It's a rest day today- but I feel like I want to do something anyway.
It's been almost 1 month since I started and I can honestly say that this is the most exercise I've gotten in a 1 month period since I was in school!
I've improved my pace from 17:20 to 12:12/mile (walking).
My goal is to keep about a 12 minute mile walking as I work myself up to the 6 miles walks- before I start running. We'll see.
Anyone know what a good pace is? I mean, is a 10 minute mile a good pace, unrealistic, or pretty slow?
Also, why do I move so much slower on a treadmill than I do outside? I've double checked my routes, and they measure right, but walking on a treadmill I just can't match my pace. I don't get it!
I missed a day of training last week. I'm not too worried about it because it was the last of the 1 mile days and the weather was awful (and rec center was closed). So, I kept with my regular rest day that followed.
This is the first day of training I have missed since I started a few weeks ago. Yesterday I had the first of my 2 mile days. I also bought some new orthotics- because I have the world's worst feet, ever!
So I wear these and the pain in my shins and calves is GONE completely. I also shaved almost 4 minutes off my per mile pace! It's amazing what one can do when he's not hobbling down the home stretch.
Needless to say, I'm very thankful for my orthotics. So thankful, I'm providing a link to where I got them from-
Sunday was awful. I don't know if it was because it was cooler outside than it has been, or because I walked all over the zoo with my wife and son earlier that day, but my shins were hurting so bad that I couldn't even walk the full mile.
(again, for reference- I'm extremely out of shape).
So, I found some shin exercises that I'm going to try out and see if that helps over time.
Also, according to my exercise log, I have exercised for 215 minutes in the last 15 days. I can't remember the last time I put in that much exercise in a fortnight. Out of that, I've walked about 7.5 miles. I know that's never happened before.
Now- if my feet and shins can hold out- in 34 more weeks I can hopefully laugh at how I was actually proud of these ridiculously small numbers!
ddamon says:
My shins start to bug me when my shoes start to wear through, hopefully you have a good pair of shoes with some nice support in them.
First week down, 51 or so more to go. My training program only goes through 36 weeks, but I'm just going to repeat the last week over and over again for the extra 15 weeks until the mini marathon in Jan of '11.
Right now that 1 mile walk is hurting my calves, but I am recovering quickly- a couple of minutes after the walk I'm stretched and feeling good. I know it's only 1 week, but I think it's going to work.
afhill says:
Have you ever heard about "periodization"? It basically breaks the year into different periods focusing on different things, like "endurance", "speed", etc. Instead of just repeating the last week for 20 weeks (wow!), it may be more advantageous and less boring to repeat a particular part of the overall program. Often people will do "Base-building" before starting a program, which just increases miles before focusing on anything else.
EsDawg says:
thanks, Afhill. I hadn't heard of that. I'm completely new to this running thing and have a lot to learn.
I'm flying out of town for work tonight, and will be back tomorrow night, so I took off early and got my mile in today.
Ok, it's only a mile, but the route takes me up a slow incline for the first half, then kind of evens out- with a little downhill, for the second.
I walked it monday- no problem. Walked it tuesday- my calves were sore, but no problem.
Yesterday, rode my bike for a little bit- flat tire. Then I did some strength and core training for a little under half an hour.
Today, in the drizzle- happy to be off work early- this walk killed me. Almost immediately my calves began to ache. I "toughed" it out- which made me feel like I'm hopeless, but I understand that I'm starting slow for a reason.
Also, I cut about 2 minutes off my previous pace- so I'll take it.
Also, I've set a goal for a mini triathlon at the end of August. I'm going to try my hardest to get there!
I have agreed (although without any real arm twisting pressure being applied) to participate in a half marathon sometime in January of 2011.
Just for reference, I am not the most out of shape person I know, but I would definitely be on the medal podium at the hefty Olympics. More so than that, I would also place in the "I'm wheezing, I'm tired, and I haven't exercised at all in recent memory (with the exception of a couple of wii fit experiences)" Olympics.
So, I start tonight. This is not, I feel, a simple "From the couch to the half marathon" training. This is more like a "from lying on the couch to running a half marathon" training. Hopefully in about 52 weeks I can run a half marathon and still be alive and have some energy left.
So, I start tonight.
xdream4 says:
Good luck, you will feel great after just a few months, you wont remember when you could barely run. 52 weeks is plenty of time to train for a half marathon. I never really ran, was somewhat active, last summer, I started running, now im running half marathons. It can be done. Keep it going.
