead of the goal I was working on, I don't know what to do next!

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6/7/12 10:06 P

If you are shutting your run down because of pain, especially tight pain, and are forced to finish by walking then you are a prime candidate for injury. Your body is throwing up a red flag. If it were me, I would cease and desist all running for a few days and start doing calf raises and also deep calf stretches. See the video link below for a demonstration. I had the same problem and did deep calf stretches by simply letting my self hang by the front part of my foot off a step and lowering my heels gently into a calf stretch.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGq8YzBsrjw&featur
e=youtube_gdata_player

Failure to address this issue will lead to big problems.

Having been on the injured runner list a number of times, I can tell you from experience that this is a place you do not want to be.


I would, at the most just walk for now and make the calf strengthening and stretching a daily routine then when you start feeling the tightness start to go away and things start feeling normal, I would start back, VERY slowly with a very easy pace and short mileage with LOTS of walk breaks. It may seem over cautious but if you do not allow a compromised muscle a chance to slowly ease back into a routine, there will be consequences that will be lasting.

I am not a doctor, nor am I an exercise physiologist but I do speak my opinion based on experience as a runner but it is just that, opinion. When in any doubt, I would speak to your health practitioner.

Edited by: ON2VICTORY at: 6/7/2012 (22:32)

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6/7/12 9:26 P

I'm no expert, but I do stretches for calves by standing on a step. Keep the foot on the step and lean one heel off the edge and let it fall down. Switch to the other side. let it fall down You can do the same stretch on the ground but squat and put one leg out and lean into it. You can also use a foam roller to rub out the calf. Good luck.

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6/7/12 6:22 P

I got the question...I am a little pressed for time, will get back to you on this one.... Thanks
:)

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6/7/12 4:20 P

The past few days my calfs have been killing me!
I keep starting with intention to run but end up walking my while route because of the pain. Its a tight pain...

What can i do about it?
What stretches should i be doing? Should i just run? Keep as i am? Slow down?

THANKS GUYS!

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5/30/12 8:41 A

Hey guys. Great article from SP about gradually building up to 10k.

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_artic
les.asp?id=599

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5/27/12 5:11 P

Thank you, K, for responding. I like your idea very much! I think that after my water aerobics classes, I'll put one of the waist-floater thingies on and go out to the deep end to run. I really don't know what those thingies are called. They should be called "inching up to your under-arms floaters". Of course,running in the deep water, while wearing one of thingies, won't provide as much resistance as if I'd been in the more shallow water, but it will give me a little. Best of all, it'll take ALL of my upper weight off of my lower back for a while. Love that!

Warm wishes, cheers & success,

Jan

Edited by: MADDIEKEEZER3 at: 5/27/2012 (17:21)

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5/22/12 1:17 P

Hey Jan. I did water running with a belt with 2 of my pregnancies. I kept off weight and lost almost all of my weight after baby because the water is so good for you and so easy on the joints. I wasn't sore and slept so much better. Good for you thinking outside the box. Some pools have deep water aerobics. Takes a lot of strength to stay up right.

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5/22/12 9:47 A

Dearest Leah & Robert, thank you so much for replying so quickly! Ok! I'm feeling good about my plan now!!

Warm wishes, cheers & success,

Jan

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5/22/12 9:17 A

MADDIEKEEZER3 - it certainly does count, especially when it was recommended by your physician, always take the doctors advice.

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5/21/12 8:15 P

Hey guys...just came across this Spark.Article on working out in hot weather:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_artic
les.asp?ID=905

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5/21/12 5:06 P

Jan,

I am not a certified personal trainer, but yes darling...it counts.

You are so amazing.

Leah

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5/21/12 12:17 P

Robert, a question regarding cross training. I'm probably the oldest person on the team. I mean REALLY old. Will water aerobics 3 times/week qualify as my alternate activity? My physician recommended it me as a means to strengthen my core.

Warm wishes, cheers & success,

Jan


Edited by: MADDIEKEEZER3 at: 5/21/2012 (12:17)

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5/21/12 8:52 A

YPSISHRINKY- I would certainly listen to your body on this one. I know that sounds like a generic answer but because you live there, you are mostly adapted to the weather there. The basic rule of running is to dress as if it were 20 degrees warmer then the actual temp. When you run in hot conditions, you must keep you pace down, no heroics. Certainly work on your intervals but walk more. You are not 'losing' fitness if you walk when you feel you should be running. I will discuss this more in a future thread.

Being a novice, I would walk most of your run if it is that hot just for safety and bring lots of water.

Also, as you place demands on your body in hot weather, you will need to start using electrolyte supplements to keep things in balance. I can't really post links right now but google, NUUN, Hammer FIZZ, Hammer Endurolytes. They are 15 cal or less electrolyte supplements in pill form or a fizzy tablet you add you your water sorta like alka seltzer.

Failure to do so can lead to some ugly consequences. For me, my muscles lock up and cramp after about 10 miles if I don't. The race I just did this weekend was a prime example. They shut the course down because of the heat. This was the first event I have ever done where there was a high 'body count'... Heat related DNFs ( did not finish )

I digress....I hope I'm making sense, I'm kind of in a hurry.....

As you train, you will get a feel for what kind of tolerance you have and when you should pull the plug. I would say it isn't too hot but you will certainly need to take it easy for sure.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. This post as well as the carnage of this weekends race really presses the need for a thread on hot weather training and endurance with reference links etc...

I'm on the road right now and work constraints will keep me from this for a day or two, but it is on the priority list for sure....if I forget, give me a nudge on my SP page plz....

Run Sparkstrong.....Train Sparksmart.....

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5/20/12 9:51 A

Hi Robert!!

I'm just starting out. I've been walking 5 days a week and walk/running one day as i get my endurance up.

My plan was to run in the morning while its still cool out but my new baby isn't letting me...

So my questions is... how hot is too hot? Its supposed to be 88* today. I don't want to be discouraged by the heat but i don't want to kill myself in the heat!!!

Thanks!

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5/17/12 7:45 P

Hi everyone, post your half marathon training questions in this forum and we will do our best to get you an answer.

As I find information, articles, and videos that I feel will be usefull to overall motivation or training, I will also post them in this forum.

***NOTE- it would be best to post any question as an individual post rather than replying to this thread. It is too easy to have questions slip through the cracks when the thread starts getting too long.

Happy Spark Running!

-Robert


Edited by: ON2VICTORY at: 5/17/2012 (22:29)

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